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Veteran Actress Koh Chieng Mun Embraces Her Legacy As Stereotypical Singlish-Speaking Funny Woman

  • Legacy
  • 6 months ago
  • SilverStreak Editorial Team

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Veteran Actress Koh Chieng Mun Embraces Her Legacy As Stereotypical Singlish-Speaking Funny Woman
At 64 years of age with over three decades in the local entertainment scene, Koh Chieng Mun has been around the block.
The veteran thespian and comedienne made a name for herself in the golden age of Singaporean television, shining in matronly, comedic roles like Dolly in hit series Under One Roof and Ronda in Living with Lydia.
She also found the same beats over in her filmography, most notably as Neena Goh, a nouveau riche tai-tai and the sole Singlish-speaking character in Crazy Rich Asians.
But rather than lamenting that she’s been typecast, Chieng Mun embraces her identity as Singapore’s stereotypical Singlish-speaking funny woman.
"On TV, you have to play a stereotype because that’s what’s memorable. But with film, it’s a lot more diverse. There are roles and there are roles. There are those that require me to be very serious like when I acted as Mdm Sophia in BRA (a mini-series inspired by real-life cancer survivors) who was a mother with Alzheimer's; those really challenge me as an actress,"
says Chieng Mun, herself a survivor of breast cancer.
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"But nonetheless, I’ve always gravitated towards comedic roles. I prefer them – you’re never doing exactly the same thing, and you get to work with directors to come up with a vision and really flesh out a character,"
she adds.

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Singlish is not a crutch
Indeed, her now-famous decision to incorporate Singlish into her Crazy Rich Asian role was initially met with apprehension by American movie director Jon Chu.
"At first, he was hesitant. But he came around, once he saw how the other cast and crew members reacted,"
she says.

"Singlish is not a crutch for humour. There’s an art to putting it into comedy, to make it relatable by changing up your intonation, your word choice, with shortcuts thrown in, without alienating a wider audience."

That is partially why she adores the stage, where “good editing cannot make up for a lack of good comedic timing”.
Veteran Actress Koh Chieng Mun Embraces Her Legacy As Stereotypical Singlish-Speaking Funny Woman - Stand-up comedy
Koh Chieng Mun, who started out doing stand-up comedy in pubs, was one of 12 Singaporean comedians featured in 2018's stand-up face-off Happy Ever Laughter.
"It’s a highly skilled environment. For one, it’s always fun to work with other masters of the craft of comedy. It is a craft – you have to rehearse and rehearse it to death. Not only to perfect your comedic timing, but also to make sure that no matter what, you won’t break, even if they make an unexpected expression!"
she says with a laugh.
Expect to see plenty of that – along with a four-course Asian-Indian meal by chef Manjunath Mural, who once ran one-Michellin-starred Song of India – in her latest role in Por Por’s Big Fat Surprise Wedding (directed by Dick Lee), opening on 8 November, where she’ll star as the titular grandma.
She calls it “part party, part interactive theatre, and part excuse to reconnect with friends and family”.

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"Everyone wants to celebrate now that Covid is over,"
Chieng Mun observes.

"This is simply a joyous event for people to come back from overseas, come back from far-flung places to reunite over good food and a bit of fun from our performances."

Keeping up
The idea of a quiet retirement is not in Chieng Mun’s lexicon. The thought barely crosses her mind – she doesn’t even remember giving an interview where she calls it a dirty word.
"You can’t retire! Yes, as you age, you might get a little slower than before – that’s only natural. But you can keep up with what you’re doing by being more selective with what you want to do, while setting aside time to keep fit,"
she says.

"Healthy body, healthy mind!"

To that end, she’s a keen participant in aquarobics classes – the Monday morning we met is her only free day every week – which keeps her trim and energetic to pursue other passions.
One example: Studying, slicing, dicing and cooking for six months to secure a diploma in the culinary arts from At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy, arming her with the skills and knowledge to host an upcoming cooking class as part of the Empowering Lives – Food for Good fundraiser programme in collaboration with Violet Oon, the doyenne of Peranakan cuisine.
Veteran Actress Koh Chieng Mun Embraces Her Legacy As Stereotypical Singlish-Speaking Funny Woman - Foodie
Koh Chieng Mun, ever the foodie, once ran her own YouTube cooking channel. She draws inspiration from her late mum, who used to run her own restaurant.
"When Violet Oon rings you, you have to say yes!"
she says affably.
More than that, it provides the veteran actress a way to prove to herself that she’s “keeping up with the times”.
"If you aren’t always improving yourself, you begin to feel like a dinosaur. Even if it’s excruciating, it’s best to keep learning and keep doing the things that you love."
She says,

"No one ever tells you that the fear of failure gets worse as you age – you now have a reputation to uphold! If you’re not slick enough or quick enough, you won’t feel good. To me, it’s about working hard and always taking new things on – but at the same time, being happy and grateful for everything and everyone that has come so far. That’s life!"

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