It’s been five years since Star Awards 2024 Best Supporting Actor Zhang Zetong won Star Search and what better time is there to welcome a fresh batch of could-be Ah Ge Ah Jies.
After three rounds of open auditions held at Funan and Orchard Central in July, 20 young men and women managed to beat out thousands of other hopefuls to make it to the semi-finals.
Among the contestants are a Taiwanese-Singaporean swimming coach who aspired to be a stunt actor, two competitive breakdancers who are — surprise, surprise — married to each other, and a student from Hong Kong whom the producers had called not once, not twice, but three times before she was convinced to join the contest.
The 10 girls and 10 guys met the press for the first time at an event at Mediacorp last night (Sep 12).
Each had their moment in the spotlight walking down a long runway. The night’s emcee Jeremy Chan likened the stage to a giant dining table, an apt description given how the contestants were basically presented to the press as fresh meat.
They all gave their best model walk before stopping for a short interview with Jeremy and the night’s other host, Yes 933 jock Gao Mei Gui.
Nerve-racking, we are sure, though most were surprisingly eloquent in Mandarin. One even showed off her impressive French.
The Top 20 are now taking lessons from their ‘talent instructors’ — Guo Liang and Dennis Chew for expression and communication, Sheila Sim in stage presence and body movement, while Mediacorp executive producer Loh Woon Woon and theatre director Nelson Chia are coaching them in acting — before the next round of eliminations on November 3.
So what exactly are these kids vying for?
Well, this year’s top 3 winners will each walk away with a brand new BYD car. This edition of Star Search marks the first time all three winners get to win a car. In 2019, only Zetong won one. The champion is also guaranteed a contract with Mediacorp.
Okay, enough from us. Here’s a look at Star Search 2024’s Top 20: