THE SILVER CHAMBER OF SORROWS

The Cast: Paul Chun, Nancy Sit, Christine Ng, Ng Wai Kwok, Rebecca Chan, Shirley Yeung, Jack Wu, Nancy Wu

The Sypnosis:

A Rich Family is Ruled by Lust
A Hymn is Mourned Over by Feuds

Prestige Silver Chamber”, the largest jewel company in Foshan, Guangdong Province China, is facing serious financial difficulties. In order to obtain a loan from SHUM’s family, SHEUNG HANG (Chui Pui), owner of the Chamber, together with his primary wife, CHOI SIU-DIP (Sit Ka Yin), plot to arrange marriage between SHEUNG WAN (Ng Wai Kwok), HANG’s younger brother, and SHUM WING-TUNG (Young Yuen Yee), daughter of SHUM’s family. Fueled by hatred, CHING SAU-HANG (Ng Wing Mei), WAN’s lover, marries HANG and ironically becomes WAN’s sister-in-law. WAN falls out with HANG, and opts to live abroad and disconnects from his family. After leaving home for years, WAN does not return home until the occasion to celebrate his father’s birthday. Tension between the two brothers comes to a head when HANG is reluctant to pay ransom to save the youngest son of WAN. WAN is determined to disconnect completely from his family ever since.

Since WAN’s return, SAU-HANG suffers from her husband’s neglect and gets framed for causing the fourth concubine FEI FEI’s (Wu Ting Yan) miscarriage. Hatred leads her to commit act that revenge. She seeks to subvert SHEUNG’s family by luring KWAN. Intentionally, she unveils TSAU GUK(Yeung Sze Ki), the maid in the family, is HANG’s illegitimate daughter. The dark age of a once-prominent family begins.

Comments. Yay! Jack is finally in another series. This guy is such a great actor, but he isn’t highly promoted. Since I’m also a fan of Shirley, I’m quite excited for the series. Although I’m not as thrilled about the other cast members, I think I will watch this one.

Additional Info on The Legendary Ren Jia

Sorry, haven’t updated in quite a while. I actually read this news one or two weeks ago, but haven’t had time to post it.

Genre: Costume series, Tang dynasty political intrigue/mystery case

Cast: Kent Cheng, Lee Heung Kam, Bernice Liu, Sunny Chan, Sonija Kwok, Leila Tong, Wayne Lai, Rebecca Chan, Lam Yi Kei, Raymond Cho, Claire Yiu, Matthew Ko, Lawrence Ng, Mimi Chu, Lai Kai Fong, Stephen Wong Ka Lok, Eric Li Tin Cheung, Stephen Huynh, Queenie Chu, Tracy Ip, Kwong Chor Fa

Characters:

Kent Cheng as Di Ren Jia
Leila Tong as Shuangguan Wan’Er

Rebecca Chan as Empress Wu

Filming: began on January 2008

Comments. I am actually very excited about this film due to the fact that it takes place during the Tang Dynasty. However, whether it’s about the political intrigue during Empress Wu’s reign or a series involved in mystery cases is still unknown as far as I know. Personally, although I prefer to see something with politics since TVB haven’t produced something like that in ages, it is more likely that it’s about mystery cases. Simply because TVB tends to produce many of these serials these days. Honestly, TVB’s ancient mystery cases aren’t really interesting (I prefer modern more). The Gentle Crackdown is a good example with predictable cases. In the past, I think Witness to a Persecution is quite good, but I want to see something for a change. Furthermore, the series stars many historical figures such as the famous Empress Wu and her loyal subject, Shuangguan Wan’er. Of course, there is also one of Empress Wu’s official Di Ren Jia.

The cast does not look very strong, but there seems to be many people in this series and the costumes and hairstyles are fresh and original, they are elaborate and exaggerated. I do not like the flowers on the concubines/empresses dresses. It makes the attires look horrible, not royal to me. I wonder what happen to the silky royal attires TVB use to make in the 80’s.

Will there be a Princess Taiping since she is quite an important character under Empress Wu’s reign?

D.I.E.

English Title: D.I.E.
Chinese Title: 古靈精探
Cantonese Title: Koo Ling Ching Taam
Casts: Roger Kwok, Sonija Kwok, Kenneth Ma, Margie Tsang
Length: 25 episodes (Cantonese) // 19 tapes (Vietnamese)
Release Date: March 2008 (Canto) // May 2008 (Viet)
Genre: Modern Drama/Investigation/Crime

The Sypnosis

Falling into a trance-like state
helps him crack case in mystery

The “Death Investigation Extension (D.I.E.)” in the police force was established to accommodate those who have been sent away by their supervisors. As everybody knows, members of the Extension are to investigate unsolved cold cases. YUE CHI-LONG (Kwok Chun On), who has cracked a large number of difficult cases by extrasensory means, is assigned to the D.I.E. believing that he will get promoted soon. Later LONG finds out that his supervisor still has a long way to go before he reaches retirement age. Hoping to leave the Extension as soon as possible, he gets to solve a lot of intriguing cases. New appointee YING CHING-CHING (Kwok Sonija) is a good-looking girl but she means to act tough and sassy in front of others. She takes an uncompromising stand over every case she deals with, which leads her into constant quarrels with LONG. The relationship between the pair is deteriorating day after day.

