Summary of Guo Lai’s “Exploitation” Saga in TikTok, One of Uncle Raymond’s Friends

Last Updated on 2023-05-05 , 4:29 pm

Suppose you’re not living under a rock.

In that case, you’re likely familiar with Uncle Raymond, a TikTok personality who rose to fame by dancing to Faye Wong’s “A Century of Loneliness” outside public spaces like MRT stations and polytechnics.

Now in his 50s, he became an internet sensation in 2022 and even received recognition at the National Day Parade Appreciation Function. 

He was even selected as one of the ambassadors for Shopee’s 11.11 campaign that year, a prestigious “honour” typically reserved for well-known creators like Naomi Neo and Jian Hao Tan.

Following the success of his viral TikToks, Uncle Raymond has since recruited a team of individuals to dance and perform skits with him in similar public spaces to those where he initially gained fame. 

Although he has received some hate comments, he has yet to become embroiled in any significant controversy.

@goodyfeed Watch to the end for a twist in this Guo Lai white white drink saga #goodyfeed #goodynews #guolai ♬ original sound – Goody Feed

Unlike him, however, his team member, Guo Lai, is now embroiled in allegations about him getting exploited by unknown individuals.

Uncle Raymond’s History with Guo Lai

Currently, Uncle Raymond has a team of individuals who often join him in his TikTok dances and skits. This group has even formed a new organisation known as Raymond Media, or 雷传媒.

@raymondl88 Thanks for meeting. Be happy. Let’s move. #uncleraymond #fyp #tiktoksg🇸🇬 @Alpha @aka littlebee @Wong Ying Sheng Tomm @Simple6175 ♬ 原声 – Uncle Raymond

One of Uncle Raymond’s team members is Guo Lai, who has his own following of over 4,600 people. 

Guo Lai, whose real name is Tommy Wong Ying Sheng, frequently appears in Uncle Raymond’s TikToks. 

He was nicknamed Guo Lai, Mandarin for “come here” after being frequently spotted encouraging public members to join in their dances.

Unfortunately, Guo Lai has been the target of toxic comments since joining the team, with people often mocking his speech. 

Additionally, Guo Lai’s wife went viral for her resemblance to Ms Josephine Teo, the Minister for Communications and Information and Minister-in-charge of the Cyber Security Agency and Smart Nation Initiative.

Saga Regarding Suggestive TikTok Affiliate Videos

Aside from criticisms about his demeanour, more serious allegations have emerged against Guo Lai after he started an affiliate page on TikTok promoting products.

The TikTok affiliate program is a brand-new marketing channel allowing creators to monetise their content. 

Creators can find products to sell through the program and recommend them in their videos or live streams to earn a commission based on their product sales.

Guo Lai promoted the infamous Yoyi-c drink in one of his advertisements, a product that has taken over the For You Page for many Singaporean users. 

However, controversy arose when he posted videos advertising the drink.

@nadia.limzq kopi and i are appalled bro like whaaaaat 😭😭😭 #yoyic #whitewhitedrink ♬ original sound – nadia 💗

Many of his promotional videos for Yoyi-c were tacky in nature and made use of the shock-value marketing style to get attention.

Some of his videos, in particular, were deemed problematic as they showed Guo Lai surrounded by women portrayed as “desperate” to “snatch up” the Yoyi-c drink in his hands. 

One of the women was actress and singer Ms Foyce Le Xuan, who is no stranger to wearing revealing clothes in her content.

The videos are often highly suggestive, with Guo Lai referring to the drink as “his white white drink,” while the women are portrayed as swooning over him and desperate for the Yoyi-c drink he holds in his hands.

This has led many viewers to describe him as a pervert.

Another video featured Guo Lai asking his wife if she wanted his “white white drink” while promoting the Yoyi-c product in a similarly sexually suggestive manner. 

This video has since been taken down due to its controversial nature.

Accused Guo Lai of Getting Exploited

Guo Lai’s Yoyi-c promotional videos gained popularity but also stirred up controversy, causing numerous netizens to disparage and mock him. 

