Silent Walls Explained

Native Name:	密宅
Story:	Nurel Anwar
Screenplay:	Kate Feng Yi-en
Director:	Rowena Loh, Wong Kuang Yong
Starring:	1938: Tasha Low Ayden Sng Mindee Ong Tay Ying Charlie Goh 1963: Foo Fang Rong Shane Pow Ferlyn Wong 1988: Macy Chen Alfred Sng Desmond Shen Desmond Ng 2023: Andie Chen Bernard Tan Chen Shucheng
Country:	Singapore
Language:	Mandarin
Num Episodes:	20
Company:	Ochre Pictures

Silent Walls (Chinese: 密宅) is a 2023 Singaporean thriller television series telecast on Mediacorp Channel 8 and produced by Ochre Pictures. It stars Tasha Low, Ayden Sng, Mindee Ong, Tay Ying, Charlie Goh, Foo Fang Rong, Shane Pow, Ferlyn Wong, Macy Chen, Alfred Sng, Desmond Shen, Desmond Ng,, Andie Chen, Bernard Tan and Chen Shucheng.^{[1] [2] [3]} The series centres around a mansion and the lives of its occupants in 1938, 1963, 1988 and 2023.^{[4] [5]}

Cast

1938

• Tasha Low
• Ayden Sng
• Mindee Ong
• Tay Ying
• Charlie Goh
• Darren Lim
• Lina Ng
• Alfred Ong

1963

• Foo Fang Rong
• Shane Pow
• Ferlyn Wong
• Constance Song
• Tracer Wong

1988

• Mei Xin
• Alfred Sng
• Desmond Shen
• Desmond Ng

2023

• • Andie Chen
• Chen Shucheng
• Eelyn Kok
• Angela Ang
• Cheryl Chou
• Zhang Xinxiang
• Chen Huihui

Controversy

The 1988 storyline features a gay relationship between Kai De (played by Alfred Sun) and his much older dance instructor boyfriend Nigel (played by Adam Chen). Nigel eventually dies from an unspecified sexually transmitted disease, which is heavily implied to be AIDs.

Silent Walls was criticised by the LGBT community in Singapore for perpetuating harmful gay stereotypes. Most notable, LGBT media platform Dear Straight People condemned the storyline for perpetuating the notion that gay men are predators and have sexually transmitted diseases.^[6]

In response to the criticism, Mediacorp Channel 8 issued a statement insisting that 'they didn't set out to perpetuate any stereotypes'.^[7]

Awards and nominations

Year	Ceremony	Category	Nominees	Result	Ref
2023	Asian Academy Creative Awards	Best Promo or Trailer (national winner - Singapore)	Silent Walls trailer		^[8]
		Best Single Drama / Telemovie / Anthology Episode	Silent Walls – 2023
	ContentAsia Awards	Best Asian Feature Film/Telemovie	Silent Walls – 2023 Telemovie		^[9]
			Silent Walls – 1938 Telemovie

Notes and References

1. Web site: Minor characters in local TV dramas lack flavour, says Mindee Ong. Chia. Jolynn. 20 March 2023. AsiaOne. 3 April 2023.
2. Web site: Desmond Shen 'doesn't really want to act anymore', shares why he returned anyway. Chia. Jolynn. 15 March 2023. AsiaOne. 3 April 2023.
3. Web site: 一年只拍一部戏 黄晶玲：重质不重量. 李妙楠. 3 February 2023. Lianhe Zaobao. 3 April 2023.
4. Web site: Ghosts of TV's past: Long-time-no-see S'pore actors return for eerie drama Silent Walls. Lee. Jan. 5 March 2023. The Straits Times. 3 April 2023.
5. Web site: 窥探豪宅里的性爱、血腥 本地剧揭暗黑人性. 蔡欣盈. 21 March 2023. Lianhe Zaobao. 3 April 2023.
6. Web site: Singapore Drama 'Silent Walls' Pushes Harmful Stereotype: Gay Character Is A Groomer with AIDS: Mediacorp. 3 April 2023. Dear Straight People. 3 April 2023.
7. Web site: Mediacorp explains LGBTQ+ character portrayal in drama 'Silent Walls', says they didn't set out to perpetuate any stereotypes: Mediacorp. 5 April 2023. Mothership. 5 April 2023.
8. Web site: Full List of National Winners 2023 . Asian Academy Creative Awards . 28 September 2023.
9. Web site: 2023 Nominees – ContentAsia Awards . 22 July 2023 . 22 July 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230722052443/https://contentasiaawards.com/and-the-nominees-are/ . 2023-07-22 .