When Heaven Burns is a 2011 Hong Kong television serial produced by TVB and starring Bowie Lam, Moses Chan, Kenny Wong, Charmaine Sheh and Angela Tong. First revealed during TVB's Sales Presentation 2009 in 2008, filming took place in late 2009 to early 2010, with the first episode airing both in Hong Kong and TVB's overseas affiliates and partners on 21 November 2011. On 27 December 2011, the show was blacklisted by the Chinese State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television, making it the first Hong Kong television drama to be censored in mainland China in more than two decades.
Despite being the second lowest-rated TVB drama of 2011, When Heaven Burns gained a strong cult following online and received critical acclaim in Hong Kong, winning Best Drama at the 2012 TVB Anniversary Awards.
Plot In their youth Joe (Bowie Lam), Angus (Moses Chan), Ronnie (Kenny Wong) and Ka Ming are good friends and bandmates. During a mountaineering trip, the four are stranded on a snowbound mountain and Ka Ming was left gravely injured. This event has a traumatic effect on them; their friendship dynamic; and their relationship with Yan (Charmaine Sheh), Ka Ming's girlfriend; leading the previously close group to go their separate ways and abandon their friendship.
Eighteen years later, Yan who remains haunted by the memory of Ka Ming, leads an unfulfilled and occasionally self-destructive personal life while enjoying success professionally as a jaded but popular radio announcer. Joe, Angus and Ronnie have also forged their own successful professional paths, albeit with drastic changes to their actual personalities and characteristics.
A chance incident reunites them and the group bonded again. Unfortunately, the discovery of Ka Ming's body by police revealed Joe, Angus, and Ronnie's long held dark secret of murder and cannibalism, and their continued psychological manipulation and gaslighting of Yan into believing Ka Ming's death was merely an accident. The fragile ties to each other begin to unravel leading each of them to finally confront their true selves. The resulting conflicts bring permanent changes and tragic consequences to all of them, but also a just resolution to their moral dilemmas in accordance with the life decisions they made.
The poetic, well thought out ending was satisfying and thought-provoking in equal measures regarding topics of whether there exists such a thing as karmic retribution and whether different decisions will lead to different consequences in life or if they will all still lead to the same final outcome: free will vs fate.
Additionally, the series also address the modern Hong Kong public's concerns and anxieties regarding the gloomy political outlook, the social injustices and the increasing disregard of moral values; in the years since its handover back to China.
There are also sharp commentaries on the appalling moral quality of the members of the Legislative Council and the forgetful tendencies of the Hong Kong society as a whole. Emphasis on values such as free will, choice of rights, independent personality, and resistance to hegemony accurately reflects the public's disaffection and thus resonated with younger more politically aware audiences.
Cast
The Lau family Cast Role Description Age Bowie Lam Lau Chun Hung (Joe)劉俊雄 An accountant/A trade union executive/A Legco candidateA band drummerMa Wing Yee's husbandAu Hoi Ching's love interest, later her loverYip Chi Yan's admirerSung Yee Long and Cheng Chun Hin's friendAu Hoi Ching's superior, later lover, finally broke upYung Cheuk Wah's subordinate, later loverKilled and ate Hui Ka Ming43 Astrid Chan Ma Wing-yee (Gina)馬詠儀 A nurseLau Chun Hung's wifeIvan's mistress, later broke up41
