Simon Khung, popularly known as Simonboy, has undergone a remarkable transformation in his life, evolving from a drug addiction to a successful Tik Tok influencer, Rolex owner and now, a business owner of a funeral parlour.
At the tender age of 16, Simonboy became entangled with a gang, leading to him dropping out of school and missing his GCE O-Level examinations.
This marked the beginning of a tumultuous period in his life, as he spiralled into a 16-year cycle of drug addiction, punctuated by repeated jail terms.
Tragically, his struggles culminated in a suicide attempt in 2019. It was during the same year that he made the pivotal decision to seek help and checked himself into a halfway house, kickstarting his transformation journey.
In 2020, Simonboy made the decision to remove all the tattoos on his face, a symbolic step towards a fresh start, under Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association (SANA)’s subsidised tattoo removal programme.
His journey towards recovery and redemption resonated with a broad audience, and he rapidly gained popularity on TikTok, amassing over 170,000 followers. Through the platform, he candidly shared his journey, including the various jobs he took on to make a living.
Despite his impressive transformation, Simonboy remained grounded and continually expressed his gratitude to his loved ones.
Notably, he gifted his girlfriend a diamond Rolex watch as a token of appreciation for her unwavering support, attributing half of his success to her.
Simonboy’s transformative journey shows no signs of slowing down.
On 30 December, he surprised his followers by announcing the opening of his funeral parlour, 24 Filial Funeral Services, in an Instagram post.
This parlour is co-founded by Simon and two others, Alicia and Jackie.
24 Filial Funeral Services offers round-the-clock support for personalized funerals, catering to families with varying religious beliefs and non-religious preferences. They also provide embalming and emcee services to facilitate the funeral process.
Simonboy explained that they embarked on this venture because they found the work deeply meaningful.
He viewed this opportunity as a calling, describing it as “God’s opportunity” to engage in a purposeful endeavor.
Acknowledging the unconventional nature of the funeral services industry, Simonboy recognized the emotional toll it could take. He made a solemn promise to handle each case with utmost professionalism and empathy, committing to embrace the challenging aspect of dealing with multiple deaths daily.
Before concluding his announcement, he mentioned that establishing this business was a challenging process and extended his gratitude towards the co-founders and his entire team who helped to bring this venture to fruition.