Your Way Home with Hongbin Jeong

Singapore’s labour market has remained relatively resilient, with unemployment staying low in recent years. But beneath that stability, concerns are growing among professionals, managers and executives (PMEs) about job security, restructuring, and the impact of AI on white-collar work. Last year, NTUC handled more than 3,900 PME retrenchment and termination cases — a 5% increase from the year before — with many linked to offshoring, restructuring, and technological disruption. So today, we explore why more PMEs are turning to unions for support, and whether professionals are becoming more vulnerable in an evolving economy. On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Patrick Tay, Assistant Secretary-General, NTUC and Elected Member of Parliament, Pioneer SMC, to find out more. 

When we talk about ageing, the focus is often on visible changes like mobility, retirement, or healthcare. But one of the most common yet overlooked challenges older adults face is hearing loss. It doesn’t just affect hearing, it can quietly reshape conversations, relationships, confidence and even a person's sense of identity. On The Agenda, Hongbin Jeong explores what it means for a father and daughter to navigate hearing loss together across two generations, and two very different perspectives on vulnerability, independence, and asking for help. Joining the conversation are Mohamed Shah, an Oticon Zeal user who has lived with hearing loss for years, and his daughter, Sadrina Shah, a Senior Clinical Audiologist at Oticon Singapore. 

On What's Trending, Hongbin Jeong, Nadiah Koh and Nazirul Asrar dive into financial literacy and how students in the United States are going through quizzes to test each others' financial knowledge. From the Magnificent Seven to how dividends are being paid, the trio decide to attempt a quiz on their own, with Hongbin testing Nadiah and Naz to see whether they are more financially literate than a bunch of high schoolers.

Today we’re going to take you to a sleepy pocket of Japan’s countryside called Myoko. Located about a three-hour train ride from Tokyo, Myoko was said to be one of the oldest ski areas in Japan, where it once saw young skiers streaming along its neon-lit streets. That was, of course, during the economic boom back in the 1980s and 1990s, before ski-lovers swapped Myoko for other popular destinations like Niseko in Hokkaido and Hakuba in Nagano.  But one Singaporean company is hoping to inject life back into the area by buying up ski resorts in Myoko and the nearby Madarao, and building an integrated township out of them. And that company is called Patience Capital Group. Founded in 2019 by the former head of Japan at Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC Ken Chan, Patience Capital Group manages assets on behalf of institutional and private investors worldwide.  The firm says it currently manages two close-ended funds. The first is a hospitality fund focused on unlocking value in the Japanese tourism sector, and that’s where the ski resorts come in.  The fund, in particular, was said to have raised 39 billion yen from institutional investors ranging from sovereign wealth funds to a university endowment fund. The other close-ended fund, meanwhile, is a residential fund investing in mid-market residential assets located in the Greater Tokyo Area.  Beyond that, the firm also has a lifestyle vertical that aims to create a suite of consumer experiences and businesses to complement its portfolio and encourage placemaking in its destinations. But how will the various business operations under Patience Capital Group come together to create viable recreational townships in Japan? Meanwhile, the firm says it is tapping into the Japanese tourism and residential markets given a rise in investors’ interest in the country amid relatively low cost of capital.  But how much money is in the Myoko and Madarao areas exactly and what are the risks of pulling off a transformation project of this size? How sustainable is the tourism boom in Japan for long-term infrastructure projects in both the recreational and residential space? On Under the Radar, finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Ken Chan, CEO, Patience Capital Group.

The June holidays have begun and many parents are likely going through a familiar challenge — managing their children's screen time. But for Gen Alpha, the digital world isn't just a place to pass the time. It's where they learn, play, socialise and increasingly, shape their understanding of the world. Today's children are navigating an online landscape that is vastly different from anything previous generations experienced. However, the use of technology also comes with plenty of risks. On The Agenda, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Pamela Ong, Country Manager, Singapore and Asia at ESET to learn how parents can protect their children from the online dangers, And whether is it still only about limiting our children’s screen time in today’s setting.

The United States is proposing a new 12.5 percent tariff on imports linked to so-called “forced labour goods”, under Section 301 of its Trade Act. This significant measure could affect approximately one-third of Singapore’s domestic exports to the US. While Singapore has reiterated that it does not condone forced labour and finds no evidence of such practices within its supply chains, the nation continues to engage with the US on this developing matter. So what exactly does this tariff mean in practice? And what could this mean for businesses and trade ties between Singapore and the US moving forward? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Kevin Chen, Associate Research Fellow with the US Programme, Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies at S Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) to find out more.

Over the past week, the news report was full of rat sightings. From MRTs to F&B outlets, these rodents have caused an uproar and even raises questions about the hygiene and state of things around our beloved Singapore. But at last, the rat problem is finally under control. On What's Trending, Hongbin Jeong, Nadiah Koh and Nazirul Asrar dive into how Singapore is stepping up to contain the situation and what they would do if they ever spotted a rat in the studio.

Global K-pop supergroup BTS is finally returning to Singapore for the first time in seven years, taking over the National Stadium this December for a massive four-night run as part of their BTS World Tour ‘Arirang’. As fans across the region scramble for tickets, many are wondering if “BTSonomics” could become Singapore’s next big tourism and spending boom, much like the impact Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour had in 2024, with packed hotels, soaring flight demand and increased tourism spending. So what could BTS’ return mean for Singapore’s economy and reputation as Asia’s entertainment hub? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Dr Kevin Cheong, Lecturer in Business at the University of Newcastle Australia, to find out more.

Artificial intelligence is already reshaping the way creative industries work today. From generating artwork and editing videos to building logos and marketing campaigns in seconds, AI tools are rapidly changing what creativity looks like in the modern workplace. As companies increasingly adopt AI to streamline tasks and reduce manual work, many Gen Z creatives are wondering what this means for careers built on originality, human ideas and artistic expression. So should young Singaporeans be worried about AI replacing creative jobs? Or is this simply the next evolution of work, one that requires adaptation rather than fear? Joining us right here today to discuss this are two creatives themselves: Celeste Seah, designer of Rememo and Reynard Seah, designer of Noda.

Global K-pop supergroup BTS is finally returning to Singapore after seven years, and the ticketing chaos has officially begun. From endless online queues and crashing pages to fans camping out with multiple devices, the battle for seats to the group’s four-night National Stadium run has turned into a full-blown survival mission for ARMYs across the region. On What’s Trending, Hongbin Jeong, Nadiah Koh and Nazirul Azrar break down the madness behind the BTS ticketing war. Plus, after finally managing to score her own ticket, Hongbin hints that one lucky listener might just stand a chance to win it. The question is… would she actually give it away?