Singapore’s F&B shake-up hits a familiar face
Singapore’s entertainment scene was jolted again by the news that Hong Junyang, a familiar voice from the country’s pop landscape, has been listed in the government gazette as a bankrupt individual. The 44-year-old singer-songwriter, who rose to fame as a runner-up on Project SuperStar in 2005, told AsiaOne on Oct 13 that his financial distress stems from his Thai street food restaurant chain, The Original Boat Noodle. The chain, which began scaling in 2018 with a 60-seat outlet at Changi City Point and expanded to multiple malls, faced mounting debts in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The pandemic’s toll on Singapore’s restaurant scene
The Original Boat Noodle’s challenges mirror a broader pattern observed across Singapore’s F&B sector. The restaurant format—featuring quick-service Thai noodle bowls—saw rapid expansion pre-pandemic but struggled to regain momentum as foot traffic and consumer spending took a hit during and after lockdowns. Hong describes the period as “very, very tough,” noting that closures and restructurings followed the pandemic’s onset. He said he did his best to weather the storms but acknowledges the financial consequences of the downturn.
Multiple ventures, mixed outcomes
Hong’s entrepreneurial footprint extends beyond The Original Boat Noodle. In 2020, he helped introduce the Taiwanese bubble tea brand Machi Machi to Singapore, a move that is reported to have fizzled out in early 2025. Other pandemic-era projects—Caf, a cafe-cum-cloud kitchen, and BananaBro, an Indian banana leaf rice concept—also shut down by 2022. A hawker stall, Oppa Kitchen at Tam Chiak Kopitiam in Hougang, operated in 2023 but closed after a year. The confluence of ambitious launches and market headwinds reflects a broader narrative: during the pandemic, many entrepreneurs pivoted to new formats, with uneven results once normalcy returned.
A life beyond the spotlight: family and resilience
Hong is married to local actress Candyce Toh, with whom he has two daughters aged nine and three. He attributes his strength to the support network around him—family, close friends, and loved ones who stood by him through difficult times. “I am thankful and grateful to have the support of my loved ones,” he shared after the bankruptcy news. He added that the experience has sharpened his sense of discernment about who his real friends are and underscored the importance of facing hardship responsibly.
A difficult but defining moment
Speaking with AsiaOne, Hong framed the bankruptcy as a painful chapter rather than a final verdict. He emphasized his intention to move forward with responsibility, “reset, relearn and rebuild everything to be stronger in the future.” He stopped short of surrendering to the setback, signaling an ongoing commitment to personal and professional renewal while acknowledging the intimate costs such crises impose on families and communities.
The broader arc: artists and entrepreneurs in Singapore
Hong’s experience is part of a wider conversation about Singapore’s creative talent pursuing commercial ventures outside their primary crafts. While success stories abound, the pandemic created a unique stress test for diverse business ideas—beyond music and performance—spanning food, hospitality and retail. For artists who pivot to entrepreneurship, the balance between passion and financial prudence becomes crucial in charting a sustained career path.
Looking ahead
As Hong continues to navigate his financial and personal rebuild, observers will watch how he leverages his public profile toward resilience. The industry’s willingness to learn from missteps and the support networks around public figures facing insolvency may influence future ventures. Even in the wake of bankruptcy, the belief that reinvention is possible remains a recurring thread in Singapore’s entertainment and business communities.
