Together (Singaporean TV series) explained

Native Name:当我们同在一起
Genre:Period drama
Runtime:approx. 45 minutes per episode
Creator:Ang Eng Tee 洪荣狄
Director:Chia Mien Yang 谢敏洋
Chong Liung Man 张龙敏
Lai Lee Thin 赖丽婷
Loo Yin Kam 卢燕金
Tay Peck Choo 郑碧珠
Producer:Chia Mien Yang 谢敏洋
Starring:Jeanette Aw
Dai Xiangyu
Elvin Ng
Eelyn Kok
Zhang Zhenhuan
Zhou Ying
Opentheme:我们 by Kelvin Tan
Endtheme:我们之间 by Joi Chua
Country:Singapore
Language:Chinese
Network:MediaCorp Channel 8
Num Episodes:36

Together (literally "When We Are Together") is a Singaporean Chinese drama produced in 2009. It was telecasted on Singapore's free-to-air channel, MediaCorp Channel 8. It stars Jeanette Aw, Dai Xiangyu, Elvin Ng, Eelyn Kok, Zhang Zhenhuan and Zhou Ying as the casts for the series. 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 title also refers to the children's folk song "The More We Get Together" and the tune is played during the interlude and in the introduction of the theme song.

Cast

Yao Family

Cast Role Description
Wang Yuqing
王昱清
Yao Shi 姚狮 Yao Jianhong and Yao Wuji's father
Self-proclaimed as "Master of Time"
Formerly a gambler
Deceased
Jeanette Aw
欧萱
Yao Jianhong 姚剑虹 Initially a swordswoman
Yao Wuji's twin sister
Became a dance hostess; nicknamed 'Xiao-hong'
Yao Shi's daughter
Huang Zhihao's ex-wife
Crush on Lin Xiaobei
Clothes seller
Yixin and Xiaoting’s mother
Xiaobei's wife (few years later)
Zhang Zhenhuan
张振寰
Yao Wuji 姚无忌 Formerly a bookstall owner
Yao Shi's son
Yao Jianhong's twin brother
Crush on Huang Jinhao

Lin Family

Cast Role Description
Li Wenhai Lin Yi 林益 Tailor
Lin Xiaobei's father
Lin Liyun Ah Wei Seamstress
Lin Xiaobei's mother
Dai Xiangyu
戴向宇
Lin Xiaobei 林小杯 Nicknamed Lin Xiaomei (小妹, "Little Sister")
Son of Lin Yi
Event Organiser / Manager
Crush on Yao Jianhong
Huang Zhihao's best friend
Yixin and Xiaoting’s father
Yao Jianhong's husband (few years later)
Jarrell Huang
黄俊融
(Teenage version portrayed by Hong Weixiang 洪玮祥)
Lin Yixin 林一心 Grandson of Lin Yi and Ah Wei
Grandson of Yao Shi
Adoptive Grandson of Huang Lifa and He Jiao
Son of Lin Xiaobei and Yao Jianhong
Adoptive son of Huang Zhihao
Lin Xiaoting’s older brother
Becomes a member of the Special Forces
Wu Jiamin
吴家敏
Lin Xiaoting 林小婷 Granddaughter of Lin Yi and Ah Wei
Granddaughter of Yao Shi
Daughter of Lin Xiaobei and Yao Jianhong
Lin Yixin’s younger sister

Huang Family

Cast Role Description
Ye Shipin
叶世品
Huang Lifa 黄利发 Huang Zhihao and Huang Jinhao's father
Boss of a coffee shop
He Jiao's husband
Hong Huifang
洪慧芳
He Jiao 何娇 Huang Zhihao and Huang Jinhao's mother
Huang Lifa's wife
Elvin Ng
黄俊雄
Huang Zhihao 黄志豪 Tarzan
Self-proclaimed Tiger King
Huang Jinhao's older brother
Son of Huang Lifa & He Jiao
Lin Xiaobei's best friend
Yixin's adoptive father
Crush on Yao Jianhong & Jinzhu
Turned eunuch by wrestling opponent, Shan Lang
Jinzhu's husband (few years later)
Eelyn Kok
郭蕙雯
Huang Jinhao 黄金好 Huang Zhihao's younger sister
Daughter of Huang Lifa & He Jiao
Crush on Lin Xiaobei
Jarrell Huang
黄俊融
Lin Yixin 林一心 Adoptive grandson of Huang Lifa and He Jiao
Son of Lin Xiaobei and Yao Jianhong Becomes a member of the Special Forces

