Juin Teh Almost Passed Up Offer To Host Fujian Spring Festival Gala In China — Initially Thought It Was A Scam When The Team DM-ed Her

Last year, Malaysia-born Mediacorp actress Juin Teh, 35, shared a series of videos documenting her trip to China, where she set out to trace her roots and reconnect with distant relatives. Little did she know that the journey would lead to an opportunity of a lifetime.

Just last week, Juin returned to Fuzhou — this time, at the invitation of the team behind the 2026 Fujian Spring Festival Gala. She was brought on board as one of the hosts, representing Malaysia.

Speaking to 8days.sg, Juin recalls: "When they first reached out to me, it was through social media. They sent me a message on Xiaohongshu but I didn't reply because I thought it was fake — I thought to myself 'It sounds too good to be true, how can it be real?'. I didn't expect them to find me on social media, I thought they would reach out through more official channels."

Juin later received the same message on Instagram, which convinced her that their invite was legit. She laughs: “That’s when I thought, ‘Scammers usually wouldn’t put in so much effort,’ so I felt it might be real. I replied on Instagram and put them in touch with my manager."

With the gala set to connect Fujian, Taiwan and Malacca, Malaysia, the organisers felt that Juin was the ideal choice to represent the latter. During the production, she worked alongside three other hosts — two from China and one from Taiwan.

"Maybe they came across my videos because I included the hashtag 'Malaysian Chinese'. Back when I first did the series, I did not know so many people would be interested in the concept of tracing one's roots. It performed quite well and had good reach, so it could be that my clips were the first ones that appeared when they did a search," she adds.

Before she was officially confirmed for the role, Juin didn’t allow herself to get too excited, choosing to wait until everything fell into place. She was concerned about scheduling and visa issues, and wasn’t confident the opportunity would materialise until the very last minute.

“I was really excited — it's a really big event after all, but at the same time afraid that I might not actually be able to make it,” she said.

She was encouraged by friends from mainland China to seize the opportunity, who explained just how large-scale and significant the Spring Festival Gala is in China.

Upon arriving on set, Juin quickly realised just how massive the production was. At first glance, the stage appeared comparable to those she was used to hosting on at Mediacorp, but she soon grasped the sheer scale of the space. The theatrics were on another level too — from dry ice effects that rolled across the floor like waves, to a segment featuring giant balloons controlled by remote.

Juin recalls: "As the Chinese representative from Malaysia, I was worried about whether I would perform up to par. I wasn’t sure if I was doing well or not. But working alongside the other hosts — especially being paired with the host from China for several segments — gave me confidence. He reassured me that I was doing well and that the director would like my performance. ‘I even saw the director taking photos of you!’ he told me.”

Although she didn’t have much time to explore Fuzhou — the trip lasted just four working days — Juin still found opportunities to sample local delicacies and enjoy a cultural exchange backstage with the other teams. She brought pandan cakes and pineapple tarts as gifts, and in return was treated to local dishes ordered in for her.

During her time there, Juin was also able to pick up skills and tips from her co-host. 

"For a show of this scale, there was also a live audience. It’s a different experience — you have to interact with them while also connecting with viewers watching on screen. Beyond reading from the script, it’s important to engage the audience, and the host I was paired with, who has nine years of experience hosting the gala, would bring up topics for us to discuss to keep them entertained," she explains. 

Juin admits she felt the pressure while on the job. “Mandarin is the primary language for the hosts from China and Taiwan, and although it’s my first language too, in Malaysia we usually speak a mix of Mandarin and other languages. I was worried that my Mandarin wouldn’t be strong enough.”

The pressure, combined with a very “cheem” script, pushed Juin to work even harder. “During those few days, I was reciting my script to myself wherever we went. My manager would ask if I was talking to her, and I’d have to explain that I was memorising my lines,” she chuckles.

Nerves and excitement aside, Juin carried out her hosting duties with success. The Fujian Spring Festival Gala will air on Chinese New Year (Feb 17) on China’s Southeast Television and Hai Xia TV channels.

So, what’s next for Juin with this experience under her belt?

She laughs as she shares: “My ultimate dream is to host the Star Awards. I’ve hosted the backstage show before, but I’ve yet to take the live stage. I’d love to start with the red carpet — in past years, I’ve always worked with designers on my outfit, and fashion is something I’d really like to cover.”

“One day, I hope to be on the main stage and host alongside Guo Liang-ge! Just thinking about it makes me happy,” she adds.

Beyond hosting, Juin also hopes to create a series exploring the roots of people in Singapore and Malaysia.

She says: “It’s a personal project I really want to pursue, it's not going to be a big production. The videos I worked on last year were picked up by Fujian media, and it made me think about helping people reconnect with their roots and learn more about their history. It’s such a magical experience, and I hope I can make it happen this year.”