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Independent Singapore
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Independent Singapore
Actress Juin Teh moves back to Johor to save on rent, commutes daily for work in Singapore
MALAYSIA: In a move that underscores the growing pressures of Singapore's high cost of living, Mediacorp actress Juin Teh has opted to relocate back to her family home in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, despite still working full-time in Lion City. The 34-year-old surprised fans earlier this month when she posted a video of herself moving out of her Singapore apartment. The video, which has since garnered over 10,000 likes and more than 250 comments, initially sparked speculation that she was leaving Mediacorp altogether, but the star of Emerald Hill – The Little Nyonya Story quickly clarified her situation. 'Rent went up, so I thought it might be good to move back home to Johor Bahru. My mother's getting older too, so I want to spend more time with her,' she explained, as reported by The Sun. A tough commute and simple comforts The savings come with a considerable trade-off: Her daily commute can take up to two hours each way, sometimes as long as three on weekends. 'When a job ends late but I have other work to attend to early the next morning, I'll stay over with a friend or a relative here,' she shared, as reported by The Sun. Without a car, due to restrictions on Malaysian-registered vehicles for Singapore permanent residents and the prohibitive cost of owning a car locally, she relies entirely on public transport. More importantly, she now enjoys something she missed while living alone: 'a warm, home-cooked meal from my mother,' she stated. From Star Search to personal sacrifice According to The Sun, Juin first rose to fame during Star Search 2019, quickly building a reputation as a promising talent on local television. In addition to acting, she co-hosts the online lifestyle show #JustSwipeLah , where she recently gave viewers a tour of her newly renovated home in Johor. Her decision to go back to Johor reflects not just personal devotion but also a broader trend among young professionals, even celebrities, reassessing their living arrangements in response to Singapore's rising living costs. Netizens react to actress' decision The decision has drawn strong responses online, especially on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. 'But won't you be tired of going back and forth from Singapore to Malaysia?' one user asked, reflecting concern over the gruelling commute. 'No matter your plans, I will always support you!' another wrote, offering encouragement and support for the actress. Another user made fun of the situation. 'Maybe I will see you at the checkpoint,' they joked in a comment. Other users, however, pointed to the broader issue: 'Singapore has gotten unbelievably expensive.' A sign of the times Juin Teh's move is emblematic of a quiet yet growing migration of workers who choose to live in Malaysia while working in Singapore. This pattern was once limited to lower-income earners but is now extending to middle-class professionals and public figures. Her story reflects how more people are becoming practical about their finances. At the same time, it shows the strength of a new generation facing the real challenges of adult life. With the rising cost of living, even those who are doing well are changing how they live. For Juin, it's not just about cutting costs; it's also about reconnecting with her roots and putting family first. Read also: Johor ramps up cross-border tourism ties with Singapore ahead of VJY 2026
Straits Times
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Mark Lee, Dennis Chew, Marcus Chin parody Emerald Hill in sarong kebayas as 'little nyonyas'
Jan Lee The Straits Times April 21, 2025 Singapore's biggest show of the moment, Mediacorp's Mandarin drama Emerald Hill – The Little Nyonya Story, wrapped its run on Netflix and mewatch on April 21. Channel 8 will air the series finale later in April. And the co-hosts of Love 972 radio programme The Breakfast Quartet – Mark Lee, Dennis Chew and Marcus Chin – have jumped in on the action. They dressed in sarong kebayas to parody the series, a spin-off of the hugely popular drama The Little Nyonya (2008 to 2009). Fellow programme host Chen Biyu was not part of the parody. They posted a clip, titled Pearl Hill Episode 1, on Instagram on April 15, before following up with Pearl Hill Finale on April 21. In the videos, Lee takes on the role of protagonist Zhang Xinniang, played by Tasha Low in the series. Chew parodies Zhang Anna, the villain and Xinniang's nemesis, played by Chantalle Ng. And Chin plays matriarch Liu Xiuniang, portrayed by Zoe Tay. The three men recreate the opening sequence of Emerald Hill, walking into a room and looking into the camera pointedly, set to the series' theme song, Flowers Falling Like Rain by local singer Kit Chan. Instead of focusing on the complicated relationships of the central Zhang family, the DJs' version starts with Lee, 56, accusing Chew of betraying Love 972 by working for another Mediacorp radio station, Yes 933. Chin, 70, comes in and breaks up the fight. Chew, 51, who has a small role in Emerald Hill as a street storyteller, hosts programmes on both stations. In the finale episode, Lee and Chew continue to fight, this time over the affections of Zuye, a character played by Zhang Zetong who is the love interest of Anna and Xinniang. At one point, Lee calls Chew 'Ne Zha', referring to the Chinese mythological figure from hit animated film Ne Zha 2 (2025). The double bun hairstyle Chew sports resembles Ne Zha's. Anna sports a similar hairstyle in Emerald Hill. Chin enters to break up the fight once more and settles their marriage plans. He betroths Chew to Capital 958 radio personality Pan Jiabiao, and tells Lee he has been promised to Capital 958 DJ Qiu Shengyang, which causes Chew and Lee to break character and burst into laughter. The parody has been warmly embraced, with Emerald Hill cast members Low, Jesseca Liu, Dawn Yeoh and Chen Liping reacting with laughing emoji. Emerald Hill has stayed in the top 10 most-watched series on Netflix Singapore since it premiered on the streaming platform on March 10.
