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Together (Singaporean TV series)

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Together
当我们同在一起
GenrePeriod drama
Created byAng Eng Tee 洪荣狄
Written byAng Eng Tee 洪荣狄
Directed byChia Mien Yang 谢敏洋
Chong Liung Man 张龙敏
Lai Lee Thin 赖丽婷
Loo Yin Kam 卢燕金
Tay Peck Choo 郑碧珠
StarringJeanette Aw
Dai Xiangyu
Elvin Ng
Eelyn Kok
Zhang Zhenxuan
Zhou Ying
Opening theme我们 by Kelvin Tan
Ending theme我们之间 by Joi Chua
Country of originSingapore
Original languageChinese
No. of episodes36
Production
ProducerChia Mien Yang 谢敏洋
Running timeapprox. 45 minutes per episode
Original release
NetworkMediaCorp Channel 8
Release30 November 2009 (2009-11-30) –
18 January 2010 (2010-01-18)
Related
The Little Nyonya (2008-2009)
Precious (2011)

The New Little Nyonya (2020)
The Little Nyonya II: Emerald Hill [zh] (2025)

Together (Chinese: 当我们同在一起, literally "When We Are Together") is a Singaporean Chinese drama produced in 2009. It was telecasted on Singapore's free-to-air channel, MediaCorp Channel 8. It stars Jeanette Aw, Dai Xiangyu, Elvin Ng, Eelyn Kok, Zhang Zhenxuan and Zhou Ying as the casts for the series. It is MediaCorp's 46th anniversary year-end blockbuster drama, and was sponsored by the Media Development Authority of Singapore. It made its debut on 30 November 2009 and ended on 18 January 2010. This drama serial consists of 36 episodes, and was screened on every weekday night at 9:00 pm.

The series title also refers to the children's folk song "The More We Get Together" and the tune is played during the interlude and in the introduction of the theme song.

Cast

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Yao Family

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Cast Role Description
Wang Yuqing
王昱清
Yao Shi 姚狮 Yao Jianhong and Yao Wuji's father
Self-proclaimed as "Master of Time"
Formerly a gambler
Deceased
Jeanette Aw
欧萱
Yao Jianhong 姚剑虹 Initially a swordswoman
Yao Wuji's twin sister
Became a dance hostess; nicknamed 'Xiao-hong'
Yao Shi's daughter
Huang Zhihao's ex-wife
Crush on Lin Xiaobei
Clothes seller
Yixin and Xiaoting’s mother
Xiaobei's wife (few years later)
Zhang Zhenxuan
张振煊
Yao Wuji 姚无忌 Formerly a bookstall owner
Yao Shi's son
Yao Jianhong's twin brother
Crush on Huang Jinhao

Lin Family

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Cast Role Description
Li Wenhai Lin Yi 林益 Tailor
Lin Xiaobei's father
Lin Liyun Ah Wei Seamstress
Lin Xiaobei's mother
Dai Xiangyu
戴向宇
Lin Xiaobei 林小杯 Nicknamed Lin Xiaomei (小妹, "Little Sister")
Son of Lin Yi
Event Organiser / Manager
Crush on Yao Jianhong
Huang Zhihao's best friend
Yixin and Xiaoting’s father
Yao Jianhong's husband (few years later)
Jarrell Huang
黄俊融
(Teenage version portrayed by Hong Weixiang 洪玮祥)
Lin Yixin 林一心 Grandson of Lin Yi and Ah Wei
Grandson of Yao Shi
Adoptive Grandson of Huang Lifa and He Jiao
Son of Lin Xiaobei and Yao Jianhong
Adoptive son of Huang Zhihao

Lin Xiaoting’s older brother
Becomes a member of the Special Forces

Wu Jiamin
吴家敏
Lin Xiaoting 林小婷 Granddaughter of Lin Yi and Ah Wei
Granddaughter of Yao Shi
Daughter of Lin Xiaobei and Yao Jianhong
Lin Yixin’s younger sister

