From Watching Dating Shows to Starring in One: How Two Malaysians Took a Chance on 'Wingman'
Most of us have watched a dating show and thought, at least once: I could do better than that. We cringe at the awkward small talk, we cheer when the right couple finds each other, and we swear we’d never put ourselves through the ordeal. Yuki Chong and Olivia Law actually did it. And they didn’t go alone.
The two friends from Johor are among the participants in Wingman, Mediacorp’s new 12-episode Singapore reality dating show, which brings a Malaysian flavour to a format that keeps gaining ground across South-east Asia. Law, 29, was the single looking for love. Chong, 25, was the wingman in charge of helping her get there.
They had never appeared on a reality dating show before. The decision to audition came from something almost comically ordinary: an online casting ad.
“We stumbled upon an ad online looking for people for a dating show, and I thought it was interesting because you could go with a friend,” Chong told Malay Mail. “I told Olivia, ‘Why not?’ because she had been single for a while and I was also single.”
Two Friends, Two Very Different Comfort Zones
The pair brought very different backgrounds to the villa. Chong moved from Johor to Singapore about four years ago and works in marketing while pursuing content creation, dance and singing. Law has lived in Singapore since completing her SPM and comes from a finance background.
Their viewing habits differed too. Law was already deep into Asian dating shows such as Single’s Inferno and Transit Love. Chong rarely watched reality television and had always been drawn more to music and performance than to acting.
On Wingman, the roles were clear-cut. Law was there to find a partner. Chong was there to make things happen, especially when her friend’s shyness threatened to get in the way.
“As the wingman, my job is to create opportunities because she can be a bit shy in the beginning,” Chong said.
The format doesn’t let the wingmen sit on the sidelines, either. They take part in games and challenges that can determine who gets dates with the singles, which means the friend in the supporting role can shape the outcome as much as anyone.
When the Cameras Are Always On
The show was filmed over 15 days in March, and it forced both women to adapt to life in a villa surrounded by cameras, interviews and fellow contestants. For Chong, who was already used to being on camera through her content creation work, reality television demanded something counterintuitive: ignore the cameras entirely.
“I’m very sensitive to cameras, so when I see one, I’ll look into it. But in a reality show, you cannot look into the camera. You have to act like it’s not there,” she said.
Law’s challenge was less about the equipment and more about what was happening inside her head. She found herself overthinking her answers during interviews, while nerves and shyness sometimes kept her from expressing herself the way she wanted.
“Because I was nervous and shy, I couldn’t fully express myself on the show. I feel a bit regretful that I didn’t just show my full potential,” she said.
That kind of honesty is rare in a genre built on polished edits. It’s also a reminder that the people on screen are navigating the same insecurities the rest of us deal with, only with a production crew watching.
What Reality TV Teaches You About Real Life
Both women walked away with lessons that stretch well beyond dating. For Chong, the experience reinforced the need to separate her own sense of self from the opinions of viewers and online commenters, something she has also encountered through content creation.
Law said the experience pushed her to be more open and willing to take opportunities outside her comfort zone. Her philosophy on it is blunt and refreshing.
“People always say, ‘You only live once.’ To me, it’s more like, ‘You only die once.’ You have to do things when there’s an opportunity,” she said.
It’s a small twist on a familiar saying, but it carries real weight. The window for certain experiences closes, and waiting for the perfect moment usually means missing it altogether.
Wingman is now giving the two friends a new connection to the regional entertainment scene, even as they return to their own interests. Chong plans to keep creating content while staying involved in singing, dancing, music and acting. Law is focusing on travel and lifestyle content and is open to acting, variety programmes and future dating shows.
The Takeaway
There’s something worth borrowing from this story, and it isn’t about finding love on television. It’s about the value of saying yes when an opportunity shows up, especially when you have a friend who will go with you. Yuki Chong and Olivia Law didn’t set out to become part of a Singapore production with a South-east Asian audience. They answered an ad because they could do it together.
So the next time you catch yourself watching a dating show and thinking you’d never dare, ask a different question: who would you bring as your wingman if you did?
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Mike Brown
Mike Brown – One of those authors who helps readers not get lost in today's news flow. He dives into political affairs as well as world events, social trends, and everyday stories that matter to everyone. The main focus of his work is fact-checking, clear language, and the ability to lay out the key points so that the reader gets a comprehensive and reliable picture of the topic in just a few minutes.
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