The Yung family Cast Role Description Age Elaine Jin Yung Cheuk Wah (Brenda)翁卓樺 Yung Cheuk Tung's older sisterPointed against Sung Yee LongLau Chun Hung's superior, later mistressDied in a car accident in Episode 2550 Maggie Shiu Yung Cheuk Tung (Emma)翁卓桐 Yung Cheuk Wah's younger sisterSung Yee Long's girlfriend turned wifeYip Chi Yan and Cheng Kin Sang's friendLai Sze Man's love rival40 Moses Chan Sung Yee Long (Angus)宋以朗 A securities agentLau Chun Hung and Cheng Chun Hin's friendYung Cheuk Tung's boyfriend turned husbandLam Pui Ling's ex-boyfriend, later loverYip Chi Yan's ex-boyfriendKilled and ate Hui Ka Ming38
The Cheng family Cast Role Description Age Kenny Wong Cheng Chun Hin (Ronnie)鄭振軒 A former actuaryA bass guitaristYeung Suet Mei's husbandCheng Man-shan and Cheng Man-kei's fatherLau Chun Hung, Sung Yee Long and Yung Cheuk Tung's friendKilled and ate Hui Ka Ming44 Angela Tong Yeung Suet Mei (Shirley)楊雪薇 Cheng Chun Hin's wifeCheng Man-shan and Cheng Man-kei's motherLau Chun Hung's admirerYip Chi Yan's good friend, later friendship breaks39 Rachel Poon Cheng Man-shan (Katie)鄭文珊 Cheng Chun Hin and Yeung Suet Mei's daughter. Yeung Ka Shing Cheng Man-kei (Frankie)鄭文基 Cheng Chun Hin and Yeung Suet Mei's sonCheng Man-shan's brother
The Yip family Cast Role Description Age Yu Tsz MingYip Kwong Loi葉光來 Yip Chi Yan's father Doollou Poon Cheung Pui Kwan張珮君 Yip Chi Yan's stepmother Charmaine Sheh Yip Chi Yan (Hazel, Yan)葉梓恩 DJYip Kwong Loi's daughterCheung Pui Kwan's stepdaughterYung Cheuk Tung's friendHui Ka Ming, Sung Yee Long's ex-girlfriendArthur's mistress, later broke upLau Chun Hung, Sung Yee Long and Cheng Chun Hin's friend and love interest 34
Workers' Right Protection Association Cast Role Description Age Lau Dan Kong Siu Chuen江兆泉 A trade union leader/A Legco candidateLau Chun Hung's master, later broke up Bowie Lam Lau Chun Hung (Joe)劉俊雄 A trade union executive/A Legco candidateKong Siu Chuen's apprentice, later broke upAu Hoi Ching's superior and love interest, later her lover, finally broke up43Cindy Lee Au Hoi Ching (Cloris)區海晴 A trade union memberLau Chun Hung's assistantLove Lau Chun Hung, later his mistress, finally broke upCommitted suicide on Episode 27
Ching Ho Finance Cast Role Description Age Elaine Jin Yung Cheuk Wah (Brenda)翁卓樺 ShareholderHau Chiu Ping's ex-girlfriendLau Chun Hung's superior, later mistressDied in a car accident in Episode 25 50 Moses Chan Sung Yee Long (Angus)宋以朗 Chief Operations OfficerResigned in Episode 20 40 Bowie Lam Lau Chun Hung (Joe)劉俊雄 Chief Operations OfficerYung Cheuk Wah's subordinate, later loverJoined in Episode 20 43 Chan Hung-lit Hau Chiu Ping (George)侯釗平 Yung Cheuk Wah's ex-boyfriend Queenie Chu Lam Pui Ling (Jessica)林佩玲 Sung Yee Long's subordinate and loverYung Cheuk Tung's love rivalResigned in Episode 2027 Cheung Kwok Keung Lui Yiu-bun (Ben)雷耀彬 Triad memberSung Yee Long's subordinate, later Lau Chun Hung's subordinateLoved Lam Pui Ling Kenny Wong Cheng Chun Hin (Ronnie)鄭振軒 ActuaryJoined in Episode 24 44
CC Radio Cast Role Description Age Andy Tai Hung Mao Sum (Sam)洪茂森 Radio Commander Charmaine Sheh Yip Chi Yan (Hazel, Yan)葉梓恩 DJ34 Catherine Chau Mabel DJYip Chi Yan's colleague Rachel Kan Daisy DJYip Chi Yan's colleague Bryant Mak Gordon DJYip Chi Yan's colleague Joe Junior Dr. Dylan A retired DJ that works in Yip Chi Yan's DJ Radio Station Tai Yiu Ming Rico DJ assistantYip Chi Yan's assistant