Qin Family

Cast Role Description
Zheng Geping
郑各评
Qin Xiangling 秦相林 Formerly a conman
Liu Maomao's husband
Qin Huimin's father
Aileen Tan
陈丽贞
Liu Maomao 刘毛毛 Ex-member of Butterfly Gang
Qin Xiangling's wife
Qin Huimin's mother
Zhou Ying
周颖
Qin Huimin 秦慧敏 Crush on Lin Xiaobei
Daughter of Qin Xiangling & Liu Maomao
Becomes a lawyer

Wang Family

Cast Role Description
Pamelyn Chee Wang Yanxia Wang family's second shareholder
Wuji's wife (later divorced)
Jian Man Master Wang Wang family's business boss
Yanxia's father

Dance Club

Cast Role Description
Constance Song
宋怡霏
Lucy Head Hostess of Dance Club
Lucy-jie
Jeanette Aw
欧萱
Yao JianhongSee "Yao Family"
Yuan Long Zhang/Yang Lucy's assistant

North Bridge Road shops

Cast Role Description
Jeanette Aw
欧萱
Yao Jianhong See Yao Family
You Lei Auntie Wanton Wanton seller
Wu Kegou Uncle Foot Shoe seller and Cobbler
Chen Huoming $5.60 Wanton's assistant
Jake Low Zhen Paper seller
Ex-member of Anti-Corruption Bureau
Fa Si Yao Wen Fortune teller

Police Station

Cast Role Description
Yuan Shuai
袁帅
Ou Yuming Inspector Ou
Was Tua Kow Yang & Dehua's Superior at first but later on transferred to Anti-Corruption Bureau
Crush on Yao Jianhong
Desmond Tan
陈泂江
Lin Dehua 林德华 Main VillainCorporal Lin
Yao Jianhong's cousin
Crush on Yao Jianhong
Killed his superior Tua Kow Yang, Lucy, and Black Mole
Turned into a wanted man allegedly taking bribes and committing murder
Deceased

Others

Cast Role Description
Nat Ho
鹤天赐
Louis Doctor
Huimin's husband
Huang Peibei Xing Singxin
Zhen Fuji Mr. Poet Poet
Black Mole Leader Mole gang
Zhen Ming JoeZhang's rival

Plot

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 and had grown up together. Lin Xiaobei (Dai Xiangyu) 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.

Character analysis

Awards and nominations

Together was nominated for 20 awards in the 2010 Star Awards, and became the biggest winner with five awards, including the Best Drama Series and Theme Song.

The show went on to nominate for three more awards in the Asian Television Award, but did not win any of these categories.

Star Awards 2010

AccoladesAward Nominee(s) ResultRef
Star Awards 2010 Show 1
红星大奖2010 上半场
Best Drama Theme Song
最佳主题曲
Best Director
最佳导演
Chong Liung Man
张龙敏
Lai Lee Thin
赖丽婷
Loo Yin Kam
卢燕金
Tay Peck Choo
郑碧珠 [1]
Best Screenplay
最佳剧本
Ang Eng Tee
洪荣狄
Favourite Male Character
最喜爱男主角
Dai Xiangyu
戴向宇
Elvin Ng
黄俊雄
Favourite Female Character
最喜爱女主角
Jeanette Aw
欧萱
Rocket Award
年度飞跃奖
Elvin Ng
黄俊雄
Star Awards 2010 Show 2
红星大奖2010 下半场
Best Actor
最佳男主角
Elvin Ng
黄俊雄
Dai Yang Tian
戴向宇
Best Actress
最佳女主角
Jeanette Aw
欧萱
Eelyn Kok
郭蕙雯
Best Supporting Actor
最佳男配角
Zheng Geping
郑各评
Zhang Zhenhuan
张振寰
Best Supporting Actress
最佳女配角
Hong Huifang
洪慧芳
Aileen Tan
陈丽贞
Best Drama Serial
最佳电视剧
2010 Asian Television Awards
Asian Television AwardBest Actress 最佳女主角 Jeanette Aw
欧萱
Best Supporting Actor
最佳男配角
Zhang Zhenhuan
张振寰
Best Supporting Actress
最佳女配角
Constance Song
宋怡霏

Trivia

Overseas release

Together was broadcast on PPCTV Channel 9 as a blockbuster drama series of the year.

Country of BroadcastBroadcasting NetworkRelease Date
PPCTV Drama 92 June 2010
Thai Public Broadcasting Service1 June 2012[2]

See also

External links

17 minutes sneak preview

Notes and References

  1. News: "The Little Nyonya" director Tay Peck Choo dies. Channel News Asia. 29 June 2012.
  2. Web site: Together...เพื่อนกันไม่มีวันเปลี่ยน – Thai PBS . 1 June 2012. 2012-06-03.