Predictions for Star Awards 2024

07 April 2024

Earlier, I had expressed my thought and disappointment on the nomination for Singapore Star Awards (新加坡红星大奖) 2024, which was announced on 22 Feb 2024.

While I am still baffled on why Romeo Tan (Shero), He Ying Ying (Cash On Delivery) and Carrie Wong (Shero) were not nominated for Best Actor or Best Actress, whereas the trashy and poor viewership rating “金色大道 All That Glitters” drama garnered so many nominations, I still think many of the nominees do deserve recognition for their performance.

After scrutinizing the nominees, I have pick the following favourites and dark horses who will likely cling the respective award. I have also wrote a short critique on why the selected nominee deserves the award, and why I didnt pick the others.

Best Drama:
- 送餐英雄 Cash On Delivery {My Pick!} [the pandemic is still fresh in our mind. this drama accurately teleport audience back to 2020 with high accuracy in details, emotions & sentiments on ground. plus, there is multiple storylines happening, telling the lives of the average Singaporeans fighting and struggling during 2020. furthermore, the entire cast act well.]
- 陪你到最后 Till The End {Dark Horse!} [While styled like a stereotypical family comedy-drama, this drama touched on the topic of death, after-death planning, and forgiveness. The main cast act reasonably well and are quite on point for the comical moments.]
- 欧巴, 我爱你 Oppa, Saranghae [the trailers look boring and uninspiring (mediacorpse really sucks in creating trailers to promote their dramas), but I ended up enjoy watching this drama, which is a satire of office politics, vicious cycle rat race, how everyone is replaceable in work, the average OL’s obsession with K-drama, urban loneliness, etc. I love the bff chemistry between Rui En and Macy. Casting is appropriate, with the biggest surprise being Cynthia Koh hurling Korean vulgarities. As this is an ‘outsourced’ drama, as much as I like it, I doubt it will win.]
- Shero [I like this drama. It is one of the rare ‘better’ break from the typical family dramas that MediaCorpse is famous for producing. However, there is quite a few loopholes throughout the drama, and some of these loopholes are quite critical (mainly on how Yinchen handles & deal with the news of Xiao Xi, which is unrealistic). nonetheless, the overall concept is refreshing for an in-house production.]
- 金色大道 All That Glitters [Definitely one of the worse (if not the worst) drama of 2023. the script is surprisingly disappointing, considering it is from renowned scriptwriter Ang Eng Tee. it seems to be written in the 1990s, but was not filmed for some reason… but the plot was not updated for the story to be relevant in its time setting (i.e. who still ‘invest’ in Gold with the hope to make it big in 2010? the plot will be more realistic if it is set in 1990s). furthermore, the cinematography is really messy! the star-studded cast did not managed to save this drama. If this drama wins this award, it just proved that Mark Lee was right in saying the award usually goes to big budget ‘blockbuster’, even if it flopped in terms of viewership and review. I would prefer “密宅 Silent Walls” to be nominated instead.]

Best Actor:
- 陈邦鋆 Andie Chen (密宅 Silent Walls) {My Pick!} [Andie acting has been consistent since his breakthrough performance for “十年…你还好吗?” in 2016. He did exceptionally well for the 2023 chapter of “Silent Walls”, which he started as the ’suspect’, before being revealed to be a loving husband who did his best to protect Jojo. His emotions for the last few scenes were well portrayed.]
- 许瑞奇 Richie Koh (送餐英雄 Cash On Delivery) {Dark Horse!} [Richie acting has always been on point since his “When Duty Calls” debut. He is able to ditch the ‘Tiancai’ image for “Cash On Delivery” and “Till The End”. However, I dont think Mediacorpse will give him another ‘Best Actor’ award for 2 consecutive years, unless Mediacorpse wants to push him to Ah Ge status immediately. tbh I don’t mind Richie win this award again as his performance is really good, especially in the scenes that he bid farewell to his beloved grandma Jin Yinji.]
- 陈汉玮 Chen Han Wei (天公疼憨人 Whatever Will Be, Will Be) [How many more ‘Best Actor’ trophy does CHW needs to prove he can act? However, I will not be surprised if Mediacorpse decides to give him the award again this year. Well, 2 more before his ascension to the ‘Best Actor of All Time’ altar.]
- 陈泂江 Desmond Tan (金色大道 All That Glitters) [Desmond acting used to be good, but has been pretty stagnant since he cringed his 1st ‘Best Actor’ award for “When Duty Calls” in 2017. He needs to pick better role/script to break the ‘收视毒药’ & ‘main lead of lousy script drama’ curse, as his recent dramas such as “CTRL”, “When Duty Calls 2”, “All That Glitters” are pretty bad in plot and rating.]
- 田铭耀 Jeremy Chan (金色大道 All That Glitters) [Jeremy has been constantly improving on his acting skill, but I really do not think he is ready to be crowned ‘Best Actor’ yet. As an actor, I prefer his performance for “My Agent Is A Hero” and “Crouching Tiger Hidden Ghost”.]

