Joys of Life
Joys of Life is a Singaporean Chinese drama which was telecasted on Singapore's free-to-air channel, MediaCorp Channel 8. It stars Chew Chor Meng, Alien Huang, Rui En, Chen Liping, Zheng Geping, Chloe Wang, Kate Pang, Andie Chen, Huang Wenyong, Lin Meijiao and Zhang Yao Dong as the casts of the series. The series was repeated at 2am on Sundays.
The series was produced to celebrate 30 years of Chinese language drama being broadcast in Singapore. Set in post-World War II Singapore, the story line spans the decade between the end of the Japanese occupation and the HDB's clearing of squatters during the late 1950s to early 1960s. It is the first on-screen pairing of Rui En and Alien Huang.
Story
In an old tenement house at Huaxiang Street, several families live together and play out the acts in life every day. The story revolves around six friends - Zhao Mingxing, Qian Yiduo, Han Yongyong and her sister Rourou and Sun Zibin and his sister Lianjing - and their families as they go about their lives in post-World War II Singapore.True to his name, Zhao Mingxing "Star", dreams of becoming a star. He is raised by his father, a movie billboard artist. Zhao Dagou, who has lived through the horrors of the Japanese Occupation, is a master storyteller. Dagou often chides Mingxing for being childish. Zibin, who works in the office of the TV station, has a leftist younger sister, Sun Lianjing. His mother Cai Shuxian married Uncle Roti, a bread seller, through an arranged marriage. Shuxian often gripes that she is a victim of a feudal marriage. Han Yongyong is the adopted daughter of Han Jianren, a cook whose love for women and booze forces his wife Liu Daiyu to be the breadwinner of the family. The couple had wanted to adopt a boy after Daiyu failed to conceive, but the child was swapped. Yongyong grew up being raised as a boy. Thereafter, they gave birth to three daughters. One of them, Han Rourou, is the beauty of Huaxiang Street. She is every man's dream girl, but her heart is set on marrying a foreigner.
The tenement house is owned by bakery owner Qian Caifa and his stingy wife Jin Yinjiao. The couple has three sons. Qian Yiduo often leaves any dirty job to his indignant younger brother Qian Erduo while he goes off to gallivant, but is still allowed to take over the bakery. This sparks resentment in Erduo. This family occupies the big unit above the bakery. The other occupants are Caifa's cousin Qian Caiguang, the latter's wife, Wang Limei, who works in a charcoal shop, and their daughter Qian Meihua. The mean Caifa took them in only because he feels guilty of having schemed against his cousin to possess the bakery. Although Caifa is prosperous, his marriage is not entirely blissful for he has never gotten over the fact that Cousin Caiguang once embraced Yinjiao. Instead, he is a secret admirer of Shuxian who has more class.
Mingxing loses heart after several unsuccessful attempts to be a star search finalist. He decides to study acting in Japan. While openly opposing it, Dagou nevertheless secretly tries to raise money for his son's overseas education. Moved by this, the filial Mingxing eventually gives up the opportunity to study abroad. When Mingxing finds out that Lianjing is a closet fan of stars, the quarrelsome pair who shares a common interest start dating each other in secret. Dagou saves Zhang Xiaoyu who suffers from amnesia. While Mingxing is eager to pair his father with Xiaoyu, Dagou is against the idea.
Yiduo is unaware that Erduo is scheming against him in attempt to take over the bakery. He meets with danger on several occasions, only to be saved by Yongyong who seems to be able to connect in mind with him. Yiduo grows fond of her. Yongyong takes up employment as a domestic help in a Caucasian family. A keen learner, she seizes the chance to learn English, and catches the fancy of Master Johnson. Rourou breaks up with Yiduo, saying that he is too dependent on his mother.
Rourou signs a contract with a record company. Peterson, the boss of the company, goes out with Rourou to celebrate. They both get drunk and Peterson takes advantage of Rourou. Peterson proposes to Rourou and confesses his love for her. Rourou refuses at first, but ultimately agrees. Peterson’s family reject Rourou as a daughter-in-law and the pregnant Rourou is abandoned. Daiyu pretends to be the one pregnant so as to protect Rourou from shame, but the latter gives birth to a baby of mixed race. Thereafter, rumours spread, with everyone gossiping behind Rourou's back. Only Zibin stands steadfast beside her.
