'Wing Chun' Singapore debut draws intl. attention

The audience applauds as performers of Shenzhen dance drama “Wing Chun” express their thanks to the spectators after the show ended at the Esplanade-Theaters on the Bay in Singapore last night. Photos by Lin Jianping

The Shenzhen dance drama “Wing Chun” has caused a sensation in Singapore with its highly anticipated overseas debut. The production made its first overseas appearance at the Esplanade-Theaters on the Bay last night, captivating overseas media outlets and receiving exceptional reviews on the overseas social media platforms.

Following the phenomenal success of its 2022 premiere in China, “Wing Chun” has become a sought-after masterpiece. Presently, the production is running in Singapore through Saturday.

Posts about the Singapore debut of "Wing Chun" on "livinginshenzhen" TikTok account amassed about 500,000 views, with one post viewed 226,114 times, accompanied by more than 10,000 thumbs-up. Netizens from around the world expressed their intention to watch the show and praised it for its nice artistry in the account’s comments section.

In addition, EyeShenzhen, Shenzhen’s multilingual info portal, published the drama’s overseas debut in nine languages, including English, Japanese, Korean, Spanish and French, further amplifying its global recognition.

According to Hong Kong Commercial Daily, a Hong Kong-based news outlet specializing in commercial news, “Wing Chun” has served as a cultural bridge between Shenzhen and Singapore.

A poster on Shenzhen dance drama “Wing Chun” is seen at the Esplanade.

Lim Boon Heng, chairman of Temasek, a global investment company headquartered in Singapore made a comment to the Daily after watching the performance. “I think the dancers and performers are all very fit. They must have put in a lot of practice for this production. Even without spoken words, you can discern the story behind this. So it’s a really amazing performance,” Lim said. “Singaporeans can benefit from China’s cultural productions and, at the same time, it encourages Singaporeans to better themselves.”

Journal Puxin, a news portal for the Chinese community in Portugal, reported that the dance drama “Wing Chun” has created a buzz in Singapore, receiving praise from diplomats representing various countries.

Ignacio Concha, ambassador of Chile to Singapore, said, “When I see this show here, it reminds me of the time I spent in China. Cultural exchange is important. It’s a soft approach, a foreign policy-served approach.”

Upon the conclusion of the debut performance, overseas media outlets from Japan, Europe, Africa, and China's Hong Kong and Macao reported on the show’s success.

Prior to the show, Singaporean media outlets and popular social media accounts such as Lianhe Zaobao, Singapore Eye and HiGoWhere recommended the dance drama to local residents, heightening the anticipation among the audience.

Chan Heng Wing, a Singaporean audience member and strategic advisor of OIG Food Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., who was attracted to the drama dance through the warm-up coverages. “Before I came to see this show, I had already read articles about this drama dance and made up my mind to watch it,” Tan told Shenzhen News Group reporters. “People of my generation have read Kungfu novels and books, gaining knowledge about Wing Chun. I was particularly excited to witness how this dance drama unfolded.”