Together (TV series)

Together (Chinese: 当我们同在一起, literally "When We Are Together") is a Singaporean Chinese drama which was produced in 2009. It was telecasted on Singapore's free-to-air channel, MediaCorp Channel 8. It is MediaCorp's 46th anniversary year-end blockbuster drama, and was sponsored by the Media Development Authority of Singapore. It made its debut on 30 November 2009 and ended on 18 January 2010. This drama serial consists of 36 episodes, and was screened on every weekday night at 9:00 pm.

The series also utilized the writer and some cast members from The Little Nyonya, a 2008 production by MediaCorp that went on to become the highest rated Singaporean TV series in 15 years.

Cast

Yao Family

Lin Family

Huang Family

Qin Family

Wang Family

Dance Club

North Bridge Road shops

Police Station

Others

Storyline

The story begins in 1967. That year, Singapore first issued her own currency and made national service mandatory for all young Singaporean males who have come of age. That year, there were people who rented out fake eyelashes for S$4 a day; prices of eggs plummeted to a new low, propelling Singaporeans to start a movement to kill chickens to reduce egg-supply. That year, the “Vietnam Rose” (a form of syphilis) set foot on the island, visitors who called on prostitutes shuddered at its mention; that same year, Sakura and Rita Chao’s “New Peach-blossom River” was popular in the streets of Singapore…

There lived 3 families in 3 houses along a horizontal street (which bustled with noise and excitement) in North Bridge Road, amongst whom were 6 youths of about the same age. Lin Xiaobei (Dai Yangtian) was the only son of tailor Lin. He fought and got into trouble all the time, and was a constant headache to his neighbours. Yao Jianhong (Jeanette Aw), who grew up with Xiaobei, was the only person who could subdue him. Jianhong withdrew from school at a young age and with her father, performed martial arts in the streets to sell medicated ointment. She was in the ‘turf’ for years, and was a candid and forthright girl with a sense of chivalry. Lin Xiaobei liked her and the feeling was mutual. However she was very unhappy with Xiao Bei’s frivolous attitude. She hoped that Xiao Bei would be down-to-earth and succeed his father’s trade. Xiaobei did not want to be resigned to cooping in the humble tailor-shop. He wanted to venture into more ambitious grounds and strike it rich someday.

Another childhood friend of Lin Xiaobei was Huang Zhihao, nicknamed "Tarzan"(Elvin Ng), who was always building castles in the air. A fickle-minded youth, he wanted to be a car racer for a moment and fantasized about being a wrestler next. Both of them were at loggerheads sometimes and allies during other occasions. Xiaobei and Tarzan stick by each other through weal and woe. Like chopsticks, each is incomplete without the other.

Besides Jianhong, Tarzan’s sister, Huang Jinhao (Eelyn Kok), also liked Xiaobei. She was a vain and materialistic girl with a naive mindset. Despite not winning Xiaobei’s heart, she was loyal to him as a friend. Jianhong’s twin brother, Yao Wuji (Zhang Zhenhuan) was very timid. He could only keep the feelings he had towards Jinhao to himself.

Qin Hui Min (Zhou Ying) was the only one among the few youngsters who was highly educated. Though she was physically weak, she had an unrelenting perseverance, and eventually became a lawyer.

The two generations of these families went through 30 years of changes, entwined in love, hate, grudge, jealousy, magnanimity and forgiveness. Their story is also Our Story as we, too, had been through the same path…

Singaporeans share many common memories. Through the hardship when the country was starting out in the 60s, the oil crisis in the 70s, the stock-market crash in the 80s, Singaporeans have weathered the storm together. We’ve shared the joys and sorrows. With the onslaught of the current financial crisis, we are being put to test once again. And looking back at the path we’d trodden over the years bears exceptional meaning at this point in time.

Character Analysis

• Dai Yangtian as Lin Xiaobei - Lin Xiaobei is an eloquent, ambitious, strong and silent, upholding justice, dare to love, dare to hate and is the only son. There are a total of three women who is in love with him however his eyes are set on only Jianhong. His fate later had a tremendous change because of Huang Jinhao going from a happy go lucky chap to a drug addict. He later found out his lover had married his best friend. Xiaobei was also given a nickname as Xiaomei.

