Author: Sng Ler Jun

Ler Jun aspires to be a radio journalist. He specialises in travel writing and enjoys crafting human interest stories. He loves to read and is always looking for cool things to document.

When it comes to National Day-themed songs, nostalgic and uplifting undertones, as well as lyrics that conjure up images of the island-city, are classic hallmarks. For the most part, they are composed and sang by Singaporeans, including notables Kit Chan, Stefanie Sun, Taufik Batisah, and JJ Lin. This year, the official theme song is sung by singer Nathan Hartono. In an era of the coronavirus pandemic, when times are challenging and prospects are bleak, a National Day-themed song needs to serve an even greater purpose, beyond just a patriotic front. Songs ought to also empathise about the present circumstance and…

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Nobody taught comedy couple Sharul Channa and Rishi Budhrani how to do stand-ups. They just figured it out—together. Yet, there is something deliciously witty about the way Sharul Channa and Rishi Budhrani interact with each other. It’s like watching a sitcom play out with tidbits of raw emotions and energy that seem to bounce off quite naturally between two of Singapore’s most established comedians. Sharul and Rishi have been married for close to a decade, but the two veteran comedians went way back. It was in 2006 that the two first met each other in a Bollywood dance troupe, where…

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For the longest time, travel has become the shorthand for unfolding hidden narratives and gaining new perspectives from a foreign land. Globalisation, as well as the rise of Instagram, has transformed the landscape for travelling, with exotic locales and one-upmanship becoming core motivations for many in recent times. These days, travel itineraries are tailored and planned to perfection, with plenty of photo opportunities for the ‘Gram, visiting popular restaurants, and basking in novelty experiences speckled in between. If anything, travel is, by and large, self-serving in nature. And yet interestingly, a burgeoning group of travellers are starting to redefine the…

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By now, you would have heard of Thomas Kopankiewicz, his arduous journey of procuring a Singaporean passport, and his stellar achievement at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games). The 24-year-old scriptwriter at Wah!Banana, who recently clinched the nation’s maiden silver medal in StarCraft II at the SEA Games, however, wasn’t all that impressed.   “It was a fairy tale without an ending,” he tells me, referring to a contentious headline that a journalist had quoted him on that drew some flak on social media. “I didn’t get gold. It’s that simple.” Born to a Polish father and a Chinese mother,…

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The year is 2019 and esports is even more ubiquitous than ever. With much of the industry’s growth kindled and fuelled by advancements in technology and swelling fan bases, the world of competitive video games presents itself in multifaceted forms—often as a first-person shooter genre on PC or mobile phones, and a multiplayer online battle arena on similar mediums. This year, the industry is expected to cash in more than US$1 billion in global revenue. Such is telling that the scene is nothing short of profits and popularity. Earlier in July 2019, 16-year-old Kyle Giersdorf of Pennsylvania had won US$3…

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They are sparkly. They are colourful. And they come in all shapes and sizes. Mysterious and often hiding lustre beneath their polished or unrefined surfaces, crystals have had roots across cultures and history. In fact, one can also argue that mankind has long had an affinity with these gorgeous stones. In Ancient Egypt and numerous tribal villages, crystals such as lapis lazuli or clear quartz, were known to be incorporated into amulets to dispel malign spirits. In Greece, soldiers were known to have rubbed iron-based hematite on their skin for protection in battle. The Aborigines—Australia’s native inhabitants—believed that quartz crystals…

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It is a dreary Saturday evening in October. The cross-junction between Orchard Road and Cairnhill Road remains crowded and buzzy. As people mill about the vicinity, no one paid attention to 12-year-old Alan Fong as he sets up his score stand and strums his acoustic guitar. He cuts an unassuming figure in his white mandarin collar top and canary yellow shorts. But when he starts to sing, it is a presence that is hard to ignore. Credits: Liang Hong “The happiness and sadness we felt while practising love. The efforts we put in has never been easy,” he sings, eyes…

