Joys of Life

Joys of Life 花样人间
Genre	Period drama Musical Romance Comedy
Written by	Seah Choon Guan Lim Gim Lan Tan Ai Heng
Directed by	黄光荣 (ep 1-10) 高淑怡 (ep 11-16) 谢益文 Edmund Tse (ep 17-26) 卢燕金 Loo Yin Kam (ep 27-35)
Starring	Chew Chor Meng Alien Huang Rui En Chen Liping Zheng Geping Chloe Wang Kate Pang Andie Chen Huang Wenyong Lin Meijiao Zhang Yao Dong
Opening theme	珍惜 by Power Station
Country of origin	Singapore
Original language(s)	Chinese
No. of episodes	35
Production
Producer(s)	Winnie Wong
Running time	approx. 42–46 minutes
Release
Original network	MediaCorp Channel 8
Original release	26 June – 13 August 2012
Chronology
Preceded by	Yours Fatefully
Followed by	Don't Stop Believin'
Related shows	Wok of Life (1999) Springs of Life (2002) Together (2009) A Tale of 2 Cities (2011) Devotion (2011) It's a Great, Great World (movie) Your Hand In Mine (2009–2010)
External links
Website

Joys of Life (Chinese: 花样人间; pinyin: Huāyàng Rénjiān) is a Singaporean Chinese drama which was telecasted on Singapore's free-to-air channel, MediaCorp Channel 8. It made its debut on 26 June 2012, consists of 35 episodes, and will be screened on every weekday night at 9:00 pm.

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.^[1] 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 (Alien Huang), Qian Yiduo (Zhang Yaodong), Han Yongyong (Rui En) and her sister Rourou (Chloe Wang) and Sun Zibin (Andie Chen) and his sister Lianjing (Kate Pang) - 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 (Chew Chor Meng), who has lived through the horrors of the Japanese Occupation, is a master storyteller. He and the ordinary-looking Sun Zibin are old friends. Zibin, who works in the office of the TV station, has a leftist younger sister, Sun Lianjing. His mother Cai Shuxian (Pan Lingling) married Uncle Roti (San Yow), 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 (Huang Wenyong), a cook whose love for women and booze forces his wife Liu Daiyu (Lin Meijiao) to be the breadwinner of the family. The couple had wanted to adopt a boy after Daiyu failed to conceive, but the child was swopped. 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 (Zheng Geping) and his wife Jin Yinjiao (Chen Liping). The couple has three sons. Qian Yiduo often leaves any dirty job to his indignant younger brother Qian Erduo (Romeo Tan)while he goes off to gallivant. This family occupies the big unit above the bakery. The other occupants are Caifa's cousin Qian Caiguang (Chen Guohua), the latter's wife, Wang Limei (Lin Liyun), who works in a charcoal shop, and their daughter Qian Meihua (Adeline Lim). 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 (Apple Hong) who suffers from amnesia. While Mingxing is eager to pair his father with Xiaoyu, Dagou is against the idea.

Yiduo is unaware that he is being elbow out by Erduo. 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. Zibin becomes an overnight sensation when he covers for a DJ on medical leave. Suffering from an inferiority complex, he pushes Mingxing to impersonate him to meet his fans, as well as to let Mingxing experience what it is like to be in the limelight. 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 (Bobby Tonelli). Envious and jealous, Rourou worms her way into the household, also as a domestic help, to get close to Johnson who has eyes only for Yongyong. Refusing to admit defeat, Rourou throws herself at Peterson (George Young), Johnson's friend, but is abandoned by him after she gets pregnant. 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 (Rayson Tan) 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. Yamaguchi puts pressure on Xiaoyu to perform striptease to earn a living but she tearfully refuses. Unable to contain his anger, Dagou stops Xiaoyu from going on stage. Mingxing takes her place but is exposed by the audience. Their business suffers. 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. Not only did he die in the fire, but the tenement house is razed to the ground. All the neighbours chip in to rebuild the house. Yongyong shoulders the heavy responsibility of re-opening the bakery. Under Mingxing's support and encouragement, the bakery rises like a phoenix from the ashes.

