The NOC saga might have taken place almost nine months ago, but it’s just getting started.
A month ago, court hearings between NOC and several individuals, like Ryan, were reported, and some have taken place.
You can watch this video to know more:
And just as that happened, Food King dropped a bombshell: the brand is officially shutting down.
Here’s what happened.
Food King Suddenly Closes Down & Disappears Completely Like The Online Citizen
Prior to today, Food King might seem inactive, but it isn’t.
Just watch this video to the end and you’d understand:
Yes, while it only has one Food King YouTube video after the saga broke out, it has been active on other social media platforms, and even has up to four full-time writers producing contents for their website.
In fact, even Sylvia’s Instagram profile was promoting Food King (it now isn’t).
In other words, if you’ve been following Food King after the scandals, you might think that it’s the only brand that would survive the saga.
Apparently not, because just yesterday (2 September), Food King suddenly announced its closure.
And it’s not the usual kind of shutdown; instead, it feels more like a takedown, kind of like how The Real Singapore or The Online Citizen were removed from the surface of the Internet forever.
They announced their closure on Instagram, claiming that Food King isn’t just about onscreen personalities or their bosses. However, they gave no reason for the closure.
Instead, there were some passive aggressive statements, like these:
- We know some of you are saddened by this news, and others are celebrating. And that’s perfectly fine.
- We thank our loyal haters for fanning the flames in us.
- But we won’t do it all over again. Goodbye
All contents then disappeared.
And when I say all, I meant ALL.
Their Instagram account now has only one post, and it’s their announcement post.
Similarly, their TikTok account has only one post that announced their closure, too.
Their Facebook page, one of their key platforms since the saga broke out, is now gone.
Their website is now completely empty.
All Food King videos on their YouTube channel have been set to private.
Food King Rebranded Twice Before Closure
Early this year, shortly after the saga broke out, NOC has revamped the Food King logo, since it initially was of a Ryan with a big belly.
The new logo comprises just the name and three stars.
Food King continued to be active in its website and Facebook, and in June this year, they posted a Food King video that explores the stories behind Singapore’s most popular gay bar, Tantric. Under the label of “Food King Uncovers”, the video was in an interview format.
There were questions displayed on the screen, and regular customer Isaac Tng responded in turn, talking about his experiences and stories of this bar.
With questions like “what’s the most scandalous thing you’ve seen at Tantric?” and “what makes Tantric different from other gay bars?”, the video barely talks about the food at all, choosing to focus on the stories Isaac has to share.
We didn’t even have the chance to know if this would be the new Food King format, since that video has been set to private as well.
NOC Took Several People to Court Recently
It’s now been revealed that NOC has sued three people: Ryan and two ex-talents.
They’ve also sued a company, Reno King, which is owned by Ryan.
Lest you’ve forgotten, here’s what allegedly happened: Ryan wanted out from NOC, and had started Reno King, a renovation video production house.
He had tapped on NOC’s resources (i.e. the high subscriber count) for its views. Sylvia was under the impression that Reno King was under NOC.
But somehow, Ryan allegedly started a new company by himself with his own crew and office, and so, Sylvia wasn’t happy. What really happened between the two of them isn’t revealed, though, because Sylvia has been quiet after her interview with Xiaxue.
According to public records, Sylvia still owns 50.99% of NOC’s shares, while Ryan owns 49%. A certain Singaporean owns 0.01%.
For Reno King, Ryan owns 100% of the business.
The case between NOC and Reno King is classified under “employment”, and a pre-trial conference (kind of like a meeting to determine what to do during the real hearing) has occurred on 13 July 2022.
This case will be held in the Supreme Court, which would be in the High Court—this means that the issue here is serious: for civil cases, only claims that are above $250,000 would be held in the High Court.
If the amount claimed is below $250,000, it will be held in the States Court, which comprises two main courts for cases like this: District Courts for amount between $60,000 to $250,000, and Magistrates’ Courts for claims less than $60,000.
TEAM NOC PTE. LTD., which was incorporated in 2019 as a subsidiary of NOC, is also suing two former NOC talents: Samantha Tan Yi Fen and Grace Lim Si Yin, both of whom who are on “Ryan’s side”.
Now, if it’s a subsidiary of NOC, the shareholders should be NOC, but no: its shareholders, according to public records, are Ryan and Sylvia, both holding half of the shares.
Both are also the directors of the company.
So technically speaking, it’s a separate company whereby both Ryan and Sylvia can have equal say in its decisions…which, well, makes it a tad awkward if you think about it.
As usual, the cases are employment related, and so far, they’re all done via video conferencing.
It’s unknown if any verdict is out, or if any of the verdicts led to Food King’s closure.
NOC hasn’t been active since the saga broke out, and has been completely quiet since the last Food King video was out.
Featured Image: TikTok (@foodkingsg)