1 Clarence Lee
25, Post-graduate Student
@clarenceleeyongchuen
1. He’s a Ted Mosby
The architect-in-training says he used to play with LEGO blocks a lot when
he was younger, and it naturally developed into a love for building things.
And just like Ted from How I Met Your Mother, he can talk endlessly about
his favourite buildings. “My friends who are doing other degrees would have
no idea what I’m talking about when I talk about architecture,” he says. “If I
want to put a person to sleep, I will talk about architecture.”
2. He has a very excitable Golden Retriever who will be
pleased to meet you
We told the boys they were allowed to bring their pets for this photoshoot,
but Clarence decided not to bring his dog because it’s not very wellbehaved. “He gets very… excited (read: humps everything) when he
sees people."
3. He has a lightsaber collection
Clarence shyly confessed he’s a huge fan of Star Wars, and currently has
seven lightsabers in his collection.
It’s getting hot in here, and we’re sure it has something to do
with the start of CLEO Most Eligible Bachelors 2017. Have a
tall glass of water ready, because we trawled the island for the
crème de la crème of the male species, and the next few pages
are guaranteed to make you thirsty.
The thirst isn’t just limited to these pages – head over to
CLEO.com.sg for updates on our boys, plus follow us on
Instagram at @cleo_singapore for more eye candy.
Oh, and there will be chances for you to meet these super
eligible guys IRL too! Flip to p92 for details. Most importantly,
you have a say in who’ll be Singapore’s Most Eligible Bachelor
this year, so remember to vote for your favourite boy on
our website.
XOXO,
PRESENTED BY
Photography Alexander Ow Art Direction Tan Lin Kuan
Fashion Direction Janice Pidduck, Cheryl Chan Styling Soleil Mak
Grooming and Hair Eric Tan, Manisa Tan, Hui Min Ng, Jane Lau, Brenda Lye/PaletteInc
Text Compiled By Sophie Hong, Karen Fong, Hidayah Idris, Adora Wong, Cheryl Lim
All clothes, shoes and accessories from ZALORA.
2 Raiz Razak
27, Flight Steward
@havesomeaiz
1. He’s into extreme sports
Raiz does motocross, but ironically, his worst injury was a broken
collarbone from a football game. The injury was so bad that he
took half a year to recover from it, and had to go for physiotherapy
because he had lost mobility in his right arm. Ouch.
2. He’s a well-travelled guy
When you’ve been a flight steward for five years, you clock up some
serious mileage. Some of his favourite places includes Christchurch
in New Zealand, and Isle of Skye in Scotland. South America is next
on his list.
3. Unsurprisingly, his ideal girl is…
Someone he can go on adventures or road trips with. Makes perfect
sense for someone who’s been bitten by the travel bug, doesn’t it?
CLEOsg
CLEO_Singapore
CLEOmagazine
CLEO.com.sg
73
3 Derrick Khoo
“A lot of us are very
comfortable with
Singapore’s position
in the world. But when
you're overseas, you
have to fight for respect.
It’s not where you're
from, but who you are.”
36, Corporate Lawyer
1. He has worked in
Hong Kong, Dubai,
Shanghai and Yangon
Derrick packed his bags and left
Singapore 11 years ago to work
overseas. “It’s part of my hunger to get
an international experience; to get out
of my comfort zone and force myself to
grow. And that keeps me going.” He's
currently the head of legal for
an investment firm.
2. He gets mistaken as a
Mainland Chinese sometimes,
even in Singapore
“I’ve been in China for four years
now, so I sometimes have a PRC
accent. Cab drivers ask me, ‘Are you
Singaporean? You sound like you’re
from the Mainland.’"
3. He wanted to go into politics
when he was 11
While most 11-year-olds are unsure of
their ambitions, Derrick always knew he
wanted to be in politics. “I looked at the
politicians then and had a lot of respect
for what they were doing. I listened to
my family tell me about the roles they
played, and I felt like it was very fulfilling.
It's very challenging [and] requires a lot
of leadership.” He reveals that he still has
plans to go into politics, even now.
5 Richard Que
34, Marketing Director
@itsrichardque
1. He’s got a lot on
his plate
On top of his full-time job, this
Chinese-Filipino bachelor lectures
part-time at SIM, represents NUS
in swimming competitions in the
more “mature” segments, and is
also a freelance model.
