You would have to be divorced from reality to feel impervious to our volatile times—to a greater extent as global economies lurch into recession. Hariman Kwok is keenly familiar with such anxiety, having punched through a bruising pandemic where his children’s indoor playground business The Polliwogs at one point suffered a 95 per cent plunge in revenue.
“The past few years have brought a lot of realism to the notion of mental health. Our stress levels have gone up so much that they affect our mood, work and relationships; people I’d never thought were vulnerable would suddenly start crying because of such problems,” he reveals.
For the afflicted masses buckling under the weight of their “adulting” woes, Kwok has one prescription: play. Recently, he flung open the doors to X-SCAP8, a high-octane indoor entertainment venue in Orchard Road buttressed by a seven-digit investment. It judders with a precipitous 10m-high obstacle course, retro arcade and smash lab that lets tightly-wound (or tempestuous) individuals take a sledgehammer to glass in fits of pique.
It’s an antidote to the modern condition of self-restraint and -medication. “It’s important for adults to play like kids because we are too stressed out and have no other outlet to let loose other than rowdy clubs or restaurants,” says Kwok.
“We have a lot of sleepless nights because we sometimes wake one another up in the middle of the night to talk about business. But it is always great to have a partner who understands your struggles.”
Hariman Kwok on talking business with wife Simone Ng
The 48-year-old would know about a lifestyle of excess, having spent a good part of his career in finance. Born in Jakarta, he says he’s in hock to his entrepreneur father who established businesses in coffee trading, plastics and pencils.
“My dad always told us that if you don’t take any risk you won’t change anything or make an impact on society—just don’t put everything in a single venture. As a result, I’m a bit more gung-ho when it comes to exploring new things,” he recalls.
Educated in Singapore and Australia, he later accepted a role at Citibank Singapore to be closer to his erstwhile girlfriend, Simone Ng of eponymous jewellery label Simone Jewels. The married couple—who have two teenaged sons—appear to be a foil for one another, with their similar brand of understated congeniality.
They’re involved in one another’s ventures, lending ballast in difficult times. “We have a lot of sleepless nights because we sometimes wake one another up in the middle of the night to talk about business. But it is always great to have a partner who understands your struggles,” he says.
Like X-SCAP8, The Polliwogs scampered onto the physical entertainment scene amid economic instability, in the shadow of the global financial crisis in 2009. Kwok envisioned a space that would “bring joy” while pandering to parents’ needs. They now have two venues and launched three new concepts over the pandemic, including X-SCAP8.
Painful early lessons include having to overhaul their first outlet after equipment cost-cutting measures compromised safety. Though they eventually worked out the kinks, precious time was lost. Kwok claims that his best business decision has been prioritising employee welfare, which includes “being transparent with numbers and involving them in decision-making.” Running a lean team translated to fewer debilitating fixed costs during the lockdowns.
But what if budget was immaterial? What would his blue-sky entertainment centre look like?
“It would be really cool to have a mix of physical elements and cutting-edge Virtual Reality (VR). While playing, you might be connecting with someone on the other side of the world. Sports, recreation and entertainment are merging so it will be really interesting to see how that pans out,” he offers, alluding to upcoming projects in Singapore and overseas.
Photography: Mun Kong
Styling: Chia Wei Choong
Hair: Jenny Ng, using Schwarzkopf Professional
Makeup: Priscelia Wong, using Estée Lauder
Photography Assistant: Hizuan Zailani
