Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates: https://t.me/mothershipsg

Singaporean director Jack Neo's film "Ah Girls Go Army", slated for release on Feb. 1, is once again on the receiving end of criticism for a character name.

Back in November 2021, Neo was heavily criticised for naming one of the characters, who is played by transgender actress Kelly Kimberly Cheong, "Amanda Man".

The director has since apologised and renamed the character.

The character in question this time is played by plus-size actress Xixi Lim, and the choice of her name has been criticised by some as fat-shaming.

Yuan Yuan Yuan

In "Ah Girls Go Army", Lim plays recruit Yuan Yuan Yuan. In Chinese, "yuan" can mean round.

After the above publicity material was posted online on Jan. 23, a number of people voiced their opinions that the joke was making fun of fat people, and thus fat-shaming.

https://twitter.com/thetrevorwee/status/1485787549851602945

UGH why am I not surprised that Jack Neo named his fat character Yuan Yuan Yuan (trans. Round Round Round). I mean... What was I expecting, really?

— Ali / アリ🐜 (@kaitensoshi) January 25, 2022

Yuan yuan yuan?? Wtf here’s to jack Neo normalising fat shaming

— seb (@sebasckl) January 23, 2022

Others criticised Neo's humour, regarding it as outdated.

No one’s triggered by Jack Neo making a fat joke, everyone’s triggered cause it’s the same joke he’s been making since the 80s.

The lack of growth in popular media here is STAGGERING. LITERALLY.

— Mr Sam See ⑅ (Insert $8 Here) (@MrSamSee) January 29, 2022

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Wake Up Singapore 🇸🇬 (@wakeupsingapore)

People commenting should watch movie first: Jack Neo

Neo has responded to the criticisms in a press conference on Friday (Jan. 28), reported Yahoo Singapore.

He said that he wants people to "go to the cinema and watch the movie and judge it by itself".

"I think what Xixi did in the movie is more than what they are thinking," he added. "So to be fair, I think it's better for these people commenting to watch the movie first."

According to Yahoo, Neo and other cast members also said that despite her size, Xixi had performed very well physically during the shooting of the film, which surprised everyone on set.

'Don't have to look at is as fat-shaming': Xixi Lim

Lim also addressed the criticisms of her character's name.

"You don't have to look at it as fat-shaming," she said.

"It could just be a character called Yuan Yuan Yuan. It's just a name. But when people see it as something that attacks their self-image, it becomes a sensitive issue."

She added that "it's a fact that I'm fat" and said that while she can't control what others think, she hopes that people will give them a chance.

"In the movie, I'm not a typical fat person. In fact, the message of my character is that it's not true that fat people can't do the things that thin people do—fat people might even do it better."

Lim's previous statements about fat-shaming

Lim, who has previously posted a number of viral TikToks poking fun at her own size and weight, has also spoken in the past about being plus-size.

In her Instagram photos, she sometimes uses hashtags such as "#plussize", "#plussizefashion", and "#effyourbeautystandards".

In a 2019 interview with Zula, Lim revealed that she had gone through a lot when she was a teenager.

"Fat-shaming is real and it can really affect us inside out. I know how painful this journey can be and I don’t want others to suffer like me."

When asked what advice she would give to young girls who do not feel confident, Lim said:

"Growing up as a plus-size person, it’s never easy because you look different. I remember crying every single day when I was walking back home.

I just want to tell you that it’s okay to look different. I know it might sound very clichéd, but really, you have to find the unique X-factor in you in order to love yourself. Be you and you’ll be beautiful."

When asked by L'Officiel Singapore about being compared with Naomi Watanabe, a Japanese comedian, actress, and fashion designer, Lim said that she and Watanabe "share the same vision", that being a plus-sized girl or a comedian doesn’t mean one has to "uglify yourself".

Related story

Top photos via Facebook / Ah Girls Go Army and Jack Neo.