AMIDST rising rental costs, Mediacorp actress Juin Teh makes a major life change — moving back to her family home in Johor Bahru after her Singapore apartment lease expired on April 1.
The 34-year-old star shocked fans in early April when she posted a video of herself moving out of her Singapore apartment, leading many to think she might be leaving Mediacorp. But Juin quickly set the record straight — she’s still a full-time artiste with the broadcaster.
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“Rent went up, so I thought it might be good to move back home to Johor Bahru. My mother’s getting older too, so I want to spend more time with her,” she mentioned.
According to The Straits Times, by moving back home, Juin is saving about $1,000 a month. But it comes with a major sacrifice — she now commutes up to two hours each way across the Causeway for work, with the journey sometimes stretching to three hours on weekends.
“When a job ends late but I have other work to attend to early the next morning, I’ll stay over with a friend or a relative here,” she shared.
With no car — since permanent residents aren’t allowed to drive Malaysia-registered vehicles in Singapore and buying a local car is too expensive — she depends fully on public transport.
“Sometimes, I do get recognised. People will yell ‘Juin!’, and some netizens leave comments on social media saying they hope to bump into me at Customs,” she said.
Despite the tough commute, she says it’s all worth it when she returns home to a warm, home-cooked meal from her mother.
She first captured public attention during Star Search 2019 and is currently acting in Emerald Hill – The Little Nyonya Story on Channel 8. She also hosts the online show #JustSwipeLah, where she gave fans a tour of her Johor Bahru home — a home she personally renovated over 10 months to make it more elderly-friendly for her parents.
