'Most tender gift of the new year': Local actress Angel Lim announces pregnancy on CNY Day 1

Local actress Angel Lim gave fans a sweet surprise on the first day of Chinese New Year on Feb. 17, announcing that she is expecting her first child.

The 28-year-old, who is managed by NoonTalk Media, shared the announcement in an Instagram post featuring a photo of herself and her partner, alongside an ultrasound image of the baby.

She wrote: "This is the most tender gift of the new year... May this little life grow slowly surrounded by love."

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by 林汐 Angel Lim (@linxi_angel)

The announcement was met with a wave of congratulatory messages from users, including local celebrities like Romeo Tan, Kimberly Chia, Grace Teo and Yang Yan.

Had been contemplating when to reveal the news

As Lim had never publicly revealed that she was married, the pregnancy announcement came as a surprise to many.

In an interview with Lianhe Zaobao on Feb. 18, Lim laughed and said, "I believe everyone will be shocked when they see it!"

Lim shared that she had been contemplating when to reveal the news. She eventually decided that since it was Chinese New Year, which she described as a festive and meaningful occasion, it felt like the right time.

She added that on the night she announced her pregnancy, congratulatory messages kept flooding in.

"I was quite touched to see so many friends sending their congratulations," Lim said. "Although everyone was surprised, they all wished me well."

Currently four months pregnant, Lim said she has yet to learn the baby's gender but plans to hold a gender reveal party soon.

Early stages of pregnancy

Lim admitted that the early stages of pregnancy were not easy, Zaobao reported.

She experienced severe morning sickness around weeks eight to nine and struggled to keep food down.

Thankfully, her overall appetite has not only returned, but improved as well.

She joked that she really likes sour and spicy food, though she tries not to overindulge.

Has been married for over a year

Lim's husband, a Singaporean working in the insurance industry, is seven years her senior, Zaobao reported.

She shared that the couple dated for about three years before tying the knot.

Lim described him as humorous, considerate and filial, adding that his attitude towards his family and friends convinced her he was her ideal partner.

She also recalled discovering the pregnancy shortly after a quarrel with him.

"I showed him the pregnancy test, he looked at me, and I just walked away," she said with a laugh. "Of course, we were both very happy afterwards and immediately started discussing the baby."

Lim confirmed that the two had been married for over a year.

Lim also revealed that company founder and Mediacorp artiste Dasmond Koh, along with fellow artistes at NoonTalk Media, had already known about her marriage.

She said that when Koh first learned of her pregnancy, she initially expected a scolding for keeping it quiet, but was instead met with warm congratulations and was told to rest more — a response she said deeply touched her.

For now, Lim said she has temporarily turned down acting projects, explaining that filming may become physically challenging as her pregnancy progresses and she is afraid it may inconvenience others.

Career background

According to her profile on NoonTalk Media’s website, Lim, who is Malaysian, has appeared in several dramas, including the web series Follow Your Heart (2018) and Mediacorp dramas such as Dream Walkers (2018), Say Cheese (2018), Heart to Heart (2018) and Victory Lap (2020).

She made her film debut in 2024 with The Chosen One.

Top photos from @linxi_angel/Instagram