One afternoon, while at a roadside stall in his hometown of Battambang, Cambodia, David Eung Hao, 20, received a text message from his mother with a photo of him just taken a few minutes ago, squatting on the ground and eating mookata with his friends.
He was baffled. "I remembered my first reaction was to look around me. I mean, how did she even get this photo? Plus, we were not even in the city centre," he recalls. That was the moment that the Singapore-based aspiring model and actor realised that he had become TikTok-famous (his handle is @mr.davidd__). "I guess you always have to be conscious of everyone around you because you never know who recognises you and is watching your every move. Until today, I still do not know who sent my mum that image but it is a funny memory I'll never forget," he says.
Fellow TikTok content creator and actor, David Matthew (@davidmatthew_), 26, also shares a similar experience. "Recently, at a wedding, a friend took a photo to share with their friend. I do not know how the photo got around but my mother's friend saw it and forwarded it to her," he shares. "My mum then texted me to ask if I was at a wedding, and why I was wearing a suit."
Being recognised in public comes with the territory. Raynold Tan, 24, a final-year Psychology major at the National University of Singapore, is often approached by fans who call him by his TikTok handle @Raytyr. "Some of my coursemates do recognise me, and after speaking to me in class, will then ask if I'm the 'guy from TikTok'. For the most part, they have all been very nice to me."
Denne historien er fra November 2022-utgaven av Harper's BAZAAR Singapore.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra November 2022-utgaven av Harper's BAZAAR Singapore.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
The Great Unknown
It's a fresh chapter for Thai actress Nuttanicha "Nychaa" Dungwattanawanich as she strikes out on her own.
FINDING XANADU
Adventure, magic and freedom await in the land of the blue sky, Mongolia.
TALKING POINTS
From the worlds of Art, Culture, Travel and Design.
TIMELESS LUXURY
In Hosanna Swee and Tom Chng's stunning apartment, an eye for detail and love for horological collectibles reveals an elegant and minimalist escape.
PRIM FOR PRIMETIME
Chanikarn \"Prim\" Tangkabodee reminisces on her journey from a child actor to a superstar in-the-making.
INSPIRATION
The suave music artiste is no stranger to the world of fashion. In fact, he describes fashion as the forefront of his and his family's personal expression, as well as a form of manners.
WELL, SUITED?
As attitudes towards dress codes shift, is the suit about to exit our closets?
DARK HORSE
In his next role and what is easily his most challenging character to date―actor Brian Ng wants one thing from you: your hatred.
THE POWER OF PERETTI
In a hidden village of Sant Marti Vell in Spain, where Elsa Peretti lived, loved and created enduring symbols of design and beauty for Tiffany & Co., Kenneth Goh traces and marvels at her 50 years of legacy.
REDEFINING ROYALTY
Chaumet's Charles Leung talks to BAZAAR about the beauty and the resilience of the 244-year-old French jewellery brand in a new era.
