CNA938 Rewind - Wrap of the week's hustings and what to expect on final day of campaigning, Cooling-Off day and Polling Day
CNA938 Rewind - Wrap of the week's hustings and what to expect on final day of campaigning, Cooling-Off day and Polling Day
We're on to the final day of hustings this election season before Singapore heads to the polls on Saturday! CNA's Afifah Ariffin gives The Morning Report a wrap of what she's seen and heard so far from the main political parties with Hairianto Diman and Susan Ng.
7 mins
CNA938 Rewind - Why do Singaporeans love plushies… and reselling them?
The charms and plushie craze has led to a spike in scalping. Milo's new Breakfast and Breaktime sets had fans flock to supermarkets, with some taking to Carousell to cash in on the hype. And the viral $19.90 Scotch Brite EZ-Link charm is now going for double. Lance Alexander and Daniel Martin ask Associate Professor Ang Swee Hoon from NUS Business School why Singaporeans enjoy reselling.
15 mins
CNA938 Rewind - Penknife incident: do we need regular bag checks in schools?
A Bartley Secondary School student was arrested on Monday after cutting a teacher with a penknife. Lance Alexander and Daniel Martin speak to Associate Professor Jason Tan from the National Institute of Education – Policy, Curriculum, and Leadership to discuss how else we can further improve safety for teachers and students.
17 mins
CNA938 Rewind - Inside the World's Highest Microbrewery at LeVel33
In 'Destination Anywhere' Melanie Oliveiro finds out where, in Singapore, listeners can go to visit the world's highest microbrewery in a building, as recognised by the Guinness World Records. It's at LeVeL33, the rooftop bar-restaurant located on the 33rd floor of Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 1. Dr. Martin Bém, LeVeL33's founder and managing director will talk about how the microbrewery came about and how public tours around it are held. LeVeL33's brewmaster Gabriel Garcia will share some facts about making the freshly brewed craft beers like blond lager and India Pale Ale.
19 mins
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNA
10 hours ago
- CNA
US$70 a photo, no problem: Vintage vibes of peel-apart film charm Chinese youths
BEIJING: It's a delicate and manual process, with no second take. No guarantees on quality as well - in fact, unpredictability is a signature trait. Also, it costs a pretty penny - upwards of several hundred yuan per shot. A long-discontinued type of instant film currently seen as the preserve of photography enthusiasts, peel-apart film has been staging a modern comeback in China, driven by celebrity recommendations alongside a broader youthful embrace of nostalgia. Photo businesses have also sought to cash in on the youth-centred hype, marketing the scarcity of peel-apart film and offering their services for a premium. Some are also offering bells and whistles, such as hair styling and make-up, to sweeten the deal. The hefty prices didn't put off Hu Wengji, 20, a Chinese second-year university student in Shenzhen. She got her peel-apart photos snapped in January, joining a crowd of young Chinese embracing the retro photo format. 'I took three photos - one for myself, one for my friend, and one including both of us. Three photos cost me more than 900 yuan (US$125),' she told CNA. PEELING BACK THE POPULARITY A form of instant photography, peel-apart film was introduced in 1947 by Polaroid founder Edwin Land. As the name suggests, it is developed by manually peeling apart the positive and negative prints after a photo is taken. Also known as packfilm, its popularity waned as more convenient instant photography formats like integral film emerged. The rise of digital photography left it further in the dust. But the vintage photography format has been enjoying a renaissance in China in recent months. The term 'si la pian', meaning 'peel-apart film' in Chinese, has been trending on Chinese social media platforms like Xiaohongshu and Weibo, racking up millions of views. A search by CNA on these platforms found numerous posts of users showcasing their peel-apart film portraits. According to local news reports, people have been taken by its analogue charm and visual unpredictability. The film must be pulled out of the camera by hand before being peeled apart to reveal the photo. Mess this up, and the shot risks being irreversibly ruined. The development process also yields a distinct, vintage aesthetic - worlds apart from the polished, clean-edged images emblematic of digital photography. The trend has garnered extensive coverage from local news outlets. Many