‘It’s so tiring to be friends with Singaporeans’ — French woman says after everything she does for “SG people” is seen as ‘not good enough’
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#tiring #friends #Singaporeans #French #woman #people #good,
SINGAPORE: In a now-viral TikTok rant, French expat Amandine Honvault @new_to_singapore aired what many foreigners in Singapore may have whispered about privately over kopi all along: Singaporeans can be brutally honest, compliment suspiciously, and emotionally stingy with praise.
“It’s so tiring to be friends with Singaporeans. Their expectations are unmatched,” she declares, side-eying the camera like a woman who’s been through one too many judgmental brunches.
Even when she finally takes care of herself, slaps on some good makeup, and dons a killer outfit, her Singaporean friends still don’t say “you look good.” Instead, they raise eyebrows and go, “Wah! Today wear so nice ah? Got what occasion?” And when Amandine takes them to her favourite makan (eatery) spot, “They take one bite and hit you with a, ‘Next time I bring you to eat a better one.’”
@new_to_singapore And yes I overcooked my pain au chocolat 🤷♀️ But who is going to say something about it? Singaporeans? #singaporean #sgculture #lifeinsingapore #sgtiktok #sghumour
♬ original sound – New to Singapore by Amandine – New to Singapore by Amandine
And brace yourself when she cooks for them: “The dish is basically irrelevant if there is no rice. You basically served air,” Amandine expresses her amusement.
But before we call ICA and revoke her hawker pass, the TikTok comment section was a buffet of reactions already—ranging from agreement to adamant “Not all Singaporeans!” are like that.
One commenter explained, “When we say ‘Wah wear so nice ah?’ it’s our way of inviting you to share more [about what’s going on]. Even ‘I just felt like it’ is a great response,” while another quipped, “You got the wrong friends! 😂”
Reddit, however, spilt the kaya toast as one commenter confessed: “Many [Singaporeans] are suspicious, condescending, and unaware of the negative vibes they give. Always innately insecure, comparing and complaining.”
Another Redditor, raised in the US but of Singaporean heritage, dropped this brutal line:
“The majority of folks here lack empathy and somehow have a subtle inferiority complex towards Caucasians. The dreaded AMDK (ang moh dua kee, which means white people big shot) term just reeks of weakness.”
To be fair, some netizens blamed Asian parenting for the chronic inability to give pure compliments.
“You’re never pretty enough, smart enough, or cooking with enough carbs,” said one. “Blame our parents, lah,” said another.
But Amandine might’ve touched a nerve that needed touching. In a society known for high standards, could it be that we’re also setting the emotional bar too high?
As one Singaporean replied candidly: “She’s not wrong. We are exhausting people to be around 😁” Another joked, “Try having a Singaporean family. That’s the Olympics of not-good-enough.”
Still, others insisted the key is learning to laugh it off, and not all locals are like that.
So, to Amandine: Maybe it’s not all Singaporeans, just some Singaporeans. As one wise commenter said, “You need to choose your friends carefully.”