revelry: Podcast

Japan looks like a dream on the surface, but after 8 days, we realized why we could never live there. From the "politeness trap" to the mountain of physical paperwork that puts Singpass to shame, we’re breaking down the "hidden stress" that Singapore should absolutely avoid copying.

Olivier Burlot is the CEO of Heart Media Group, a leading media company in Singapore and the region, known for its portfolio of influential luxury and lifestyle brands such as ELLE, L’Officiel, Men’s Folio, Grazia, Esquire, and World of Watches.

Danny Loong is the President of the Singapore Nightlife Business Association (SNBA) and the co-founder of Timbre Group, one of Singapore’s most iconic live-music and F&B collectives. Starting his career as a full-time musician, Danny later became an entrepreneur behind multiple entertainment and dining concepts. He also co-founded Respect SG, a youth mentorship initiative promoting pride in hospitality and service leadership.

In this episode, we dive deep into the messy, fascinating world of digital piracy — why it never truly dies, why it’s exploding again, and how streaming platforms accidentally revived it. From banned Pokémon episodes to game piracy, region locks, overpriced platforms, P2P networks, and The Pirate Bay’s impossible-to-kill ecosystem, we explore whether piracy is ever justifiable… and what it reveals about the internet today.

We kick things off with a chaotic Secret Santa then each person has to answer a random question after receiving their gift — “high & low” style. What starts as banter (Uniqlo gifts, Victorinox knives, giant champagne glasses, “don’t be a DJ” type comments) slowly turns into real talk about what our childhood shaped in us. Some of us grew up in single-parent homes. Some of us grew up in homes that didn’t feel safe. And we realised… birds of the same feather really do flock together. So instead of a “happy Christmas episode”, we went there: trauma, hypervigilance, PTSD at home, people-pleasing, rushing as a default mode, struggling with trust, and how all of that shows up in adulthood — relationships, friendships, work, even food. If festive seasons have ever made you feel weirdly empty, out of place, or like you don’t know how to celebrate “normally”… this one’s for you.

Jamie Lim is a Singapore-based entrepreneur and seasoned F&B operator, best known for founding brands such as Sticky Singapore (custom-candy studio, 2008), Joo Bar (bar & cocktails) and 8 Korean BBQ. With over a decade of experience navigating Singapore’s high-cost business landscape, Jamie has become one of the rare success stories in the local F&B scene—building sustainable operations in an economy where many are finding it increasingly difficult to survive. Outside the kitchen, he’s also an advocate for digital payments and bitcoin adoption in retail, having implemented pioneering POS solutions across his venues.

Based on the sensational British Vouge article “Is Having a Boyfriend Embarrassing Now?” Writer Chanté Joseph explores how relationships, especially straight women publicly posting boyfriends, have shifted from a status symbol to something socially awkward. We knew right away we had to gather the fam to dig deep about this topic as well as share some personal experience of our dating life.

Oliver Mumenthaler is the co-founder of Art Beyond, a DJ booking agency that specializes in authentic, underground & legendary bookings such as Nick Warren, Danny Tenaglia, Roger Sanchez to name a few. Previously serving in leadership roles at organizations such as Robert Parker Global and Michelin Guide Asia, he cuts no corners when it comes to audience experience even at the expense of ROI, always choosing to look at things in the long term.

Dave Tan is a Singaporean creative polymath whose journey has spanned rock-band frontman (Electrico), nightlife DJ veteran (Hookstyle), filmmaker and voice-over artist.

Germaine Woon is the founder of The Foundry Asia, a communications and marketing agency for F&B and hospitality across nine cities in Asia. The agency’s client roster includes high-profile restaurants and bars (in Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Macau, Kuala Lumpur) and personalities.