Singapore's Art Where You'd Least Expect It
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Straits Times
4 hours ago
- Straits Times
These cats may have disabilities, but they are resilient and capable of being affectionate
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Ms Julie Chong (fourth from right) and her cats Yoona, Awal and Mika at The International Cat Association Cat Show. SINGAPORE – Mika, a red-and-cream tabby, requires bladder expression three times a day because the three-month-old male kitten is half-paralysed. Awal, seven, is a brown tabby with only three legs after an amputation. Yoona, a brown domestic shorthair, suffers from a spinal injury and is fully paralysed. The four-month-old kitten moves by tossing herself about. The three disabled cats are among the 10 participants of the inaugural Exceptional Category of the 6th The International Cat Association (TICA) Cat Show, held recently at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre. The TICA Cat Show is part of the Singapore Pet Festival 2025, hosted by Clubpets, a local pet community portal. The Exceptional Category, organised by Feline Club Singapore, was started to honour cats who have overcome immense odds as well as to foster a greater sense of compassion and inclusion within the feline community. It takes a big heart to embrace these special needs animals, and for Mika, Awal and Yoona, they are in the good hands of Ms Julie Chong. The operations coordinator, who is in her 40s, has been looking after cats with special needs and those requiring palliative care for many years. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. 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Mika, in particular, needs help to manually empty his bladder as he is unable to do so on his own. The cats' expenditure is about $2,000 a month, which is spent on their wet food and supplements, as well as other daily necessities, including pee pads and wet wipes. Ms Julie Chong's daughter Aqilah with Yoona (left) and Mika. PHOTO: COURTESY OF JULIE CHONG Ms Chong receives regular donations from friends. She is also raising funds for acupuncture treatments for Yoona and Mika. Time and money aside, she says caring for the cats is rewarding. 'They hold a special place in my heart. They wait for me at the gate whenever I get home. They give me headbutts and follow me around. Yoona will start to scream, demanding to be carried,' says Ms Chong, who is married with children. Her family members also help out with the cats. At the cat show, Zen, a four-year-old male black Maine Coon, was named the Overall Winner in the Exceptional Category because of his quiet strength and loving personality. All 10 contestants received a rosette, a hamper of food and supplements, and a bottle of veterinary disinfectant. Zen is blind in one eye and his good eye needs constant cleaning. According to his owner Doris Liam, he is perfectly fine, like a 'normal cat'. The 54-year-old adopted Zen when he was about a year old. A sports instructor for students with disabilities, Ms Liam has another cat, a Persian named Rie, four, whom she adopted along with Zen. Ms Doris Liam (right) and Zen with Ms Michelle Tay from Feline Club Singapore at The International Cat Association Cat Show. PHOTO: FELINE CLUB SINGAPORE Describing Zen as calm, sweet and friendly, Ms Liam says the cat having just one eye has never affected him in any way. Like Rie, Zen brings much joy to the single mum who has two adult daughters. 'Zen sleeps with me and wakes me up when the alarm goes off,' says Ms Liam, who is his main caregiver. 'He will climb onto my chest and sit there, or he will meow near my face until I get up.' Zen is a partially blind Maine Coon. PHOTO: COURTESY OF DORIS LIAM For Ms Sheryl Woo, her fully blind cat Monkey, who also took part in the show, is the bully in the family of three female cats. 'Like most babies in the family, she always wants to have her way and throws tantrums if she doesn't get it.' The three cats were adopted in Doha in 2020, when Ms Woo was working in the Qatari capital. 'Monkey was already blind from severe eye infections when I first saw her. She was about three months old. I adopted her a month later,' says Ms Woo, 39. Monkey, a domestic medium-hair calico, will turn five in September. She was adopted after Princess, a Persian-British shorthair mix, six, and Cookie, a domestic shorthair calico, also six. Monkey underwent an enucleation surgery – removal of the entire eye globe and surrounding tissues – when she was five months old. PHOTO: COURTESY OF SHERYL WOO 'Monkey was at risk of being euthanised because of her condition – one eye was cloudy and the other was almost closed,' Ms Woo adds. The kitten underwent an enucleation surgery – removal of the entire eye globe and surrounding tissues – when she was five months old. Being blind does not stop Monkey from climbing all over the house, says Ms Woo, adding that her cat sisters cannot keep up with her playing style. Ms Woo, who is single, and her three fur kids moved back to Singapore in October 2022. She spent three months getting them ready for the move, as they needed to be quarantined for a month. It was difficult for Monkey because she did not like being confined in a crate. Relocation cost was about $3,500 a cat. Describing Monkey as one who loves to go out, Ms Woo adds that being blind has never stopped her from being inquisitive, cheeky and mischievous. 