New Paper
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New Paper
Mark Lee, Dennis Chew, Marcus Chin dress up as 'little nyonyas' in Emerald Hill parody
Singapore's biggest show of the moment, Mediacorp's Mandarin drama Emerald Hill - The Little Nyonya Story, wrapped its run on Netflix and mewatch on April 21. Channel 8 will air the series finale later in April. And the co-hosts of Love 972 radio programme The Breakfast Quartet - Mark Lee, Dennis Chew and Marcus Chin - have jumped in on the action. They dressed in sarong kebayas to parody the series, a spin-off of the hugely popular drama The Little Nyonya (2008 to 2009). Fellow programme host Chen Biyu was not part of the parody. They posted a clip, titled Pearl Hill Episode 1, on Instagram on April 15, before following up with Pearl Hill Finale on April 21. In the videos, Lee takes on the role of protagonist Zhang Xinniang, played by Tasha Low in the series. Chew parodies Zhang Anna, the villain and Xinniang's nemesis, played by Chantalle Ng. And Chin plays matriarch Liu Xiuniang, portrayed by Zoe Tay. The three men recreate the opening sequence of Emerald Hill, walking into a room and looking into the camera pointedly, set to the series' theme song, Flowers Falling Like Rain by local singer Kit Chan. Instead of focusing on the complicated relationships of the central Zhang family, the DJs' version starts with Lee, 56, accusing Chew of betraying Love 972 by working for another Mediacorp radio station, Yes 933. Chin, 70, comes in and breaks up the fight. Chew, 51, who has a small role in Emerald Hill as a street storyteller, hosts programmes on both stations. In the finale episode, Lee and Chew continue to fight, this time over the affections of Zuye, a character played by Zhang Zetong who is the love interest of Anna and Xinniang. At one point, Lee calls Chew "Ne Zha", referring to the Chinese mythological figure from hit animated film Ne Zha 2 (2025). The double bun hairstyle Chew sports resembles Ne Zha's. Anna sports a similar hairstyle in Emerald Hill. Chin enters to break up the fight once more and settles their marriage plans. He betroths Chew to Capital 958 radio personality Pan Jiabiao, and tells Lee he has been promised to Capital 958 DJ Qiu Shengyang, which causes Chew and Lee to break character and burst into laughter. The parody has been warmly embraced, with Emerald Hill cast members Low, Jesseca Liu, Dawn Yeoh and Chen Liping reacting with laughing emoji. Emerald Hill has stayed in the top 10 most-watched series on Netflix Singapore since it premiered on the streaming platform on March 10.
Straits Times
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Mark Lee, Dennis Chew, Marcus Chin dress up as ‘little nyonyas' in Emerald Hill parody
Love 972 DJs of radio programme The Breakfast Quartet (from left) Dennis Chew, Marcus Chin and Mark Lee parodying Mediacorp's hit series Emerald Hill – The Little Nyonya Story. PHOTOS: LOVE972FM/INSTAGRAM SINGAPORE – Singapore's biggest show of the moment, Mediacorp's Mandarin drama Emerald Hill – The Little Nyonya Story wrapped its run on Netflix and mewatch on April 21. Channel 8 will air the series finale later in April. And the co-hosts of Love 972 radio programme The Breakfast Quartet – Mark Lee, Dennis Chew and Marcus Chin – have jumped in on the action. They dressed in sarong kebayas to parody the series, a spin-off of the hugely popular drama The Little Nyonya (2008 to 2009) . Fellow programme host Chen Biyu was not part of the parody. They posted a clip , titled Pearl Hill Episode 1, on Instagram on April 15, before following up with Pearl Hill Finale on April 21. In the videos, Lee takes on the role of protagonist Zhang Xinniang, played by Tasha Low in the series. Chew parodies Zhang Anna, the villain and Xinniang's nemesis, played by Chantalle Ng. And Chin plays matriarch Liu Xiuniang, portrayed by Zoe Tay. In the clips, the three men recreated the opening sequence of the series, walking into a room and looking into the camera pointedly , set to the series' theme song, Flowers Falling Like Rain by Kit Chan. Instead of focusing on the complicated relationships of the Zhang family , the DJs' version starts with Lee, 56, accusing Chew of betraying Love 972 by working for another Mediacorp radio station, Yes 933. Chin, 70, comes in and breaks up the fight. Chew, 51, who has a small role in Emerald Hill as a street storyteller, hosts programmes on both stations. In the finale episode , Lee and Chew continue to fight, this time over the affections of Zuye, a character played by Zhang Zetong who is the love interest of Anna and Xinniang. At one point, Lee calls Chew 'Ne Zha', referring to the Chinese mythological figure from hit animated film Ne Zha 2 (2025). The double bun hairstyle Chew sports resembles Ne Zha's . Anna sports a similar hairstyle in Emerald Hill. Chin enters to break up the fight once more and settles their marriage plans . He betroths Chew to Capital 958 radio personality Pan Jiabiao, and tells Lee he has been promised to Capital 958 DJ Qiu Shengyang, which caused Chew and Lee to break character and burst into laughter. The parody has been warmly embraced, with Emerald Hill cast members Low, Jesseca Liu, Dawn Yeoh and Chen Liping reacting with laughing emoji. Emerald Hill has stayed in the top 10 most-watched series on Netflix Singapore since it premiered on the streaming platform on March 10. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