2. He loves travelling solo
“It’s troublesome to travel in a
group. Travelling alone allows
you to do your own thing, and is
a good time to reflect.” He also
speaks five languages.
3. He’s, uh, very virile
He once visited a waterfall in
Cambodia that’s believed to
help men become more virile.
He also once ate a tiger’s penis,
which is believed by some Asian
cultures to help one's sexual
performance. “It tasted like a
hot dog!”
4 Lincoln Yeo
28, Cadet Pilot
@lincbyeo
1. Flying is his first love
“It’s been a dream of mine since I was young. I used to travel a lot when I was
a kid, and I’d be more excited about the plane ride than the actual holiday.”
2. He’s one-half of DJ duo Bounce Squad
His partner-in-crime is DJ Inquisitive, and besides producing remixes and
original songs, they also have a penchant for sampling the most random
sounds. Their highest-viewed video on Facebook so far, with close to two
million views, is when they surprised a friend who was, um, in the midst of
having sex.
3. He’s actually quite a lousy drinker
Apparently, Lincoln gets tipsy after just one pint. It all works out, though,
because he drives often so he has to stay sober.
“My friends call me Uber because
I’m always the designated driver.”
“Every time
we go to a
new city,
we always
think about
what we can
bring back to
Singapore.”
- Eddie
6 Eddie Tan
26, Co-founder and CEO
of Visual Mass and 5:5
@edegreat
1. He and fellow CLEO
Bachelor Jerial are often
mistaken for brothers
He gets it, though, because they
both look alike and have the same
surname. And really, seeing that
they’re old friends from polytechnic,
business partners, and have been
housemates for three years and
counting, who can blame us
for assuming?
2. He’s a party boy
His love for partying led him and
Jerial to start up their first business
partnership. “When we were in
polytechnic, we launched an events
company to organise parties, so we’d
hold parties and then we’d go to
school in the morning.” Today, you can
usually spot him at Zouk or Cherry
Discotheque on weekends.
3. He’s fluent in Korean.
Eddie is able to speak and write in
Korean, partly because he travels to
Korea very often for business.
7 Jerial Tan
8 Leon Koh
26, Creative Producer at SPH Radio and
Executive Producer at YAAAS TV
@leonism
1. He can sing and dance
He joined a Taiwanese singing competition and was one of the last two
Singaporean contestants left standing. He’s also into urban dance.
2. If you date him, he’ll always send you home
“If I’m chasing after someone, I’ll get to know her first and find out what she
likes. I’ll always send her home after a date. I’d also make her a three-course
meal at some point.”
3. He can make a mean steak
Apparently, he swears by Gordon Ramsay’s recipe. This bachelor can make your
mouth water in more ways than one, it seems.
“I really enjoy
experiencing
new cultures.
That’s kind of
the reason why
I moved here.”
25, Co-founder and CEO
of Visual Mass and 5:5
@jerial
1. He loves Korean style
One of the reasons why Jerial visits
South Korea so often is because he
fancies Korea's fashion-forwardness.
“When I’m shopping in Singapore, I
couldn’t find the style I like.” His mustgo places? “To unwind, CoffeeSmith at
Garosugil, and for nightlife, Arena.”
2. He always talks about
work, but he wouldn’t call
himself a workaholic
“My group of friends all have their
own businesses, so the topics we talk
about are always about work or the
places we want to travel to.”
3. He’s not exactly your
typical organised traveller
“I’m the kind who goes there without
a plan and books my tickets at the
last minute.”
9 Jordan Telfer
26, Sales Operations Executive
@jordantelfer
1. He loves the great outdoors
Jordan is from a New Zealand town where there’s a lot of
lakes so naturally, he’s into water sports and fishing. “My
family lives by the sea, so we would go out and dive for
crayfish and scallops.”
2. He has an extensive travel bucket list
It includes the African plains, Mongolia and Nepal, and it's not
surprising that most of the destinations he listed are known for
their wildlife and nature!
3. He’s trying not to be “that guy who talks
about Crossfit all the time”
“I wouldn’t say I’m a fitness junkie, I just enjoy working out.