LONG’s elder sister, YUE CHI-CHING (Tsang Wah Sin), has been living with him. While investigating an old case, LONG gets to find his long-lost father YUE TAI-HOI (Leung Ka Yan). Through close collaboration with LONG, CHING-CHING has gradually developed affection for him. As she is still torn between LONG and her two-timing boyfriend SHING KA-TSUN (Ma Kwok Ming), LONG has started to try to avoid her without rhyme or reason. Feeling so confused about what is happening, CHING-CHING decides to do some probing and is shocked to discover that LONG has been dogged by a female ghost called SIU SIN (Yuen Kitty).

Comments. I have been looking forward to this drama since like forever simply because Margie is one of the actresses. Haven’t seen her in a while. Unfortunately, according to the sypnosis, her character doesn’t sound as singficant as I thought it was going to be. At first I thought Margie and Roger will play a couple, but it sounds like they will only be brothers and sisters. Anyway, does Margie even look older than Roger since she will play his ELDER sister? I mean in real life Roger is one year older than Margie if I have my dates correctly. Anyway, so does that mean Kenneth and Margie will play a couple instead or will she be single? I cannot really imagine them playing a couple despite the rumors because Margie will obviously look older than Kenneth. I just hope that her character will have more to do with the story and not just another typical character in the plot.

Sonija’s character here is quite similar to the tough Madam she played in On the First Beat. I didn’t really like her character and her acting is still kind of weak. I don’t like it when she yells. As for Roger and Kenneth, I am looking forward to their performances. I hope Kenneth will have an interesting character because he was really good in Survivor’s Law II.

Credits Astro on Demand

Chilam Wants to Film for TVB in 2008

Chilam Cheung, Bernice Liu, and Amanda S. attended a Gucci product promotional event. Gucci will be launching a limited collection of digital watches, bicycles, mahjong bag, and leather panda in commemoration of the upcoming Olympic 2008 games in Beijing this summer.

Last year, Chilam focused his career on the mainland market. Since he is feeling restless and afraid that the audiences will forget about him, Chilam decided that he will split his time between filming television series and movies in 2008.

Chilam mentioned that he was especially interested in filming for TVB again. “I desire to speak Cantonese on screen again! I wish to service television audiences!” Will Chilam act on screen with wife, Anita Yuen Wing Yee? “No thanks. If a married couple were to film together, there is usually disagreement in most instances.” (Didn’t Sean Lau Ching Wan and Amy Kwok get along fine while filming together?) “Sean can do it, but I can’t! Perhaps I don’t have confidence in myself!”

Will Chilam, Anita, and their son, Morton, film an ad together? “No, that’s not a good idea!” (Will Chilam and Anita be having another baby soon?) “No, work comes first! Also, I am not a baby-producing machine!”

Earlier, Chilam, Anita, and Morton attended Esther Kwan Wing Hor’s daughter’s birthday celebration. Allegedly, Anita carried Morton around and stole the limelight from Flora Chan Wai San’s daughter. Thus the angry Flora left the party early with her daughter. Chilam explained that all the babies present were adorable. He felt that the tabloids fabricated unnecessary rumors.

Bernice Liu was also present at the Gucci show. She woke up at 5 AM in the morning to film an outdoor scene and did not feel cold by noon time. (Will Bernice be attending the Olympics 2008 games in Beijing?) “TVB intends to send several artists to watch the Olympics and share their experiences afterwards. Hopefully, I can go and enjoy the Latin Dance competition then.”

Bernice’s younger brother is currently teaching at an international school in Beijing. For the Lunar New Year, he will be going to Hong Kong to visit Bernice and their parents. Thus Bernice is especially happy about the upcoming New Year and will cherish the time together with her family.

Translated by Jayne Stars

TVB Confirmed Series: 盛世人杰

Series: 盛世人杰 (Sorry, I do not know the literary-translated English title for this series)

Genre: Ancient

Starring: Sunny Chan, Sonija Kwok, Bernice Liu, Leila Tong, Claire Yiu, Tracy Ip, Lee Heung Kam

Comments. Another TVB confirmed series. Finally TVB has more ancient series because I’m tired of their tedious modern productions. Even though their ancient series are no longer high quality (most of the time), I still like watching them more than their modern serials. Anyway, Sunny looks very cute in the photo. Leila, like always looks extra sweet and I think she looks very cool in that outfit. However, the two TVB beauties, Bernice and Sonija looks horrible in their exaggerated hair styles. I do not like the large ring in Bernice’s hairstyle. In addition, the bundle of curls in Sonija’s bangs makes her look very old and not attractive at all. As for the costumes, I guess they are okay. I like Bernice’s attire in the last photo. Although I don’t have any idea of their characters as of now, I hope the series will not be comedy, or at least not completely comedy. It is off topic, but I’d rather see Thirteen Protectors, or previously known as Thirteen Treasures. Nevertheless, as of now, I hear nothing that TVB plans on filming the series. I really am excited to see Ron and Shirley play a couple after they did not end up together in The Brink of Law. Shirley looks beautiful in ancient costumes. When I saw the last photo of Bernice in the costume, she reminded of the Sales Presentation clip I saw of Thirteen Protectors.