The getai business is at its peak. The three buddies start Xin Hua Xiang Stage Company. Recognising Dagou's talent as a standup comic, Xiaoyu encourages him to perform at getai shows. Just as Daogou's feelings for Xiaoyu grows, a Japanese by the name of Yamaguchi appears claiming to be Xiaoyu's husband. Dagou is jolted to his senses. Mistaking Xiaoyu for a Japanese, he starts to distance himself from her, however, he feels anguish seeing how she is mistreated by Yamaguchi. The intense competition in the getai business compels Xin Hua Xiang to consider joining the bandwagon in offering striptease acts, to Zibin and Lianjing's objections. Song and dance versus striptease act, the former emerges as the loser.
Mingxing and Lianjing breaks off due to irreconcilable differences. Their business suffers when the famous comedians Fatty and Skinny leave. Dagou and the witty Uncle Roti salvage the situation by taking centrestage. Surprisingly, they are a hit with the crowd, thus saving Xin Hua Xiang. Uncle Roti stands tall in front of his wife who has always despised him.
1963 sees the advent of the television. Rourou starts life afresh and drags Yongyong to participate in Talentime on TV. Mingxing invites them to perform at his getai, and they become the singing sensation of love ballads. Yiduo falls for Yongyong, but just as he is about to woo her, he discovers to his horror that Yongyong is his twin elder sister. It turns out that Yinjiao had a difficult labour and was unaware that she had given birth to twins. Yongyong was sold away at birth. When Jianren finds out that Caifa is Yongyong's biological father, he creates a ruckus by demanding his money back. Yongyong remains filial to her adoptive parents. On finding out that Caifa has given her up for Shuxian, the jealous Yinjiao flies into a rage and wants to drive her family out.
Set up by Erduo, Yiduo and Lianjing end up in bed together in a drunken stupor. The odd couple are forced to tie the knot. Xiaoyu regains her memory out of a sudden. The truth is revealed that Yamaguchi is the culprit behind her unfortunate state. After Yamaguchi is driven away, Dagou picks up courage to express his love to Xiaoyu. However, he is stunned when Xiaoyu reveals that she is a majie who has vowed celibacy. Meanwhile, Mingxing and Yongyong begin to appreciate each other's virtues, and their feelings for each other grows.
Unhappy that Yongyong is more popular than her, Rourou quits as a singing duo to go solo but fails to earn an audience. For the sake of money, Rourou resorts to performing striptease but is driven to perform in Kuala Lumpur following a police raid. Zibin stays faithfully by her side. When Rourou retires from singing and plumps herself in the bakery, Erduo sets fire to the shop out of resentment.
News that the bakery had been razed reached Caifa and Yinjiao, and through their shop neighbour, they find out that Erduo was seen inside the bakery at that time.
Love abounds when these men and women cross paths. Will lovebirds Mingxing and Yongyong end up as a blissful couple? Will Rourou's heart be melted by Zibin's accommodating nature and sincere love? Will the antagonistic pair Yiduo and Lianjing be together till their twilight years? As for Dagou and Xiaoyu, will there be a surprise ending for them?
Cast
Main cast
Zhao family
Han family
Qian family
Sun family
Supporting cast
Special appearance
30th drama anniversary highlights
Joys of Life was filmed in conjunction with MediaCorp's 30th anniversary of local drama. It is a star-studded mid-year blockbuster drama which continues the legacy of famous getai works "Wok of Life" and "Springs of Life". Set in the ’60s to ’70s when mobile getai was all the rage, the story will allude to well-known entertainers of the day such as Sakura Teng and the comedy icons Wang Sha and Ye Feng.Chew Chor Meng makes a comeback after a brief absence due to illness alongside fellow veterans Chen Liping, Zheng Geping, Huang Wenyong, Lin Meijiao, Pan Lingling and Rayson Tan. The cast also includes younger local household names Rui En, Zhang Yao Dong, Andie Chen and Romeo Tan and Taiwanese idols Cynthia Wang and Alien Huang. Former artistes such as Cai Ping Kai, Chen Zhonghua, Lina Ng, Tracer Wong, Jacelyn Tay, Moses Lim and Darren Lim made special appearances.
