Just in Singapore

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Just in Singapore
(一房半厅一水缸)
Genre Modern Comedic Drama
Written by Hong Rong Di
Starring Chen Liping
Huang Wenyong
Fiona Xie
Kang Cheng Xi
Country of origin Singapore
Language(s) Chinese
No. of episodes 30
Production
Producer(s) He Fa Ming
Running time approx. 45 minutes per episode
Broadcast
Original channel MediaCorp TV Channel 8
Original run February 25, 2008 – April 4, 2008
Chronology
Preceded by Taste of Love
Followed by The Truth
External links
Official website

Just in Singapore (Simplified Chinese: 一房半厅一水缸, Literally "One Room, Half a Living Room, and a Water Basin") is a Singaporean Chinese modern comedic drama, which is telecasted on Singapore's free-to-air channel, MediaCorp TV Channel 8. It made its debut on 25 February 2008 and ended its run on 04 April 2008. It was screened at 9pm every weekday night. The serial consists of 30 episodes. This drama serial is written by the highly acclaimed scriptwriter, Hong Rong Di (洪荣狄), who has produced popular dramas such as The Golden Path and Like Father, Like Daughter.

Contents

[edit] Cast

[edit] Main Cast

[edit] Supporting Cast

  • Jimmy Nah (MC King) as San Wan (Actor passed away during period of filming)
  • Apple Hong as Qian Qian
  • Paige Chua as Lin Xiu Zhen
  • Hong Hui Fang as Wang Jiao
  • Adam Chen as Ma Zhi Gang
  • Patricia Mok as Ma Li (Mary)
  • Nelson Chia as Luo Ba (Robert)
  • Liang Tian as Kopi Shu
  • He Bing as Kopi Sao
  • Ong Ai Ling as Shu Min
  • Rayson Tan as Jian Hui
  • Zhang Xin Quan as Peter
  • Yan Bing Liang as Ah Pao
  • Zhang Wei as Mr. Fang
  • Hong Da Mu as Granny Ma
  • Vivian Lai as Jin Yan

[edit] Synopsis

The story is set in a block of government-rental HDB flats and revolves around its occupants. Everyday, heartwarming scenes of tears and laughter take place in these humble settings. Characters include Lin Bang, an over-the-hill stage-singer, and his family; Robert and Mary, a married couple who are not disabled in any way but totally rely on relief funds from the government to get by; Ma Zhigang, a man without conscience who secretly caused his grandmother’s death so he can claim insurance funds; ‘Auntie Automatic’ and ‘Sa Man' who are misers; ‘Uncle Kopi’ and ‘Auntie Kopi’ who are still living in their rental flat even though their children are doing very well...

Uncle Kopi (Liang Tian) and Auntie Kopi (He Bing) have a large ceramic tub at home. Left behind by Uncle Kopi’s father, it has held water for the baths of many generations in their family. When their youngest daughter (Ong Ai Leng) wishes to entrust her parents with the care of her baby son, she is worried that the tub may be a hazard and thus asks her parents to dispose of it. The old couple is unwilling to give it up and decide to put it at their neighbour Grandmother Ma’s (Hong Da Mu) home for the time being.

Grandmother Ma’s grandson Ma Zhigang (Adam Chen) is a lazy young man who refuses to hold a proper job. He owes a huge debt and so decides to sell the tub. However, he runs into loansharks while on the way to sell the tub and therefore leaves the tub behind while on the run. He is saved by Qianqian (Apple Hong), a Vietnamese bride purchased and brought to Singapore by Sa Man (MC King). Zhigang, seeing how beautiful Qianqian is, cheats San Wan of a large sum of money and instigates Qianqian to elope with him.

The tub left behind by Zhigang is picked up by the Weijie, the eldest son of the lazy couple Robert (Nelson Chia) and Mary (Patricia Mok). Thereafter, it ends up with Auntie Auto (Li Yingzhu), and then Lin Bang’s (Huang Wenyong) family.

Lin Bang’s wife Nancy (Chen Liping) runs a shrine and they have two daughters. Their eldest daughter Xiuzhen (Paige Chua), a university student, is pretty, intelligent, and carries a torch for Su Dingyi (Kang Chengxi), a handsome and stylish young man from a wealthy family. To get closer to him, she hides the fact that she is from a poor family, so that she won’t feel ashamed of her parents.

Their younger daughter Xiuming (Fiona Xie) is not as intelligent as her elder sister. After finishing her ‘N’ levels, she operates a stall at a night market. She has grown up among the lower social levels and feels that even though people of this class are not wealthy and have no social status to speak of, they can etch an honest living and give support to one another. Hence, she does not mind when people find out that she lives in a rented flat, has a father who sings at Chinese stage performances and a mother who gets up to dodgy things at the temple. Xiuming’s honest and open nature attracts Dingyi and he begins to woo her.

Uncle Kopi’s son (Rayson Tan), a professor, discovers that a Chinese ceramics auction by Sotheby’s includes a particular piece named ‘Nine Dragon Tub’. This is a precious treasure from the palace dating back to the year of Qing Kang and is valued at US$5,000,000. He suddenly remembers that there is a tub just like that in their home and it might just turn out to be that very same tub! Thus, he secretly tries to gain possession of it for himself. Unfortunately, the tub has been passed around and its whereabouts is unknown. Very quickly, news of the ‘Nine Dragon Tub’ spreads far and wide. Everyone is desperately trying to locate the tub…

The ‘treasure’ has in fact ended up with Lin Bang who is currently using it as a spa tub. He soaks himself in warm water in the tub every day to ease aches and pains. When Nancy finds out the true value of this tub, she decides to keep it a secret and sell the tub away quietly. This way, she will be able to get the family out of their rented flat and they will become wealthy folks. Will this plan of hers succeed?

[edit] Trivia

  • One of the cast members of this drama, Jimmy Nah, also known as MC King, died during the period of filming for this drama serial. Thus, he only filmed 80% of the screentime from the requirement of his role. The remaining 20% of his role was filmed by a replacement.
  • Most of the audience felt that Li Yin Zhu gave the best performance as her role Automatic Auntie out of the many cast members.

[edit] Viewership Rating and Reception

Since this series starting airing, it has generated largely positive reviews from critics. This drama serial is currently holding the record of Highest Viewership Drama for Year 2008.

Week Episode Date Percentage of Population (%)
Week 1 Ep 1 to Ep 5 25 February 2008 to 29 February 2008 18.7%
Week 2 Ep 6 to Ep 10 03 March 2008 to 07 March 2008 18.1%
Week 3 Ep 11 to Ep 15 10 March 2008 to 14 March 2008 18.7%
Week 4 Ep 16 to Ep 20 17 March 2008 to 21 March 2008 19.4%
Week 5 Ep 21 to Ep 25 24 March 2008 to 28 March 2008 20.4%
Week 6 Ep 26 to Ep 30 31 March 2008 to 4 April 2008 21.5%

[edit] External Links