Hero () is a Singaporean blockbuster drama produced and telecast on Mediacorp Channel 8. It stars Shaun Chen, Chen Hanwei and Jesseca Liu as the main casts of this series, and also features cameo appearances by Zoe Tay, Rebecca Lim, Xiang Yun, Jack Neo, Carrie Wong and many more.
Plot The story revolves around the lives of Zhou Fada, Ye Xiaoying and Zhang Weixiong, who are the three ordinary characters who grew up in Dakota Crescent. A series of interesting, exciting and personal stories will unfold...
Zhou Fada, also known as Big Brother, is a man with a strong sense of justice, loyalty and compassion. He always likes to help his neighbours handle problems in need. But because of his overzealous and reckless character, his good intentions often turn out to cause more trouble than help.
Ye Xiaoying is Fada's uncle, who always dreams of achieving phenomenal success in life, but he never did live up to his dreams as he is essentially just a slacker. He is very good at keeping out of trouble, by tactically avoiding tricky situations. His motto in life is: A man's greatest power is not his fists, but his tongue. He believes that being good with words can help one sail through career and relationships smoothly, but the fact is, his career and love affairs are almost always on the rocks.
Zhang Weixiong is a manly name, but the owner of the name is actually a cute girl. When her mother was pregnant with her, the ultrasound scan showed that it was a baby boy, so her father went to the fortune teller and got her this dashing manly name. Who would have expected that it was a baby girl! But they went along with the name “Wei Xiong” after all.
Weixiong is just like her name; she has great ambitions and a gusty character, and people in the neighborhood see her as the future elite. Unfortunately, that is just her pretense. She is actually very timid and cowardly, but she believes that in order to survive in this dog-eat-dog world, you will have to “never say die”. So even though she is crumbling from fear inside, she would always put up a strong front, and her strong-headedness always gets her into trouble. If not for the help of Big Brother Fada, with this personality, she might have much consequences to suffer.
These three characters, together known as “The Great Hero”, are a threesome in the neighbourhood and from them we will get to know many other members of Dakota Crescent and their stories.
Cast
Jin Yinji as Granny Swordswoman 侠女阿嫲 Chen Hanwei as Ye Xiaoying, Granny Swordswoman's son Shaun Chen as Zhou Fada, Granny Swordswoman's grandson Zhu Xiufeng as Granny Mahjong 麻将婆 Brandon Wong as Zhang Zhiming 张志明, a security officer Pan Lingling as Xiao Jiahui 萧家慧, Zhang Zhiming's wife who is suffering from dementia Jesseca Liu as Zhang Weixiong 张伟雄, Zhang and Xiao's daughter, a lawyer Ian Fang as Zhang Weikang 张伟康, Zhang and Xiao's son Zhu Houren as Ou Sihai 区四海 Andie Chen as Ou Jinguang 区金光 Youyi as Xiuzhen 秀珍, daughter of Auntie Teochew and Ou Jinguang's wife Paige Chua as Ou Jinxuan 区金萱, Ou Sihai's daughter Nicholas Lim 林道锐 as Boy Boy 小冬瓜, son of Ye Xiaoying and Ou Jinxuan Chen Tianwen as Guan A-li 关阿礼, Huang Lili's ex-husband Aileen Tan as Huang Lili 黄丽丽, Guan A-li's ex-wife, a cleaner He Ying Ying as Guan Meiyu 关美玉, elder daughter of Guan A-li and Huang Lili Bonnie Loo as Guan Meimei 关美美, younger daughter of Guan A-li and Huang Lili, a cleaner Ng Suan Loi 黃晶晶 as Granny Cardboard/Cha Kwee Kiao 纸皮婆, Luo Bei's mother, a cardboard collector Peter Yu as Luo Bei 罗北, a taxi driver
Other characters
Sheila Sim as Fan Fangfang 范芳芳, came from China to look for a job in Singapore Henry Thia as Steven Teddy Tang as Jack Chan, Zhang Weixiong's classmate and love interest James Seah as Chen Bangqing 陈邦庆, Fan Fangfang's ex-boyfriend and enemy Mervyn Lee 李岳杰 as Potty Mouth 臭口王, Ah Jiao's husband Desmond Ng as Walter Lu Marcus Mok 莫健发 as Eric Joy Yak 易凌 as Ah Jiao 阿娇 王慧莹 as Auntie Teochew 潮州嫂 马天凌 as Mr Liu 刘总 Zhang Yaodong as Zhang Zhentian 张振天
