The restaurant is situated in one of the most vibrant areas of Kuala Lumpur, renowned for its diverse dining options and culinary hotspots. The restaurant was built from scratch on a plot of land measuring 8,000 square feet, with a total investment of 4 million ringgit. The restaurant has a seating capacity for a number of 250 customers and aims to provide job opportunities for around 50 locals, highlighting both the number of seats and staff involved. The place is designed to be a gastronomic hub in Kuala Lumpur, enhancing the city’s reputation as a food destination. The team includes a dedicated man for every role, from waiters and hosts to kitchen staff, ensuring excellent customer service and hospitality. This marks Khairul Aming’s first venture into the offline business after 10 years in the online space. Backed by a RM4 million investment, this reservation-only spot in Kampung Baru has transcended typical F&B hype, becoming a symbol of “anak muda Melayu” success, community pride, dan entrepreneurial grit.
Booking and Visitation: The Rembayung Experience
Securing a table at Restoran Rembayung in Kampung Baru is more than just making a reservation; it’s the first step in a memorable culinary journey. With the restaurant’s immense popularity, especially since its much-anticipated launch, booking ahead is essential. The process is simple: just head to the official website, select your preferred date and time, and confirm your spot with a RM10 deposit per person. This system ensures that every guest enjoys a smooth, stress-free experience, even during peak hours.
A visit to Restoran Rembayung is more than just a meal, it is an experience that showcases the finest of Malay cuisine, community, and hospitality. Credit goes to the dedicated team for creating a space where every guest feels welcome and every meal is a celebration. As you enjoy your dining experience at Rembayung, it quickly becomes clear why this restaurant has become a must-visit destination in Kampung Baru.
Volume & Engagement:
Engagements Surged in Two Spikes Following the Reveal of Rembayung, Khairul Aming’s First Restaurant
First Spike– Launch Reveal (9–10 Dec | ~2.8M Engagements):
Engagement exploded on 9 December (~2.23M) and remained elevated on 10 December (~597K) after Rembayung was revealed as Khairul Aming’s first restaurant. This spike was fuelled by overwhelming pride in Khairul Aming as an anak muda Melayu success story, emotional admiration, and viral humour around queues, booking jokes (“2026–2027”), and FOMO-driven anticipation. Importantly, engagement was driven by trust in Khairul Aming’s credibility, rather than food, pricing, or dining experience.
Second Spike – Countdown to Opening (2–3 Jan | ~1.2M Engagements):
A second spike emerged on 2–3 January, as the 6 January 2026 opening date approached. This spike was driven by renewed FOMO, “OTW” narratives, pre-launch video of Rembayung and the resharing of earlier viral content, signalling a shift from emotional support to clear intent to visit.
Key Takeaway:
Together, these two spikes demonstrated that Rembayung was not perceived as a typical restaurant launch, but as a trust-led cultural moment, sustained by pride, credibility, and collective anticipation from
reveal to opening.
Key Moments That Kept the Conversation Alive
Several pivotal events turned Rembayung into a talking point:
December 9, 2025:
The Big Reveal. Khairul Aming dropped the news across his social channels, unveiling the RM4 million project.
The name “Rembayung” sparked curiosity, with playful mix-ups like “Lembayung” adding organic, shareable humor that felt uniquely Malaysian.
Alt text image : Khairul Aming’s social media post apologizing for the Rembayung booking website crash due to high traffic.
January 5, 2026:
Website Crash Chaos. As reservations opened, the site buckled under demand. Instead of complaints, the response was empathetic—netizens urged KA to “take it slow” with jokes about the overwhelming love, turning a glitch into a badge of success.
These moments highlighted Rembayung as more than a launch: a community-backed story of perseverance and cultural resonance.
Channel Distribution
Here’s a quick look at engagement distribution:
TikTok overwhelmingly dominated the conversation with over 5.56 million engagements, accounting for the vast majority of public reaction around Rembayung. This massively outpaced Facebook (451K) and Instagram (374K), confirming that short-form video was the primary engine driving hype, humour, and emotional expression from viral queue jokes and booking memes to pride-filled reactions celebrating Khairul Aming’s journey.The stark imbalance across platforms showed that Rembayung’s momentum was built almost entirely through organic social virality rather than media coverage or opinion leadership. With X, YouTube, online media, and forums contributing only marginal engagement, the narrative was dictated by speed, emotions, and cultural resonance on TikTok. This marked Rembayung as a culture-powered phenomenon, where community emotion scaled faster and further than any traditional amplification channel could sustain. TikTok overwhelmingly dominated the conversation with over 5.56 million engagements, accounting for the vast majority of public reaction around Rembayung. This massively outpaced Facebook (451K) and Instagram (374K), confirming that short-form video was the primary engine driving hype, humour, and emotional expression from viral queue jokes and booking memes to pride-filled reactions celebrating Khairul Aming’s journey. The stark imbalance across platforms showed that Rembayung’s momentum was built almost entirely through organic social virality rather than media coverage or opinion leadership. With X, YouTube, online media, and forums contributing only marginal engagement, the narrative was dictated by speed, emotions, and cultural resonance on TikTok. This marked Rembayung as a culture-powered phenomenon, where community emotion scaled faster and further than any traditional amplification channel could sustain
KEY THEMES & SENTIMENT BREAKDOWN
Based on the word cloud above, here are some of the key themes that dominated the conversation:
Rembayung as a Symbol of Identity, Not Just a Restaurant
The word cloud was dominated by terms such as “bangga”, “melayu”, “Malaysia”, “terbaik”, “kedai”, and “sendiri”, signalling that public conversation framed Rembayung less as an F&B outlet and more as a collective achievement. Rather than focusing on food alone, netizens repeatedly positioned the restaurant as a shared symbol of local pride and collective success, reflecting a strong sense of ownership and emotional investment in Khairul Aming’s journey rather than viewing Rembayung as just another commercial venture.
