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 cast of the series.
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.In the last episode, the characters were discussing about the government (HDB) taking over squatters and letting them choose their flats. It is the first on-screen pairing of Rui En and Alien Huang, and Huang's first Singaporean drama.
Plot 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. 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 (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 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 (Zheng Geping) and his stingy 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, 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 (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 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 (Bobby Tonelli). Rourou breaks up with Yiduo, saying that he is too dependent on his mother.
Rourou signs a contract with a record company. Peterson (George Young), the boss of the company, goes out with Rourou to celebrate. They both get drunk and Peterson takes advantage of Rourou. Peterson, who grew to love Rourou, proposes to Rourou and confesses his love for her. Rourou refuses at first, but ultimately agrees. However, 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 (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. 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.
Cast
Chew Chor Meng as Zhao Dagou 赵大狗 Alien Huang as Zhao Mingxing 赵明星 Huang Wenyong as Han Jianren 韩建仁 Lin Meijiao as Liu Daiyu 刘黛玉 Rui En as Han Yongyong 韩咏咏
Han family Cast Role Description Chloe Wang Han Rourou韩柔柔 Jianren and Daiyu's second daughterYongyong's sisterPreviously liked MingxingZibin's girlfriendWent to Malaya in episode 23Gave birth to hers and Peterson's son in episode 28Quit getai in episode 34 and went to Malaya to establish her career in episode 35 Vina Lim Han Zhuzhu Jianren and Daiyu's daughter Lorraine Koh Han Meimei Jianren and Daiyu's daughter
Qian family Cast Role Description Zheng Geping Qian Caifa钱财发 TowkayYinjiao's husbandOwner of a bakeryYongyong's biological fatherLearned that Yongyong is her biological daughter in episode 14Got knocked out by Erduo in episode 26Reconciled and acknowledge Yongyong in episode 34Chased Erduo out of the house after discovering what he had done in episode 35 Chen Liping Jin Yinjiao金银娇 Towkay Neo, Fei Po JiaoCaifa's domineering wifeYongyong's biological motherDiscovered that Yongyong is her biological daughter in episode 21Fell down the stairs in episode 21 and suffer from amnesia in episode 23Reconciled and acknowledge with Yongyong in episode 34 Rui En Han Yongyong韩咏咏 See Han family Zhang Yaodong Qian Yiduo钱一多 Da Long Caifa and Yinjiao's eldest sonYongyong's biological twin brother Rourou's ex-boyfriendLianjing's husbandDiscovered that Yongyong is his twin sister in episode 24Got beaten by Loanshark Qiang while trying to save Yongyong in episode 26Slept with Lianjing in episode 27Married Lianjing in episode 28Became a father in the end Kate Pang Sun Lianjing孙廉静 See Sun family Romeo Tan Qian Erduo钱二多 Main Villain, Lao Er Caifa and Yinjiao's second sonOrdered someone to hit Caifa in episode 26Make Lianjing and Yiduo slept together in episode 27 and were seen by SanduoCaused the death of Caigang in episode 33Chased out of the house by Caifa in episode 34Set fire to Forever Fragrant bakery in episode 35 and disappearedReturned and became mentally unstable in the end Ivan Lo Qian Sanduo钱三多 Xiao Long Caifa and Yinjiao's youngest son Bryan Chan Qian Caiguang钱财光 Relative of Qian CaifaDied in episode 33 Lin Liyun Wang Limei Qian Cai Guang's wife Adeline Lim Qian Meihua钱梅花 Qian Caiguang and Wang Limei's daughter
Sun family Cast Role Description Yao Wenlong Sun Yaping孙亚平 RotiXianya's Husband"Roti" (bread) sellerIntended to divorced Xianya after what she had done but ultimately reconciled with her in episode 28 Pan Lingling Cai Xianya蔡贤雅 Ducky (Xian Ya) Yaping's wifeA school teacherKissed Yama-san in episode 25Intended to commit suicide in episode 28 but ultimately reconciled with Yaping Andie Chen Sun Zibin孙子斌 Sun Zi Bin FaXianya and Yaping's sonWorked for a radio companyMeiguang's love interestExpressed his love for Rourou and went to Malaya in episode 35 Kate PangSun Lianjing孙廉菁Pale Face (Lian Qing Qing)Xianya and Yaping's daughterMingxing's ex-girlfriendYiduo's wife
Supporting cast