Singaporean actor Ryan Lian recently revealed a family drama, concerning a younger brother he had not seen for over two decades.
It was long-rumoured that Lian had reconnected with his brother but had kept it confidential out of respect for his sibling’s privacy. The two finally shared their story during an interview with Singapore's Shin Min Daily News on Sept 14.
The Ah Boys To Men 4 actor said he met his brother in 2014 after being apart for over 28 years. Lian, 36, revealed that Kevin Soh, who is a year younger to him, was in fact given away to another family after birth in exchange for a red packet.
Meanwhile, Soh shared that he had discovered the existence of an older brother when he was 18.
“Ryan came to look for me at my home and through the gate, I saw a young man standing outside,” he said.
However, Soh's adopted mother did not permit the two to meet, sending Lian home.
Upon discovering that the truth was kept from him, Soh did not speak to his adoptive mother for two weeks.
Lian, on the other hand, shared his side of the encounter. “At the time, I just wanted to find out if he was a gangster or a studious boy.”
After learning his younger brother was doing well, he promised Soh’s mother that he would leave his brother alone.
It wasn’t until years later that their paths crossed once again, when Soh had signed up as a participant for Mediacorp’s variety show Smart At Work.
While on the show, an actor had commented that Soh resembled the Long Long Time Ago actor. This curiosity prompted Soh to reach out to Lian on Facebook.
“My brother finally wanted to acknowledge me!” Lian jokingly said when describing how he felt to receive the message from Soh.
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