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

Cast	Role	Description	Episodes Appeared
Chew Chor Meng	Zhao Dagou	Mingxing's widowed father Movie billboard artist and storyteller Jialing's husband Xiaoyu's boyfriend	1-35
Alien Huang	Zhao Mingxing "Gou Zai"	Dagou's son Have a dream of being a star Lianjing's ex-boyfriend. Yong Yong's boyfriend Singer and actor of the stage company.	1-10, 15-20, 22-35

Han family

Cast	Role	Description	Episodes Appeared
Huang Wenyong	Han Jianren "Chou Pi Ren"	Daiyu's husband Gambler	1-29,35
Lin Meijiao	Liu Daiyu "Chou Pi Sau"	Jianren's wife Yongyong and Rourou's mother	1-5,7-29,35
Rui En	Han Yongyong	Jianren and Daiyu's adopted daughter Caifa and Yinjiao's biological daughter Yiduo's biological twin sister.Mingxing's girlfriend	1-35
Chloe Wang	Han Rourou	Jianren and Daiyu's second daughter Yongyong's sister Had a child, Yaoyao, with Peterson. Zibin's girlfriend.	1-23, 28-35
Vina Lim	Han Zhuzhu	Jianren and Daiyu's daughter	1,2,11,12-22,26-35
Lorraine Koh	Han Meimei	Jianren and Daiyu's daughter	1,2,8,11,12-22,26-35

Qian family

Cast	Role	Description	Episodes Appeared
Zheng Geping	Qian Caifa "Towkay"	Yinjiao's husband Owner of a bakery Yongyong's biological father	2-4, 6-21, 23-35
Chen Liping	Jin Yinjiao "Towkay Neo/ Fei Po Jiao"	Caifa's domineering wife Yongyong's biological mother	1-21, 23-35
Rui En	Han Yongyong	Jianren and Daiyu's adopted daughter Caifa and Yinjiao's biological daughter Yiduo's biological twin sister.Mingxing's girlfriend.	1-35
Zhang Yaodong	Qian Yiduo "Da Long"	Caifa and Yinjiao's eldest son Yongyong's biological twin brother Rourou's ex-boyfriend. Lianqing's husband	1-35
Romeo Tan	Qian Erduo "Lao Er"	Caifa and Yinjiao's second son Main Villain Became mentally unstable in episode 35	2,4,7,10-21,23-27,29-35
Ivan Lo	Qian Sanduo "Xiao Long"	Caifa and Yinjiao's youngest son	2, 6-8,11-13,20-35
Bryan Chan	Qian Caiguang	Relative of Qian Caifa Died in episode 33	2-4,7,13,15,28-33,35
Lin Liyun	Wang Limei	Qian Cai Guang's wife	2-4,7,10,13,15,28-35
Adeline Lim	Qian Meihua	Qian Caiguang and Wang Limei's daughter	2-4,32-35

Sun family

Cast	Role	Description	Episodes Appeared
Yao Wenlong	Sun Yaping "Roti"	Xian Ya's Husband "Roti" (bread) seller	1-35
Pan Lingling	Cai Shuxian "Xianya"	Yaping's wife A school teacher	1-3,5-35
Andie Chen	Sun Zibin "Sun Zi Bin Fa"	Xian Ya and Yaping's son Worked for a radio company	1-35
Kate Pang	Sun Lianjing "Lian Qing Qing"	Xian Ya and Yaping's daughter Initially Mingxing's ex-girlfriend Yiduo's wife	1,3,5-7,9-35

Other

Cast	Role	Description	Episodes Appeared
Apple Hong	Zhang Xiaoyu	Yamaguchi's legal wife Dagou's girlfriend A ma-jie	11-22, 25, 28-35
Rayson Tan	Yamaguchi Hideo "Yama / Yama-san"	Xiaoyu's abusive Japanese husband Villain Caught by police in episode 34	20, 22, 25, 28, 29, 32-34

