Hannah Yeoh Put On Batik For A Photoshoot, Turns Out She Was Saving A Friend

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Alan Yun was a household face in Malaysian television advertisements through the 1990s and early 2000s.

By the time his wife Emily Lim mentioned his name to Hannah Yeoh at their heritage café Limapulo Terrace on Jalan Tong Shin, Bukit Bintang, he had not modelled in years.

Lim said he had not been himself; he was depressed.

Yeoh made an offer: a batik photoshoot, together.

Yun said yes.

The Real Brief Was Never About Batik

Months later — 10 kilograms lighter, eating clean, sleeping enough — Yun stepped in front of a camera again.

Fashion stylist Andrea Kee assembled Malaysian batik brands for the shoot.

Photographers Pying, Stella Gan, and the Buddi Production team captured it at Limapulo Terrace on Malaysia Day.

The production team noted they gained “a whole new appreciation for the beauty of Malaysia’s traditional Kebaya and Batik.”

Yeoh published the story on 10 October — World Mental Health Day.

At the time of writing, the post drew 7,600 reactions.

Datuk Marina Mahathir noted in the comments that she remembered Yun from fashion shows.

The Face Malaysians Could Not Avoid

Yun, born 2 March, 1978, is a highly recognisable household name in Malaysia, celebrated as a veteran top model, actor, and pioneer entertainer who dominated local screens throughout the late 1990s and 2000s.

Long before transitioning into a successful restaurateur, he was one of the country’s most ubiquitous faces.

Malaysians instantly recognise him from several milestone moments across pop culture:

If you ask Malaysians of a certain generation where they first saw Yun, most will point to the legendary 1997 Rejoice shampoo television commercial.

Directed by the revered late filmmaker Yasmin Ahmad , the commercial starred Yun as a charming postman frantically chasing down a girl to return her drop-off.

The ad was a massive regional hit, permanently earning him the affectionate nickname “Mr Postman” across the country.

Following his breakthrough, Yun became one of Malaysia’s most sought-after commercial models.

From Rejoice To Sepet To Gubra — One Director, One Face, One Malaysia

Yasmin gave him a brief appearance in Sepet (2004) — the award-winning Malaysian romantic drama following a Chinese VCD seller named Jason and a Malay schoolgirl named Orked.

The role was small.

The impression was not.

Yasmin cast him in a leading role for the sequel, Gubra , where he plays Alan — Jason’s brother — who crosses paths with Orked (Sharifah Amani) at a hospital.

The commercial work ran in parallel.

For over a decade, it was nearly impossible to turn on a television, pass a billboard, or open a magazine without seeing his face.

He served as a major brand ambassador for homegrown Malaysian electrical home appliances manufacturer Pensonic for multiple consecutive years and headlined major ad campaigns for massive brands including Celcom, Kodak, Nescafe, McDonald’s, Gillette, Volkswagen, Head & Shoulders and Fuji Film.

In December 2010, Yun starred as the main spokesperson in a memorable, lighthearted television commercial for Suntory’s BOSS Coffee .

In the ad, he drives a “flying Perodua Myvi” to escape Kuala Lumpur’s notorious traffic jams, playfully promoting the canned coffee brand with the tagline “BOSS Coffee, your day maker”

READ MORE : [Photos] Hidden Gem In Bukit Bintang: This 1930s Time Capsule Will Transport You Back To Old Malaya

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