I tried Crossfit about six months ago and I haven’t stopped
since. It’s very competitive, and there’s a community built
around it, so it’s quite fun.”
“It was very
difficult when
I first started
diving. I had to
use muscles in
my butt I haven't
used before."
11 Peter Ang Nielsen
22, Diving Instructor
@scubahunk
10 Nicholas Eugenius Lim
26, Commis Chef
@nickeugenius
1. He’s a “mummy’s boy”
And by that, he's referring to his side
baking business, Mummy’s Boy. He
studied pastry and baking, and loves
making tarts and cupcakes.
2. He has a famous sister
He’s the older brother of blogger
Eunice Annabel. When asked if his
friends often ask him for her number,
he says that they do, but he always
just tells them to shut up. “I’m
just really proud of her. She’s very
independent and has done a lot for
herself.”
3. He’s not the partying type
He would rather focus on his dream
of opening a pastry shop, and prefers
wholesome fun. “Of course, partying
once in a while is OK, but for me,
not all the time.”
“I love baking
'cos there is a
lot of science to
it. If you put too
much salt when
cooking, you
can add more
sugar, but not
with baking.”
1. He is the world’s
youngest Doing It Right
(DIR) diving instructor
Peter started diving when he was in the
Naval Diving Unit during his National Service
days, but it was a trip to Bali that inspired
him to become a diving instructor. “My first
commercial dive was in Bali. I saw this big
shipwreck underwater, and the way to get
to the wreck was to put on a tank and walk
into the clear blue water. It amazed me.”
2. He swears by the motto,
“grow where you are planted”
Peter recalled seeing the motto on a banner
at his secondary school. “I learnt this quote
when I was in Secondary One. I started
secondary school without my friends from
primary school, and I was the only ang moh
kid there. It was very nerve-wracking.”
3. His most memorable date
involved books
“I went out on a date once, and I told the girl
we would be eating the best bak chor mee.
We went to Kovan, but the stall was closed.”
Thankfully, his creativity made the date end
on a happy note. “I took her to a bookstore. I
looked at her and said: 'In five minutes, we’ll
meet back here but [before that], go and
find a book that represents you.' We both
scoured the library and met up. Then, we
just shared our characteristics [based on our
book choices].”
“I said to
myself,
everyone
needs
underwear,
so the
business is
bound to
do well!”
12 Gabriel Lu
31, Founder of The Jock Shop
@ghlu86
1. He originally worked in finance until his boss
“stole all my money”
After that, he got out of the cutthroat corporate world and found
himself in the underwear business. The most popular type is the
kind with “lifts” in them.
2. He doesn’t do “simple dates”
Gabriel loves grand gestures and would totally ask a girl to meet
him at the airport... and then whisk her away to Japan for a
weekend of “hot springs and ramen”.
3. He’s lived on his own since he was 14 years old,
which makes him super independent
He can even cook chicken rice from scratch with a recipe he got
from his mum.
13 Rhyce Lein
15 Boris Tan
24, General Manager of GuavaPass
@rhyceyl
1. He does yoga
When asked why he enjoys doing yoga,
Rhyce admits: “It comes down to the
therapeutic and meditation side. When I’m
in the yoga studio for an hour, my mind is
focused there and then on that class... Being
in a yoga studio allows me to sit back and
reflect about myself and the day.”
2. He left a cushy corporate job
to set up his own business
“I moved to Singapore when I was 20. I was
in a high position for my age and had a lot of
responsibilities. I did have a passion for the
work I was doing, but I wasn’t getting what I
26, Insurance Agent
@oxymoboron
wanted out of it. I wanted to be in a start-up.
I wanted to see something grow and to start
from the bottom.”
1. He joined Channel U’s
Superband before
"There was this guy in our band who was
extremely good-looking. After we went for the
audition, he got published on iWeekly a few
days later for being the youngest and most
good-looking contestant, so I think we got in
because of him, and not because we made
good music (laughs)."
3. He has an RBF
“If I meet someone new or when I’m in a
situation, I tend to have a "resting b**ch
face", as my friends like to call it. It’s not
because I’m an unfriendly person but
because my facial expressions come out a
lot when I’m thinking. My thinking face isn't
friendly (laughs).”