'She was the first to jump onto the kitchen counter when we moved in and also the first to climb our 'catified' walls once they were installed,' she says . Being blind has not stopped Monkey from climbing all over the house. PHOTO: COURTESY OF SHERYL WOO What Monkey does in a new space is to walk around it many times, slowly expanding her circle and making a mental map. 'Once she's mapped it out, she knows exactly where she's going,' Ms Woo explains, adding that Monkey rarely bumps into things. Ms Woo is an advocate for special needs animals and has an Instagram account (@princess_cookie_monkey) documenting her cats' lives. Ms Sheryl Woo (right) and Monkey with Ms Michelle Tay from Feline Club Singapore at The International Cat Association Cat Show. PHOTO: FELINE CLUB SINGAPORE 'There's a misconception that special needs cats require a lot more concessions. When I Googled how to care for a blind cat before adopting Monkey, I found so many myths that Monkey has since proven wrong,' Ms Woo says. For example, she was told not to move furniture around and to attach bells to people so that Monkey knows when someone is approaching. 'A blind cat is just a cat,' she says. 'Their personality matters more than sight. They are neither fragile nor difficult to care for. They are resilient animals.' To include a special needs category in a feline competition is a positive move, she says, as it gives 'special cats a chance to be adopted because they are often overlooked'.
CNA
17 hours ago
- CNA
'Phygital', video game-like walking trails rolled out by CDCs, GovTech
Game enough to step out of your house and go on a walking trail? The Community Development Councils and GovTech have come up with five interactive routes which involve various tasks. These trails, up to 5.5km each, are a mix of heritage pathways, nature trails and even one which takes you through new urban areas. They also include historic or significant landmarks, such as the central trail ending at Fort Canning and the north-eastern trail going through the Punggol Digital District. And to encourage people to be more active, a number of incentives await those who complete the experience. Nicolas Ng with more.
CNA
a day ago
- CNA
From Coldplay to Blackpink's Jisoo: How a stealth STB team is putting Singapore on the pop culture map
You'd have thought the legions of hardcore K-pop fans would know when a member of the world's current biggest girlband was in Singapore, a city so densely packed that it often feels like nothing goes unnoticed. But Blackpink's Jisoo managed to fly under the radar earlier this year, when she filmed the music video to Your Love – the second track on her recent album Amortage – at the new wildlife park Rainforest Wild Asia in Mandai before it opened in March. All without a single leak online before the video's official preview on Monday (Aug 11), ahead of its release the following day. This wasn't the Singapore Tourism Board's (STB) first collaboration with a global superstar. In 2025 alone, it also partnered internationally renowned acts like Coldplay and BTS' Jin for their music videos. Still, its latest reveal caught many by surprise. 'STB's team is really acing,' read one Instagram comment on Jisoo's music video preview – echoing the support for Coldplay's Man In The Moon video released in February and BTS' Jin's Don't Say You Love Me in May. Its recent streak of high profile entertainment partnerships has also extended to television. Hacks, an Emmy Award-winning comedy on HBO Max, revealed during its Season 4 finale in late May that the episode had been filmed in Singapore. Perhaps most impressive was that the projects featured multiple familiar public spots. There was a coffee shop in Geylang, the MacPherson neighbourhood, Benjamin Sheares Bridge and Gardens by the Bay among others. Yet somehow, the team behind the scenes managed to keep it all under wraps, again and again. CONFIDENTIALITY AND LOCATION SELECTION The low-key approach to managing high profile projects is intentional, STB told CNA Lifestyle in an extensive interview about the strategic thinking behind its branded entertainment partnerships. It declined to share details about the amounts spent due