My Perfect Weekend with actress Liu Lingling

Who: Veteran Singaporean actress, host and getai star Liu Lingling has appeared in films such as Fat Hope (2024) and The Big Day (2018), as well as been a judge on both seasons of the singing reality competition Getai Challenge (2015 and 2018). Liu has been performing since she was five.

The 61-year-old, who is married to businessman Qiu Jinhai, will star in the upcoming Mandarin musical drama series The Landlady Singer Returns. She plays Ying Jie, a woman who tries to save her old friend’s vinyl store.

The eight-episode series premieres on Channel 8 on Nov 19 and airs every Tuesday from 8 to 8.30pm, with each new episode also uploaded on the same day to mewatch.

The series, which highlights various government initiatives, can also be found on the Gov.sg YouTube channel. Episodes one to four will be uploaded on Nov 20 and episodes five to eight will be uploaded on Dec 18.

“For me, the ideal weekend should be balanced between family and charity work, and I believe one needs to have love from both inside and outside the home.

I reserve Saturdays for my family, to spend time with them and strengthen our bond. Thankfully, my retired mother, 77, and younger sister, getai singer Angie Lau, 55, also live in the north-eastern part of Singapore, so visiting one another is very convenient.

I like to take them out for meals or to visit local attractions. For example, we have taken bumboats down the Singapore River and at Marina Bay, and they really enjoyed seeing Boat Quay and Clarke Quay from the water.

I also make it a point to spend time with my 11-year-old son, Caleb. I would take him and his friends to Changi Beach Park, which has pristine white beaches where he can build sandcastles or play in the water.

I would watch out for him from afar and sometimes ask him to take photos of coconut palms or interesting animals using my mobile phone.

I also take him to playgrounds, such as Marine Cove Playground, which has climbing nets, balance beams, swings and slides for him to play on.

I think it is important for children to be exposed to nature and outdoor activities, and not always look at screens.

Sundays are for doing volunteer work. For example, I give free haircuts to the elderly and less fortunate at hospitals, nursing homes and community clubs. Not many people know I once took a six-month hairstyling course with the Jean Yip Group and am a certified hairstylist.

The people are happy to get a free haircut and would often tell me about the times they saw me on television. This makes me very touched, as it shows people are watching and appreciating my work.

I also do make-up for some elderly folks, so they can have their photos taken. Although I am not trained in make-up, I have seen so many professional make-up artists in my acting career and am quite confident in blending colours and hiding flaws like wrinkles and uneven colouring.

In my free time, I like to also take up courses in calligraphy and meditation. I believe in constantly learning and doing things outside of work to help myself and those around me.”