Even expat YouTubers think Singapore Social is un-Singaporean

Yes, yes, it’s been weeks since the cringe-grenade of a reality show called Singapore Social exploded onto our screens, but the topic of how we love to hate-watch all eight episodes still lingers in our conversations. 

But when even expats think the Netflix series is not doing the country any favours, you know that something’s wrong with Singapore Social. 

Georgia Carney, a Singapore-based British YouTuber, certainly had a lot of things to say about the show. Together with her British boyfriend Justin, they’ve been living and working here for the past five years and are more or less familiar with how it all works in Singapore. 

Georgia, for example, is well-versed in the art of chope-ing, while Justin has learnt how to be a typically aggro Singaporean driver. Both think that paying $8 for chicken rice at Newton Food Centre is an utter travesty (editor’s note: it very much is). 

They also had some thoughts on Singapore Social after watching just the first episode, which they expressed in a YouTube vlog last week. Spoiler alert: they think that it’s trash.

Some choice quotes from their review: 

• “She’s got an American accent. Why? To be fair, she does have a bit of a Singaporean accent, but you can tell she’s putting it on.”
• “Of course she’s outside Louis Vuitton (at ION Orchard). That’s where all the locals hang out.”
• “You know that it’s not legit if they’re at Newton Food Centre.”
• “You can hear the [accent] is not genuine. Straight away, like that. Same if I put on a Singaporean accent — you’d know!”
• “Tanjong Beach Club. The worst place in the world. It’s just full of foreigners trying to show off. And it’s so expensive. Way too expensive.” 
• “If you want a beach filled with egos, that’s the place to go.”
• “Can I just say, she’s completely changed her accent. She’s got a Singaporean accent now because she’s with a Singaporean friend. This is what I mean! Just be yourself!” 
• “Singaporeans who’ve never been prawning? Unacceptable.”
• “This is just episode one. I think it’s so blah. I don’t want to watch episode two. It’s plastic and the storyline’s just not interesting.”
• “They have got some very Singaporean things in there. It’s not being portrayed honestly.” 
• “It feels like it must have been an American production company [that made the show].” 

Their comments on how the show has failed to represent Singapore and Singaporeans have been a common thread of criticism in the days after the show dropped on Netflix. In his review, AsiaOne’s entertainment writer Bryan Lim didn’t find the luxurious lifestyle portrayed in the show that relatable, though he did find some bright spots in the topic of familial struggles. 

Amidst the glut of bad reviews and parodies of Singapore Social, the show’s cast have been busy defending the show’s merits and pretty much ignoring critics. Burlesque performer Sukki Singapora has been personally replying to tweets about the show (with kindness, so props to her), while actor-host Paul Foster believes that there are more fans than haters of the show. 

ilyas@asiaone.com

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