to business confidentiality. These projects present unique challenges, 'particularly regarding confidentiality and logistics', said executive director of STB's brand division, Tan Yen Nee. They require 'tight information control to protect the integrity of the content and ensure maximum impact of the final reveal'. For example, BTS' Jin's visit for Don't Say You Love Me required 'extensive coordination to maintain discretion about the artist's presence and filming locations, while ensuring smooth production', she said. In the end, Goldhill Plaza near Novena MRT station, Marina Bay Residences, the National Gallery, Keng Eng Kee Seafood at Bukit Merah, Emerald Hill, Gardens by the Bay, Anderson Bridge and the Singapore Flyer were featured in the music video. STB looks at multiple factors when selecting the filming locations, Tan said. This includes creative vision and storytelling requirements, technical feasibility, practical considerations for use of public spaces and coordination with stakeholders. For Coldplay, the Marina Bay area was chosen 'not merely for its iconic status but for its ability to create a powerful setting for the video's climax', she shared. Around the 02:29 mark of Man In The Moon, the diverse group of youths featured come together on a floating platform under the night sky. And the 'stunning yet operationally viable' scene was only possible because STB and the production teams had worked closely with various stakeholders, including PUB, said Tan. "NATURAL" FIT WITH SINGAPORE'S BRANDING IS KEY Nurturing such collaborative relationships, including with key global media and entertainment companies, has been central to STB's approach to destination marketing. The statutory board under the Ministry of Trade and Industry champions tourism as a main economic pillar, promoting Singapore as a vibrant travel destination. The Coldplay collaboration was the result of STB's existing partnership with Warner Music, following 'successful projects' with other global celebrities like Charlie Puth, said Tan. The American singer-songwriter and record producer, who's signed to Atlantic Records under Warner Music Group, visited Singapore in September 2022 for STB's SingapoReimagine campaign. He showcased various locations through their distinct sounds – a nod to his well-known perfect pitch. The rare musical ability lets him turn everyday noises into melody and identify notes with uncanny precision. So when Coldplay scheduled their Music Of The Spheres World Tour in Singapore, STB recognised an opportunity to 'create unique content', Tan recalled. While a partner's track record matters, even renowned names don't automatically get the green light. A key factor in the decision is whether the partnership "naturally" fits Singapore's brand values and identity. In this case, Coldplay's Man In The Moon was part of the band's Moon Music album, which carries the message that love is the best response to a challenging world. The song itself 'centres around the theme of unity and shared experiences that transcend individual differences', said Tan. The band's values and narratives aligned with Singapore's 'celebration of diversity, innovation and community", she noted. 'When fans' favourite artistes share authentic experiences of Singapore, it creates meaningful connections through compelling content that inspires travel consideration." Separately, Jisoo's video painted a 'love letter' to her fans through a visual story that blended lush nature with modern city life. The setting echoed Singapore's 'city in a garden' vision, where greenery and urban living go hand in hand. Unlike other collaborations where the city's various urban landmarks were in the spotlight, it focused on highlighting Singapore's nature-inspired experiences. SIGNIFICANT APPEAL IN TARGET MARKETS STB's 'strategic focus on leveraging the global K-wave' has opened the door to collaborations with South Korean entertainment partners, said Tan. In 2022, it partnered with acclaimed South Korean drama studio Studio Dragon to film the mystery series Little Women at locations in Singapore, including the ArtScience Museum and Fullerton Hotel. Then in 2024, it partnered with JTBC, a leading South Korea TV network, for the Korean dating variety show My Sibling's Romance. The couples went on dates around Singapore including at Chye Seng Huat Hardware Cafe and The Coastal Settlement. Its collaborations with BTS' Jin and Blackpink's Jisoo – both artistes who command a significant following in STB's key markets – were simply this year's addition to a growing list of successes. And at least in Jin's case for now, the numbers have backed it up. His music video accumulated 23 million organic views as of August 2025, generating an influencer media value (IMV) of S$718,500, Tan shared. An IMV figure represents the