Singapore entertainment veteran Huang Yiliang is back in front of the camera after nearly two decades away — but the 65-year-old says his return to acting was never about missing the spotlight.
The former Mediacorp actor, who has spent recent months building a new life as a hawker, is making his acting comeback in the upcoming local microdrama BingBingBiangBiang Kopidiam, reuniting with a familiar group of former colleagues from Singapore’s entertainment scene.
Huang, who was last seen onscreen in the 2007 drama The Golden Path, plays a role that hits remarkably close to home: a crab bee hoon stall owner. But according to his interview with CNA Lifestyle, it was friendship — not a burning desire to return to showbiz — that convinced him to step back onto a set after 19 years.
From Hawker Centre to Film Set — A Comeback He Never Planned
Huang admitted he had been so far removed from the entertainment industry that he did not initially understand what a “microdrama” was. He agreed to join the project after learning that filming would take place on his day off, expecting something relatively small and casual.
Instead, the project grew into a much bigger production, involving multiple cast members and overseas filming.
Yet Huang has been candid about one thing: he never spent the past 19 years longing for an acting comeback.
What he missed most, he said, was the camaraderie — catching up over meals and conversations with people he had worked alongside for years. That sense of friendship appears to have played a major role in bringing him back.
The cast includes familiar names such as Cassandra See, Qin Wei, Cherie Lim, Jin Yin Ji, Apple Hong, Tang Miao Ling and Joy Yak, making the project something of a reunion for veteran Singapore entertainers.
“Like a Fish Back in Water”: Huang Says Acting Instincts Never Left
Despite the long absence, Huang said stepping back in front of the camera felt surprisingly natural.
Using swimming as an analogy, the veteran actor explained that although he had been away from acting for nearly two decades, the experience and instincts built over the years remained with him.
His first scenes felt fresh, but not intimidating. In his own words, returning to the craft felt like being “a fish back in water.”
However, another recent interview suggests the comeback is not entirely without its challenges. Speaking to AsiaOne, Huang said he had concerns about memorising lines and was surprised to discover the scale of the production, which is planned as a 100-episode microdrama.
The Hawker Stall Comes First — And He Refuses to Choose
For fans wondering whether Huang’s return to acting means the end of his hawker journey, the answer is clear: don’t expect him to shut down his seafood business anytime soon.
Huang runs Old Fisherman at Circuit Road Hawker Centre, where his crab bee hoon has drawn significant attention and long queues since the stall opened earlier in 2026. He has also maintained a seafood business at nearby MacPherson Market and Food Centre.
When asked whether he would give up the hawker stall for acting, Huang said he did not want to abandon either passion.
That balancing act may not be easy. CNA Lifestyle reported that Huang still handles much of the work at his stall himself and was eager to return to business even after attending the microdrama’s press event.
A New Chapter After a Tumultuous Year
Huang’s return to entertainment comes after an eventful period in the public eye. His hawker venture has generated both strong public interest and several headlines, including disputes at the Circuit Road Hawker Centre and an alleged assault in May that resulted in him being taken to hospital. Police said at the time that investigations were ongoing.
But the actor-turned-hawker appears determined to focus on moving forward.
His former colleagues have also publicly rallied around him. In June, several ex-Mediacorp stars — including Cassandra See, Cherie Lim, Amy Koh, Celine Neo, Jason Oh, Joy Yak and Apple Hong — visited his stall to show their support.
That reunion now appears to have evolved into something much bigger: a return to the screen for Huang and several other familiar faces from Singapore television’s past.
When and Where Can Fans Watch?
BingBingBiangBiang Kopidiam is a 100-episode local microdrama inspired by everyday Singapore life and featuring a mix of veteran artistes. According to The Straits Times, the series is expected to premiere on social media platforms around mid-September.
For Huang Yiliang, the comeback is not about chasing fame or recreating the past. It is about reconnecting with old friends, trying something unexpected and proving that sometimes, even after 19 years away, a familiar calling can still feel like home.
And for now, it seems Singapore audiences will be seeing Huang in two very different places: serving crab bee hoon at the hawker centre — and serving drama on their screens.
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