Production
This drama is the first drama in almost 10 years to be filmed at the previously closed Tuas TV World. It was used by the SBC and TCS and is now a training ground for police specialist training. Scenes of the main street and town were filmed there while the rest were filmed at the studios, on the compound of MediaCorp's Caldecott Hill headquarters and nature areas. Another drama was initially planned but was scrapped and "merged" with Joys of Life instead. Filming began on 6 February 2012 and ended on 16 May 2012, and trailers started airing from 29 May 2012. It was directed by 4 directors in different episodes.This was the third "人间" produced by MediaCorp after Wok of Life and Springs of Life. Only Chew Chor Meng has starred in all three.
Reception
Joys of Life was the highest-rated drama of the year in terms of viewership ratings with some 993,000 viewers for its finale, until Don't Stop Believin' overtook the record by breaking the 1 million mark for its finale in September 2012.Overseas broadcast
This drama was one of the first dramas to be broadcast exclusively in Malaysia after its first telecast of two weeks.| Country of broadcast | Broadcasting network | Debut | Finale | Preceded by | Followed by |
| Astro Shuang Xing | 12 July 2012 at 4.30pm, weekdays | 29 August 2012 | Code of Honour | Don't Stop Believin | |
| Asia-wide | MediaCorp 8i | 14 November 2012 at 8.00pm, weekdays | 1 January 2013 | Yours Fatefully | Don't Stop Believin |
| Astro AEC | 21 December 2012 at 8.30pm, weekdays | 7 February 2013 | Code of Honour | Don't Stop Believin' |
Accolades
Joys of Life won three out of thirteen nominations in the Star Awards, including Best Theme Song. It also won a "Highly Commended" award for the Asian Television Awards, which Kate Pang won for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. The other Drams that were nominated Best Theme Song are Don't Stop Believin', It Takes Two, Yours Fatefully and Show Hand| Nominee / Work | Award | Accolade | Result |
| Romeo Tan 陳羅密歐 | Star Awards 2013 | Rocket Award 年度飞跃獎 | |
| Lorraine Koh Jia Xin 许佳欣 | Star Awards 2013 Show 1 红星大奖2013 亮闪八方 | Young Talent Award 青苹果奖 | |
| 《珍惜》 sung by Power Station 动力火车 | Star Awards 2013 Show 1 红星大奖2013 亮闪八方 | Best Theme Song 最佳主题曲 | |
| Loo Yin Kam 卢燕金 | Star Awards 2013 Show 1 红星大奖2013 亮闪八方 | Best Director 最佳导演 | |
| Seah Choon Guan 谢俊源 Lim Gim Lan 林锦兰 Tan Ai Heng 陈海兴 | Star Awards 2013 Show 1 红星大奖2013 亮闪八方 | Best Screenplay 最佳剧本 | |
| Lee Heng Soon Tommy 李兴顺 | Star Awards 2013 Show 1 红星大奖2013 亮闪八方 | Best Drama Cameraman 最佳戏剧摄影 | |
| Xu Ying Ying 徐盈盈 | Star Awards 2013 Show 1 红星大奖2013 亮闪八方 | Best Costume & Image Design 最佳服装与造型设计 | |
| Zheng Kai Hua 郑凯华 | Star Awards 2013 Show 1 红星大奖2013 亮闪八方 | Best Music & Sound Design 最佳音乐与音效设计 | |
| Alien Huang 黄鸿升 | Star Awards 2013 Show 1 红星大奖2013 亮闪八方 | Favourite Male Character 最喜爱男角色 | |
| Alien Huang 黄鸿升 Rui En 瑞恩 | Star Awards 2013 Show 1 红星大奖2013 亮闪八方 | Favourite On-screen Couple 最喜爱银幕情侣 | |
| Chew Chor Meng 周初明 | Star Awards 2013 红星大奖2013 | Best Actor 最佳男主角 | |
| Huang Wenyong 黄文永 | Star Awards 2013 红星大奖2013 | Best Supporting Actor 最佳男配角 | |
| Romeo Tan 陈罗密欧 | Star Awards 2013 红星大奖2013 | Best Supporting Actor 最佳男配角 | |
| Kate Pang 庞蕾馨 | Star Awards 2013 红星大奖2013 | Best Supporting Actress 最佳女配角 | |
| Kate Pang 庞蕾馨 | Asian Television Awards 2013 | Best Actress in a Supporting Role |