SINGAPORE: The nondescript building in Singapore’s central business district sits quietly after office hours. But up on the sixth floor, lift doors open up to a different world.

Sharply dressed men sing and strut across a stage, to cheers and whistles from the crowd, before joining the patrons – mostly women – for drinking games and karaoke. The atmosphere is playful and flirtatious; and the service provided by the men is strictly non-sexual.

This is the Gentleman Club, and it’s a full house every night.

It is known as a host club, a concept popularised in Japan, where all-male staff members serve a mostly female clientele who pay for drinks and companionship.

While Gentleman Club is not the only such establishment in Singapore, its owner, who only wanted to be known as Glenn, said it is the first to actively and openly promote itself on social media. Others typically adopt a lower profile and rely mainly on word of mouth.

Gentleman Club’s Instagram page has over 11,000 followers, with posts showcasing its hosts as well as facilities. It also works with influencers, both locally and from abroad, to produce content.

The 29-year-old Glenn sees social media as a way to reach a broader clientele, something he picked up in his prior career in the food and beverage industry.

Social media has helped draw customers from places like Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and China, he said. But some hosts decline to appear in his club’s publicity materials for fear of being recognised.

About 60 per cent of the hosts are Singaporeans, with the rest mainly from China.

Some also chose not to give their names when speaking to CNA about their experiences in the line.

PAYING FOR THE “BOYFRIEND-GIRLFRIEND EXPERIENCE”

The hosts perform two roles: Emcees, who facilitate and sometimes participate in performances onstage, or as singers in those performances.

Such segments typically feature about 25 hosts, running from 20 minutes to an hour and up to four times a night, said emcee Ignatius Lien.