An Australian tourist has drawn mixed reactions online after posting a video<\/a> of himself walking through a residential estate in Yishun and remarking that it looked nothing like the glitzy Singapore depicted in Crazy Rich Asians, prompting netizens to explain what he was seeing.<\/p>\n Connor, who goes by @cozzau on TikTok, shared the 44-second video on May 3 with the caption, \u201cThis is how Singapore really is.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis is how most of the country I\u2019m assuming lives. Not that Crazy Rich Asians type,\u201d says Connor as the video shows the rear service area of an HDB block. <\/p>\n Based on the surroundings, Connor was likely walking around a residential estate along Yishun Street 72, near Northpoint City. <\/p>\n \u201cWhy do you need a clothesline when you have a heater?\u201d he says, showing an air-conditioner compressor with laundry strewn over it, most probably slipped off from bamboo poles on higher floors. He then suggests it might have been left there by a homeless person.<\/p>\n As he walks along the back of the block, he comments that the place is \u201cfilthy\u201d, before saying: \u201cYou can tell by even the way people are looking at me like I am the first westerner to come through here in a while, especially with a camera, my god.\u201d<\/p>\n The video then cuts to another scene showing Connor exchanging greeting with a staff member at a bakery and other members of the public. The reel ends with him saying: \u201cFriendly people here.\u201d <\/p>\n The reel was a snippet from one of Connor\u2019s travel vlogs<\/a> on his YouTube channel, in which he claims to have survived \u201cSingapore\u2019s most dangerous hood.\u201d <\/p>\n The reel garnered over 155,000 views, 5,000 reactions, and 140 comments within two days of being posted. <\/p>\n Netizens pointed out that he picked the \u201cworst\u201d place in Singapore for his reel.<\/p>\n \u201cBro chose the worst, so it\u2019s not what Singapore really is,\u201d said one TikToker. <\/p>\n \u201cYes, that is the gutter of Singapore. Each of these units cost a million dollars,\u201d said another, referring to the price of HDB flats. In June 2025, a jumbo executive HDB unit changed hands for $1.28 million<\/a>, setting the record for the most expensive HDB flat in the estate. <\/p>\n Others pointed out that there are good and bad places in every country. <\/p>\n \u201cNo one really hides this side. It\u2019s just that tourists don\u2019t usually go here. But there are quite a few expats living in these areas,\u201d explained a netizen. <\/p>\n \u201cYes, actually all countries have their nice and ugly sides,\u201d said another.<\/p>\n Others netizens were more welcoming, with some inviting Connor to their area and even offering to bring him around. <\/p>\n \u201cI recommend going to the newest estates, such as Tengah, Tampines Boulevard, Punggol Northshore,\u201d said a netizen.<\/p>\n Some netizens, however, did not take too kindly to the video. <\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t you love it when a third worlder American talks about other countries?\u201d said one netizen. (Connor is from Australia.) \u201cJust a white sour grape,\u201d another said.<\/p>\n One westerner took exception to Connor\u2019s suggestion that he was the first westerner to visit Yishun in a while.<\/p>\n \u201cI assure you that you are not the first Westerner in Yishun recently. There are westerners that live in Yishun. I am in Yishun every few days,\u201d said the netizen.<\/p>\n Stomp has reached out to Connor for comment. <\/p>\n Have something to say? Join in!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Explore more on these topics<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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<\/div>\n<\/div>\nNetizens said he picked the \u2018worst\u2019 place to feature <\/h2>\n
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