2. He learns everything
from YouTube
Boris knows boxing, barbering, how to
make a website and how to do bodyweight
exercises – and he picked up all of these
skills just by watching YouTube videos.
"Yoga was one thing I picked
up that I quite enjoyed. Now, I
can touch my toes and jump
into all sorts of positions.”
3. He thinks a good conversation
is the key to an ideal date
The 26-year-old is quite the talker, so we
were hardly surprised. “I think intelligence
is a very sexy thing... For a nice date,
conversation has to happen. It should be a
two-way thing.”
“It’s still weird
to see myself
half-naked in
publications. I’m
still not used to it.”
16 Johan Sabri
23, Undergraduate
1. He’s quite the
adventurous traveller
Johan admits that he likes to go for
backpacking trips, and his most memorable
one was to India.
14 Marcus Bay
24, Model
@itsmarcusbay
1. He was scouted by a modelling agency when
he was bartending at Zouk at the age of 20
Since then, he has used modelling to put himself through school
and is in the process of making plans to head to Melbourne to
further his studies.
2. He really believes in true love, “you know, the
stuff Nicholas Sparks’ novels are made of…even
though hardly anyone else does anymore”
But he’s also never been on a date! “Nonetheless, I’m hoping to
meet the right woman someday.”
3. You may find him familiar because…
He’s a model, so that means his face and body have been on
posters and plastered across cabs.
2. A lot of people think he’s
arrogant – they’re wrong
The undergraduate reckons that one of
the biggest misconception people have
about him is that he has a big ego.
“Maybe because I don’t [seem like] a
person who talks much, so they think I’m
arrogant; a little snobbish.”
3. He once planned a picnic
for his girlfriend... but didn’t
quite succeed
While he joked he could be a romantic if he
just put in more effort, a date he planned
in secondary school proves he’s a pretty
thoughtful guy. “I planned to bake a cake
for the girl, prepare flowers and have a
picnic, but I messed up the cake, so we
just went out to have a picnic and a normal
meal... It was quite romantic when the
delivery guy came.”
"I want to start
a foundation
that helps the
prevention of
teen suicide
and youths
at risk. That’s
what inspires
me to do
music."
18 Douglas Tan
24, Barista and Owner of Tolido’s Espresso Nook
@blackrivertan
17 Leon Markcus
21, Musician
@itsleonmarkcus
1. He reads up on quantum
physics in his spare time
Bet you can’t tell that he's a space geek.
One of his favourite YouTube channels
is Vsauce, an educational channel that
covers topics like physics, space, human
behaviour, and more. “I’m constantly
hungry for information,” he admits. FYI, he
also has a favourite species of dolphins –
the Baiji, which is found only in the Yangtze
River in China. Why? “Their eyesight is not
very good and they look so silly.”
1. Douglas is the owner of Tolido’s
Espresso Nook
He took over the cafe from his mum and
transformed it into what it is today.
2. In addition to studying part-time
for a degree and running the cafe,
Douglas can also play the piano,
clarinet, saxophone and guitar
However, he doesn’t like reading music and
can actually play music by ear if someone
hums the tune for him.
3. He enjoys free-diving and has
gone diving in exotic places like
the Maldives
While there, he made friends with a sea turtle
the locals call “Parsley”. He wants to travel to
more exotic destinations like Machu Picchu
and Hawaii.
“We have an area in [my cafe]
called the Espresso Nook that
is usually booked by couples. A
couple that spent a lot of time
at the cafe even used it for their
wedding shoot! It’s a pretty great
place for a date.”
2. His alt-pop music may sound
radio-friendly, but he sings
about pretty heavy stuff
Themes this singer-songwriter covers
include body image issues and childhood
trauma. When asked why, Leon says
he wants to create a safe space and let
listeners know they can feel free to
be themselves.
3. He’s talks about his battles to
help others
He hopes that by talking about battling
anorexia nervosa, he can help to raise
awareness about eating disorders and
inspire others who are battling it to stay
strong. “Back then, I didn’t understand
what it was all about, but now I know it’s
not always about vanity. It stems from
emotional health and how you’re coping
mentally... I’ve learnt there are people who
have a bigger capacity when it comes to
dealing with emotions, and there are
also people with a smaller capacity when
it comes to this. But that doesn’t make
them inferior.”
