Having lived in Hong Kong for nearly fifteen years, returning to a transformed Singapore stirred many memories of the Singapore Charmaine once knew in the 1970s and 80s. 17A Keong Saik Road is Charmaine's debut book, reflecting on her childhood as the daughter of a brothel operator in the 1970s, when Keong Saik Road was still a prominent red-light district.
On Charmaine Leung’s first day of school, her mother warned her not to tell anyone where they lived. Theirs was an infamous postcode – the red-light district Keong Saik Road, where Leung’s mother ran a brothel. Leung, has written a memoir of her childhood in the gai dau, or “chicken stable” as it was crudely known in Cantonese – partly as an attempt to come to terms with the shadow her mother’s profession had cast on both their lives.
The process of writing the book was deeply personal, involving a lot of unspoken family shame. Beginning the narrative from her mother’s childhood allowed Charmaine to empathize with her mother’s early struggles, which helped her move beyond just her own experiences.
Revisiting old memories, especially a painful quarrel with her mother, was particularly tough. The harsh words exchanged were painful to relive but necessary to convey the depth of their hurt. Writing about the final years of her nanny, Fei, was also challenging. Charmaine often feels regret for not spending more time with Fei, especially during her lonely last years.
Charmaine as a child living in 15A Keong Saik Road, right beside her mother's brothel, 17A.
Growing up around the dai gu liongs (prostitutes), Charmaine’s interactions were mostly limited to brief greetings and being patted on the head. Their stories were shared with her later, in her book and also reflected in her audio tour.
“We’d sit around 6pm or 7pm and our view would be the ladies from that place who would come out and burn incense for good business,” she recalled. As a young child, she would often see them as they walked to and from the brothels. “They'd wear nice dresses in pretty hot weather,” said Leung. “And they weren’t what ordinary people would wear."
Considering her mother’s profession was due to circumstances, it’s intriguing to imagine whether Charmaine might have taken over the brothel. However, by the early 1980s, her mother’s brothel was struggling, and with Keong Saik’s decline as a brothel district, it was unlikely to last long enough for Charmaine to take over.
Charmaine riding up and down the corridor of 15A Keong Saik Road on her bicycle before she developed an intense love-hate relationship with it.
This audio tour curated by Charmaine, and inspired by her book 17A Keong Saik Road explores the universality of love. Whether it’s between a mother and child, friends, or strangers brought together by circumstance, love has the power to foster resilience and hope despite hardship. We hope this tour encourages you to adjust your perspectives in difficult situations and find something positive to work towards, embracing and making the most of the life you have. See you at 17A Keong Saik Road!
Charmaine Leung, a Singaporean writer residing in Hong Kong for the past 15 years, discovered her love for literary arts while managing Jubilee Hall’s theatre in the 1990s. Her writing explores human relationships and the changes that influence these dynamics. Outside of her writing, Charmaine is an avid traveler with a passion for photographing landscapes and communities. Her debut published book is 17A Keong Saik Road, a creative non-fiction work.
Over the years, Charmaine has received many requests for Keong Saik tours. Now, Charmaine narrated an audio tour that will allow more people to discover this quaint and small area that is large in stories.
Walking tour discovering Hainan’s roots, with a Hainanese guide by your side, make hands-on Hainan treats, where food and culture collide.
Walk through a village full of heart, where inclusion plays a part.
Narrated by Charmaine Leung, this tour explores her childhood in Singapore's red-light district and her mother’s brothel, shedding light on the lives of marginalized women.
Candles bloom, hearts make room, lenses zoom — illuminating lives, one candle at a time.