estimated value of paid media exposure that a product has generated through its organic performance. The National Gallery also shared that the music video led to a 'significant surge in their social media engagement, with a notable increase in user-generated content from fans visiting the featured spaces', Tan added. The music video inspired a self-guided trail, which drew 'over 175 per cent' more views than the Gallery's second most-viewed trail (The Ultimate First Timer's Guide) during the same period. And on Instagram, the post featuring Jin racked up 'approximately 148 times more likes and 56 times more views' compared to the other posts in May. Whether these figures have directly driven more visitors to Singapore is up for debate, but the appeal of such collaborations with prominent pop culture personalities is evident. As of August 2025, the Coldplay campaign has accumulated over 262 million in reach, 110 million views and 19 million engagements across the social media platforms of Coldplay, STB and Warner Music, Tan added. Having television and film partnerships reach audiences in STB's key markets also gives potential collaborators a significant edge. Season 4 of Hacks was distributed across STB's 'top source' markets, including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines. Its season finale came under the Singapore On-Screen Fund – a joint initiative by STB and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) supporting TV and film productions that showcase Singapore globally – which assesses proposals for their ability to deliver 'both tourism impact and industry development outcomes', said Tan. Scripted content, like the Hacks' episode, is evaluated based on the show's 'established success, distribution reach, destination features and industry development benefits'. Plus, remember Tom & Jerry Singapore? The first localised adaptation of the popular animated franchise was released in 2023, inspired by Singapore's culture and landscapes – and it was the result of STB's long-term collaboration with leading entertainment company Warner Bros Discovery. The first episode has the cat and mouse duo fighting over none other than durians, arguably a staple in Singaporeans' diet. And in 2022, the six-part documentary Food Affair With Mark Wiens – also stemming from the partnership with Warner Bros Discovery – centred around Singapore's "rich and diverse dining scene". 'We seek partnerships that combine strong market reach with meaningful destination integration while maintaining creative authenticity,' Tan said. 'These principles serve as guidelines whilst we maintain open dialogue with our partners to discuss creative interpretations, provided they don't compromise Singapore's fundamental values or harm our reputation.' To that end, STB offers local insights to ensure content is accurate and resonates with audiences, while also helping to facilitate the production process. But it ultimately adopts a 'collaborative approach' that respects the vision of production teams and ensures 'creative control' remains with them, said Tan. For example, when working with Netflix and Box to Box Films on the 2019 documentary series Formula 1: Drive To Survive, STB recommended and connected producers to various local attractions, and helped with location access and permits. Still, the production house had 'creative freedom to capture Singapore's Formula One Grand Prix and the vibrancy of the city'. Tan highlighted that the varied nature of STB's branded entertainment partnerships means each requires 'a distinct approach depending on the creative concept, production scale, technical requirements and stakeholder involvement'. But what's important is to prioritise projects where Singapore plays an 'integral role' in the story, not just an 'interchangeable backdrop'. STB leans into authentic and credible digital content in its partnerships with global celebrities, profiling Singapore's 'distinctive character' in a natural way that avoids 'the feel of traditional tourism advertising', she added. It also seeks partnerships where Singapore inspires creative expression. American pop-rock band OneRepublic's song Singapore, for instance, 'emerged organically' from the band's experiences here. The track featured on their sixth studio album, released in 2024. 'From our architectural landmarks to street food culture, this genuine appreciation translated into content that audiences trust and engage with more deeply,' Tan said. And as destination marketing evolves, STB sees branded entertainment as "a powerful way to not only profile Singapore's physical attractions, but also our culture, people and stories", she added. 'This approach helps overcome marketing fatigue by integrating our destination organically into content that audiences actively choose to consume.'