Supporting cast

Cast	Role	Description	Episodes Appeared
Cai Jun Pao	Bing Shui-Ge	Iceball seller	1,19,26
Yak Yilin	Yun Yun		3,16-23,30-35
Silver Ang	Gong Bao Zhu	Rourou's friend	5,9,11,12
Hu Yi Xiang	Mi Fen-Sao	Beehoon seller	5,10,15,19,26
Dick Su		Malay film producer	5,7
Bobby Tonelli	Johnson	Mary's son. He was in love with Yongyong. He left for England in ep 30.	7,9,11,12,14,16,26,27,30
George Young	Peterson	A record executive of a company. Accidentally, after a one-night stand, he is the father of Rourou's baby. They were planning to get married but disappeared as their marriage was rejected by his father as of ep 21.	12,13,16-19
Candyce Toh	Chen Mei Guang	Singer of Xin Hua Xiang Stage Company.	16-19, 23, 30-35
Brandon Wong	Wang Xia	Ex-comedy actor of Xin Hua Xiang Stage Company. He plays Skinny. He left for Malaya as he need to take care for his sick mother and act there as well.	16-19, 23
Wu Jian Hua	Yan Feng	Ex-comedy actor of Xin Hua Xiang Stage Company. He plays Fatty. He left for Malaya to join Wang Xia.	16-19, 23
Joey Feng	Meng Na	A dancer of Lulu's performances. She was also partly responsible for tearing Lulu's dress during her performance in ep 23.	23, 24, 29
Jessica Tan	Lu Lu	Singer of Wan Li Hong Stage Company.	17, 19, 23, 26

Special Appearance

Cast	Role	Description	Episodes Appeared
Jacelyn Tay	Lee Ling Hua	Movie celebrity	1
Moses Lim	Tan Ah Kong	Lee Ling Hua's godfather	1
Tan Junsheng	Tan Ah Teck	Tan Ah Kong's grandson	1
Florence Tan	Liu Jialing	Dagou's ex-wife who died.	2,4,9,10,17
Zhou Quanxi	Gan Shu	Worker of the bakery	2,4,8,13
Chen Tianxiang	Hui Shu	Worker of the bakery	2,4,13
Lina Ng	Little Trumpet	She is one of the cast in a radio drama.	3,6
Li Wenhai	Wu Ren Bi	Blind fortune teller.	5,8,12
Tracer Wong	Mary	Han Yongyong's towkay when working at the Caucasian family; Johnson's mother.	6,7,9,11,13,14,16,27,28
Cai Ping Kai	Qi Po/Er-gu		6,13
Darren Lim	Cai Nan	Film producer	7,8
Wang Yuqing	Gui Li Qiang	Villain A loan shark and local bully Lulu's man Shot dead by police in episode 28	15,17,19,23,25,26,28

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” (福满人间) and “Springs of Life” (春到人间). 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 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 (Xiao Gui). 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.^[2] 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.^[3] Another drama was initially planned but was scrapped and "merged" with Joys of Life instead. Filming began on 6 February 2012^[4] 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" (period drama-comedy) produced by MediaCorp after Wok of Life (福满人间) and Springs of Life (春到人间). 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.^[5]

See also

• List of MediaCorp Channel 8 Chinese Drama Series (2010s)
• Joys of Life episodes