Huang Family

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Cast Role Description
Ye Shipin
叶世品
Huang Lifa 黄利发 Huang Zhihao and Huang Jinhao's father
Boss of a coffee shop
He Jiao's husband
Hong Huifang
洪慧芳
He Jiao 何娇 Huang Zhihao and Huang Jinhao's mother
Huang Lifa's wife
Elvin Ng
黄俊雄
Huang Zhihao 黄志豪 Tarzan
Self-proclaimed Tiger King
Huang Jinhao's older brother
Son of Huang Lifa & He Jiao
Lin Xiaobei's best friend
Yixin's adoptive father
Crush on Yao Jianhong & Jinzhu
Turned eunuch by wrestling opponent, Shan Lang
Jinzhu's husband (few years later)
Eelyn Kok
郭蕙雯
Huang Jinhao 黄金好 Huang Zhihao's younger sister
Daughter of Huang Lifa & He Jiao
Crush on Lin Xiaobei
Jarrell Huang
黄俊融
Lin Yixin 林一心 Adoptive grandson of Huang Lifa and He Jiao
Son of Lin Xiaobei and Yao Jianhong Becomes a member of the Special Forces

Qin Family

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Cast Role Description
Zheng Geping
郑各评
Qin Xiangling 秦相林 Formerly a conman
Liu Maomao's husband
Qin Huimin's father
Aileen Tan
陈丽贞
Liu Maomao 刘毛毛 Ex-member of Butterfly Gang
Qin Xiangling's wife
Qin Huimin's mother
Zhou Ying
周颖
Qin Huimin 秦慧敏 Crush on Lin Xiaobei
Daughter of Qin Xiangling & Liu Maomao
Becomes a lawyer

Wang Family

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Cast Role Description
Pamelyn Chee Wang Yanxia Wang family's second shareholder
Wuji's wife (later divorced)
Jian Man Master Wang Wang family's business boss
Yanxia's father

Dance Club

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Cast Role Description
Constance Song
宋怡霏
Lucy Head Hostess of Dance Club
Lucy-jie
Jeanette Aw
欧萱
Yao Jianhong See "Yao Family"
Yuan Long Zhang/Yang Lucy's assistant

North Bridge Road shops

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Cast Role Description
Jeanette Aw
欧萱
Yao Jianhong See Yao Family
You Lei Auntie Wanton Wanton seller
Wu Kegou Uncle Foot Shoe seller and Cobbler
Chen Huoming $5.60 Wanton's assistant
Jake Low Zhen Paper seller
Ex-member of Anti-Corruption Bureau
Fa Si Yao Wen Fortune teller

Police Station

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Cast Role Description
Yuan Shuai
袁帅
Ou Yuming Inspector Ou
Was Tua Kow Yang & Dehua's Superior at first but later on transferred to Anti-Corruption Bureau
Crush on Yao Jianhong
Desmond Tan
陈泂江
Lin Dehua 林德华 Main Villain

Corporal Lin
Yao Jianhong's cousin
Crush on Yao Jianhong
Killed his superior Tua Kow Yang, Lucy, and Black Mole
Turned into a wanted man allegedly taking bribes and committing murder
Deceased

Others

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Cast Role Description
Nat Ho
鹤天赐
Louis Doctor
Huimin's husband
Huang Peibei Xing Singxin
Zhen Fuji Mr. Poet Poet
Benjamin Heng Black Mole Leader Mole gang
Zhen Ming Joe Zhang's rival

Plot

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The story begins in 1967. During that year, Singapore first issued their own currency and made national service mandatory for all young Singaporean males who have come of age 18 years old. That year, there were people who rented out fake eyelashes for S$4 a day; prices of eggs plummeted to a new low, propelling Singaporeans to start a movement to kill chickens to reduce egg-supply. That year, the “Vietnam Rose” (a form of syphilis) set foot on the island, visitors who called on prostitutes shuddered at its mention; that same year, Sakura and Rita Chao's “New Peach-blossom River” was popular in the streets of Singapore...