Best Actress:
- 鐘琴 Kym Ng (陪你到最后 Till The End) {My Pick!} [Kym is no doubt the most popular female host of Singapore. However, she has proved numerous time that she can also act too, for her performance in “It Takes Two”, “When Duty Calls”, “Daybreak” & “My Guardian Angels”. actually I thought she might won ‘Best Actress’ with “My Guardian Angels”, as I think she acted much better than Zoe in that drama. Kym performed relatively well in “Till The End”, being much more natural than her daughter Boon Hui Lu. however, there were a few scenes that she looks comical (at the brink of bursting into laugher even though she is just being very serious and emotional.]
- 胡煜诗 Jernelle Oh (送餐英雄 Cash On Delivery) {Dark Horse!} [Jernelle is definitely the dark horse among the Star Search 2019 alumnus. she was a very plain-jane-looking contestant without star power during SS19 (whom i dont think she could progress to the final), to a promising actress who can handle any role assigned to her (e.g. Ji Lian, Chai Lai, Mei Zhen, Ya Ya). her portraying of ‘美少女 Mei Zhen' is 'just nice', not too over. can tell she did her homework in observing and interacting with people with special needs. most importantly, Jernelle can act with her eyes, as she is masked up for most of the show.]
- 瑞恩 Rui En (欧巴, 我爱你 Oppa, Saranghae) [I always thought Rui En has the best acting among the 7 princesses, and I really like her personality. Perhaps Rui En can consider acting as a mama-san for her next drama?]
- 黄暄婷 Chantalle Ng (金色大道 All That Glitters) [Chantalle did ok as a visually-handicapped person. but i think she did much better for “My Star Bride”, “Leave No Soul Behind”, “The Unbreakable Bond” & “Love at First Bite”. she basically missed the bus for “My Star Bride”, as she deserved the 'Best Actress' award for her portrayal of Fang Cao. with her capabilities (among the best for her generation), she will definitely bag this award soon.]
- 白薇秀 Joanne Peh (Shero) [I really think Joanne's acting improve leaps and bounds after her marriage. she really impressed me in “The Journey: Turbultuous Times” (2014), “Say Cheese” (2018) and “Mind Jumper” (2021). in fact, she should had won her 3rd & 4th 'Best Actress' for“Say Cheese” & “Mind Jumper”. however, her performances in "Shero" is really not up to expectation; quite far off from her usual standard. perhaps this is not a role suitable for her current calibre (i.e. she is too good for this character). while Joanne did great for her emotions in learning that her sister is missing, her reactions when she found Xiao Xi being alive and standing before her eyes is ridiculously inaccurate for someone who is so desperate in finding her presumably dead sister. it is also baffling that she is constantly loved-blinded and refused to believe Xiao Xi that Rui Xiang / Max is suspicious and might be responsible for her MIA. this contradicts sharply with her inner thoughts of loving and protecting her sister. perhaps the scriptwriter should be responsible for these faults, but I though a senior actress like Joanne should had highlighted these issues with the production team? in addition, the constant screaming and wailing of 'Xiao Xi' is annoying to the max. i feel Carrie should had being nominated for Xiao Xi instead.]

