Viral TikTok boosts sales at Bayfront bazaar, but vendors like Kwazy Korndog still foresee S$10K losses

A viral TikTok video posted by Hazel Chen, co-owner of Kwazy Korndog, has brought renewed attention and customer footfall to the Singapore National Day Food Festival at Bayfront Event Space.

But despite the social media-driven support, Hazel and her husband Kay Lam say they remain on track to incur losses of over S$10,000.

The 16-day event, which runs from 26 July to 10 August, was intended as a flagship National Day celebration, featuring a large-scale night market, carnival rides and local street food. However, early turnout was alarmingly low, prompting Hazel to post a heartfelt appeal online.

In her now-viral TikTok video, Hazel began by stating plainly, “We are on the verge of losing 10K.”

She added, “We need your help.” Despite the venue’s visual appeal, she said, “The location is good, the setup is pretty, but the crowd is just not coming in.”

“We just feel very hopeless,” she added, “and we have to take it upon ourselves to bring in as many people as possible.”

The video quickly went viral, racking up over 540,000 views on TikTok.

“It’s very heartwarming to see Singaporeans being so supportive of our small businesses,” Hazel told The Online Citizen in an on-site interview. “After that viral video, there really was an increase in footfall here. Everyone’s really buying from everybody also.”

Despite the surge, she was clear-eyed about the limitations. “We started the stall on 26 July and pay S$8,000 for the entire 16 days, which is about S$500 per day,” Hazel said. “Even with the increase in customers, we are still unlikely to break even.”

Kwazy Korndog’s daily operating costs include not just rent but also manpower, electricity, and ingredients. Kay Lam estimated the total loss could exceed S$10,000. “The original forecast was somewhere around S$10K to S$12K,” he said. “After the video, maybe we can cushion that loss a bit, especially with National Day coming. But break even? Very hard.”

The couple has a history of running pasar malam stalls and previously operated at Geylang and Hougang. Hazel observed a key difference with the Bayfront venue. “Pasar malam is usually in heartland areas with built-in crowd. This one is different—you must tell people to come, otherwise they won’t,” she said.

She added that despite the picturesque setup and central location beside Marina Bay Sands, the site lacks the organic foot traffic seen in residential neighbourhoods. “It’s not a place people pass by daily,” Hazel noted.

Before the video gained traction, sales were dismal. Daily takings had fallen as low as S$14, far below the S$500 daily rent. This led the couple to take matters into their own hands with social media outreach.

Hazel stressed the importance of aggressive advertising. “This place really needs marketing. You can’t just rely on the location,” she said. While grateful for the event organiser’s efforts, she felt they had not gone far enough.

The organiser, Singapore Night Bazaar, previously said it had spent over S$20,000 on marketing, including social media promotions and street-level engagement. However, Hazel said the results suggest that more is needed. “This is not the kind of place where people stumble upon you,” she said. “You have to pull them in.”

Kay added that while the video brought short-term relief, it may not be sustainable. “The weekdays are still quiet. We’re hoping the final weekend and National Day will bring more traffic, but we can’t count on it.”

The couple expressed deep appreciation for those who came to support, both in person and online. “Even if you just comment and share, you help boost the algorithm,” Hazel said. “That helps not just us, but all the vendors here.”

Kwazy Korndog’s menu includes SG60-themed items like the Milo Corn Dog and Mantou Corn Dog, priced from S$7 to S$9. Though they have seen greater success at previous events, Hazel and Kay are now focusing on minimising losses and supporting neighbouring vendors.

“This worked out for all of us in some way, even if it doesn’t fix everything,” Hazel said. “We’re very, very thankful.”