19 Jax Liu Jiawei
23, Undergraduate
@jaxljw
1. His parents sent him to Singapore because he was a
naughty kid
The NUS finance student is originally from China. The self-confessed
“ADHD, high-energy” bachelor says his parents “exiled” him here when he
was 15, as they felt he was out of control back home.
2. He’s not one to shy away from hard work
He hasn’t been taking money from his parents since he was 17, and tutors
JC students in physics to support himself. He’s also involved with a parttime internship and runs an events consulting platform with some friends.
3. He has a cool tattoo
It’s an hourglass on his left arm to remind him that time is running out.
“I take on a lot of commitments because I don’t want to
look back and feel like I didn’t do much. Life is short.”
20 Carter Huff
22 Shawn Wong
24, Sales Coach
@carter.huff7
1. He loves cooking and his
signature dish is Jambalaya
To Carter, the best thing about cooking
is cooking for other people. His mum
loves Asian food so he cooks Malay food
sometimes, but he personally loves cooking
Western dishes.
2. He also bakes
He has a signature brownie dish that his
friends often request on their birthdays. “The
only way to find out how it tastes is to just
eat it for yourself. It’s delicious.”
24, Financial Consultant
@shawnischongmin
1. He’s an outdoors
enthusiast
He dislikes the conventional nineto-five job and prefers interacting
with people. He also loves sports,
especially football, handball
and basketball.
3. He loves dancing
He recently started learning hip-hop dance,
and used to do West Coast swing. To him,
the only thing more fun than dancing is
dancing with someone else.
“I don’t really like
wearing clothes.”
2. He loves performing
He is part of the Urban Drum
Crew, which he joined eight years
ago when he was 16. He has
performed both here and abroad.
3. He loves fast food
His favourite? Long John Silver’s.
He has a theory about fast food:
“Once it’s fried, it’s always right.”
23 Amos Ngeow
25, Co-founder of Prestige Wear
@amosngeow
1) He is a partner in a
successful men’s suit
venture called Prestige
Wear, as well as
a Chinese and
English emcee
He credits his time organising
camps in polytechnic for teaching
him how to work a crowd.
2) Dinner dates are a
“classic move”
Amos believes a dinner date is
a great way to show a girl your
character. To him, little things like
pulling out a chair or making her
feel safe are important.
21 Maung Han Zaw Oo
23, Entrepreneur
@zaaawoo
1. Watch out, he’s a smooth-talker
Zaw Oo studied civil engineering in school but didn’t
enjoy it. He now runs a clothing business but also does
a bit of sales on the side.
2. He’s a romantic
This “emotional” bachelor says he “cares too much for
his own good”. The most romantic thing he’s ever done
for a girl was make her a scrapbook of memories.
3. He’s got big dreams
He wants to own a hotel one day and is looking to join
his father in the property field.
3) While he’s a firm
believer in working
out and eating well, he
admits his favourite dish
is KFC chicken…
but he only eats it once every
two months.
“I think doing
the little things
for a girl on a
date shows her
how dedicated
you can
be to the
bigger things.”
- Amos
25 Gary Lim
21, Student
@ garehhhhhh
24 Muhamad Hasli Bin Hanafi
29, Barista
@Khaslee
1) He’s been making coffee for
13 years
He worked at Starbucks as a teenager
because he thought it was cool to wear the
green apron. His favourite type of coffee is a
flat white, and he’s in the midst of opening
his own coffeehouse, The Wired Monkeys, at
The Concourse.
2) He’s a Jack of many trades
He has modelled for Apple and Beijing
101. He can also sing, and calls himself an
“excellent” photographer.
1. He wants to meet everyone
When it comes to extroversion, it seems Gary is
on another level. The Business Administration
undergraduate says, “I really like to socialise and
meet new people. Some even call me a social
butterfly. I just want to see what the world has
to offer.”
2. His dating advice for guys?
Don’t procrastinate
Gary admits to being a procrastinator, but claims
he’s trying to break the habit. “When you’re late
for a date with your girlfriend, you don’t want to
get her angry, so it’s better not to procrastinate
in doing things like showering. [I'm guilty of this
but] I’m fixing it (laughs).”