Best Supporting Actor:
- 陈邦鋆 Andie Chen (天公疼憨人 Whatever Will Be, Will Be) {My Pick!} [Andie is the highlight of this dialect show, and I think he acted much better than CHW in this drama. His pairing with Yvonne Lim is also cute and natural. Will Andie be the next XSG to cling ‘Best Actor’, ‘Best Supporting’ and ‘Top 10’ in the same year? We shall see.]
- 朱厚任 Zhu Hou Ren (天公疼憨人 Whatever Will Be, Will Be) {Dark Horse!} [actually Zhu Hou Ren character is the main lead of this drama, as the entire plot evolves around him. but he is nominated for supporting in mediacorpse universe (similar to Xiang Yun, who was always nominated for supporting even when her character is obviously a lead or co-lead). I personally prefers Zhu Hou Ren's performance in "陪你到最后 Till The End”, which his emotions are always on point, especially when he deals with the passing of his son.]
- 林明伦 Darren Lim (Shero) [Darren Lim is someone who can act and host well. however, I dont recall much of Darren's character in "Shero" (the client who always molest Tay Ying?)! perhaps he stands a better chance of winning if he is nominated for his performance in “Silent Walls” (pervertic manipulator) or “The Sky Is Still Blue” (kind and caring father of Ferlyn).]
- 宏荣 Peter Yu (送餐英雄 Cash On Delivery) [his performance is ok, but this role is too similar to his comeback role in “Hero” (the 2016 comedy drama based at Dakota.]
- 张哲通 Zhang Ze Tong (金色大道 All That Glitters) [I feel Ze Tong peaked in Star Search 2019. his acting (which is always those same few expressions) is quite lacklustre for a Star Search champion. should had nominated Brandon Wong for “Shero” instead.]

Best Supporting Actress:
- 陈丽贞 Aileen Tan (Shero) {My Pick!} [Aileen send chills down my spine for this villain role. on the surface, she appears to be a caring and nurturing mother of Rui Xiang, but she is actually a viscous and cunning leader of a gang and drug cartel. she will do anything for her own selfish gains, including worsening Max's schizophrenic condition, sacrificing her husband and lover. she is also damn skillful in manipulating Rayson Tan and Brandon Wong to her bidding. it has been a long while since Aileen leave such a strong impression for her role (perhaps since “Beautiful Connection” and “Mars vs Venus”!]
- 陈莉萍 Chen Li Ping (从零开始 The Sky Is Still Blue) {Dark Horse!} [i will say it will be a very fierce battle between Aileen Tan, Chen Li Ping & Jin Yinji; all 3 act really well for their respective nomination. CLP is the caring mother of Sheryl Ang who also treats her bffs like her own kids, and the understanding boss of the old-school neighbourhood laundry shop. i love the chemistry between CLP & Sheryl, which really reassemble a real mother-child relationship off reel. the nomination clip nicely shows the scene that she was agitated by Wang Yuqing till she had a stroke. this is definitely CLP best scene in the drama.]
- 金银姬 Jin Yinji (送餐英雄 Cash On Delivery) {Dark Horse!} [for the 1st time, i think Jin yinji can act! I never like her acting, as I always feel she survived in mediacorpse due to her seniority. her so-called acting in the past lacks inner depth, as she just forced it all out through her exaggerated facial expressions, something that works for theatre stage play, but not for drama or movie. this is the 1st drama that her acting is very natural, and she does not speak with her Korean accent! did she attended drama and chinese classes for these magic to happen? moreover, her chemistry with Richie is marvellous!]
- 洪慧芳 Hong Hui Fang (黄金巨塔 Strike Gold) [HHF is an established actress since the 80s. However, this nomination is for a rather bland auntie role, which does not stand out when compared with Aileen, CLP or Jin Yinji.]
- 雅慧 Ya Hui (家人之间 Family Ties) [while objectively, i feel Ya Hui's acting had stagnant, with no memorable roles since "118”. it is quite sad to see her being sidelined and ‘demoted' to 'supporting' category after her contract saga. furthermore, she was nominated for a role that has very limited room for her to perform. to rub salt into her wound, her nomination clip was a 'slutty' scene that is not representative of this single mum role. should had cut a better scene, or might as well nominate Constance Song or Bonnie Loo from the same show instead. if i am Ya Hui, I will feel very insulted.]

