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Colin Cheong

コリン・チョン

Korin Chon

Aliases: Colin Cheong Wye Mun / Zhen Wai Mung

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1965 (Singapore)
Nationality
Singaporean
Languages
English
Residence History
Singapore → Hong Kong

Career

Occupations
writer, teacher, editor
Active Years
1989-2025
Affiliations
Victoria Junior College, Hwa Chong Junior College, School of the Arts, Singapore, Singapore International School (Hong Kong)

Education

Victoria School
Country: Singapore
Secondary education
Anderson Secondary School
Country: Singapore
Secondary education
Hwa Chong Junior College
Country: Singapore
Junior college
Ngee Ann Polytechnic
Country: Singapore
Polytechnic
National University of Singapore
Country: Singapore
University

Awards

Singapore Literature Prize
1996
Work: Tangerine
Result: winner
Singapore Literature Prize
1998
Work: The Man in the Cupboard
Result: winner
NBDCS Highly Commended Award
1990
Work: The Stolen Child
Result: highly commended
Singapore Literature Prize Commendation
1995
Work: Void Decks and Other Empty Places
Result: commendation

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Tangerine

1997 novel

The Man in the Cupboard

1999 novel

Adapted into a TV movie for the series AlterAsians II

Adaptations
  • [TV movie] AlterAsians II

Bibliography

  • The Stolen Child
  • Poets, Priests & Prostitutes
  • Blinken, James
  • Life Cycle of Homo Sapiens, Male
  • Seventeen
  • Pictures of the Unsaid
  • Void Decks and Other Empty Places
  • For Gail
  • Tangerine
  • Living on Pryston
  • The Man in the Cupboard
  • Polite Fiction
  • The Verifiable
  • McKenzie's Question
  • School of the arts Literature review paper exercise
  • Earthly Locks
  • Compilation of Shakespeare reviews

Legacy

A prominent Singaporean English-language writer who has won the Singapore Literature Prize multiple times. Also active as a teacher and editor, with interests in science and eugenics influencing his writing.

Trivia

  • Eldest of three children born to two teachers.
  • Interned at the now-defunct newspaper New Nation at age 15.
  • Contributed to army magazine Pioneer during National Service.
  • Worked as a photographer and stage actor from Secondary 3 until the year before university graduation.
  • Studied ballet at Singapore Ballet Academy.
  • Active cosplayer with interest in Japanese culture.
  • Has a son Melvin who is a film director, and daughter Denise studying in Australia.
  • Launched YouTube channel The Colin Cheong Collection in January 2025.