3. His most memorable date
involved catching Pokémon
A romantic date doesn’t always have to involve
a candlelit dinner. Gary recalled that one of the
most memorable dates he's had happened
when Pokémon GO first came out. “We spent
the whole day walking around different places
catching Pokémon. It was very simple and didn’t
cost a lot, but we spent quality time together.”
“I used to take a cautious approach,
but after being in the army, you’ll
realise that people won’t judge you
as much as you thought, so you
should just be yourself.”
3) He’s a “marathon addict”
He loves running and covers 10km every
other day.
“The best way
to train for a
marathon is to
go out without
an EZ Link
card and cash.
You’ve just got
to run your
way home.”
26 Syafiq Kamal
31, Creative Manager and Personal Trainer
@psyfig
1. He works full-time for a PR agency and also
part-time as a personal trainer
He’s also in the process of picking up a new sport – mixed martial
arts – which he thinks is a great way to workout and learn selfdefence at the same time.
2. Syafiq can do a perfect rendition of the MRT’s
“please stand clear of the doors” announcement
(seriously, you need to hear this)
Not only can he do it in the official four languages, he’s added
Tagalog and Japanese to the mix! He says he loves learning
languages and taught himself Chinese.
3. He thinks a girl’s most attractive quality is
her laugh
But most importantly, it’s what the laugh means. “I think it feels good
to know we’ve connected."
“I got hate mail for
playing the villain
on Tanglin and that
got me very excited!
It showed people
really reacted to the
character, which is
awesome.” - Kishan
27 Alfred Tan
26, Marketing and Communications Manager
@allephantalfred
1. Alfred studied Molecular
Biotechnology for his diploma,
but it didn’t take him long to
realise that a life in science
wasn’t for him
He had always been interested in fashion
and so decided to do a degree in PR and
mass communication before landing a job
in the skincare industry as a marketing and
communications manager.
2. He claims he’s an “ahjumma
at heart”, and has been cooking
since he was nine years old
He makes a mean double-boiled chicken
soup. He also speaks seven languages.
3. His ideal date revolves around
spending time to really get
to know a person, because
“communication is really lacking
in the world today”
But just FYI, he thinks dinner-and-a-movie
dates are boring.
29 Benjamin Zhong
27, Dance Instructor and
YouTube Personality
@thisisbenzo
1. He started dancing 11
years ago
His passion for dancing started when
he was 16 and watching MTV. He's
into b-boying and hip-hop, as well as
some popping and locking. He’s
been a dance instructor for about
six years.
2. He started his YouTube
career three years ago
He used to post dance videos on
YouTube, before he “got lazy”. Now,
he’s part of the Wah!Banana family.
3. He’s not looking for a
perfect girl
To him, looks are only a small part of
what he looks for in an ideal girlfriend.
Rather, he’s looking for someone who
is understanding, mature and able to
get his sense of humour.
30 Kishan. J
23, Actor
@j.jaikishan
1. Kishan has made a name
for himself on Channel 5,
Toggle and YouTube
As a testament to his dedication, he
learnt Chinese in just five days for a
role! He also recently performed his
first stand-up gig in March in front of
a live audience.
2. He’s currently learning to
play the Indian sitar… from a
Chinese teacher
He loves classical Indian music, which he
says keeps him in touch with his roots.
28 Muhammad Badruddin Bin Ramle
27, Bank Analyst
@baddcheeks
1. He’s a professional dancer
He dances at bars, clubs and hen parties “in the style of Magic Mike”. His love for
dance started with hip-hop, but he gradually ventured into other genres and started
doing this type of performance dancing last year.
2. It’s hard for him to date because of his side job
Girls get insecure about his Magic Mike-type job, but he understands because clients
sometimes not only hit on him, but touch him inappropriately.
3. He also works at Universal Studios Singapore
He's a stilt-walker at the theme park. He bares his body a lot and frequently has
women rubbing their hands all over him. “I just keep cool and stay in character.
No choice!”
3. His favourite movie is
Jurassic Park because it
embodies the magic of movies
Kishan would also be open to Bollywood
and Hollywood if they ever came calling.
But for now, he’s focused on connecting
with people through his acting here.