There lived 3 families in 3 houses along a horizontal street (which bustled with noise and excitement) in North Bridge Road, amongst whom were 6 youths of about the same age and had grown up together. Lin Xiaobei (Dai Xiangyu) was the only son of tailor Lin. He fought and got into trouble all the time, and was a constant headache to his neighbours. Yao Jianhong (Jeanette Aw), who grew up with Xiaobei, was the only person who could subdue him. Jianhong withdrew from school at a young age and with her father, performed martial arts in the streets to sell medicated ointment. She was in the ‘turf’ for years, and was a candid and forthright girl with a sense of chivalry. Lin Xiaobei liked her and the feeling was mutual. However she was very unhappy with Xiao Bei's frivolous attitude. She hoped that Xiao Bei would be down-to-earth and succeed his father's trade. Xiaobei did not want to be resigned to cooping in the humble tailor-shop. He wanted to venture into more ambitious grounds and strike it rich someday.

Another childhood friend of Lin Xiaobei was Huang Zhihao, nicknamed "Tarzan" (Elvin Ng), who was always building castles in the air. A fickle-minded youth, he wanted to be a car racer for a moment and fantasized about being a wrestler next. Both of them were at loggerheads sometimes and allies during other occasions. Xiaobei and Tarzan stick by each other through weal and woe. Like chopsticks, each is incomplete without the other.

Besides Jianhong, Tarzan's sister, Huang Jinhao (Eelyn Kok), also liked Xiaobei. She was a vain and materialistic girl with a naive mindset. Despite not winning Xiaobei's heart, she was loyal to him as a friend. Jianhong's twin brother, Yao Wuji (Zhang Zhenxuan) was very timid. He could only keep the feelings he had towards Jinhao to himself.

Qin Hui Min (Zhou Ying) was the only one among the few youngsters who was highly educated. Though she was physically weak, she had an unrelenting perseverance, and eventually became a lawyer.

The two generations of these families went through 30 years of changes, entwined in love, hate, grudge, jealousy, magnanimity and forgiveness.

Character analysis

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  • Jeanette Aw as Yao Jianhong – Yao Jianhong is a beautiful, strong girl who can pull through even the darkest period of time. She never receive any education and helps her father to perform martial arts on the street,later she became a bar girl to help her father pay his debts. She is in love with Xiaobei but she wants him to be realistic and stop being so ambitious,however he left her due to some reasons. She later was pregnant with Xiaobei's child yet married Zhihao.
  • Dai Xiangyu as Lin Xiaobei – Lin Xiaobei is an eloquent, ambitious, strong and silent, upholding justice, dare to love, dare to hate and is the only son. There are a total of three women who is in love with him however his eyes are set on only Jianhong. His fate later had a tremendous change because of Huang Jinhao going from a happy go lucky chap to a drug addict. He later found out his lover had married his best friend. Xiaobei was also given a nickname as Xiaomei.
  • Elvin Ng as Huang Zhihao – As ‘Tarzan’ in the drama, he is someone who is brash and courageous, but naive. Often manipulated by others, he is easily distracted and does not succeed in the things he takes up. He harbors big ambitions but easily gives up in the face of difficulties. Tarzan is great buddies with Xiao Bei but falls out with him because of their love for Jianhong. He eventually marries Jian Hong but never wins her heart.
  • Eelyn Kok as Huang Jinhao – She plays Huang Jinhao, a vain young girl in her prime whose bubbly, pretty and fashionable. Always dreaming of a better life, she does not want to be cooped up working in a coffeeshop. Naive, she is often lucky to have Xiaobei who protects her from being cheated. She makes use of Yao Wuji who's in love with her, and fights with Jianhong for Xiaobei's affections. She later becomes the cause of Xiaobei's downward spiral change of fate.
  • Zhang Zhenhuan as Yao Wuji – He plays an introvert, shy, non-ambitious Yao Jianhong's brother who falls for Huang Jinhao. Jinhao makes use of Wuji to get what she wants.
  • Zhou Ying as Qin Huimin – she plays an easily fallen ill lawyer and quietly falling in love with Xiaobei but when she finds out about his love for Jianhong, she even tries to bring them together despite being still in love with Xiaobei.

