'I miss popiah!' Ex-Mediacorp leading man Dai Xiangyu returning to Singapore to promote China's version of Samsui Women

Dai Xiangyu may only be back in Singapore for one day but he has been thinking about our local food for a longer time.

The 38-year-old Chinese actor, who was known as Dai Yangtian when he was signed with Mediacorp, will be returning to Singapore on June 19 to publicise the drama Sisterhood, the China version of Singapore's historically significant drama Samsui Women released 37 years ago.

Having not visited Singapore since the pandemic started in 2020, he told Shin Min Daily News: "I lived in Singapore for over 10 years and it is my second home. It feels familiar. There are many things I want to eat, such as popiah, Hokkien mee and laksa… I miss popiah!"

He shared that his Chinese actress wife Chen Zihan wanted to come to Singapore with him, but could not take time off work.

Xiangyu, best remembered for his role in 2008's The Little Nyonya, was talent-spotted by Mediacorp while modelling in Shanghai, and became a full-time Mediacorp artiste from 2007 to 2013.

He asked reporters about his old friends and co-workers Elvin Ng, Desmond Tan and Jeanette Aw. The four starred in the 2010 drama Breakout and he also acted with Jeanette in The Little Nyonya.

When told that they are still active in showbiz, Xiangyu said: "That's good!"

Sisterhood, similar to Samsui Women, is a drama about the struggles of samsui women who moved from China to Singapore in order to earn more money and support their families back home. Specifically, the samsui women partook in construction work, including physically tedious tasks like moving bricks, carrying wooden planks and mixing concrete.

Xiangyu plays a gangster trying to make ends meet and Yelena Shaw, 26, plays his love interest, a samsui woman.

Both had previously acted as a couple in the China version of The Little Nyonya (2020).

Sisterhood will stream on iQiyi.

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jolynn.chia@asiaone.com