Halloween themes can range from the mystical and spooky to the downright gory. But for Universal Studios Singapore's 7th Halloween Horror Nights or #HHN7, the annual scare fest that has developed a cult following online, the fear factor this time around is a lot more realistic. Conceptualized around the idea of the "Seven Deadly Sins," the creative minds behind USS opted to explore the "sins" reflecting current social issues rather than to delve into the religious. These sins include Narcissism, Malice, Deception, Obsession, Perversion, Cruelty, and Manipulation. Think of it as a horror commentary. And their main attractions? A haunted house that looks like a rundown mall and a K-pop audition gone bad!
IMAGE Resorts World
One of the first haunted houses you'll come across is the Death Mall. The back story involves a greedy mall owner who wanted to open his latest commercial center as fast as possible. Thus, the Death Mall was built with tremendous cost-cutting and poor construction, which resulted in infrastructure defects and its eventual collapse. The "ghosts" haunting the mall inside are all the workers and shoppers who were trapped during its grand opening.
IMAGE Courtesy of Universal Studios Singapore
The "sin" (or Sinister, as USS would like to call) highlighted here is Malice.
It's pretty well lit inside, which makes it a unique sort of a haunted house. There are no pitch black rooms or alleyways. You get caught off guard with the jump scares because your surroundings look so familiar. You literally have to walk through a sale area, a grocery, a cinema, and a restaurant among others. (They've also done something really creepy with a room of mannequins that we thought was pretty genius.) What we can say, though, is that nothing will prepare you for the moment you walk in. The scares are pretty heart-stopping within the first minute.
IMAGE Courtesy of Universal Studios SIngapore
Meanwhile, the K-pop themed horror house is a lot more satirical than scary. A fictional look at the dark side of the entertainment industry, the Make the Cut attraction makes you feel like a K-idol trainee and you are immediately greeted by a bloodied receptionist who screams, "You're late! Go in already!" upon entering. The house is made to mimic what a K-pop star has to go through for the sake of fame—but, of course, with a bloody twist.
IMAGE Courtesy of Universal Studios SIngapore
Narcissism rules at Make The Cut.
We're talking about a photo shoot with a menacing photographer, a non-stop recording with a shady pimp producer, and an awesome, hilarious, yet gory plastic surgery room with an evil nurse whose face is the epitome of surgeries gone bad. USS also produced original K-pop music for 'Make the Cut' and you'll notice that you're peering into the career of a girl gourd called the 'Slit Face Girls' as they slowly deteriorate. The costumes are phenomenal and so are the prosthetics and makeup. It's definitely a house you'd want to check every detail of...if you're not easily scared, that is.
IMAGE Courtesy of Universal Studios Singapore
The Terror Cota Empress aka Cruelty.
The three other houses being featured for Halloween Horror Nights are Hex (a voodoo or shaman themed house), "Terror-Cota Empress" (you're transported to ancient China where you'll see the torture methods of a cruel empress), and "Inside the Mind" (you'll get to see the evil that goes on inside the brain of a psycho killer).
Be wary that the lines will be long, although the maximum time inside each attraction should only be 10 minutes. An expert tip when booking your ticket: Don't wait until you get to Sentosa island to purchase! Instead, download the Klook app where you can book and pay online and through the convenience of your smartphone. All the details you need to know about #HHN7 and the perks of your online ticket is also found in the app. This includes the preferred time to go, what to wear to get the most out of your experience, and how to get there.
Halloween Horror Nights will run from Sept. 29 to Oct. 29 (select dates) at Universal Studios Singapore from 7:30 pm to 1 am.
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