As Phase 2 of Singapore’s post-Circuit Breaker got underway, The Woke Salaryman released a set of comics which shares the perspective of a young child watching his father navigating tough times back in 1997.
Dark Days of 1997
1997 was when the Asian Financial Crisis stuck. It started off in Thailand after the floating of the Thai baht, which led to capital flight and the contagion spread throughout the region. Singapore did not go unaffected, dipping into an economic recession that year.
In the comic, The Woke Salaryman recounts how his father faced some of his “darkest days” in 1997. He recalls how his father, who had a young family then, did what he had to in order to provide for the family.
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The comics also have touching “coming-of-age” moments where a young boy starts to see his father in a different light.
The Woke Salaryman also shares lessons that he has learnt from his dad from the 1997. These are especially relevant today as recessions are cyclical and the current one, brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, will not be the last that Singapore will face.
Father’s Day Tribute
The comics end off with a heartfelt Father’s Day tribute to his father.
You can view The Woke Salaryman’s Father’s Day comics on Facebook or Instagram. We think it is worth a read.
The Woke Salaryman is made up of a team of two, Rui Ming and Wei Choon. Rui Ming generally does the stories while Wei Choon does the illustrations. You can find out more about them in our Little Day Out interview with The Woke Salaryman.