Cameo appearances Cast Role Description Carrie Wong 黄思恬 Alexia The three Charlie's Angels Ya Hui 雅慧 Betty Felicia Chin 陈凤玲 Cathy Chew Chor Meng 周初明 Wei Ge 伟哥 Loan Shark Boss attending to Zhou Fada and Ye Xiaoying Oh Ling En 胡菱恩 Student 中学学生 Dennis Chew 周崇庆 Aunty Lucy Reprised her role from Paris and Milan Granny Mahjong's playmate Was owed debt by Granny Mahjong Tay Ping Hui 郑斌辉 Rice King 饭王 Zhou Fada's friend Sold rice, curry sauce and a few other ingredients to Zhou Fada Kym Ng 钟琴 Fishball Girl 鱼丸妹 Zhou Fada's friend Sold some fishballs to Zhou Fada Mark Lee 李国煌 Long Ge 龙哥 A mover boss who gave a job to Zhou Fada Terence Cao 曹国辉 Xie Xian 谢贤 Xiao Jiahui's secondary school classmate Gave Xiao Jiahui a lift home in his branded car Jack Neo 梁志强 Liang Po Po 梁婆婆 Reprised her role from Comedy Night/Comedy Nite Met Guan Meiyu in the Public Toilet Zhang Zhenxuan 张振煊 George Pu Ou Jinxuan's ex-boyfriend Xiang Yun Quan Min'er 权敏儿 Zhou Fada's biological mother Suffered from a terminal disease (Deceased - episode 13) Zoe Tay Deborah Zhang Weikang's sugar mummy Alex's wife Wang Yuqing Leo Guo Liang Alex Zhang Weikang's offender Deborah's husband Rebecca Lim Herself Actress Richard Low Old fogey 老鬼 Humiliated Granny Swordswoman at the Dakota Hawker Centre Huang Biren He Xuemei 何雪美 Tigeress (老虎)/Mdm Hor Reprised her role as a prison officer from Tiger Mum Mistook Ye Xiaoying for Antonio Chen Hongyu, who also appeared in Tiger Mum Jeremy Chan John Runs a tropical fish shop Michael Huang Liar Gangster who threatened Xiao Jiahui Jayley Woo Bonnie Flat-chested (莫尼) Zhang Weikang's ex-girlfriend Sora Ma Herself Actress Went to Guan Meimei's concert in Episode 28 Desmond Tan Himself Actor Went to Guan Meimei's concert in Episode 28 Zheng Geping Bonnie父亲Bonnie's father Kenneth Chung Himself Radio DJ and Host for YES 933 Hong Ling Herself Actress 洪偉文 Mr Hong洪编剧 Scriptwriter
Production
Dakota Crescent is one of Singapore's earliest housing estates, built in 1958 by the Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT), which preceded the Housing and Development Board (HDB). In July 2014, it was decided that the housing estate would be redeveloped under the HDB's SERS scheme and all residents would have to relocate by 2016. This prompted a campaign by activists for its conservation, a work of art to be created about it and also media coverage given to Dakota Crescent.
This drama series was also produced as a means of kick-starting the commemoration of 35 years of Singapore-produced Chinese-language television in Singapore. As part of this, Mediacorp's famous Chinese-speaking comedy icons, such as characters Aunty Lucy (played by Dennis Chew) from Paris and Milan and Liang Po Po (played by Jack Neo) from Comedy Night/Comedy Nite, will be making cameo appearances in this drama.
Imaging sessions were done in end-April and early-May 2016, while the first scene was shot on 23 May. On 30 July 2016, in the nineteenth season of The Sheng Siong Show, it was also announced that Power Station will be performing the drama's ending theme. They were in Singapore to promote their "Next Station" world tour which will be held on 27 August.
A post-screening session was conducted at Dakota Crescent's Care and Friends Centre. The cast of Hero - Shaun Chen, Jesseca Liu, Chen Hanwei, Bonnie Loo, Paige Chua, Ian Fang, Sheila Sim, Youyi, He Yingying, Aileen Tan, Brandon Wong and Jin Yinji were present. The first episode of the show was also broadcast there.
Original Sound Track (OST) Song title Song type Lyrics Composer Performer Producer The Extraordinary 格外精彩 Opening theme song 王振声 周以力 Janice Yan 阎奕格— Tears 借你一点泪 Sub-theme song 姚若龙 郑楠 Power Station Wait For Love 等一等爱情 乐声 邓碧源 Bonnie Loo 麦如丽 Watching Over You 守护你 高飞 Benny Wong
Accolades The series has the most nominations in the Star Awards 2017, and won two, which were Best Supporting Actress and Drama Serial. Year Ceremony Category Nominees ResultRef2017Star Awards Best Director Wong Foong Hwee Best Screenplay Ang Eng Tee London Choco Roll Happiness Award Shaun Chen Bioskin Healthiest Hair Award Desmond Ng Best Actor Shaun Chen Best Actress Jesseca Liu Best Supporting Actor Andie Chen Best Supporting Actress Paige Chua Pan Lingling Bonnie Loo Aileen Tan Best Evergreen Artiste AwardAileen Tan Best Drama Serial 2019Asia Rainbow TV Awards Outstanding Leading Actress in Comedy Jesseca Liu Outstanding Comedy
References