Best Programme Host:
- 陈澍城 Chen Shu Cheng (三吃客 Foodie Trio) {My Pick!} [Chen Shu Cheng is a veteran in the industry and an established host in the early 1990s. it has been a long while since he hosted a programme again. It is time to give him due recognition for his hosting capabilities. furthermore, he is extremely friendly in person (i am fortunate to bump into him at Shinjuku Hermes in 2014).]
- 林明伦 Darren Lim (线人 4 Fixer 4) {Dark Horse!} [Darren started off as a host for travelogue shows in the 1990s. he is consistently one of the better local infotainment male host who is still active (the other being Danny Yeo).]
- 鐘琴 Kym Ng (古早味侦探 4 Old Taste Detective S4) [I think Kym delivered within her expected standard for this documentary, nothing bad, nothing outstanding. objectively, i though those episodes by Bryan Wong is slightly more entertaining.]
- 郭亮 Guo Liang (惠眼说亮话 The Zoe and Liang Show) [no comments for a mewach exclusive online programme that is not even screened on tv. No doubt that Guo Liang is the best male host in Singapore. Therefore, Guo Liang needs a comeback from those Wonder Shop nonsenses.]
- 权怡凤 Quan Yi Fong (权听你说 4 Hear U Out S4) [Similar to CHW, i dont think QYF needs another ‘Best Host’ award to prove that she can host. while she ventured overseas to interview superstars of HK and TW for this season, there isnt much difference in her interview technique and skills from the previous seasons that makes her performance stand out. furthermore, this is the nth time she got nominated based on this show. yes, this is her signature programme and objectively it is interesting to watch. but if she is still hungry for this award, she needs to start a new ground-breaking programme that can wow audience again.]

Best Audio Personality:
- 陈宁 Chen Ning {My Pick!} [tbh, i couldnt care less about this award, as I dont listen to MediaCorp radio channels. objectively, a good DJ, needs to have a good pleasant voice, nice humble personality, and the ability to churn out quality content. based on these criteria, i think Chen Ning might be the better fit for this award.]
- 张颖双 Hazelle Teo {Dark Horse!} [she is definitely one of the poster girl that the station is grooming! she is on radio, hosting variety shows and live gigs, appearing in dramas and other guest appearances.]
- 周崇庆 Dennis Chew [as long as he move on with life and stop reviving Auntie Lucy to annoy audience.]
- 钟坤华 Zhong Kunhua [i think he is ok, but lesser impression than Chen Ning and Hazelle. I pretty much remembered him for his house tour, Esso ads and random cameo in dramas.]
- 林灵芝 Lim Leng Kee [my impression of Leng Kee still stops at her time with fm1003 >20years ago (when I was still in primary school).]

Young Talent Award:
- 王勇畯 Alfred Ong (金色大道 All That Glitters) {My Pick!} [Alfred Ong has been very consistent in his acting. His breakthrough was “Mind Jumper” and he is constantly improving. however, as he won this award last year, so I wonder whether he will continue his winning streak for this title again this year.]
- 洪宇恒 Ang Yu Heng Tesla (送餐英雄 Cash On Delivery) {Dark Horse!} [Tesla acted well for his character who suffers from ADHD. his chemistry with his ‘father’ Calvin Soh is touching.]
- 张敬元 Andre Teo Jing Yuan (三吃客 Foodie Trio) [rare for a kid to host a variety show, and even rarer to get nominated for it.]
- 谢芷萱 Chia Zhi Xuan Ivory (金色大道 All That Glitters) [no comments]
- 陈宥蒽 Natalie Mae Tan (金色大道 All That Glitters) [no comments]

Best Rising Star:
- 黄诗敏 Karyn Wong (游走的歌王 Battle of the Buskers) {My Pick!} [she is a much better and more professional host than Lee Teng in this show! she has the potential to be a reliable live host.]
- 王硕瀚 Hank Wang (熟悉的陌生人 Stranger in the Dark) {Dark Horse!} [I knew Hank Wang through “女人我最大”. i’m surprised that he gets nominated, as he is not based locally. he acts ok in this drama.]
- 卓芳娴 Yunis To (熟悉的陌生人 Stranger in the Dark) [she was a standout in this drama even though she has much lesser screentime than the leads.]
- 楊言 Yang Yan (熟悉的陌生人 Stranger in the Dark) [i remember him more as an artist signed under Noon Talk, and his guest performance during the “Sheng Siong Show”.]
- 郭慧萱 Isabelle Quek (小岛国大发现 Curious City S2) [it is already baffling for someone who cant speak proper chinese to be selected to host a chinese infotainment programme. It is even more (extremely) baffling for this person to be nominated for ‘Best Newbies’ for such horrible delivery. tbh it is really not funny to endure her broken chinese for such documentary, with Desmond and Herman constantly required to save her from embarrassment. when I thought Kele was bad, Isabelle is worst.]