Reservation-Only Model as Accessibility Gatekeeper
Words like “menyampahkan”, “”menjatuhkan”, “booking”, “slot”, “kosong”, “beratur”, “tempah”, “setahun”, “parking”, “pergi” and “ramai” dominate the centre, shifting focus from the food itself to the practical barriers of entry. Netizens commented on long waits, website crashes, and logistics in Kampung Baru, turning excitement into frustration. Some netizens used strong terms like “menyampahkan” and “menjatuhkan” not to criticise Khairul Aming, but to defend and protect his success, expressing overwhelmed admiration over long queues while calling out attempts to pull down a fellow Malay entrepreneur instead of supporting Malay entrepreneurs and celebrating shared success. This exposes how the no-walk-in policy, intended for crowd control, has inadvertently made Rembayung feel exclusive, amplifying FOMO while sparking debates on whether a “kampung”-themed restaurant should prioritise open access over managed hype.
Pricing Debate Redefines “Masakan Kampung” Value
“Harga”, “mahal”, “makan”, “lauk”, “sedap”, “portion”, “murah” and “mesra rakyat” cluster together, igniting controversy over whether authentic Malay village dishes belong at premium prices in urban KL. Early receipts and comparisons (e.g., to Cili Kampung) show portions are generous but costs mid-to-high, challenging perceptions of traditional food as affordable everyday fare. The word cloud captures a cultural tension: supporters defend it as a deserved quality for a landmark venture, while critics question if elevating “makanan kampung” risks alienating the very community it celebrates.
SENTIMENT BREAKDOWN
Positive (80%)
Sentiment across platforms was strongly positive, driven by pride, admiration, and emotional support for Khairul Aming. Netizens viewed Rembayung as a shared cultural milestone rather than just a business, frequently highlighting KA as an “anak muda Melayu” success story. Conversations praised his credibility, disciplined approach, and quiet execution, as well as the symbolic impact of launching a Malay restaurant in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. Even when challenges arose, such as the reservation website crash, responses were largely empathetic and light-hearted, reinforcing high levels of trust and goodwill.
Negative (15%)
Negative sentiment was relatively small and scattered, focusing mainly on operational matters like parking issues, crowd control, pricing perceptions, and scepticism around the hype. Criticism was rarely directed at Khairul Aming himself and did not evolve into coordinated backlash. Most negative comments were tempered with humour or accompanied by supportive remarks, reflecting frustration rather than genuine opposition.
Neutral (5%)
Neutral conversations were driven by curiosity and practical information-seeking, including questions about the meaning of “Rembayung,” its location, opening dates, reservation process, parking, and access via public transport.
Brand Insights:
Elevating Khairul Aming from Icon to Legacy
Rembayung goes beyond a typical restaurant opening, reinforcing Khairul Aming’s brand as a powerful symbol of innovation, authenticity, and national pride. Built on the strong pre-opening momentum from 9–10 December 2025 and 6–7 January 2026, these insights show how the venture strengthens KA’s entrepreneurial story, builds a sense of community ownership, and creates a clear model for sustainable growth in Malaysia’s F&B industry.
Pricing & Accessibility: Balancing Premium Appeal with Inclusivity
Pricing debates aside, consensus sees costs as fair for quality. The reservation policy builds exclusivity without exclusion, with nods to public transport and no-smoking rules positioning Rembayung as community-minded.
Future Potential: Scalability and Inspiration
Early chatter on franchising signals strong brand equity for expansion. As a beacon for “anak muda” (young people), Rembayung inspires entrepreneurship, with KA’s quiet execution (no leaks for a year), teaching resilience. Sustained 80% positive sentiment post-opening suggests long-term loyalty, potentially evolving into a multi-outlet chain or product lines.
Rembayung isn’t just food, it’s a brand movement, leveraging KA’s personal story to create emotional bonds, drive cultural conversations, and pave the way for scalable success in a competitive market for long run.
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Powered by dXt 360 | Data as of early January 2026