have highlighted how celebrities have been driving the buzz. In late April, Chinese actress and singer Ju Jingyi posted images of her peel-apart film photo shoot on Weibo, where she has more than 31 million followers. The post received more than 1 million likes. Fellow Chinese actress Liu Shishi and the immensely popular Taiwanese singer-actress Ouyang Nana are among the many other celebrities who have publicly embraced peel-apart film. PAYING FOR SCARCITY But jumping on the bandwagon isn't cheap. Major producers Polaroid and Fujifilm discontinued their peel-apart film in 2008 and 2016 respectively. This means all existing stock is limited and expired, and can only be found on the secondary market. And prices have gone up exponentially as the stock level goes down. Checks by CNA on Chinese secondhand marketplace Xianyu found Fujifilm's popular FP-100c being listed at prices ranging from 1,600 yuan to 3,000 yuan for a 10-pack. The more recent the manufacturing date, the higher the price tag due to the lower risk of quality degradation. Before it was discontinued in 2016, the film retailed for a fraction of the price, typically around US$10 to US$20 for a box of 10. In a nod to its high cost, netizens have coined the term 'zhipian maotai', or 'paper moutai' in Chinese, to describe peel-apart film, referring to the hallmark Chinese liquor that can itself retail for more than double its average price of 1,500 yuan, taking Kweichow Moutai's flagship product Flying Fairy as an example. Photo studios have seized on the peel-apart film trend, with marketing centred on this sense of scarcity and vintage luxury. 'Pai yi zhang, shao yi zhang' goes their refrain, loosely translated to 'take one shot, lose one shot' - referencing how every photo taken eats into a finite peel-apart film trove. In a bid to reel in customers, photo studios in cities like Hangzhou and Chengdu offer packages that provide added services such as hair styling, make-up and framing, according to Chinese news site Shanghai Daily. And it's clear why they're gunning for a slice of the peel-apart pie - profit. Moyu Photo Lab, a Beijing photo studio located in the trendy neighbourhood of Sanlitun, opened in May last year and began offering peel-apart film photography four months later. While customers seeking such services currently make up just 10 per cent of overall clients, they account for more than half of the store's revenue, its owner Xu Huan, 30, told CNA. Most of them are aged between 18 and 25. Moyu Photo Lab offers three peel-apart film options. A monochrome shot costs 149 yuan a piece, a colour photo sets you back 459 yuan, while a colour photo taken using the Polaroid Big Shot - a popular camera model from the 1970s - costs 499 yuan. The studio has raised prices twice over the past eight months. The rate was initially around 300 yuan for a photo taken with the Big Shot, before being hiked to just under 400 yuan in February. 'With the recent surge in demand and rising (peel-apart) film costs, we had no choice but to raise prices again to just under 500 yuan a shot,' Xu said. The store offers test shoots where photos are taken with a digital camera for the customer to size up the shot. Before the actual shoot, customers are informed that the store is not responsible for how the photo turns out, and reshoots are not provided. Hu, the university student, had reservations during her shoot. 'I was slightly concerned about how the photo would turn out, because the film used was out of date, and the chemicals would not be as stable. I was also worried about my gestures and facial expressions,' she said. While she enjoyed the experience, Hu views it as a one-off event. 'I will not do it again, because I do not want to pay for the film at a premium like this. About two years ago, it only cost 150 yuan for a photo,' she said. 'When you're capturing a very meaningful moment or taking a photo with a significant other, but you're worried about the high cost or concerned too much about the image quality, it somewhat loses the meaning of commemorating and recording.' THE BUSINESS OF NOSTALGIA The revival of peel-apart film in China has been linked to a broader global trend embracing nostalgia experiences, permeating sectors like fashion, music and technology. Vintage ensembles have come back into vogue, sales of cassette tapes and vinyl records have surged, and yesteryear gadgets like flip phones, iPods and Walkmans are being reintroduced. Tamagotchi, the egg-shaped toy housing a virtual pet that was hugely popular among children and teenagers in the 1990s, has made a roaring return, albeit with modern bells and whistles. In China, the newfound youth crush for peel-apart film comes after similar viral comebacks for other retro tech like charge-coupled device (CCD) cameras and older iPhone models. 