Glenn Yong Hopes Viewers Give Grab Series A Chance Amid Backlash, Says Role Is Homage To Grab Driver Dad

You put your heart into a project hoping it would make people smile, only for it to spark backlash instead.

That's what happened to Glenn Yong following the release of Grab's new microdrama, I Fell In Love With My Grab Driver.

Released earlier this month, the series stars local actress-model Regina Lim as a "sandwich gen" caregiver and Glenn as a Grab driver who shows up for her.

While some fans have been supportive of the series, others called the concept "tone deaf" given "all the harassment cases lately".

Others accused the private-hire company of "romanticising" a breach of "professional boundaries".

Glenn has since taken to Instagram to share his thoughts on the backlash.

The 29-year-old said he really enjoyed working on the project and had always hoped to bring people "a little bit of joy, comfort and entertainment" through his work.

"I can understand why some people felt uncomfortable with the title and certain parts of the story," he said.

Glenn then revealed that he has personally experienced harassment, though he did not elaborate on what happened.

"And yes, it happens to guys too," wrote the actor.

Glenn admitted that it made him "a little sad" that something that was "meant to bring people some joy and lightheartedness also made some people uncomfortable".

Still, he hopes viewers will give the full drama a chance.

"Beyond the romance, the story is really about family, relationships and the challenges of the sandwich generation, with some cheesy and lighthearted microdrama fun along the way," he said.

Glenn personally found the story "really heartwarming and cute".

The role also held a special significance for him.

"Btw, my dad is actually a Grab driver too, so getting to play a Grab driver myself felt quite special to me. It was also a small way for me to pay homage to him," he revealed.

"Really grateful to everyone who worked so hard on this project, and I hope you guys will enjoy the story for what it is," Glenn added.

Following the backlash, Grab also issued a statement, agreeing "that safety, clear boundaries and respect in everyday interactions should never be compromised".

The company acknowledged that the title could have been handled better, saying that, in hindsight, it "should have been much more thoughtful with how the title came across, as it understandably raised concerns about safety".

"We are sorry for causing any discomfort and alarm. We want to be clear that inappropriate actions or conversations are never acceptable — whether from or towards our passengers, or our driver- and delivery-partners," they added.