Awards and nominations

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The series was nominated for 20 awards in the 2010 Star Awards, and became the biggest winner with five awards, including the Best Drama Series and Theme Song.

The show went on to nominate for three more awards in the Asian Television Awards, but did not win any of these categories.

Accolades Award Nominee(s) Result Ref
Star Awards 2010 Show 1
红星大奖2010 上半场
Best Drama Theme Song
最佳主题曲
《我们》 by Kelvin Tan Won
Best Director
最佳导演
Chong Liung Man
张龙敏
Nominated
Lai Lee Thin
赖丽婷
Nominated
Loo Yin Kam
卢燕金
Nominated
Tay Peck Choo
郑碧珠 [1]
Won
Best Screenplay
最佳剧本
Ang Eng Tee
洪荣狄
Nominated
Favourite Male Character
最喜爱男主角
Dai Xiangyu
戴向宇
Nominated
Elvin Ng
黄俊雄
Nominated
Favourite Female Character
最喜爱女主角
Jeanette Aw
欧萱
Won
Rocket Award
年度飞跃奖
Elvin Ng
黄俊雄
Won
Star Awards 2010 Show 2
红星大奖2010 下半场
Best Actor
最佳男主角
Elvin Ng
黄俊雄
Nominated
Dai Xiangyu
戴向宇
Nominated
Best Actress
最佳女主角
Jeanette Aw
欧萱
Nominated
Eelyn Kok
郭蕙雯
Nominated
Best Supporting Actor
最佳男配角
Zheng Geping
郑各评
Nominated
Zhang Zhenxuan
张振煊
Nominated
Best Supporting Actress
最佳女配角
Hong Huifang
洪慧芳
Nominated
Aileen Tan
陈丽贞
Nominated
Best Drama Serial
最佳电视剧
Won
2010 Asian Television Awards
Asian Television Award Best Actress 最佳女主角 Jeanette Aw
欧萱
Nominated
Best Supporting Actor
最佳男配角
Zhang Zhenxuan
张振煊
Nominated
Best Supporting Actress
最佳女配角
Constance Song
宋怡霏
Nominated

Trivia

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  • Fiona Xie was originally cast as Huang Jinhao, however the role was instead given to Eelyn Kok after Xie pulled out last minute for personal reasons.
  • Majority of the scenes were filmed in Malacca, Malaysia, just like the previous popular, highly-rated and award-winning historical drama known as The Little Nyonya, which reunites their on-screen appearances and collaboration again, including Jeanette Aw, Dai Xiangyu, Eelyn Kok, Pamelyn Chee and Nat Ho.
  • Scripts of Jeanette Aw was originally written to love Elvin Ng instead of Dai Xiangyu.
  • Yuan Long has two names, Zhang and Yang, with the latter called more.
  • The series was initially planned to have 35 episodes, but later extended to 36 due to filming overrun.
  • The series was featured as material for television broadcasting for other drama series such as in episodes 4 and 7 of C.L.I.F. 2 and in episode 10 of 118.
  • This would be Desmond Tan's first villainous role.
  • Child actor Jarrell Huang's first acting role and second televised role after winning the singing competition in the first season of The Sheng Siong Show in 2007. Huang would later rise to prominence on winning SPOP Sing! in 2018.

Overseas release

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The series was broadcast on PPCTV Channel 9 as a blockbuster drama series of the year.

Country of Broadcast Broadcasting Network Release Date
 Cambodia PPCTV Drama 9 2 June 2010
 Thailand Thai Public Broadcasting Service 1 June 2012[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ ""The Little Nyonya" director Tay Peck Choo dies". Channel News Asia. 29 June 2012.
  2. ^ "Together...เพื่อนกันไม่มีวันเปลี่ยน – Thai PBS". 1 June 2012. Retrieved 2012-06-03.
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