• Jeanette Aw as Yao Jianhong - Yao Jianhong is a beautiful, strong girl who can pull through even the darkest period of time. She never receive any education and helps her father to perform martial arts on the street，later she became a bar girl to help her father pay his debts. She is in love with Xiaobei but she wants him to be realistic and stop being so ambitious，however he left her due to some reasons. She later was pregnant with Xiaobei's child yet married Zhihao.

• Elvin Ng as Huang Zhihao - As ‘Tarzan’ in the drama, he is someone who is brash and courageous, but naive. Often manipulated by others, he is easily distracted and does not succeed in the things he takes up. He harbors big ambitions but easily gives up in the face of difficulties. Tarzan is great buddies with Xiao Bei but falls out with him because of their love for Jianhong. He eventually marries Jian Hong but never wins her heart.

• Eelyn Kok as Huang Jinhao - She plays Huang Jinhao, a vain young girl in her prime whose bubbly, pretty and fashionable. Always dreaming of a better life, she does not want to be cooped up working in a coffeeshop. Naive, she is often lucky to have Xiaobei who protects her from being cheated. She makes use of Yao Wuji who’s in love with her, and fights with Jianhong for Xiaobei’s affections. She later becomes the cause of Xiaobei’s downward spiral change of fate.

• Zhang Zhen Huan as Yao Wuji - He plays an introvert, shy, non-ambitious Yao Jianhong's brother who falls for Huang Jinhao. Jinhao makes use of Wuji to get what she wants.

• Zhou Ying as Qin Huimin - she plays an easily fallen ill lawyer and quietly falling in love with Xiaobei but when she finds out about his love for Jianhong, she even tries to bring them together despite all odds.

Star Awards 2010 Nominations

• This drama is the Best Drama Serial.
• Dai Yang Tian and Elvin Ng were both nominated for the Best Actor award, but both lost to Chen Hanwei in Daddy at Home.
• Jeanette Aw and Eelyn Kok were both nominated for the Best Actress award, but both lost to Chen Liping in Reunion Dinner. Jeanette Aw however, clinched the Favourite Female TV Character award instead.
• Zheng Geping and Zhang Zhenhuan were both nominated for the Best Supporting Actor award, but both lost to Zhu Houren in Reunion Dinner.
• Hong Huifang and Aileen Tan were both nominated for the Best Supporting Actress award, but both lost to Constance Song in The Ultimatum.
• The theme song for the drama, 《我们》by Kelvin Tan won the Best Drama Theme Song award.
• One out of four directors won the Best Director award.

Trivia

• Fiona Xie was originally casted as Huang Jinhao, however she pulled out last minute due to personal reasons. The role was later given to Eelyn Kok.
• Most scenes of the series were filmed in Malacca.
• Originally the scripts of Jeanette Aw was first written to love Elvin Ng.
• Yuan Long has two names, Zhang and Yang, however was called Yang more.
• Elvin Ng and Jeanette Aw had paired up in another drama, New Beginnings.
• Dai Yang Tian and Elvin Ng had paired up in another drama, No Limits.
• Dai Yang Tian and Zhou Ying pairs up again for the second time after Table of Glory. Breakout was another drama, but was not counted as he was a villain in the stated drama.
• Originally this drama had intended to produce 35 episodes, but was later extended to 36 due to overruns in filming.

Overseas Release

The drama serial will be broadcasted on PPCTV Channel 9 as a blockbuster drama series of the year.

See also

• List of programmes broadcast by MediaCorp TV Channel 8

External links

• Official Drama website
• 谢宛谕辞演大制作 揣测四起
• 谢宛谕经理人：辞演是因私人原因
• 郭蕙雯顶替谢宛谕
• Eelyn Kok fills in for Fiona Xie in 'Together'
• 《当我们同在一起》精彩片段抢先看
• 戴阳天承认 对欧萱日久生情

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