By Willy Wilson | Dec 15, 2009
Christmas at home with Will Quah
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TV host, Will Quah
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We are sure you’ve seen or heard of Will Quah. The talent has had stints on RedFM and NTV7. He has also appeared in lifestyle glossies such as Harper’s Bazaar, Vision KL and FHM. But who exactly is Will Quah?
“Liked by some, loathed by more, indifferent about me myself,” the 25 year old writes at his blog (http://www.willquah.com/).
At the tender age of 17, Quah kicked off his career in TV commercials. Since then, he has quickly become a TV favourite in the local entertainment industry, thanks to his versatility and confidence. To date, Malaysians would have seen Quah hosting TV2’s music chart show Star Trex, VJ-ing at Channel V and being a news anchor at NTV7.
Quah, who recently walked away with the Martell Rising Personalities Awards 2009, invites Star Property to his three-bedroom apartment in Changkat Bukit Bintang for a tête-à-tête where he openly shares about his rising star, dramatic living room and property investment.
How did you get to where you are right now?
I started out as a talent for TV commercials as a teenager. I then joined TV2’s first music chart show Star Trex, and later on Channel V as a video jockey (VJ). Growing bored with the cookie-cutter image of a VJ, I moved to NTV7 where I worked as a news anchor.
In 2007, I joined RedFM for a morning show, which lasted about a year. I am now back on TV hosting NTV7’s The Breakfast Show. Along the way, I have learned about producing, scriptwriting and directing.
Do your parents support your career?
Initially, they did not take it seriously but nowadays, they are my biggest PR agent. I can say that my dad has single handedly won me the Martell awards. He kept asking his friends to vote for me!
When did you start taking your career in entertainment seriously?
I’d like to think that I’ve been taking it seriously since day one. I always knew that I was lucky to work in this line, and I have always been working very hard to stay there.
At 25, you own a condominium unit. How did you manage your finances?
I was 21 when I purchased this condominium unit. I have to admit that when I was much younger, I was a little overwhelmed to be earning a decent income. But thanks to my parents, I was taught to be wise with my finances.
I honestly have never been a huge fan of fancy clothes or travelling those days. I was even living with my parents at that time. As a result, all the money I earned over the years went into savings. I then started to take pleasure in seeing my savings get chunkier.
Why did you choose Changkat Bukit Bintang?
I used to hang out in this area quite often. I thought it would be much more practical if I just lived here, you know?
I also like the area because it is very central, but not tremendously busy. There are so many back alleys to use to avoid the horrible KL traffic. I also enjoy the city view this side of the city.
How much did you pay for this condo unit?
I got it for RM400k – 450k. On top of that, the renovation work costs around RM50k, of which RM20k went to the kitchen. I reckon my renovation cost is actually quite low considering the work that was done to this unit.
You invested a lot in the kitchen.
Oh yeah, I wanted everything of the best quality I could find (for the kitchen). I enjoy cooking!
What have you learned about renovating spaces?
First, you could actually save cost when you pick the items you want yourself as opposed to letting the contractors buy them for you.
Second, do as much renovation as you can before you move in. Never move in and think “I’ll get this one done next month” because chances are, you will never do it.
Third, have a blueprint of your apartment and redraw it to scale on a piece of paper. Then, make furniture miniatures out of clay (in scale) and place them on the paper so you know exactly how the furniture would fit together.
Do you think you have made the right move by investing in this unit?
Absolutely. The last I checked, the market price for my unit is around RM700k. The monthly rental is around RM7,000 for a fully-furnished unit. I think investing in property is a clever way to hedge against the inflation.
Now let’s talk Christmas. Did you intentionally paint the walls red for Christmas?
No, I didn’t (laughs). Red and black are my favourite colours. But the walls come in handy during Christmas and Chinese New Year because half of my decorating job is done! My grandma actually loves the red walls!
How would you describe your condo unit?
Some people say it’s theatrical, dramatic, classic….I would just describe it as ‘me’.
A dramatic living room but a contemporary kitchen and bedroom. What’s going on?
It was intentional. I like the look of the living room for its bright contrast, dramatic ambience and the bookshelves. Whereas the normal rooms were designed to be less busy and simple so I can relax.
The Christmas tree is pretty big for a bachelor.
I know! I love big Christmas trees! Putting up the Christmas tree feels more christmassy than Christmas itself, don’t you think? I’ve been putting up my tree alone for the past three years. This year, I opened a bottle of wine and watched Love Actually while decorating my Christmas tree.
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