National Day video parody goes viral
A new video parody on National Day songs is making waves online in Singapore.
But unlike that of the infamous "Fun Pack Song", which has been dropped from the line-up of the National Day Parade by organisers, this video seems to have struck a chord with most netizens.
Titled "Another Home", the seven-and-a-half minute music video uploaded to YouTube is a cheeky spoof on National Day videos.
Set to an upbeat electronic arrangement of Kit Chan's "Home", which was first performed in 1998, the video features local actor Chua Enlai along with a group of locals singing and dancing to the beat.
Among them — lookalikes of People's Action Party Member of Parliament Tin Pei Ling and National Solidarity Party candidate Nicole Seah and even SDP's mascot, Danny the Democracy Bear — or what one might recognise as a "misadvertised" bear.
The video also pokes fun at memorable events and issues that have recently made the news, for example, a maid carrying an NSman's bag and the national water polo team wearing "suggestive" swimming trunks bearing elements of the National Flag.
First uploaded on 28 July by SINdie, an online site that covers Singaporean-made films, the video has attracted 52,817 views as of Tuesday afternoon, with 1,200 likes and 57 dislikes.
Jeremy Sing, editor of the site and director of the video said, "Every character and situation portrayed (in the video) has been a talking point for Singaporeans."
"We've achieved our aim, especially when people are so engaged in discussing the references in it online," Sing told The New Paper.
The 34-year-old added that the SINdie YouTube channel has received many subscription requests since the video's release.
"We've always wanted to do a fun video by ourselves that's relevant to Singaporeans. We felt that National Day was the occasion to do one," he said.
To generate ideas, Sing spoke to film-makers including Boo Junfeng, Tan Pin Pin, Anthony Chen and Glen Goei, and personalities like Loretta Chen, Neil Humphreys and even Ris Low.
"What viewers see in the video are the best of these ideas," he said.
The video, which cost below S$5,000 to produce, was shot over a period of three days in June at different locations.
When asked about the video, Dick Lee, who composed the original "Home", said that "these interpretations keep the song alive".
"The song was nicely arranged," he added.
YouTube user YouxMe commented, "If this is an official NDP song 'I don't know what to say' other than loving it!"
Others have also called it "the best NDP MTV" and "the (one) closest to our hearts".
Not everyone was as positive, however, with some viewers finding the video "disrespecting" and "kinda embarrassing".
What's your take on this? Watch it and decide for yourself.
