Gloves Come Off is a Hong Kong television action drama produced by TVB under executive producer Marco Law, starring Kevin Cheng, Raymond Wong Ho-yin, Selena Lee and Natalie Tong as the main leads. A costume fitting was held on 29 March 2011 at Tseung Kwan O TVB City Studio One at 12:30PM. A worship ceremony was then held on 28 April 2011 at Tseung Kwan O TVB City Studio 12 at 2:00PM where filming began. Filming ended in July. The first episode was aired on April 16, 2012 on the TVB Jade channel, simultaneously with TVB's overseas partners and affiliates.
Synopsis Tong Shap Yat (Kevin Cheng) was a devoted adherent of Muay Thai, wishing to prove himself against the best practitioners of the art, he fought in underground matches in Thailand, and out of a desire to win accidentally kills an opponent. Jailed for manslaughter for 7 years, Tong returns to Hong Kong 11 years later a changed man. During his time in prison his wife died of an untreated illness leaving Tong a lone parent and sole provider for his son. A remorseful Tong attempts to wash his hands of Muay Thai and seeks to lead a peaceful and peaceable life.
Ko Wai Ting (Kenny Wong) is Tong Shap Yat's friend, and they were students together in the same Muay Thai gym, in the intervening years Ko has built a successful Muay Thai boxercise business, based on his own success and the success of his stable of fighters in competition. With his stable depleted by injuries and defections, leaving him weak in some weight classes, Ko attempts to convince Tong to return to the ring. The promised purse being enough to lift Tong from his hand-to-mouth existence as a security guard and odd-job man and allow him to better provide for his son.
Pat Ka Shing (Raymond Wong Ho-yin), although athletic and fit, is a newcomer to Muay Thai, saved by Ko Wai Ting from a beating by muggers, Pat joins Ko's gym to learn enough to protect himself, but initially has no wish to fight in competition. A natural at the sport, Pat is persuaded to fight and falls in love with the experience; Muay Thai giving him a purpose and direction in life that he had previously lacked.
While each gains from being in the ring, be it money, glory or self-esteem, they each come to desire to know just how good they are and which of them is the true "King of the ring".
Cast The Tong family Cast Role Description Kevin Cheng Tong Sap Yat唐拾一 Originally security guard, later boxer trainerCheuk Man's husbandTong Kat's fatherSee "Tang Lung" Muay Thai Gym Kate Tsui Cheuk Man卓 敏 Tong Sap Yat's wifeTong Gat's motherDeceased Leung Chi Ho Tong Kat唐 吉 Tong Sap Yat and Cheuk Man's son
The Pat family Cast Role Description Chow Chung Pat Kau Yan畢求仁 Tofu store ownerNg Suet Fong's husbandPat Ka Wah and Pat Ka Sing's fatherYuen Mei Mei and Yam Ho Kau's father in-law Angelina Lo Ng Suet Fong吳雪芳 Pat Kau Yan's wifePat Ka Wah and Pat Ka Sing's motherYam Ho Kau's mother in-law Michael Choi Pat Ka Wah畢家華 Pat Kau Yan and Ng Suet Fong's elder sonPat Ka Shing's elder brotherYuen Mei Mei's husband Pancy Chan Yuen Mei Mei阮美美 Pat Kau Yan and Ng Suet Fong's daughter-in-lawPat Ka Wah's wife Raymond Wong Ho-yin Pat Ka Sing 畢加誠 Nak muayOffice assistantPat Kau Yan and Ng Suet Fong's sonPat Ka Wah's younger brotherTsui Shuk Wai's boyfriend, later broke upYam Ho Kau's boyfriend, later husbandCheats on Yam Ho Kau with Chong Po Kei(Wan Tong) Natalie Tong Yam Ho Kau 任好逑 Yam Kwok Lung's daughterPat Kau Yan and Ng Suet Fong's daughter in-lawPat Ka Sing's girlfriend, later wifeAccidentally killed by Chu Sai-cheung in episode 23
The Yam family Cast Role Description Lau Kong Yam Kwok Lung任國龍 Muay Thai gym ownerYam Ho Kau's fatherTong Sap Yat and Ko Wai Ting's coach Natalie Tong Yam Ho Kau 任好逑 Yam Kwok Lung's daughterSee The Pat family