'The unique imaging effect of peel-apart film has attracted significant attention from young people and quickly spread through social platforms, creating a retro trend phenomenon that has further stimulated market demand,' Jiang Han, a senior researcher at the Pangoal Institution think tank, told local media site China News Service. But how long will the fad last? Uncle Wang, the independent photographer, believes the peel-apart film trend has a limited shelf life. 'Once all the celebrities and influencers have tried it, the trend will probably fade,' he said. Still, he thinks demand for Polaroid and traditional film will remain due to a 'steady fanbase'. Xu, the photo studio owner, shares this sentiment. He believes the retro aesthetic trend will 'continue indefinitely'. 'Polaroids, film and peel-apart film each offer unique imaging effects and the fun of analogue photography,' he said. 'As long as film supplies are available, enthusiasts will keep it alive.'
CNA
20 hours ago
- CNA
CNA938 Rewind - Why businesses target the elderly?
CNA938 Rewind - Coffee clubbing in the daytime: Are more youths looking for a sober clubbing experience? Day parties have been gaining popularity in Singapore, as more young people look for alternatives to traditional nightlife options. Lance Alexander and Daniel Martin learn more from Aden Low and Matteo Lie, Co-Founders, Beans and Beats - one joint offering such experiences. 15 mins CNA938 Rewind - Why businesses target the elderly? What sort of unscrupulous tactics are some businesses using here and are employees being encouraged to use these tactics to trick seniors? Lance Alexander and Daniel Martin find out more from Associate Professor Lau Kong Cheen, Head of Marketing Programme at Singapore University of Social Sciences School of Business. 15 mins CNA938 Rewind - Kebabs, Bazaars, Yurt-life & More - Travels in Uzbekistan In 'Destination Anywhere', Melanie Oliveiro catches up with foodie traveller and globetrotter, Nithia Devan, who'll talk about her adventures in Uzbekistan, the landlocked country in Central Asia. Devan describes her travels to its capital Tashkent, as well as the cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva. She'll talk about how she visited historical sites, mosques, madrasahs, bazaars, and squares – the most notable of which was Registan Square in Samarkand. 16 mins CNA938 Rewind - Dads and their sons – the immense importance of their relationship In 'Made in SG', Melanie Oliveiro explores the topic, 'The Importance of the Father-Son Relationship' with Anita Krishnan-Shankar, a therapist at Alliance Counselling. A survey conducted by charity, Focus on the Family, found that fathers confessed they could be a better parent, and even gave themselves a lukewarm rating on how well they play their roles. Krishnan-Shankar will discuss these findings as well as talk about what she notices about typical father-son relationships in Singapore – why some fail to connect with each other; what guidance a son needs from his Dad; and the challenges that come with raising a teenage son. 31 mins
New Paper
4 days ago
- New Paper
Father of Ian Fang's victim speaks out, affirms decision to sue the ex-actor
Following the declaration by the victim's mother that she was "going to sue Ian Fang until he goes bankrupt", the girl's father spoke to CNA to recount his side of the story. "Let the guy learn," said the girl's father. "Mark him for life. He marked my daughter for life." Ex-actor Ian Fang, 35, was sentenced to 40 months' jail for sexual offences committed against the girl before she turned 16. He had sex with the teen on nine occasions between June and July 2024, mostly unprotected, which led to her contracting human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually-transmitted disease. The girl and her family's identity are protected by a court order, while the gag order on Fang's identity was lifted following an application by the prosecution. Speaking to CNA, the victim's father said that his daughter was manipulated by Fang. "He knew that at that age you are still quite naive, immature. Your thoughts are all over the place, you don't know how to really make decisions." He accused Fang of using his age and celebrity status "to show that he could take care of her… give her a sense of security where probably boys of her age couldn't". Fang "abused his power" to take advantage of