Your Way Home with Hongbin Jeong

Move over dating apps, South Korea has found a new hotspot for singles: bookstores. On What’s Trending, Debbie Yong and Nadiah Koh dive into Seoul’s Kyobo Book Center, where young romantics are turning the aisles into matchmaking grounds, complete with viral videos of people holding books and ‘waiting for love’. Then, they hop over to China, where a teahouse in Hainan learned the hard way that viral moments aren’t always glamorous. The restaurant left actual leftover food from a celebrity visit on display, sparking online horror and a lesson in fan tourism gone wrong.

Energy markets remain a key concern. After weeks of heightened focus, the question now is whether prices are entering a more stable phase or if volatility will persist. For Asia, potential shifts toward alternative oil sources such as the US raise structural questions, particularly around the mismatch between heavier crude exports and the region’s refining configurations. Apple also comes into focus after reports that its foldable iPhone has encountered engineering challenges, potentially delaying its launch. The stock fell sharply on the news, just as it appeared to be building upward momentum. With key technical levels holding, the question now is whether this setback disrupts its trajectory or presents a temporary pause. On Market View, Sean Cheong speaks to Tareck Horchani, Head of Trading and Sales Trading at Maybank, to discuss about the latest market movements.

Starting April 15, a new rule out of Singapore could catch many travellers off guard — you’ll only be allowed to carry two power banks in your hand luggage. Any extras? You’ll have to throw them away before boarding. The move, announced by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, follows updated global safety guidelines from the International Civil Aviation Organization aimed at reducing the risk of lithium battery fires mid-flight. Why have power banks become a focus of aviation safety regulations? And will limiting the number of power banks on flights actually make flying safer? On The Big Story, Debbie Yong speaks with Dr Teo Tee Hui, Senior Lecturer in Engineering Product Development at the Singapore University of Technology and Design, to find out more.

Stablecoins are no longer just a niche experiment, they’re a rapidly growing cornerstone of global finance. In 2025 alone, these digital assets processed $33 trillion in transactions, far surpassing traditional platforms like PayPal. From fintech startups to financial giants like BlackRock, Visa, and JPMorgan, companies are racing to stake their claim in this new frontier. How will they reshape the financial landscape, and what should individual investors know as machines move money faster than ever? On Wealth Tracker, Debbie Yong speaks with Gracie Lin, CEO of OKX Singapore, to find out more.

Would you let your partner plan your wedding convoy? Well, one groom in China did exactly that and showed up with nine septic tank trucks on his big day. Plus, if your partner takes terrible photos, don’t worry, it might actually earn you a free trip to Iceland worth S$68,000. On What’s Trending, Debbie Yong and Alexandra Parada talk about a viral septic truck wedding that’s dividing opinions, and Icelandair’s search for the world’s worst photographer.

Market activity held relatively firm, with S$1.45 billion in value turnover, but sentiment stayed fragile as attention turned to ongoing discussions around a potential 45-day ceasefire involving the US, Iran and regional mediators. With no clear outcome and a tight 24-48 hour window, markets, particularly oil, are bracing for possible volatility depending on how events unfold. Oil prices have so far shown measured reactions, suggesting that recent tensions may already be partially priced in, supported by existing inventory buffers. However, if the situation drags on or escalates, these buffers could begin to erode, potentially triggering sharper moves in energy markets. On Market View, Sean Cheong speaks to Kelvin Wong, Senior Analyst, OANDA, to unpack the latest market movements.

After Albirex's stunning comeback to defeat Tampines Rovers, could the past weekend in the Singapore Premier League prove to be pivotal in the title race? Plus, with Tanjong Pagar suffering yet more misery...do good players necessarily make good coaches? Plenty of questions, Sports Minutes has the answers in the company of Deepanraj Ganesan, sports reporter with The Straits Times. READ MORE: https://spl.sg/news/refereeing-review-incidents-from-two-spl-matches/ Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg  

The ongoing Middle East conflict is sending shockwaves through global energy markets, and Singapore is feeling the heat. Fuel prices are climbing, food costs are rising, and businesses are bracing for ripple effects. On The Big Story, Debbie Yong speaks with Eugene Tan, Associate Professor of Law at Singapore Management University, about Singapore’s response. We unpack the newly formed Homefront Crisis Ministerial Committee, what it aims to tackle, why the government has taken a measured approach on energy use, and how households and businesses might be supported. How effective will the HCMC be? Could households and businesses face tougher choices ahead? And what signals should we watch to know whether Singapore is truly prepared for future energy challenges?

Earnings are still holding up, but the era of broad beats and easy momentum may be fading. Mega-cap tech is still leading, but the gap is narrowing, AI spending is surging but becoming more uneven, and investors are getting far more selective about what they reward. So are we at an inflection point, from momentum-driven gains to a market that cares more about valuations, quality, and fundamentals? And could that mean a comeback for GARP investing? On Wealth Tracker, Debbie Yong speaks to Rahul Ghosh, Portfolio Specialist in Equity Division, T. Rowe Price, to find out more.

What would you do if you spotted a strange, electric-blue creature on a beach in Singapore and had no idea if it was harmless… or venomous? That moment of curiosity (and mild panic) is exactly what inspired a new project people are calling a 'Singapore Pokedex', a fast, visual wildlife guide designed to help everyday people identify real animals in real time.  On What's Trending, Debbie Yong and Nadiah Koh explore how this simple idea is trying to close that gap — turning hikes into discovery, and making biodiversity accessible, visual and actually useful.  Then, we shift gears from nature to one of the fastest-growing fitness phenomena in the world: HYROX. What looks like a brutal race of running and workouts is actually something much bigger — a global business pulling in millions, attracting tens of thousands of competitors, and turning fitness into a full-blown ecosystem. From entry fees to sponsorships, gyms to tourism, HYROX is redefining how people train, travel and spend.