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Within the illusive realm of magic, witches seem to only exist in ancient folklore and pop-culture. There, these powerful female figures come dressed in black, brandished mysterious implements—think brooms and crystal balls—and conjured spells to make troubles disappear. The ’90s were the heyday of fictitious TV series or movies featuring these witches, including “Sabrina the Teenage Witch”, “The Craft”, and “The Witches”, and that was a time when much of their allure lies in old-school CGI and rhyming couplets. Fast forward today, in a world of never-ending chaos—or as this New York Times op-writer says, “assumption of chaos—the sense that…

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Sitting across from Singaporean street photographer Lee Yik Keat, and hearing him speak about his muses and achievements seem surreal. After all, this is an unassuming young chap who looks just like any typical university student. But the 23-year-old has yet to enrol in any university, nor does he have any intention to. Yik Keat, who goes by @yk on Instagram, first dipped his toes into the realm of photography at a time when Instagram had yet become popular. The year was 2014 and his only equipment was the outmoded iPhone 4. “It started out as a curiosity. Then, I…

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Having shed light onto the untold history of multiple neighbourhoods in their previous art walks, OH! Open House returns for its ninth successive run across three weekends (16 – 17, 23 – 24, 30 – 31 March 2019) this year. Expanding beyond their signature neighbourhood walks, OH! Open House dives deep into the homes of individuals, together with artists, to weave together an intimate narrative that explores the notions of citizenship, identity, belonging and privilege. Aptly entitled, PASSPORT, this year’s showcase boasts six unique experiences, taking place in six cribs across the island. Each host will share their own stories…

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It takes grit to venture off the beaten track. But for 25-year-old Singaporean Phoon Jia Hui, his decision to forgo pursuing his undergraduate studies and take up the role of a football manager at Geylang International Football Club required more than just grit; it required balls (pun most definitely intended).  In doing so, he defies the classic Singaporean narrative — one that places the ‘paper chase’ as a priority and emphasises the virtue of occupational success. In a society where ageism lingers behind every corner, Jia Hui’s age did not pose a huge challenge. After all, his previous stints at various publishing…

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The first of its kind, VarCity SG brings budding musicians from local universities together to perform a one-night-only gig at Kilo Lounge this 18 April 2018. The brainchild of a group of students from Singapore Institute of Management — University at Buffalo (SIM-UB), this inter-collegiate event aims to foster closer relationships amongst undergraduates in Singapore, and provide young emerging artistes with a platform to perform and gain exposure. Organised for university students by university students, expect to be swooned by talented young musicians from Singapore Institute of Management, Singapore Management University, Nanyang Technological University, and National University of Singapore. VarCity SG promises an exciting…

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With all its overtly bright visuals and unorthodox buildings, the streets of Osaka are nothing short of entertaining. Tourists flock there to find and feast upon the multitude of delectable street eats or stare wide-eyed at one or two scantily-clad anime cosplayers. There is always something interesting to look forward to at every corner and this is where the soul of the city lies. Rockstar Reptile Cafe is one such find. If not for the small signboard located at the front of a seemingly insignificant building, this oddball, which sits on the third floor, can be rather difficult to locate. Unlike most animal…

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No trip to Japan would be complete without a stroll along her multitude of historical shrines. Some are located in inconspicuous narrow alleys, while others can be found by the charming riverside or up in the mountains. A country that takes its traditions seriously, the Japanese are known for their eye for detail. Their shrines are a must-visit and boast immaculate architecture — or ‘Japanese precision’. It’s just a little hard trying to squeeze them all into a short itinerary. Hit up and explore these seven shrines located around some of Kyoto’s most popular tourist attractions in just two days.…

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The Japan we envision or feel in each of our hearts is different. But we can all agree that beyond her rich and dynamic culture, her myriad of mouth-watering delicacies, and her well-respected civic-mindedness, life in Japan is fascinating. Essentially, there are many things that one can indulge in while visiting the Land of the Rising Sun. To have an itinerary that is brimming with activities and places to visit is perfectly common though – one can never be too ambitious, right? The prevalence of endearing animal-themed cafes in Japan — cats, dogs, hedgehogs to list a few — started as a…

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