Some people also accused him of being exploited by Yoyi-c or his MNC agency, as they found his behaviour in these promotional videos to be forced and artificial.

If you look at his or Uncle Raymond’s comment sections, you’ll notice that people often mock Guo Lai’s speech, behaviour, and appearance. 

Guo Lai’s odd mannerisms and way of speech where he always seems to be reading off a script in his videos have led many viewers to suspect him of having a mental disability.

Thus, many deemed him incapable of differentiating between someone who was actually collaborating with him or exploiting him for his content.

In response to these comments, Guo Lai created a TikTok video to defend himself. 

@wongyingshengtommyI’m NOT mentally disabled♬ original sound – Guo Lai 过来

He emphasised that he has no mental conditions and works as a GrabFood delivery rider and a TikTok content creator for a living. 

He explained that it would be impossible to do this work with a mental disability.

Guo Lai also criticised those who mocked him, stating that they were “worse than people with mental disabilities” because they were using TikTok for free while he was profiting from his content. 

He has implored viewers to stop harassing him and his friends in future videos.

Efforts to Clarify Allegations of Exploitation

@wongyingshengtommyNo one is forcing me, I make my own decisions, and I am earning well. I am going to take a short break.♬ original sound – Guo Lai 过来

Despite clarifying that he has no mental conditions, accusations still surfaced in his comments, prompting Guo Lai to respond to the allegations against him in a follow-up video.

He emphasised that he was not being forced to make promotional videos and was actually earning well from them. 

He revealed that he was “collaborating” with the brands he was advertising and not getting “exploited”. 

He also claimed to have joined a Multi-Channel Network (MCN) agency and frequently collaborates with other brands and creators to promote items given to them for free.

In addition, Guo Lai criticised those who claimed he wasn’t earning money from these affiliations, saying they knew nothing about “how TikTok works”. 

He urged people to refrain from commenting negatively unless they had new TikTok ideas for him or wanted to collaborate with him.

However, further accusations continued despite his response, especially since Guo Lai only mentioned getting “free samples” for his work.

Many people felt that Guo Lai should be paid fairly for his work and not be rewarded with just products, prompting more exploitation allegations in his comments.

This has since caused Guo Lai to announce that he would take a “break” from TikTok. He has also turned off all comments on his profile.

Wife’s Explicit Photos Leaked

Despite Guo Lai’s efforts to clarify the situation regarding his online affiliations, he has since been engulfed in controversy again. 

His wife’s explicit images leaked online in March 2023, leading to a new wave of criticism and scrutiny directed towards the couple.

Guo Lai stated that the images were leaked after he lost his phone and claimed they were taken with his wife’s consent. 

He has since made a police report to identify and prosecute whoever was responsible for the leak.

@ahmeowsiaoliao I rest my case #fyp #tiktoksg #guolai #popo #whitewhitedrink #trending ♬ original sound – ahmeowsiaoliao

However, more details emerged when TikToker @ahmeowsiaoliao, known for selling $2 biryani and donating food to the needy, accused Guo Lai and his wife of getting “manipulated by someone behind the scenes”.

According to him, he had messaged Guo Lai, his wife, their acquaintances and Uncle Raymond to warn them about people mocking his wife after her photos got leaked, but none responded. 

He also claimed to have lost respect for Guo Lai after he yelled at and challenged him despite his “pure intentions” to warn him about the situation regarding his wife’s leaked photos.

Due to the alleged suspicious behaviour exhibited by Guo Lai, his wife, and his friends, he claims to believe that unknown individuals are exploiting Guo Lai and his team. 

Consequences for Leaking Explicit Content Online

On TikTok, it’s not uncommon for individuals to create controversial content in hopes of going viral.

However, this is no typical TikTok drama as the leaked photos of Guo Lai’s wife are currently under investigation by the police. 

As such, any allegations made towards the situation can prove to have very serious consequences.

It’s worth noting that according to section 377BE of the Penal Code, those who distribute or threaten to distribute intimate images or recordings may face up to five years of imprisonment, a fine, caning, or all the above. 

In addition, under section 377BC of the Penal Code, those who distribute voyeuristic images or recordings may face similar penalties.