Other cast Cast Role Description Stanley Cheung Hui Ka Ming許家明 A telecom technician, a band guitaristYip Chi Yan's boyfriend and love of her lifeLau Chun Hung, Sung Yee Long and Cheng Chun Hin's friendKilled and eaten by Lau Chun Hung, Sung Yee Long and Cheng Chun Hin at the snow mountain Felix Lok Ivan Wong A doctorMa Wing-yee's lover, later broke up Tsui Wing Arthur Yip Chi Yan's lover, later broke up Ben Wong Bowman A cookYip Chi Yan's husband, later divorced Calinda Chan (陳宛蔚) Sweets Shop owner Yeung Ching Wah (楊證樺) Ho Wai Yip (何偉業) Yiu Ho Ching (姚浩政) Cheung Hon Pan (張漢斌) Fu Kim Hung (傅劍虹) Chung Yuk Ching (鍾鈺精) Tsang Yuen Sa (曾琬莎) Wong Lok Yee (黃樂兒) Janice Ting (丁樂鍶) Owen Ng (吳雲甫)
Viewership ratings Week Originally Aired Episodes Average Points Peaking Points References 1 21 November 2011 1 29 30 21–25 November 2011 1 – 5 26 30 2 28 November – 1 December 2011 6 – 9 25 28 3 6–9 December 2011 10 – 13 23 — 4 12–16 December 2011 14 – 18 23 — 5 19–23 December 2011 19 – 23 23 26 6 26–30 December 2011 24 – 28 24 — 1 January 2012 29 – 30 30 34
Theme songs The opening and closing theme songs of When Heaven Burns were composed by Paul Wong, formerly of the Hong Kong band Beyond. Paul Wong is the guitarist for both songs and is the vocalist for the opening theme. The closing theme is sung by the three male leads and serves as the reconstructed lost song.
The plot line of a band returning home with one of their member dead has led to comparisons between the fictional band and Beyond.
Censorship in mainland China On 27 December 2011, with four episodes to go, China's State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television ordered the sub-licensees to withdraw the video streaming on 11 websites based on the pretext of cannibalism, making When Heaven Burns the first Hong Kong soap opera series to be censored in mainland China in over two decades. The real-time relay in Guangdong province was unaffected, however, and the remaining episodes were shown on television without hindrance in that province. The underlying reason for this withdrawal was thought to be because of the show's underlying allusions to the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 and non-mainland China media considered this move as censorship. The storyline and the characters demonstrated similarities to the Tiananmen Square protest. When interviewed by Hong Kong's Apple Daily, the show's screenwriter agreed that the story was inspired by the government crackdown on the student democracy movement.
Awards and nominations On 17 December 2012, When Heaven Burns won the TVB Anniversary Award for best drama in 2012, the award was a result of a popular vote.
2012 TVB Anniversary Awards Best Drama Nominated – Best Actress (Charmaine Sheh) – Top 5 Nominated – My Favourite Female Character (Charmaine Sheh) – Top 10
My AOD Favourite Awards 2012 Nominated – Best Drama Nominated – Best Actress (Charmaine Sheh) – Top 5 Nominated – Top 15 Character (Charmaine Sheh) Nominated – Top 15 Character (Bowie Lam) Nominated – Best Theme Song (年少無知 by Bowie Lam, Moses Chan and Kenny Wong)
CASH Golden Sail Music Awards 2012 Best Chorus Performance (年少無知 by Bowie Lam, Moses Chan and Kenny Wong)
17th Asian Television Awards 2012 Best Actor – Moses Chan
Metro Radio Hits Music Awards 2012 My Most Appreciated Song (年少無知 by Paul Wong)
Ultimate Song Chart Awards 2012 WeChat Chit Chat Most Popular Song (年少無知 by Bowie Lam, Moses Chan and Kenny Wong) My Favourite Song (年少無知 by Bowie Lam, Moses Chan and Kenny Wong)
RTHK Top 10 Gold Songs Awards 2012 Top 10 Gold Songs Nominated – Top 10 Singers (Bowie Lam, Moses Chan and Kenny Wong)
References
External links