A Voyage
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''The Journey: A Voyage'' () was the first season of
MediaCorp Channel 8 Channel 8 ( zh, 8頻道) is a Singaporean Mandarin-language free-to-air terrestrial television channel in Singapore, owned by state media conglomerate Mediacorp. The channel broadcasts general entertainment and news programming in the Manda ...
's nation-building trilogy, ''The Journey''. The season is based on first-generation Chinese immigrants who set foot on the island of Singapore to seek their fortunes and future. It premiered on 25 November 2013 and concluded on 7 January 2014. A total of 31 episodes aired during the period. It stars first generation casts,
Li Nanxing Li Nanxing (born Jonathan Lee Nam Heng on 7 November 1964) is a Singaporean actor who has been referred to as "Ah-Ge" (阿哥, "big brother") of Caldecott Hill. He is also a businessman and filmmaker. Li has acted in many Chinese-language te ...
,
Elvin Ng Elvin Ng Choon Siong (born December 23, 1980) is a Singaporean actor and former model. Early life Ng attended Jurong Primary School, Catholic High School and National Junior College. He graduated with an honours degree in English literatu ...
, Desmond Tan,
Jeanette Aw Jeanette Aw Ee-Ping (born 28 June 1979), also known as Ou Xuan, is a Singaporean actress, host, filmmaker, businesswoman and writer. Aw was named as one of the Seven Princesses of Mediacorp in 2006, after which she achieved wider success with ...
,
Joanne Peh Joanne Peh Wei Siew (born 25 April 1983) is a Singaporean actress and television host. She is married to Singapore-based Chinese actor Qi Yuwu. Life and career After winning the title of Miss Elegant and Miss Personality in Miss Singapore ...
,
Tong Bing Yu Tong Bing Yu (formerly known as Chris Tong; ; born on 14 June 1983) is a Malaysian actress, host, singer, and producer. In 2014, Tong Bing Yu was awarded one of Malaysia's Top Ten Outstanding Youth. She is a long-term sponsor of "Ali De Sper ...
and
Pierre Png Pierre Png Tiang Huat (born 29 October 1973) is a Singaporean actor, comedian and businessman. He is known for starring in multiple Singaporean MediaCorp's Channel 5 and Channel 8's dramas which include '' The Gentlemen'' and '' When Duty C ...
as the cast of the first installment of the series.


Plot

Facing the poverty, Chinese Hakka immigrants from Yongding, Fujian left in droves to south-east asia. The boat finally arrives in Nanyang. For no apparent reason, Hong Shi is framed for a robbery-murder case and remanded in prison. Out of desperation, Yazi seeks help with a
Nyonya The Peranakan Chinese () are an ethnic group defined by their genealogical descent from the first waves of Southern Chinese settlers to maritime Southeast Asia, known as Nanyang (), namely the British, Portuguese, and Dutch colonial ports i ...
, Zhang Huiniang and her “elder brother” Zhang Dong’en as they work hand in hand to prove Hong Shi's innocence. Dong’en is Zhang Guangda's nephew. His father, Zhang Guangping married a
Peranakan The Peranakan Chinese () are an ethnic group defined by their genealogical descent from the first waves of Southern Chinese settlers to maritime Southeast Asia, known as Nanyang (region), Nanyang (), namely the British Empire, British, Portugu ...
, Huang Zhenniang years after his wife died. When Zhenniang married into the Zhang family, she brought along her god-daughter Huiniang, who being younger than Dong’en, addresses him as “elder brother”. The two of them were initially at loggerheads, but gradually grew closer. However, being “siblings” prevent them from overstepping the boundary. Dong'en's aunt, Han Xiuxiang is jealous. Hong Shi returns to work as a tin miner after his release, while Yazi, like the other
Hakka The Hakka (), sometimes also referred to as Hakka-speaking Chinese, or Hakka Chinese, or Hakkas, are a southern Han Chinese subgroup whose principal settlements and ancestral homes are dispersed widely across the provinces of southern China ...
women, becomes a “dulang woman”, panning tin for a pittance. The mine owner not only plants opium at the mine area for profits, he also exploits his miners by enticing them into sex, gambling and opium-smoking to recuperate the wages he pays out to them. To help his relative repay gambling debts, Hong Shi is also lured into gambling and eventually incurs a huge debt of $600. At the same time, Supervisor Heilong lusts after Yazi's beauty and attempts to possess her by destroying Hong Shi. Tianying meets Huiniang and is mesmerised by her. Believing that he is an honest and simple man, Huiniang recommends a job to him in a medicinal herbal store, where he develops a master-disciple relationship with the elderly herbalist, Chen Kuang. The old master imparts prescriptions from his lifelong research to Tianying, exhorting him to produce affordable medicines to benefit the toiling masses. Tianpeng assists Tianying in establishing the business of manufacturing medicinal products which he markets tirelessly until they become a household name. The brothers never forget to donate money to charity and uplift the standard of life in their hometown. Hong Shi becomes a fugitive after being framed by Heilong. He abandons himself to despair and is reduced to being a beggar living in the mistaken belief that Yazi has deserted him for Heilong... Zhenniang helms the company when Zhang Guangping dies suddenly, while Zhang Guangda is indignant and schemes to take over it. Zhenniang grooms Dong’en painstakingly, sending Huiniang and him out to the School of Hard Knocks. Going through weal and woe together can only strengthen their relationship, and Dong’en realizes that his feelings for Huiniang have grown to be more than that for a “sister”... Dong’en and Tianpeng lead an expedition into the deep forest in search of tin mines, and unexpectedly discover the legendary “Lost Granary of Tin Nuggets”, which purportedly makes one rich overnight. Dong’en returns home “in triumph”. He grows to be more mature by day and Zhenniang is pleased that he is competent to succeed in the family business. Zhang Guangda continues to plan on seizing the map to the tin mine from his nephew. Dong’en accepts an arranged marriage and prepares to visit his ancestral village to tie the knot, Huiniang is dejected. While Zhenniang accompanies Dong’en to the village to meet his prospective wife, Zhang Guangda finds his chance to harm them... With the family business already in his hands, Zhang Guangda spares no time to harm Dong’en. Suffering from
mercury poisoning Mercury poisoning is a type of metal poisoning due to exposure to mercury. Symptoms depend upon the type, dose, method, and duration of exposure. They may include muscle weakness, poor coordination, numbness in the hands and feet, skin rashe ...
, Dong’en waits in agony for an opportunity to retaliate. He vows to regain his parents’ hard-earned business and to secure a life partner for Huiniang...


