One way or another, our homes are an extension of our personality — and some have been known to take it to the extreme.
Recently, one man’s house in Bedok has captured the imagination of Singaporeans thanks to his deep love for antiques and artefacts.
Superheroes and statues adorn the compound of this S$4 million home, while embalmed animals and antique furniture fill up the interior.
Source: MOSG on YouTube
In short, the house is a never-before-seen mish-mash of a mini theme park and animal museum.
The house belongs to 68-year-old Cheong Boo Wee, who is the former president of a multinational firm, according to The Straits Times (ST).
It is situated along Jalan Chempaka Kuning, a township in the Bedok district.
While the ST article came out in 2016, Mr Cheong’s house came into the spotlight again when a tour of the house by TikTok channel @ccbros went viral.
@ccbros BET YOU CAN’T FIND THE LIZARD 🦎 📍JALAN CHEMPAKA KUNING DISCLAIMER: (Please don’t knock on Mr. Cheong’s door, if not his guard dog gonna come after you! 😈) #Cornerterrace #taxidermy #housetour #housetoursingapore #sgrealestate #realestatesingapore #sghomes #tiktoksg #fypsg #sgproperty #singaporehomes #singaporeproperty #taylorswift #fyp #sgfyp #foryou #foryoupage #sgreno #animals #pets #dogs #cats #zoo #marvel #avengers #singapore #trending #viral ♬ what!?(965039) – Q’ju Creative
During the tour, Mr Cheong said that his landed multi-storey house is currently worth over S$4 million.
Upon entering the house, viewers were transported into an entirely new world.
Every centimetre of the not-so-humble abode was dominated by taxidermied animals and furniture, not unlike an animal museum.
At one point, Mr Cheong showed off one of the many gems in his burgeoning collection – a giant embalmed lobster.
Source: TikTok
In a separate interview he did with YouTube channel MOSG, he put his collection of embalmed animals at an estimated 60.
On his wish list is a life-sized lion, which he hopes to get if the timing is right and he can afford it.
He also attributed his love for taxidermies to his grandfather, a ship captain with a collection of his own.
Proving how avid of a collector he is, Mr Cheong said that he often can’t sleep at night if he sees something he wants and ends up not buying it.
In addition to taxidermied critters, Mr Cheong revealed he has a love of antique clocks as well.
In fact, he now possesses over 100 of these timepieces.
They are his first love due to their relative affordability during his earlier years when he did not earn much.
Mr Cheong has also restored several clocks, and some of them have remained with him until this day.
Alongside his clocks, he has a collection of over 20 gramophones, which he uses to play music for the entire neighbourhood.
Source: MOSG on YouTube
Recounting a conversation with a neighbour, he said the latter complimented the music and asked him to keep playing.
Not everything that Mr Cheong collects is dead or stationary, however.
At one point, he owned as many as 80 living parrots. However, he sold most of them after being diagnosed with a heart condition.
In doing so, he hopes it will lighten his family’s burden if anything were to happen to him.
Presently, he owns five parrots — a modest number by Mr Cheong’s standards.
A desire to share his collection with the public was what inspired Mr Cheong to start decorating his house’s exterior.
Referring to a “Your adventure begins here” sign, Mr Cheong said this signifies the beginning of one’s journey through a mini zoological garden.
The outside is where Mr Cheong’s house is at its most striking, thanks to life-sized statues of animals and fictional characters alike.
Source: MOSG on YouTube
Some of the figures are even posed in creative ways. For instance, Spiderman and Green Lantern appear to be fighting crime on Mr Cheong’s rooftop.
To families and children passing by, Mr Cheong’s house is a feast for the eyes. As such, he more than welcomes the local community to visit and take photos.
In the TikTok video by @ccbros, Mr Cheong advised potential visitors to come after 7.40pm as that is when he will turn on all the lights for a truly dazzling display.
Source: TikTok
As a closing message to viewers of the MOSG interview, Mr Cheong said that everyone should have a passion they want to pursue in life.
He also expressed how much of a blessing it is for him to share what he has with others.
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Featured image adapted from TikTok.
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