There are 3 types of malls in Singapore. The first is the Orchard Mall, filled with Tai-tais, TWGs, and price-tags which can blind you.The second is the Strata Mall; a little shabby, a little eclectic, with the forlorn air of an impending en-bloc. The last is the Capitaland Mall, designed for mass appeal and precision-engineered for profit. They are, by far, the most ubiquitous, but also the most formulaic. So which category does the brand new Funan Mall fall under?© 2019 by Rice Media. Pu...

At just 10-years-old, Maya was raped by a stranger. At 18, her grandmother passed away, leaving her alone with her step-grandfather who then kicked her out of the house after an incident. Since she had already begun doing sex work at around 16 or 17 years of age, she then moved into one of the brothels in Geylang... Here she tells us what goes on in a typical night of work in Geylang. © 2018 by Rice Media. Published online in Singapore by Rice Media, recorded by Storyside 2019.

For 70 years, the Gurkha Contingent has been Singapore's elite guard and counter-terrorism force. To ensure their neutrality, they live in their own compound in Mount Vernon Camp, which caters to their housing, necessities, and recreation. Gurkha children are born and raised in Singapore, with the full knowledge that they will one day be repatriated from the country they grew up in. So what is it like growing up as the child of a Gurkha? © 2019 by Rice Media. Published online in Singapore ...

Spend some time exploring Singapore and you are bound to stumble upon a tree shrine. They are not always the largest trees or the most exotic, but you know them when you see them. White Styrofoam packets surround their gnarly trunks, and you might notice the distinct odour of incense, rising from a red wooden altar. What are the origins of these tree shrines? Why do people worship these seemingly ordinary trees? What is its connection to 4-D? © 2019 by Rice Media. Published online in Singa...

Finding pleasure in wandering the supermarket seems to be an unusually common emotional experience. Even in the age of online grocery shopping, where RedMart will send ten pints of ice cream to your door free of judgement, Exploring the supermarket in other countries is practically a tourist activity in and of itself. What, then, lies behind the gravitational pull of the supermarket? © 2018 by Rice Media. Published online in Singapore by Rice Media, recorded by Storyside 2019.

There's nothing special about speaking to your barista in English, nor is there anything unique about speaking Mandarin to your colleagues. But have you ever experienced the joy of asking the cai png auntie what she had for lunch, in Hokkien? © 2018 by Rice Media. Published online in Singapore by Rice Media, recorded by Storyside 2019.

School-taught 'Social Studies' is a fairly sanitised affair. We learn about Britain, Lee Kuan Yew, and the paramount importance of free trade. We also learn about food and the origins of Chicken Rice. However, what comes out is just as important as what goes in, because Singapore's history is also a fecal history—of dysentery, nightsoil, quacks and more. In short, it's a story of shit. © 2019 by Rice Media. Published online in Singapore by Rice Media, recorded by Storyside 2019.

For most, the name 'Lucky Plaza' alone is inseparable from its association with the local Filipino community; to say the words 'Lucky Plaza' is to mean 'Little Manila'. It's a place most Singaporeans would rarely think to visit, other than as another place to eat at when in Orchard Road (and even then, this is limited to either the ayam penyet restaurants or the famous yong tau foo joint on the sixth floor). But going around with a guide makes all the difference. © 2019 by Rice Media. Publ...

A few years ago, a picture of a cow entering a HDB lift in Yishun went viral. Many Singaporeans didn't understand that this was a Hindu ritual. Even fewer understood what the ritual was for. Rice Media's quest to find out for themselves led them to Durga and Rani, just 2 of the 60 cows that belong to the Viknesh Dairy Farm. © 2017 by Rice Media. Published online in Singapore by Rice Media, recorded by Storyside 2019.

Do you know exactly what it means to be an 'auntie'? Who qualifies to be one? Is there an age range, a set of behaviour, a certain look? Choping seats at the hawker centre? Auntie. Scanning the Health Promotion Board Healthier Choice QR code for points to exchange for vouchers? Auntie. Skipping your warm-up in the gym and striding purposefully to the bench because it is the last free one? Auntie. Passive-aggressively complaining about aunties? Auntie. © 2019 by Rice Media. Published online...

Hotel 81 is commonly thought of by Singaporeans as a cheap love-hotel chain in Geylang, frequented by horny, old men with their "girlfriends". But though that might've been the case a long time ago, up until today, it's less-than-stellar reputation remains difficult to shake off. Take a peek at the hotel's esteemed clientele through the eyes of Rice Media. © 2019 by Rice Media. Published online in Singapore by Rice Media, recorded by Storyside 2019.

One of the most peaceful spots in Singapore is hidden in plain sight. On Google maps, it's listed as "Shuang Long Shan Wu Shu Ancestral Hall", but a quick search reveals it's also known as "Shuang Long Shan Cemetery", "Yin Foh Kuan Hakka Cemetery" or "Holland Close Graveyard". Meet Teo Ee Koon, who has been manning the cemetery since 1982 with his father, who passed away in 2007. © 2018 by Rice Media. Published online in Singapore by Rice Media, recorded by Storyside 2019.