‘Times are bad; even “God of Fortune” takes MRT’ — Singaporeans joke as train passenger and PHV driver dress in their CNY costume

SINGAPORE: A private-hire vehicle (PHV) driver turned heads on the second day of the Chinese New Year (CNY). He showed up in a full God of Fortune costume. The clip spread fast online, and Singaporeans loved it.

The video was first shared by ROADS.sg on Facebook on Feb 19. It showed a man who appeared to be a private-hire driver. He was dressed in the traditional God of Fortune festive costume. The scene was filmed below a Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat block on Feb 18, the second day of CNY. He looked like he had just stepped out of a folk tale, except he was entering his car, ready to drive away.

The post’s caption said anyone would feel happy to see such a PHV driver. That mood carried into the comments, with many netizens, including Singaporeans, reacting with humour. Some joked that even the God of Fortune has to take on a driving job now. Others teased that his main job is a PHV driver, but his side hustle is bringing wealth.

A few said they would gladly tip him for good luck if he picked them up. The festive costume, they felt, added to the holiday spirit. The responses were mostly positive. People shared the clip and even tagged friends. Some said it was a welcome break from the usual rush of daily life in Singapore.

There was no sign of disruption or complaint in the comment section. The video became a light moment during the festive period.

Chinese New Year often brings lion dances, red decorations and reunion dinners, but this clip showed how ordinary spaces, like the void deck of an HDB block, can also become part of the celebration.

The video indeed left many amused and uplifted, especially given the high cost of living experienced in Singapore. A PHV driver dressed as the God of Fortune offered a reason to smile again before a ride even began.

Meanwhile, another “God of Fortune” was also spotted on the MRT. ROADS.sg shared the image and joked that even the deity now takes public transport and has lost a lot of weight, with the usual round belly also gone. “Wow, this God of Fortune also take MRT. Times are really challenging… also very skinny without that fat tummy,” the Facebook page wrote.

Commenters played along, saying tough times must have hit if the God of Fortune is riding the train.

“Times are bad… even the God of Fortune takes the MRT ride now,” one wrote, while another added, “God of Fortune is not so fortunate after all,” with one more commenter agreeing to it, saying that taking the MRT has made him the “God of the Unfortunate” instead.