Best Entertainment Programme:
- 星牌运动员 The Star Athlete {My Pick!} [not an original programme, as it is an obvious copy of similar shows from Japan, Korea & Taiwan. nevertheless, it is entertaining, promoting healthy lifestyle and introduced various sports to audience. it also features various professional sportsmen/sportswomen, artists and even politicians. usually star-stubbed variety shows will win this award.]
- 小团剧 The Reunion {Dark Horse!} [it is quite commendable for the production team to gather so many past artists to talk about the filming of past hit dramas.]
- 三吃客 Foodie Trio [interesting concept to pair a veteran host with a newbie and a kid.]
- 游走的歌王-大决赛 Battle of the Buskers - Grand Final [Lee Teng needs to work on his live hosting and interviews skills. there is too many verbal faux pas to ignore, and some were quite offensive (e.g. when he interviewed Cloud&Party). why this show does not reward the 2nd & 3rd place?]
- 权听你说 4 Hear U Out S4 [not again?]

Best Infotainment Programme:
- 战地食谱 Wartime Food {My Pick!} [i do think this show was conceptualized due to the Ukraine War. nevertheless, it is a very good documentary that used food to narrate the history and suffering of various wars and conflicts. i like how the history were summarized concisely, yet informative. furthermore, the hosts are good.]
- 光照不到的角落 Two Worlds Apart {Dark Horse!} [good documentary that highlighted the life of the underprivileged and outcast.]
- 狮城奇案之罪案现场 Inside Crime Scene S2 [good documentary on various high-profile major crimes committed in Singapore.]
- 极境之旅 Forbidding No More S2 [I prefer episodes hosted by Ge Fan. perhaps Ayden Sng can consider hosting more programme? after all, it is a good platform for him to showcase his perfect chinese.]
- 古早味侦探 4 Old Taste Detective S4 [tbh i though it is a little lame to get the host/chefs to search and re-create the original recipe of popular local cuisines. i thought it is difficult to prove that whatever was revived is indeed the ‘original taste’ of that dish. probably a show with a good concept, but the delivery gets lost somehow.]

Best Theme Song:
- 觉醒 / 铃凯 Ling Kai (Shero) {My Pick!} [it is rare to hear a heavy metal song being selected as the theme for a local drama. whatsoever, it fits the concept and mood of the drama perfectly. Ling Kai also delivered a strong rendition with her wide vocal range and technique. this song would be a hit if it was released as a drama theme song in Japan.]
- 来自星际的风 / 金在勲 Kim Jae Hoon (欧巴, 我爱你 Oppa, Saranghae) {Dark Horse!} [this song has the k-drama vibes, which ties in seamlessly with the drama. it does makes the ambient of this drama resemble a typical korean love drama. Kim Jae Hoon sings pretty well for this OST.]
- 取暖 / 郑可为 Tay Kewei & 沈志豪 Alfred Sim (只此一家 My One and Only) [this is a very heart-warming duet from the couple. it fits the 30min real estate sitcom well. i am able to hymn a little of this song after listening to it almost daily.]
- 陪你到最后 / 文慧如 Boon Hui Lu (陪你到最后 Till The End) [it is nostalgic for the lead actress to sing the theme song, like what it used to be in the 90s.]
- 断舍离 / 插班生 The Freshman (整你的人生 Fix My Life) [seriously not a fan of 插班生 [quite surprising to see how they are still active in the industry for so long with their lack of achievement.]

