Chuando Tan releases new book with sizzling photos of hot bod

With his first pictorial book containing more than 100 images, Chuando Tan invites you to look at his topless photos. You oblige – because, why not?

Like the rest of the world, you marvel at how the 57-year-old Singaporean fashion photographer continues to defy the ageing process.

Tan became an overnight Internet sensation in 2017 when a Chinese news website discovered his Instagram account. International media outlets soon churned out breathless articles on how the then 51-year-old looked 30.

In what would seem like a no-brainer move, he has now parlayed his continuing online fame into In Life, You Don’t Have To Win Every Time, the 224-page Chinese hardcover book that includes Tan’s self-care tips – ranging from grooming to diet to mental well-being – as well as pictures taken by his long-time collaborator Frey Ow.

It was released in mid-April and is available from linktr.ee/chuandotan and Books Kinokuniya Singapore.

From the photos taken in August 2022 in Maldives and Bali, you see – and imagine – Tan emerging from the waters in slow motion and showing his sculpted torso.

But he deadpans: “I wouldn’t say my body was in top-notch shape. You can see my stomach. There’s fat.”

Excuse us, but what fat?

He replies with a laugh: “I’m sure a lot of fitness models will know how to identify. Aiyah, my body is sup sup sui (Cantonese for ‘no big deal’) to them.”

 

Taiwanese publisher Kadokawa Taiwan Corporation had courted him for two years before he said yes to the book deal.

“I had my insecurities. I wasn’t sure if I should expose myself to the world,” recalls Tan, a former model and singer.

Under this contract, the book will be marketed in places including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia and Singapore.

 

“Anybody who has been assigned a project like this will naturally train,” he says about the pre-shoot preparation. “But to be honest, I didn’t push myself so hard. After all, I’m already pushing 60.”

He has been taking it easy at the gym since the pandemic because he hurt his shoulder while carrying weights. At the point of the shoot, the 1.85m-tall hunk weighed 80kg.

“I don’t want to make it too unreal for someone my age. And the readers will also think this is too far off from what they can achieve, right?”

Bulking up may not be for everyone, but they can still benefit from learning the secrets to how he takes care of and preserves himself.

 

Tan emphasises that he is no grooming and health expert and the tips are merely what worked for him over the years. They are also frequently asked topics from his many curious Instagram followers, which stand at 1.2 million to date.

When it comes to washing his face, for instance, using a soya bean-size amount of cleanser is more than enough so his sensitive skin is not stripped of its natural oils.

A sensible diet and exercise routine play a part, but the key to looking youthful is cultivating a healthy mindset – which explains his book title.

“Mental health is so important,” he says. “A lot of people go to the gym every day, but they’re always angry and sweating the small stuff.

“If you can let go, you’re a calmer and happier person. It shows on your face and, in turn, you look younger.

“Really, you don’t have to win in life every time.”

That realisation came about for him when he started his modelling agency Ave Management in 2004.

“When you’re feeling stressed and negative, everything will just go south. I want to pass on positive energy to my staff.”

 

Tan, who has a diploma in graphic design from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, is still keeping busy with his non-fungible token venture. He had hoped to launch it at the end of 2022.

He is also working on a second self-help pictorial book – in English this time – with new content and photos, slated to be launched at the end of 2023.

“I hope I can inspire people to live a healthy lifestyle. And that will make me happy.”