A woman turned her attention to a quiet stall at the Toa Payoh Central pasar malam, purchasing handmade beaded crafts from an elderly vendor in an effort to highlight the struggles of vendors with few customers.
TikToker Jasmine Ng’s video of the encounter has gone viral, racking up at least 93,900 views and 6,809 likes at press time.
“I got the idea from farmers market videos overseas,” the 25-year-old told Stomp. “It’s POV: only buying from vendors with no customers. I wanted to do a Singapore version of it, and I genuinely hope to inspire others too.”
‘They’re just trying to earn a simple living’
In the video, Ms Ng interviews the elderly vendor in Mandarin, asking how long it takes to make each piece, and pauses to admire the craftsmanship.
“Honestly, elderly people are one of my soft spots,” Ms Ng said. “I can’t stand seeing them looking sad, or trying so hard to set up their booths and wait for customers. They’re just trying to earn a simple living, and we should help if we can.”
