Local KTV chain Teo Heng announced on January 21, 2021 that it is closing most of its outlets.

The move, said the KTV chain, is a temporary one, as it negotiates the rental with its landlords.

Teo Heng was forced to cease operations in March 2020 due to restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Nightclubs and karaoke outlets were scheduled to reopen under a pilot programme in 2021.

However, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced on January 19 that the pilot programme will be deferred until further notice due to the recent rise in community cases

Teo Heng's announcement came as a blow to many Singaporeans who have fond memories of the KTV chain.

We spoke to some friends and colleagues who had much to say about Teo Heng's family-friendly vibes and its affordability.

Family-friendly, great hangout for friends

At a time when KTV outlets were mostly seen as sleazy places flush with cigarette smoke and unsavoury characters, Teo Heng was one of the first to break that stereotype.

For one, the chain prohibits smoking and the consumption of alcohol in its outlets.

When it first started in 1989, Teo Heng deliberately positioned itself as a family-friendly business where youngsters could come and enjoy themselves without resorting to vice, reported Vulcan Post.

"Those days when I first started going to Teo Heng, family-friendly KTV were not really common or a concept that my parents had a good impression of," says a fan who wishes to be known as Ms Goh.

"I had to lie to my parents to go to Teo Heng with my friends."

She adds that the perception of KTV outlets has changed over the years, helped in part by Teo Heng's popularity and positive image.

Fellow Teo Heng patron Royston remembers bringing his daughter to her first KTV session at Teo Heng.

"We sang with friends and really enjoyed ourselves... Very sad about the closure because I had a lot of memories there. Teo Heng represented affordable KTV for the masses!"

Singing at Teo Heng outlets was also a ritual for our colleague Jing Hui and her friends after their exams.

"My favourite song at Teo Heng was 'Love The Way You Lie'. It was our anthem!" she adds.

Affordable, cared for customers

Teo Heng operated in very different manner from its competitors.

While other outlets were charging karaoke sessions per head (more patrons = more fees) Teo Heng charged a range of rates depending on room size.

Its smallest room (which fits four patrons) cost S$8 per hour, while its largest room (for up to 10 people) will set you back by S$12 per hour.

Unlike other KTV outlets as well, Teo Heng did not charge its patrons a premium for food and drinks.

"At a time when most family-friendly KTV establishments were charging customers for food and drinks, Teo Heng went the other way; they allowed customers to bring their own food, snacks or drinks," says another patron, Yuk Lum.

"Their rates were quite affordable too, which made me feel that they genuinely cared about customers and wanted us to have a good time there. Really sad to see them go, but hats off to them for putting up such a tough fight till the end."

Its canned drinks were going for S$1 each.

That's cheaper than the canned drinks from coffeeshops, says long-time Teo Heng patron Jon who had been visiting Teo Heng since it opened its first outlet at Katong Shopping Centre.

"There was a period before they became super popular where you can KTV from 8pm to 2am for like S$30 for the room... Awesome times."

Founder is a man who love singing

Perhaps Teo Heng's approach to serving karaoke fans stems from its founder's passion for singing.

Jackson Teo is said to be an uncomplicated, happy man who used to sing in Katong Shopping Centre back in 1989 in order to sell karaoke mixers from Japanese brand BMB.

He later brought portable BMB karaoke mixers to coffee shops and sang live there to attract home users.

He then became the official distributor for BMB karaoke mixers for the region, China, and Hong Kong, and started the karaoke lounge business in 1993.

Over the years, Teo and his family's insistence on putting their patrons first earned Teo Heng a loyal following.

As a colleague puts it, Teo Heng has left an indelible mark on her:

"That's my go-to place to mark the end of exams during secondary school, a go-to place after we graduated and wanted to keep in touch, a go-to place when a friend broke up and wanted to sing some Eric Chou songs and be absolutely OK to be vulnerable in that room."

Top image credit: Jon, Joshua Lee.