Photo: Zhang Zetong/Instagram
Mediacorp actor Zhang Zetong (pic) has disclosed why he was “forced” to upgrade from being a tenant to a home owner.
The 32-year-old said on social media on Dec 5 that he has hit a life milestone and bought his first home.
“I’ve successfully unlocked a new identity – mortgage slave – after working for 10 years,” he quipped. “From now on, it’s all about working hard to pay off the loan.”
The Malaysian born actor bought a condominium unit in the western part of Singapore and received the keys in late 2025. The apartment is under renovation and he is scheduled to move in in April.
“Buying a home brings a sense of stability. After nearly 16 years of renting houses, finally having my own home feels like an achievement,” Zhang told Chinese-language daily Lianhe Zaobao in a recent interview on the set of upcoming local crime drama No Other Way.
The winner of Star Search 2019 said he had never considered buying a house as a life goal, but the various situations he encountered while renting made him no longer want to be a tenant.
He had a landlord who suddenly sold the house and asked him to move out at short notice, while another raised his rent by 70% at one go during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The actor thus made up his mind to give himself a year to find suitable lodgings.
Zhang will be playing the leader of a police investigation unit in No Other Way, which also stars Nick Teo, Hong Ling, Tay Ying and Adam Chen. Filming for the 20-episode series is expected to wrap in late January, with the show scheduled to air on Channel 8 in July. - The Straits Times/Asia News Network
