Sibay throwback: TV stars from the 90s reunite for Facebook livestream
From barely knowing how to post stuff on social media, local actors Collin Chee, Jae Oh and Peter Yu have leapt into the digital realm to be regular co-hosts on Terence Cao’s e-commerce livestream platform Sibay Shiok.
Cao, 56, who has been hosting the livestream since May 2022, selling everything from seafood to branded goods, was naturally the mastermind behind the gathering.
Never mind that his three buddies had no experience with the platform – since their first show approximately two months ago, they have earned praise from viewers for their on-screen chemistry.
Speaking to TNP last week in a group interview, Yu, 55, who has been a Grab driver over the last few years, said Cao had convinced him that livestreaming was “the future”.
“My wife allowed me to join him; she asked me, ‘how long can I (continue) as a Grab driver?’ At first, I didn't know what it was about… but (Cao) said to give it a go and just have fun,” said Yu.
“He persuaded me that the future is livestreaming and digital marketing, so I went along with it.”
Chee, 56, who left the local TV scene in 1996, said he was spurred on by the increasing number of viewers. At one point, the quartet had as many as 1,300 people tuning in – during a segment where they weren’t even selling anything but just walking around a pasar malam in Johor Bahru.
Chee added that he was thankful to Cao for the opportunity. “It takes a brave man to start his first message. The way Terence started this, and how (so many) artists have joined him. I think it's a dream,” he said.
On the livestream, the quartet hawks a variety of products, from jewellery to wellness supplements. And despite the wide spectrum, the formidable foursome have to know the ins and outs of each item.
Cao explained: “Gone are the days where you pay (actors) for ambassadorship and we simply say it’s good and tell the customers to buy. On the livestreams, you have to tell them how the product works.”
“If the products don’t work, we wouldn’t want to sell them… As I always say: when we stream, we are the guardians of our viewers.”
@tnpdigital A blast from the past sees 90s TV stars Collin Chee, Jae Oh and Peter Yu put on their selling hats as they co-host e-commerce livestream with Terence Cao. ??? Read about it on tnp.sg! #fyp #sgnews #sibayshiokk #sibayshiok #tiktoksg ♬ original sound - TNP
On what inspired him to go full throttle with e-commerce livestreaming, Cao cited filmmaker Jack Neo.
“If you asked me the one person I want to give credit to, it’s actually Jack Neo. He inspired me in this whole journey. During Covid-19, he was doing livestreams and not selling anything, but just telling a story,” Cao said.
“Covid-19 actually accelerated the whole thing.”
Through show-and-tells and various role-playing, the energy that the quartet brings to the programme is hard to miss. With all four of them well into their 50s, it’s almost a wonder how they still retain such exuberance on screen.
Oh, 56, who left showbiz in the early 2000s and is now an artist, said it’s all about having a positive mindset.
He said: “I visit the Botanical Garden every day, just to stay in touch with nature for both body and mind. And of course, we exercise and take a lot of supplements.”
@tnpdigital Brace yourselves! ? Could a sensational boyband be in the works? ? Keep those eyes peeled! ? #fyp #sgnews #sgtiktok #sibayshiok #sibayshiokk ♬ original sound - TNP
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