- Some Singaporean TikTokers are jokingly advertising themselves for rent as
Chinese New Year dates. - Many singles face dreaded questions about their relationship status from relatives during this time.
For S$50 (US$36.88) a day, Wayne Chia will drive you around, play mahjong with your relatives, and peel shrimp for you so your hands won't get dirty.
More importantly, he'll pretend to be your boyfriend so that you can avoid the dreaded "why are you still single" question from relatives — almost bound to happen at family gatherings during Chinese New Year.
The 21-year-old advertised himself as a date for Chinese New Year on
Celebrated according to the lunar calendar by China and the Chinese diaspora, Chinese New Year is an annual 15-day celebration that kicks off this year on February 1.
In his video, which has racked up more than 230,000 views so far, Chia lists all of the things he'll do as your date, including dealing "with people who keeps annoying u" and playing mahjong with your relatives.
Although the freelance photographer told Insider that he did it as a joke, he said he received dozens of takers.
@_wayneee_ im srs #fyp #tiktoksg #cny ♬ Polaroid Love - ENHYPEN
"After I posted the video, I woke up to all these people messaging me to say they were interested and whether I was available. Some said they were not in town this year and [asked] if I could save the date for them next Chinese New Year," he said.
"I believe I have something to offer — as a photographer, I can also help to take nice OOTDs (outfits of the day) for them," he added with a chuckle.
Chia, who is single, said he hadn't taken up any officers because he doesn't actually want to "sell myself" for dates, but he hopes his video gave people something to laugh about.
Jokes aside, the TikTok trend highlights the pressures many young people face during the Chinese New Year when older relatives bombard them with questions about their relationships and jobs.
"I think the video blew up because people could really relate to it. We've all faced these questions before. They're an inevitable part of the season," Chia said.
National University of Singapore sociology expert Mu Zheng told Insider that the pressure comes from a clash of expectations between the "modern individualism" among the young and "traditional familism" among the older generation.
"Although many young people may be free to live the life they choose when they are away from their extended families, they can hardly avoid their relatives' questions regarding their relationship status at family reunions," she said.
"Given the entrenched norm of universal marriage, remaining single at later ages may place those young people in the spotlight at family reunions, which can be disturbing, embarrassing, and upsetting."
Singaporean TikToker @f0xypony said she would go to a potential date's home for S$288 ($212.37) and cook him dinner for an additional S$188 ($138.63).
@f0xypony #cny #tiktoksg ♬ Pretty Girl - Clairo
Some TikTokers have also extended the meme to include Valentine's Day, which falls within the 15-day Chinese New Year period.
Sherry Lee, 23, advertised herself as a Valentine's date starting from S$80 because "all of my friends were doing it," she told Insider.
"It's so common to get asked about your love life during this period, so I just thought that this was a funny meme. I didn't realize that people would actually reply," she said, adding that she had received an "overwhelming response" from potential takers.
In fact, her video got so much traction that she eventually hid it from public view.
"People downloaded my video and started sharing it on other platforms without my consent, for example on Telegram," she said. "I guess people can really relate to feeling lonely during this time."