Who: Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020, getting permission to film in China has become increasingly tedious for local actor-director Tay Ping Hui, who had been developing his career there for a few years prior.
With travelling becoming more of an issue, the 51-year-old, who left Mediacorp in 2018, started to work on more projects in Singapore and Malaysia. And it was because Tay was mostly home-bound that he had the opportunity to direct I Remember Me, a heart-warming and light-hearted English-language short film that commemorates 55 years of national service.
The "special project", as Tay calls it, is available on Power 98 Love Songs' Facebook page. It tells the story of how four army buddies band together once more to help their former basic military training sergeant remember their times together, as his memory fails him.
Tay is married to university lecturer Edna Lim. They have no children.
"I don't know about the rest of you, but do you notice that after the Covid-19 restrictions were lifted, it's just people everywhere?
I have no desire to be among hordes, so I try not to go to town or crowded places on weekends because it is truly madness.
If I am not playing golf during the weekends, I spend my Saturday mornings playing basketball with my basketball bros from secondary school, at different courts near my place or their homes.
After that, depending on where we are, we'll grab food and drinks and chill - be it with steaks, beers or whisky. The boys will also all jump into the pool if they are at my place.
At times, when we want a break from basketball, we'll go cycling along PCNs (Park Connector Networks).
After the morning activities, it's catching up on podcasts and reading, before preparing for dinner plans I have with family and friends.
Perhaps having done all the partying in my younger days, I am not interested in partying anymore, so I don't really go to places with loud music and rowdy people.
I have discovered the virtues of having four-hour dinners with people who matter, and I very much prefer to spend my time that way. We take turns to cook, depending on whose place it is, or we'll contribute different stuff for the meal.
If we eat out, my favourite restaurants are Tatsuya at Goodwood Park Hotel, Ristorante Da Valentino at The Grandstand and JB Ah Meng in Geylang.
Sundays are for rest and, more importantly, for my parents. I will take them out for dinner wherever they feel like going or let them try new places. I try not to let anything interfere with that."