Cast


Main

*
Li Nanxing Li Nanxing (born Jonathan Lee Nam Heng on 7 November 1964) is a Singaporean actor who has been referred to as "Ah-Ge" (阿哥, "big brother") of Caldecott Hill. He is also a businessman and filmmaker. Li has acted in many Chinese-language te ...
as Zhang Tianpeng 张天鹏 *
Elvin Ng Elvin Ng Choon Siong (born December 23, 1980) is a Singaporean actor and former model. Early life Ng attended Jurong Primary School, Catholic High School and National Junior College. He graduated with an honours degree in English literatu ...
as Zhang Dong'en 张东恩 * Desmond Tan as Hong Shi 洪石 *
Jeanette Aw Jeanette Aw Ee-Ping (born 28 June 1979), also known as Ou Xuan, is a Singaporean actress, host, filmmaker, businesswoman and writer. Aw was named as one of the Seven Princesses of Mediacorp in 2006, after which she achieved wider success with ...
as Lin Yazi 林鸭子 *
Joanne Peh Joanne Peh Wei Siew (born 25 April 1983) is a Singaporean actress and television host. She is married to Singapore-based Chinese actor Qi Yuwu. Life and career After winning the title of Miss Elegant and Miss Personality in Miss Singapore ...
as Zhang Huiniang 张蕙娘 Chloe Ng played the younger version of Zhang *
Chris Tong Tong Bing Yu (formerly known as Chris Tong; ; born on 14 June 1983) is a Malaysian actress, host, singer, and producer. In 2014, Tong Bing Yu was awarded one of Malaysia's Top Ten Outstanding Youth. She is a long-term sponsor of "Ali De Sper ...
as Bai Mingzhu 白明珠 *
Pierre Png Pierre Png Tiang Huat (born 29 October 1973) is a Singaporean actor, comedian and businessman. He is known for starring in multiple Singaporean MediaCorp's Channel 5 and Channel 8's dramas which include '' The Gentlemen'' and '' When Duty C ...
as Heilong (Wang Feilong) 黑龙 (王飞龙) *
Terence Cao Terence Cao Guohui (born 6 October 1967) is a Singaporean actor and businessman. Life and career Cao studied at Anglo-Chinese School for both his Anglo-Chinese School (Junior), primary and secondary education. Cao used to be a flight attenda ...
as Zhang Guangda 张广达 *
Carole Lin Carole Lin (born 23 February 1973) is a Singaporean actress. Lin was a full-time Mediacorp artiste from 1995 to 2009. She won the Star Awards for Best Actress in 1997 for her role in '' The Price of Peace''. Early life and career Lin used to ...
as Huang Zhenniang 黄珍娘
Huang Biren Huang Biren (born Wee Pat Ling on 7 March 1969) is a Singaporean actress and television host who received numerous honours and known for appearing in numerous MediaCorp Channel 8 television series. She was a full-time Mediacorp artiste from 19 ...
was slated to star as Huang Zhenniang but she had to turn down the role weeks before filming commenced due to a 10 cm cyst which had grown in her kidney. *
Priscelia Chan Priscelia Chan Shih Mei (born 6 November 1978) is a Singaporean television actress and host. Career Chan was a tax auditor before taking part in Star Search Singapore 1999. Despite being eliminated in the semifinals, she was offered a contr ...
as Han Xiuxiang 韩秀香 * Allen Chen as Zhang Tianying 张天鹰 *
Zhu Xiufeng Zhu Xiufeng (born Choo Siew Fong in 1943 or 1944) is a Singaporean actress whose acting career spans more than six decades. She has performed on stage, in films and television. She has also worked as a screenwriter, a film company publicity m ...
朱秀凤 as Old Madam Zhang 张母 * Desmond Shen as Zhang Guangping 张广平