her while she was infatuated with him, he said. The family was "disgusted" to see Fang, whom they once considered a friend, actively posting on social media "like nothing happened". Oscar-winning performance Fang met the girl and her mother at an event. He befriended the girl's parents and was even treated to dinners. "We had drinks with him and everything. (He) called me 'bro' and this and that. And then behind my back, he's (having sex with) my daughter." The father also claimed that Fang introduced the family to other celebrities to win them over. "He would meet us and act like nothing has happened. And he will ask my daughter to play along," the father said. "We didn't know at all. He played his acting role so well. Speechless, speechless. Really give him an Oscar for that." The girl only confessed to their relationship after she contracted HPV from Fang. "What my wife had to do was basically tell her: 'Okay, you need to tell us who did this to you, because if you don't tell us, I'm not going to pay for your medical fees'. "And when she (saw) her health, her situation was that bad - that's how we actually managed to squeeze it out from her, all this information." The girl's father revealed that Fang pressured her to keep their relationship a secret by using the prospect of him going to jail, and the extreme of killing himself. Even after a police report was filed in August 2024, Fang continued contacting the girl despite being instructed not to. "Every single day, by the time it hits around midnight to 2am, that was a crucial timing, I would say. The phone never stops," said the girl's father. When she blocked one phone number, Fang would call again from another number. "And whenever she (picked) up the phone call, he wouldn't speak. He would just play songs, like those love songs and those Chinese love songs." The ex-actor would sometimes then "blurt out some of the words" and cry. Breakdown of trust Before meeting Fang, the victim had never given her parents a reason to worry as she was a good student, said her father. However, her relationship with the then-34-year-old made her dishonest about her whereabouts. "If she tells us she's going to school or she's going for her lessons, we'll just (say) 'okay, sure'. We never go and CSI really what's going on." "We always gave our full 100 per cent trust to her. So we didn't know that that's how she went out with him and stuff like that. We didn't know at all." The girl's parents now keep track of their daughter's whereabouts using the location-tracking app on her phone. The victim's father told CNA that his daughter now feels regret for her actions during her relationship with Fang. "She's getting better, definitely, but it takes time … now we just spend more time with her, focus on her studies, focus on what she enjoys doing." "However she's feeling, we can't really know what is going (on) you know." "But as a parent ... we are trying our best to make her happy again." No caning Fang was charged under Section 376A(2)(b) of the Penal Code, which does not include caning as punishment. The section deals with sexual offences against minors which do not carry the element of an exploitative relationship. CNA reported that their lawyer Richard Siaw has been "instructed to commence civil proceedings against Fang for harms inflicted on the victim, to get redress over and above the sentence for criminal offences". Suicidal thoughts surfaced after Fang reached out to the victim to threaten to kill himself if he went to jail. He instructed her to cry in front of her mother so that she would not press charges against him. The girl was warded at the Institute of Mental Health for almost a week in August 2024, and was later diagnosed with adjustment disorder with depressed mood. In her victim impact statement, she said she felt very dependent on Fang and believed the only way to keep him close to her was to have sex. She also stated that she had become fearful of middle-aged men and had lost trust in relationships. CNA reported that a civil claim is viable, as criminal and civil proceedings are independent of each other. The family's lawyers are currently putting the case together. When contacted by CNA, the lawyer who represented Fang in his criminal case did not make a comment on the matter. The victim's father emphasised they were not suing Fang for monetary compensation, but to teach him a "lesson". "I will never touch a single cent from him. Everything will be donated to a charity," he said. "But I want to make this guy learn his lesson, and why we sue him is because there is no rotan (Malay for cane)."
