Gillian Tan Claims To Never Set Goals

A pioneer of web content in Singapore and still at the forefront today, Gillian Tan, founder of Clicknetwork And Munkysuperstar Pictures, claims to never set goals. But, as Annabel Tan finds out, she always has something up her sleeve

- Annabel Tan

The most viewed video on Clicknetwork is also the only one that no longer exists on the channel. Titled Xiaxue’s Guide to Life EP56 – Kissing a Girl, the video of same-sex kissing incited controversy when it was published more than 10 years ago and the online content production company was instructed to take it down by the MDA, now known as the IMDA (Infocomm Media Development Authority). Such edgy, risqué content was characteristic of Clicknetwork in the early years after it was founded in 2007, with series broaching topics considered to be more taboo at the time, like plastic surgery and tattoos, as well as the use of expletives and crude humour by very engaging and sometimes foul-mouthed hosts.

It was raw, uncensored and authentic – all of which bucked tradition and were considered rare in home-grown television, given that YouTube was still relatively new back then. Naturally, Clicknetwork garnered a following and eventually grew to become the first YouTube channel in Singapore to hit one million subscribers in 2017. The digital media industry has accelerated since then with many more big players gunning for a slice of the pie, but Clicknetwork has continued to hold its own as one of the top channels here.

Over the years, however, the channel has gradually shed its provocative persona for a more innocuous one. Today, one would have to dig deep into the archives to find the sillier, more frivolous reality shows like Numbnuts, where two hosts compete in crazy challenges with the loser performing an often-terrible forfeit, and Chick vs. Dick, a battle of the sexes show where the viewers get to decide the winner. These have made way for more informative, yet still entertaining content like Tried and Tested and Hack It, which feature product reviews and useful tips for daily situations, respectively.