SINGAPORE — Local actress-model Chen Yixin has opened up about a past relationship, saying she eventually had to accept that she and her former boyfriend were not meant to be together and that their relationship brought out the worst in both of them.
The 26-year-old shared the reflections during a conversation with Singapore internet personality Saffron Sharpe, 29, on Sharpe’s YouTube podcast We Broke Up, which was uploaded on Oct. 6.
The pair discussed their experiences with break-ups, the challenges of having relationships in the public eye and what they learnt from their past romances.
Yixin did not identify her former boyfriend during the conversation. She had previously confirmed that she was in a relationship with local actor Gavin Teo, with the pair announcing their break-up in 2024 after several years together.
‘We’re not the one for each other’
Speaking about her previous relationship, Yixin said one of the hardest parts of the break-up was accepting that the two of them simply were not right for each other.
She said it took her a long time to acknowledge and respect that reality, particularly because their relationship had been publicly known and the pair had worked together on various projects.
Because of their public profiles and professional ties, she felt there was also a need to publicly acknowledge their separation rather than simply ending the relationship privately.
Yixin said she eventually learnt that strong emotions following a break-up can come in waves and that people should not blame themselves for experiencing them.
She also acknowledged that one reason the relationship lasted as long as it did was because she did not know how to initiate a break-up.
‘We brought out the worst in each other’
Yixin was careful not to portray her former partner negatively.
Instead, she said she preferred to view the relationship as one in which both people brought out less positive sides of each other.
She said she had no intention of “slandering” her ex and was willing to reflect on her own behaviour as well.
For Yixin, moving on eventually meant reaching a point where she no longer had strong emotional reactions towards the person.
She described indifference — rather than anger or lingering attachment — as one indication that she had genuinely moved on.
Why she would not remain friends with her ex
The actress-model also said she would not want to remain friends with her former boyfriend.
That decision, she explained, was not because she hated him.
Rather, she felt that they no longer had much in common or many topics to discuss.
Her comments reflected a more definitive approach to relationships after the experience, with Yixin saying that she had become more conscious of what she wanted from a future partner.
She created a list of relationship non-negotiables
One of the biggest lessons from the break-up was the importance of knowing her own boundaries and expectations.
Yixin revealed that she subsequently created a list of non-negotiables for relationships.
When she began talking to her current boyfriend, she sent him the list early in their relationship.
Among the qualities she said she was looking for were someone who is intellectually stimulating, financially responsible, empathetic and curious about life.
She also said she preferred a partner who is not overly active on social media.
Rather than rushing into a relationship, Yixin said the early stages with her current boyfriend were deliberately slow.
She described the pair as being like “pen pals for about two months”, spending that time getting to know each other without initially making plans to meet.
The approach appears to reflect how her previous relationship changed the way she evaluates compatibility and communicates her expectations.
Public relationships can bring added pressure
Yixin has previously spoken about the difficulties of growing up in the public eye.
She is the daughter of veteran Singaporean actors Xiang Yun and Edmund Chen, and has spent much of her life around the entertainment industry.
In September, she revealed that she had moved to Paris to begin a new chapter and explore life away from Singapore. She has since shared that she is studying fashion and creative direction there on a scholarship.
The move has also given her an opportunity to rethink how much of her personal life she wants to share publicly.
In an earlier video about her move, Yixin said she had previously been reluctant to discuss personal matters because she felt that too much of her life was already open to public scrutiny.
That experience appears to have influenced the way she now approaches relationships and social media.
Saffron Sharpe shares her own break-up experience
The conversation was not solely about Yixin.
Sharpe, who has also gone through a recent break-up, spoke with Yixin about the emotional challenges of ending a relationship and moving forward.
Their discussion focused less on the identities of their former partners and more on the lessons they took from their respective experiences.
The two women also discussed the difficulties of navigating romantic relationships when aspects of their personal lives can attract public attention.
A new chapter in Paris
Yixin’s reflections on her past relationship come as she begins another significant chapter of her life.
After moving to Paris in September, she has been documenting her experience online, including her studies and daily life in the French capital.
She has said that one of her goals is to discover what her life could look like somewhere new while becoming more comfortable with sharing parts of herself publicly.
Her move follows several years in Singapore’s entertainment industry, during which she has worked as an actress, model and content creator and also launched her own fashion label, Beike.
The actress-model has also previously spoken about feeling pressure from online comments and wanting to build an identity beyond how she is perceived on social media.
From heartbreak to clearer boundaries
Yixin’s latest comments suggest that the end of her previous relationship has influenced more than just her view of break-ups.
It has also shaped the standards she brings into her current relationship.
Rather than describing her past romance simply as a failure, she framed it as an experience that taught her about compatibility, communication and the importance of understanding what she wants from a partner.
Her decision to create a list of non-negotiables before entering her current relationship reflects that change.
For Yixin, moving on has apparently meant more than letting go of a former partner. It has also meant becoming clearer about the kind of relationship — and the kind of life — she wants for herself.