Others

* Wayne Chua as Cuiying 翠英 * Li Wenhai as Chen Kuang 陈匡 * Louis Wu as Charlie Zhang 查理章 * Chua Cheng Pou as Ah Song 阿松 * David Leong as Zhu Fangpi 朱放屁


Production

The series is Channel 8's 2013 year-end blockbuster celebrating 50 years of television. It was also partly sponsored by the
Media Development Authority The Media Development Authority (abbreviation: MDA) was a statutory board of the Singapore Government, under the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI). History MDA was founded on 1 January 2003 by the merger of Singapore Broadcasti ...
of Singapore. This is the first period drama to use special effects ( CGI) as some of the objects used in the 1920s are not readily available in the present. Some scenes in the series are also filmed in
Penang Penang is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia along the Strait of Malacca. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay Peninsula. Th ...
,
Ipoh Ipoh (, ) is the capital city of the Malaysian States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Perak. Located on the Kinta River, it is nearly north of Kuala Lumpur and southeast of George Town, Penang, George Town in neighbouring Penang ...
and
Yongding District Yongding () may refer to: *Yongding River, in Beijing *Yongding District, Longyan, a district in Longyan, Fujian *Yongding District, Zhangjiajie, a district in Zhangjiajie, Hunan *Yongding Subdistrict, a subdistrict in Yongding District, Zhangjiaji ...
,
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
. Originally, the first season was planned to have 30 episodes. One additional episode was added for a total of 31 episodes. Due to the celebration of the TV50 Countdown Party, the drama was pre-empted on 31 December 2013.


Release

The show aired at 9pm on weekdays and had a repeat telecast at 8am the following day.


Reception

The series is one of three drama serials to tie-in for 3rd-highest-rated drama serial in 2013 (with '' It's a Wonderful Life'' and '' Break Free''), with an average viewership of 835,000, behind ''
C.L.I.F. 2 ''C.L.I.F. 2'' (''Courage, Loyalty, Integrity, Fairness'', or 警徽天职2) was a police procedural series produced by MediaCorp Singapore in 2012 in collaboration with the Singapore Police Force. It was broadcast from 18 February to 15 March 20 ...
'' (with 901,000) and ''
The Dream Makers ''The Dream Makers'' is a 1975 American made-for-television drama film starring James Franciscus, Diane Baker, John Astin, Ron Thompson, Kenny Rogers and directed by Boris Sagal. It aired on January 7, 1975 on the NBC television network. P ...
'' (with 885,000). ''The Journey'' culminates in Singapore's nation building celebrations in 2015. Two more seasons - '' Tumultuous Times'' and ''
Our Homeland is a 2012 Japanese drama film about a Korean man's visit to his family in Japan after a long exile in North Korea. This is the feature debut of Yang Yong-hi, a second-generation ethnic Korean living in Japan who based the film on her family ...
'' - were launched in 2014 and 2015 respectively.


Other media

This series was adapted as a comic and has been selling at Popular Bookstores since November 2015, targeting at upper primary and secondary students. The comic showcases the best of the series, and is promoted by the Committee to Promote Chinese Language.


Soundtrack


In popular culture

Huang Biren Huang Biren (born Wee Pat Ling on 7 March 1969) is a Singaporean actress and television host who received numerous honours and known for appearing in numerous MediaCorp Channel 8 television series. She was a full-time Mediacorp artiste from 19 ...
is seen watching from her tablet the scene where Heilong is struggling to crawl in the riverside after getting his right leg eaten by the crocodile in episode 20 of ''
Tiger Mum ''Tiger Mum'' () is a Singaporean family drama produced and telecast on MediaCorp Channel 8. The drama began production in November 2014. The series ran from 9 April to 6 May 2015. It stars Yao Wenlong, Huang Biren, Julie Tan, Ian Fang, Bonnie ...
''.


Accolades

A Voyage garnered 12 nominations for 10 awards in the Star Awards, behind
The Dream Makers ''The Dream Makers'' is a 1975 American made-for-television drama film starring James Franciscus, Diane Baker, John Astin, Ron Thompson, Kenny Rogers and directed by Boris Sagal. It aired on January 7, 1975 on the NBC television network. P ...
. It won two of them, the Best Director and Best Actor awards.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Journey 1, The Singapore Chinese dramas 2013 Singaporean television series debuts 2014 Singaporean television series endings Mediacorp Chinese language programmes Hakka culture in Singapore Channel 8 (Singapore) original programming