Notes

• This drama is one of two produced in conjunction with MediaCorp's celebration of 30 years of local Chinese drama and is Channel 8's 49th anniversary drama.
• Six songs were used for singing for the getai (歌台) scene, which was sung by Rui En, Chloe Wang, Candyce Toh and Xiao Gui. The Songs are "给我一个吻","说不出的快活","如果没有你","牵挂","蝴蝶花" and "新桃花江".
• In conjunction to the show, a closed-door "Cha-Chum Bom" dance party event was held on 15 June 2012. This event is organized by Mediacorp Entertains and Channel 8. A roadshow was held at Eastpoint Mall on 16 June 2012.
• Lina Ng's role Little Trumpet appeared in episodes 3 and 6. The role was coincidentally played by her too in the sitcom Right Frequency.
• Episodes 17 and 32 of this drama does not have commentaries for News Tonight during credits reel.
• After the end of each episode, bloopers will be shown during the credits reel, without audio, after the details of the song titles. Due to overruns in these bloopers, they will be shown immediately after the last few episodes.
• Local colloquialisms and abbreviations are used frequently in dialogues for period authenticity. The main characters are often referred to by their nicknames (e.g. Mingxing is usually called "Gou Zai", which means "Dagou's son", by the adults and Han Jianren, Yongyong's father, is almost always called "Chou Pi", which means "Smelly Fart"). Hokkien abbreviations and terms are often used, for example, "ah chek" is Uncle and Caifa and Yinjiao are often called "Towkay" and "Towkay Neo" which means "boss" and "lady boss" respectively.
• In Episodes 23 and 24, Yinjiao (Chen Liping) suffers a concussion and thinks she is Wang Baochuan (王宝钏), a dan character in Chinese opera. Wang Baochuan and her lover Xue Pinggui are the subject of the romance folktale Wujiapo (武家坡).
• The drama features Taiwanese singers Alien Huang (Xiao Gui) and Chloe Wang in their first and second Singaporean drama respectively.

Overseas broadcast

This drama is one of the first dramas to be broadcast exclusive in Malaysia after its first telecast of two weeks. But have possible plans to broadcast worldwide.

Country of Broadcast	Broadcasting Network	Debut	Finale	Preceded by	Followed by
Malaysia	Astro Shuang Xing	12 July 2012 at 4.30pm, weekdays (encore on 13 July at 3.30pm, weekdays)	29 August 2012 (encore on 30 August)	Code of Honour	Don't Stop Believin'
Asia-wide	MediaCorp 8i	14 November 2012 at 8.00pm, weekdays	1 January 2013	Yours Fatefully
Malaysia	Astro AEC	21 December 2012 at 8.30pm, weekdays	7 February 2013	Code of Honour

Accolades

Joys of Life bagged 3 out of 13 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

Nominee / Work	Award	Accolade	Result
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	Nominated
《珍惜》 sung by Power Station 动力火车		Best Theme Song 最佳主题曲	Won
Loo Yin Kam 卢燕金		Best Director 最佳导演	Nominated
Seah Choon Guan 谢俊源 Lim Gim Lan 林锦兰 Tan Ai Heng 陈海兴		Best Screenplay 最佳剧本	Nominated
Lee Heng Soon Tommy 李兴顺		Best Drama Cameraman 最佳戏剧摄影	Nominated
Xu Ying Ying 徐盈盈		Best Costume & Image Design 最佳服装与造型设计	Won
Zheng Kai Hua 郑凯华		Best Music & Sound Design 最佳音乐与音效设计	Won
Alien Huang 黄鸿升		Favourite Male Character 最喜爱男角色	Nominated
Alien Huang 黄鸿升 Rui En 瑞恩		Favourite On-screen Couple (Drama) 最喜爱银幕情侣	Nominated
Chew Chor Meng 周初明	Star Awards 2013 红星大奖2013	Best Actor 最佳男主角	Nominated
Huang Wenyong 黄文永		Best Supporting Actor 最佳男配角	Nominated
Romeo Tan 陈罗密欧			Nominated
Kate Pang 庞蕾馨		Best Supporting Actress 最佳女配角	Nominated
	Asian Television Awards 2013	Best Actress in a Supporting Role	Highly Commended

References

1. In the last episode, the characters were discussing about the government (HDB) taking over squatters and letting them choose their flats.
2. A visit to Tuas Movie City on MSN Video
3. "TV World in Tuas sees lights, cameras and action again". AsiaOne. 15 March 2012.
4. #joysoflife 年中大戏 – 花样人间 – 人物介绍 Part 2 + 开镜仪式！
5. "Don’t Stop Believin’ crosses the million mark". xin.msn.com. 12 September 2012.