Top 10 Most Popular Male Artist:
{My Pick!} [my preferred winner(s); i.e. my personal preference]
1. Romeo Tan
2. Richie Koh
3. Desmond Ng
4. James Seah
5. Shaun Chen
6. Shane Pow
7. Andie Chen
8. Zhang Yao Dong
9. Darren Lim
10. Pornsak

{My Prediction} [who i think will win (predicted based on their popularity)]
1. Romeo Tan
2. Desmond Tan
3. Richie Koh
4. Marcus Chin
5. Shaun Chen
6. Guo Liang
7. Jeffrey Xu
8. Jeremy Chan
9. Ben Yeo
10. Desmond Ng

{Dark Horse!} [who i think might win (stands a chance, but lower probability)]
11. Pornsak
12. Zhang Yao Dong
13. Shane Pow
14. James Seah
15. Andie Chen

Top 10 Most Popular Female Artist:
{My Pick!} [my preferred winner(s); i.e. my personal preference]
1. He Ying Ying
2. Hong Ling
3. Tasha Low
4. Chantelle Ng
5. Ferlyn G
6. Bonnie Loo
7. Denise Camillia Tan
8. Macy (Mei Xin)
9. Belinda Lee
10. Yvonne Lim

{My Prediction} [who i think will win (predicted based on their popularity)]
1. Carrie Wong
2. Ya Hui
3. He Ying Ying
4. Hong Ling
5. Chantelle Ng
6. Tasha Low
7. Gao Mei Gui
8. Fang Rong
9. Hazelle Teo
10. Yvonne Lim

{Dark Horse!} [who i think might win (stands a chance, but lower probability)]
11. Lina Ng
12. Evelyn Tan
13. Tay Ying
14. Xixi Lim
15. Boon Hui Lu

Most Popular Rising Stars:
{My Pick!} [my preferred winner(s); i.e. my personal preference]
1. Sheryl Ang
2. Shawn Thia
3. Jernelle Oh

{My Prediction} [who i think will win (predicted based on their popularity)]
1. Ayden Sng
2. Das DD
3. Zhu Ze Liang

{Dark Horse!} [who i think might win (stands a chance, but lower probability)]
4. Tyler Ten
5. Zhang Ze Tong
6. Jernelle Oh

[I think it is only fair to have a separate category for DJ (Radio Personality), because the current criteria is not fair for both artists and DJs. artist needs to be lead for at least 1 drama, supporting for at least 3 dramas, or accumulate a total of 30 episodes of appearance in dramas. whereas, DJs can be nominated so long they are the main host of a radio programme (which is a lot easier to achieve). furthermore, DJ can consistently promote themselves during their airtime daily. however, most TV audience are not familiar with DJs, as most of them do not crossover to host or act. having a separate “Most Popular Radio Personality” creates a fairer playing field for all. it can be awarded to top 3 only, and a mixed-gender category similar to “Most Popular Rising Stars”.]

Favourite CP:
{My Pick!} [my preferred winner(s); i.e. my personal preference]
Richie Koh & He Ying Ying

{My Prediction} [who i think will win (predicted based on their popularity)]
Rui En & Kim Jae Hoon

{Dark Horse!} [who i think might win (stands a chance, but lower probability)]
Richie Koh & He Ying Ying

Show Stealer:
{My Pick!} [my preferred winner(s); i.e. my personal preference]
Jernelle Oh

{My Prediction} [who i think will win (predicted based on their popularity)]
Jernelle Oh

{Dark Horse!} [who i think might win (stands a chance, but lower probability)]
Richie Koh

Most Hated Villain:
{My Pick!} [my preferred winner(s); i.e. my personal preference]
Shaun Chen

{My Prediction} [who i think will win (predicted based on their popularity)]
Brandon Wong

{Dark Horse!} [who i think might win (stands a chance, but lower probability)]
Jeffrey Xu

[note: I deliberately left out those random sponsored consolation prizes, as the winners for these awards are often ‘fixed’ by sponsors already.]

We are currently 2 weeks away from the award ceremony on 21 April 2024 (Sun). I shall see whether I share the same preferences as the judges.

I have a feeling that MediaCorp will likely announce a new run of Star Search (possibly with final in November 2024) during the ceremony. after all, it has been 5years since Star Search 2019, the SS19 alumni are doing pretty well now, and there are not enough young talents for lead roles. if this is the case, Star Search alumnus (especially past winners such as Andie, Aileen, Ze Tong) will bag the 'Best' awards, as an 'encouragement' to call for participants. not forgetting that Ann Kok (SS93 alumni) will be anointed to the altar this year.

Do watch the Star Awards 2024 Live on Channel 8, Channel U, MeWatch, or Mediacorp Entertainment YouTube Channel.

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