Helping Kim get acquainted with a country he’s never been to
We’ve done a story on where we’d take US president Donald Trump, so it’s only fair his North Korean counterpart, Kim Jong-Un gets his fair share of the limelight too. Based on what we know about Kim, he enjoys watching NBA regularly (he loves Michael Jordan and hangs out with Dennis Rodman). He also enjoys lavish feasts and popping Cristal. Given that it’s Kim’s first visit to our city, here are some places we think will be of interest to him.
Try a different hairstyle
Change isn’t something everyone appreciates, but as we like to say, take baby steps. For the best haircut that money can buy, look no further than Rossano Ferretti, whose gilded by-appointment-only salon in at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore pampers guests’ hair with its namesake founder’s ‘invisible haircutting method’, along with haircare products that are free of harmful additives.
Rossano Ferretti
1 Fullerton Square #01-04
Singapore 049178
Tel: +65 6916 0700
Familiar Favourites
Kim has a very well reported attraction toward sushi, which makes a good case for bringing him to Hashida, where revered Chef Kenjiro “Hatch” Hashida and his team of bonafide artisans apply years of savoir-faire to crafting unparalleled sushi experiences. We’d like to know too if North Korea serves Korean barbecue slathered in cheese. Just a stone’s throw from the Istana, Seorae Korean Charcoal BBQ definitely needs to be kept in view by his hosts, in the event that he gets hungry before or after meeting with Singapore’s president. Kim Jong-Un’s love for cheese is no big secret either, so this may do the trick.
Hashida
333A Orchard Road, #04-16 Mandarin Gallery
Singapore 238897
Tel: +65 6733 2114
Suits Fit For A King
Oriental suits are definitely in, but not the ones that Kim is in. We think he’ll look great in Givenchy’s and Dior’s recent designs, whose details share a few similarities with his go-to outfits. If he prefers to have a suave western-style suit made, Hermes’ bespoke service and Zegna Su Misura will not disappoint either.
See The Sights
According to the Internet, the only thing that Kim likes more than having nice things, is looking at nice things. Local officials surely will not let the influential leader leave without making a trip to Moshe Safdie-designed Marina Bay Sands. After all, S$5.5 billion was spent to build it, and generous amounts are continually forked out to maintain and expand its sprawling compound. Kim will enjoy surveying the immense array of floral species from different climates that inhabit Gardens by the Bay, as well as its waterfall, which is the tallest indoor waterfall in the world. Speaking of tourist attractions, we can’t bid goodbye to Kim before showing him our best landmarks, especially Haw Par Villa, a park themed on Chinese folklore’s 10 Courts of Hell, which has been effectively scaring visitors into morality for years.
Gardens by the Bay
18 Marina Gardens Drive
Singapore 018953
Tel: +65 6420 6848
Haw Par Villa
262 Pasir Panjang Road
Singapore 118628
Tel: +65 6773 0103
Evening Entertainment
Kim might feel at home in Tanjong Pagar, a vibrant Koreatown whose celebrated establishments like Chicken Up proffer soju-ritas (soju or beer plunged neck-first into margaritas made from the Korean liquor, soju), soju served in watermelons and Korean-style fried chicken. If he’s never partied in Seoul, Tanjong Pagar Road will at least give him an inkling of what he can expect. Perhaps the premier will like Kream Beer nearby, which purveys a bevy of Korean-style beers in a multitude of flavours. If Kim feels like getting his groove on, K-pop-style fun abounds at 36, a booming Gangnam-style nightclub that is all the rage right now.
Jet Him Out
After his intense meeting, Kim might fancy a vacation like no other. “We can fly him and his entourage to the Oscars or Grammys, or even Sydney Harbour or Hawaii,” shares Kevin Ou, chief experience officer of Jetsetters, which specialises in crafting unique experiences for its high-net-worth and corporate clientele. Kim’s personal jet reportedly cannot fly very far. “If he’s comfy in Singapore, we can fly entertainers and celebrities to him instead. We could also organise a private dinner for him by chef Yann Bernard Lejard (the ‘Jackson Pollock of the culinary world’), who will also be in Singapore in late June.”
