Save money, bigger home: Actor Shaun Chen on why he moved to JB with his family
Save money, bigger home: Actor Shaun Chen on why he moved to JB with his family
SINGAPORE – Malaysian actor Shaun Chen, who was previously living in Singapore for over a decade, did not beat around the bush on why he and his family permanently moved to Johor Bahru (JB) in August 2024.
He is residing in the Eco Botanic township with his Malaysian wife Celine Chen, who is in her mid-30s, and their two daughters. Aged nine and seven, the children are enrolled in an international school.
In the June 6 episode of Call Us Daddy, Singapore-based Chinese-American actor-host Allan Wu's podcast, the 46-year-old star opened up about the rationale behind the relocation.
Chen, who is a Singapore permanent resident, said: 'I think the main reason is because we are both Malaysians. Secondly, we can save on costs – about 30 to 50 per cent. Thirdly, in JB, we can afford to live in a bigger and more comfortable home.'
He added: 'My work has not changed. I am still a Mediacorp artiste. I'm still filming. And I can just travel (to Singapore) whenever I have work. Like today, I drove in to Singapore for work. Whenever it's needed, I make the commute to and fro.'
He is also grateful that the 'the traffic situation now is much better than before'.
'When we film until the wee hours and are so tired, the thought of seeing our children and our family makes it not tiring any more. I try to think of it that way. The travelling time of 45 minutes to an hour is okay with me, not too bad.'
He added: 'The good thing about JB is that it forces Singaporeans to be more alert. When you go to Malaysia and learn how to be more aware of your surroundings, no matter where you travel to, you will naturally be more alert. This also helps your children to be more alert as well.'
Chen also explained that moving across the Causeway was a 'natural and logical' choice, given how the couple have extended family in Malaysia and none in Singapore
After making his acting debut in 2003 in television series like True Heroes (2003) and Holland V (2003), his breakthrough came in 2015, when he snagged Best Actor for his role in The Journey: Tumultuous Times (2014) at the annual Star Awards.
Chen recently starred in the Mediacorp blockbuster drama Emerald Hill – The Little Nyonya Story (2025) as Zhang Jinhai, the oldest son of the Zhang household and husband to Li Shuyu (played by Jojo Goh).
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Straits Times
34 minutes ago
- Straits Times
SG60 F&B icons: 12 people, happenings and places that shaped Singapore's vibrant food culture
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The likes of chef-restaurateurs Violet Oon, Hooi Kok Wai and Sin Leong share the spotlight in this week's showcase of 12 F&B icons, in the final part of ST Food's four-part SG60 weekly series. SINGAPORE – The nation's vibrant food culture would not be what it is today without several key people, happenings and places that have played significant roles. These include the likes of chef-restaurateurs Violet Oon and Damian D'Silva – the OG trailblazers who are still on a mission to preserve heritage dishes and tell the story of Singapore food in new, modern ways. Then there are the younger tastemakers – pastry chef Janice Wong, chef-owner Bjorn Shen and coffee entrepreneur Leon Foo, one of the pioneers of third wave coffee in Singapore. They share the spotlight in this week's showcase of 12 F&B icons, in the final part of ST Food's four-part SG60 weekly series. 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Golden Bao, for example, launched by a group of friends, made its big bazaar debut earlier in 2025 selling handmade Chinese-style beef and chicken roti. Popular stall Golden Bao, which sells handmade Chinese-style beef and chicken roti, at the Kampong Gelam Ramadan bazaar in 2025. PHOTO: BERITA HARIAN FILE Since then, the popular stall has popped up at other events and is at Malaysia Fest, held at Singapore Expo, till Aug 3. Red Star Restaurant Helming Red Star Restaurant are (clockwise from bottom left) chef Hooi Kok Wai and his son Chris, and Mr Paul Sin and his father, chef Sin Leong. PHOTO: ST FILE When Heavenly Kings open a restaurant, a Red Star is born. The 600-seat restaurant in a Chin Swee Road multi-storey carpark has quite a history. Four chefs opened it 51 years ago: Sin Leong, Hooi Kok Wai, Tham Yui Kai and Lau Yoke Pui. They were known as the Heavenly Kings of Singapore cuisine and were the most important Chinese chefs at the time. They were proteges of Shanghainese chef Luo Chen at Cathay Restaurant in the 1950s before going on to open their own restaurants. In 1974, they came together to open Red Star. They also made waves by 'inventing' the Chinese New Year staple of yusheng. They turned the humble plate of sliced raw fish, dressed with sesame oil and scallions and eaten with congee, into a show-stopping dish. Finely shredded vegetables, toasted seeds and nuts, pickled and preserved vegetables as well as raw fish are tossed at the table with plum dressing by diners wielding chopsticks and shouting auspicious sayings. At its peak , the restaurant was the place to hold wedding banquets and other important celebrations. It even boasts a stage for those events. Today, chefs Sin, 98, and Hooi, 86, run the restaurant with their sons Paul Sin, 64, and Chris Hooi, 60. The restaurant, one of very few left that serve dim sum from push carts, is still busy, with regulars jostling with newer diners looking for a taste of nostalgia in Singapore. Violet Oon Cooking doyenne Violet Oon (centre) with her children Tay Yiming (left) and Tay Su-lyn at their flagship restaurant in Dempsey. ST PHOTO: ONG WEE JIN Food writer, restaurant critic, cookbook author, television personality, ambassador for Singapore food and restaurateur – Violet Oon's life in food has made her one of Singapore's most recognisable icons. The 76-year-old, who in her heyday could make or break a restaurant or hawker stall with her reviews, has become one of the go-to people for those wanting to find out more about Singapore food. She amassed that knowledge growing up with Peranakan relatives who taught her to cook, from speaking to chefs as part of her work, and from eating widely and deeply in Singapore and abroad. She now has three Violet Oon restaurants – at the National Gallery Singapore and Ion Orchard, and in Dempsey Road. More will follow. Some of her years have been rocky. Her restaurant businesses did not always succeed. In 2014, she suffered a stroke. She was, she says, a model patient during her month-long stay in hospital and recovered. In 2022, she and her children, with whom she runs the restaurants, brought a shareholder oppression suit against former business partner Manoj Murjani and his company Group MMM. They won in 2024. Ms Oon, her daughter Tay Su-lyn, 48, and her son Tay Yiming, 43, now have full control of the company. Her children stepped in to help her in 2012 and she credits them with making her restaurant business a success. Together, they ensure the Violet Oon name remains front and centre in diners' minds and her legacy continues.
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
New Zealand will make it easier to run businesses in conservation areas
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CNA
3 hours ago
- CNA
Over 1,200 fans attended Changi Airport's SG60 Homecoming Concert which had Stefanie Sun, Kit Chan and more
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