"Tang Lung" Muay Thai Gym Cast Role Description Lau Kong Yam Kwok Lung任國龍 Muay Thai gym ownerSee The Yam family Kevin Cheng Tong Sap Yat唐拾一 Former underground nak muay in ThailandSecuritynak muayYam Kwok Lung's discipleCheuk Man's husbandThey meet again at the church where they got married, but she does not remember him. Nancy Wu Ting Yan Chi 丁恩慈 Deafnak muay yingChu Sai Cheung's girlfriend, later broke upLoves Tong Sap Yat, but remain his pupil instead. Power Chan Chu Sai Cheung朱細祥 Muay Thai gym workerTing Yan Chi's boyfriend, later broke upBetrays Pat Ka Sing and Ko Wai TingInadvertently killed Yam Ho Kau(Main Villain) Eddie Law (羅天池) Lo Tao羅 濤 Muay Thai coachTsui Wing's opponent Vivi Lee (李美慧) Ho Pui Yi何佩儀 Muay Thai coach Otto Chan (陳志健) Dai Zi Lik戴子力 Nak muay
"The Champ" Muay Thai Gym (later Disbanded) Cast Role Description Kenny Wong (黃德斌) Ko Wai Ting高偉廷 Muay Thai gym ownerFormer underground nak muay in ThailandYam Kwok Lung's discipleTong Sap Yat's seniorChong Po Lam's husbandPat Ka Sing's master Raymond Wong Ho-yin Pat Ka Sing (Buddy)畢加誠 See The Pat family Thomas Sin (冼灝英) Muay Thai coachEric Li's senior Eric Li 文健生 Muay Thay coachThomas Sin's juniorChan Wing Chun's son Tsui Wing Nak muay, later Muay Thai coachEddie Law's opponent Gregory Lee (李泳豪) Nak muay Lee Ka (李嘉) Lui King呂景 Nak muay Benjamin Yuen Lai Ying黎英 Nak muay
The Ko family Cast Role Description Kenny Wong (黃德斌) Ko Wai Ting高偉廷 Chong Po Lam's husbandSee "The Champ" Muay Thai Gym Florence Kwok Chong Po Lam莊寶琳 Ko Wai Ting's wifeChong Po Kei's elder sister Wong Ho Ying Miko Ko Wai Ting and Chong Po Lam's daughter Katy Kung Chong Po Kei莊寶琪 Chong Po Lam's younger sisterPat Ka Sing's mistress, later broke up Was a villain, but then helped the Allies by becoming a witness to the Yam Ho Kau murder, which led to the pursuit of Chu Sai Cheung(Main Villain)
The Leung family Cast Role DescriptionEdwin Siu Leung Yan Wah梁恩樺 Telecom company presidentChai Pak Fai's boyfriend, later husbandGets paralyzed from waist down, revealed in episode 18Begins to abuse Chai Pak FaiCommits suicide in episode 19(Semi-Villain)Selena Li Chai Pak Fai齊柏暉 Leung Yan Wah's girlfriend, later wifeLater gets abused by Leung Yan WahHas alzheimer's, revealed in episode 23, forgets almost everything
Other cast Cast Role Description Bowie Wu (胡楓) Cheuk Chan Fan卓鎮凡 Cheuk Man's father Pancy Chan (陳佩思) Pat Ka Sing's big sister Catherine Chau (周家怡) Tsui Suk Wai徐淑惠 Property sales agentPat Ka Sing's girlfriend, later broke up Albert Lo (羅浩楷) Chai Kam Wing齊錦榮 Chai Pak Fai's father Hugo Wong (黃子衡) "The Champ" employee Brian Wong (黃澤鋒) Security Wong Wai Tak (王維德) Security Wong Fung King (黃鳳瓊) Lee Hing Wah (李興華) Lee Ka Ting (李家鼎) One of the Muay Thai boxing gym owners Daniel Kwok (郭卓樺) Dickson Wong Yeung Chiu Hoi (楊潮凱) Brian Chu (朱敏瀚) William Chak Yam Ho Kau's ex-boyfriend Chan Wing Chun (陳榮峻) Eric Li's father Eric Li Tang Lung's boxer Tang Ying Man (鄧英敏) Ching Wai (菁瑋) Tina Shek (石天欣) Nurse Plato Lai (黎國輝) Journalist Lui Hei (呂熙) Tse Cheuk Yin (謝卓言) Josephine Shum (岑寶兒) Lam Ying Hung (林影紅) Yeung Hung Chun (楊鴻俊) Oscar Chan (陳堃) Cheng Fan Sang (鄭藩生) Chow Chung Chung周忠中 "Cheung Tin Enterprise" office assistant Owen Ng (吳雲甫) Fong Siu Chung (方紹聰)
Awards and nominations
Nominated: My AOD Favorites for My Favorite Drama Nominated: My AOD Favorites for My Favorite On Screen Couple (Raymond Wong and Natalie Tong) Nominated: My AOD Favorites for My Favorite Actors in a Leading Role (Kevin Cheng and Raymond Wong) Won: My AOD Favorites for My Favorite Actress in a Supporting Role (Nancy Wu) Nominated: TVB Anniversary Awards for Best Drama Nominated: TVB Anniversary Awards for Best Actor (Kevin Cheng) Nominated: TVB Anniversary Awards for Best Actor (Raymond Wong) Nominated: TVB Anniversary Awards for Best Actress (Natalie Tong) Nominated: TVB Anniversary Awards for Most Improved Male Artiste (Edwin Siu) Nominated: TVB Anniversary Awards for Most Improved Female Artiste (Katy Kung) Won: TVB Anniversary Awards for Best Supporting Actress (Nancy Wu) Won: Asian Television Awards for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Nancy Wu)
Viewership ratings Week Episodes Average Points Peaking Points References April 16–20, 2012 April 23–27, 2012 April 30 - May 4, 2012 May 7–11, 2012 5 May 14–17, 2012 May 18, 2012
International broadcast - NTV7 (Malaysia)
References