13 of Singapore’s Real Crazy Rich Asians - Luxe Living

With the upcoming film adaption of Crazy Rich Asians set to be released in theaters this August 22, we decided to look into 13 Singaporeans who actually live the luxurious lives portrayed in the Kevin Kwan book series. 

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Arissa Cheo (Photograph courtesy of her Instagram, @xarissaxcheox)
Arissa Cheo (Photograph courtesy of her Instagram, @xarissaxcheox)

Arissa Cheo

36-year-old heiress Arissa Cheo may be the ex-wife of famous Taiwanese actor-singer Vanness Wu, but she is actually quite influential herself. The socialite has over 348k followers on Instagram, and is often considered to be one of the country’s ultimate “It-Girls”. Arissa is also a fashion entrepreneur, opening an e-commerce website in 2012, and launching her namesake fashion label in 2016.

Audrey Tay (Photograph courtesy of HerWorld.com)
Audrey Tay (Photograph courtesy of HerWorld.com)

Audrey Tay  

Audrey Tay, the youngest child of SUTL Group of Companies Executive Director Peter Tay, lays in the upper bracket of “Rich Kids of Instagram.” She first gained social media following after posting her Bentley Continental GT on her feed, an 18th birthday gift from her businessman father. Today, Audrey continues to share her incredible travels, fashion finds, and private jet trips (in which she boasts to have tipped her captain $10,000) on her IG page.

Claudia Sondakh (Photograph courtesy of PrestigeOnline.com)
Claudia Sondakh (Photograph courtesy of PrestigeOnline.com)

Claudia Sondakh

Restaurateur Claudia Sondakh is the daughter of Indonesian businessman Peter Sondakh, who is worth $1.3 billion, all in thanks to his company Rajawali Corporation, an investment firm founded in 1984. Today, the 39-year-old heiress has made a name for herself, opening food concepts around Singapore, including Plentyful. 

Dhillon Lee (Photograph courtesy of his Instagram, @dhillonxlee)
Dhillon Lee (Photograph courtesy of his Instagram, @dhillonxlee)

Dhillon Lee

Dhillon Lee loves the ocean. The son of a Singaporean millionaire, the 18-year-old fills his Instagram account with his nautical adventures and his collection of luxury cars. He is considered one of Singapore’s top young influencers.

Elroy Cheo (Photograph courtesy of his Instagram, @elroxcheo)
Elroy Cheo (Photograph courtesy of his Instagram, @elroxcheo)

Elroy Cheo 

Elroy is the younger brother of Singaporean socialite Arissa Cheo. With a considerable following of 127k on Instagram, he is often spotted in high profile events and hanging out with the country’s top celebrities.

Goh Cheng Liang (Photograph courtesy of Forbes.com)
Goh Cheng Liang (Photograph courtesy of Forbes.com)

Goh Cheng Liang

With a 39% stake in Japan’s Nippon Paint Holdings, Goh Cheng Liang ranks #3 in Singapore’s 50 Richest. He is currently worth $8.2 billion. His company is the fourth largest paint manufacturer in the world. Just this 2018, Liang appointed his son Hup Jin the chairman of Nippon Paint.

Jamie Chua (Photograph courtesy of her Instagram @ec24m)
Jamie Chua (Photograph courtesy of her Instagram @ec24m)

Jamie Chua

Jamie Chua made media waves a few weeks ago when she invited netizens into her sprawling walk-in closet complete with a security system and a $400,00 Himalayan Birkin bag. Chua was working as a flight attendant on Singapore Airlines when she met business tycoon Nurdian Cuaca in the Business Class cabin. They soon married after a whirlwind romance. However, it wasn’t all rainbows and butterflies for Chua. The couple would soon be involved in a high-profile divorce, where she demanded $450,000 a month in alimony. She cited “unreasonable behavior” against him. They reached a settlement out of court for an undisclosed amount.

Kane Lim (Photograph courtesy of his Instagram @kanelk_k)
Kane Lim (Photograph courtesy of his Instagram @kanelk_k)

Kane Lim

Kane Lim owns @fashionfun_, an Instagram account selling luxury goods from his own closet. He made his first million from the business at the tender age of 20. A fashion major, the young man likes to share his opulent taste on his social media account. Rumor has it, he has a collection of over 200 pairs of designer shoes, valued at almost $250,000!

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Kim Lim (Photograph courtesy of her Instagram, @kimlimhl)
Kim Lim (Photograph courtesy of her Instagram, @kimlimhl)

Kim Lim

Singaporean heiress and socialite Kim Lim is the daughter of billionaire and private investor Peter Lim. She lives a high-profile life as a social media influencer with over 217,000 followers, to whom she likes to share her jet-set lifestyle and designer bags. Yahoo’s Nurul Azliah reports that Kim hopes to help her father run the family’s businesses one day.

Kwek Leng Beng (Photograph courtesy of EdgeProp.sg)
Kwek Leng Beng (Photograph courtesy of EdgeProp.sg)

Kwek Leng Beng

Billionaire businessman Kwek Leng Beng’s father left the Fujian province in China for Singapore in extreme poverty. He eventually found success through the Hong Leong Group, a conglomerate he founded in the 1960s, which now operates 14 other listed companies that service everything from infrastructure development to financial services. He has been listed as one of the richest men in Singapore.

Meng Jun Kuok (Photograph courtesy of Instagram account @AsianRichKids)
Meng Jun Kuok (Photograph courtesy of Instagram account @AsianRichKids)

Meng Jun Kuok

Yahoo’s Nurul Azliah reports that Meng Jun Kuok is the grandson of Malaysia’s most affluent businessman, Robert Kuok, who has a net worth of over $12 billion. Best known as a contestant in the 2009 edition of Singapore Idol, he has continued to make music and constantly shares his DJ gigs on social media. 

Robert Ng (Photograph courtesy of Scmp.com)
Robert Ng (Photograph courtesy of Scmp.com)

Robert and Philip Ng  

Robert and Philip Ng are the owners of Singapore’s largest property developer. They are worth a whooping $11.9 billion. Currently topping Forbes’ list of Singapore’s 50 Richest, we can’t help but wonder if the Young Family (the largest land developer in Kevin Kwan’s novels) is based on this wealthy dynasty. The brothers’ lineage comes from old money. Their father Ng Teng Fong was from Mainland China. He moved to Singapore in 1934, and created their empire. He is often referred to as “The King of Orchard Road.”

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