The Little Nyonya

The Little Nyonya
(小娘惹)

The Little Nyonya theatrical Poster
Genre Period drama
Written by Ang Eng Tee (洪荣狄)
Directed by Chong Liung Man (张龙敏)
Tay Peck Choo (郑碧珠)
Chia Mien Yang (谢敏洋)
Loo Yin Kam (卢燕金)
Starring Jeanette Aw
Qi Yuwu
Pierre Png
Joanne Peh
Xiang Yun
Opening theme 如燕 by Olivia Ong
Ending theme 保温 by Bevlyn Khoo
需要 by JS
Country of origin Singapore
Original language(s) Mandarin Chinese, English, Bahasa Melayu, Japanese and Hokkien
No. of episodes 34
Production
Producer(s) Chia Mien Yang (谢敏洋)
Running time approx. 45 minutes
Release
Original network MediaCorp TV Channel 8
Original release 25 November 2008 (Singapore) – 5 January 2009 (Final Chapter on 11 January 2009)
Astro: March 2009 / ntv7: 26 October 2009 (Malaysia)
29 March 2009 (Cambodia)
MIPTV: March 31, 2009 (France)
24 August 2012 (Philippines)
5 September 2009 (Burma)
1 December 2009 (U.S.)
Shanghai: 2009 / China (Satellite) 16 January 2010
TPBS: 20 January 2010 (Thailand)
TVB: 26 April 2010 (Hong Kong)
MediaCorp Suria (Singapore): February 2, 2011 (episodes 1-12), 4 April 2011 (episodes 13-34)
Chronology
Preceded by By My Side
Followed by Reunion Dinner
External links
[ Website]

The Little Nyonya (Chinese: 小娘惹) is a 2008 drama serial on Singapore's free-to-air MediaCorp TV Channel 8. The storyline, which circles around the biographical flashback of an extended Peranakan family in Malacca, is set in the 1930s and spans to over 70 years and several generations of three families. The series was partly sponsored by the Media Development Authority of Singapore. It debuted on November 25, 2008 and concluded its run on January 5, 2009.

Produced by MediaCorp in commemoration of the channel's 45-year anniversary (45载光芒·8方贺台庆), the series has been acclaimed by viewers and critics, and raked the highest viewership in the country in 14 years. The success of The Little Nyonya has led to the show being broadcast internationally. The series became the first ever Singaporean Chinese drama to be dubbed in Malay and aired on Malay-language channel Suria.

Plot

The story spans over 70 years, from the 1930s till the present day.

Huang Juxiang is born into a large Peranakan family where her mother is a mistress. She is gentle, beautiful and a fantastic cook. Due to a serious illness when she was 9 years old, Juxiang becomes a deaf-mute. Because of her handicap, she is ostracized by people. Right before the Japanese Occupation in Singapore, she is forced to marry Charlie Zhang, a rich Peranakan, and become his concubine. Juxiang resists the marriage and runs away from home. She then meets Yamamoto Yousuke, a young Japanese photographer. After overcoming many obstacles, they finally get married and Juxiang gives birth to a daughter Yueniang. During the World War, Juxiang is injured and she and her husband die, leaving behind their 8-year-old daughter.

The orphaned Yueniang eventually walks to her grandfather's house on her own. Her grandmother rejoices for her presence. Under the supervision of her grandmother, she learns to cook Peranakan dishes and sewing. She grows up looking exactly like her mother and is exceptionally beautiful. After the war, her maternal relatives who sought refuge in England return home. Yueniang ends up leading the life of her mother – always discriminated against, beaten up, blamed and tortured. She puts up with this mistreatment to protect her grandmother.

Yueniang's beauty incurs jealousy from her cousin, ZhenZhu and attracts the attention of many rich Peranakans. However, she only has eyes for the penniless driver Niuzai, who claims that he has 10 younger brothers and sisters to look after. Chen Xi,(his real name) actually comes from an educated and wealthy family. Yueniang's kindness, purity and persistence move Chen Xi and he falls deeply in love with her. He hides his identity to be with Yueniang. Unfortunately, their relationship is filled with many obstacles and difficulties. Under pressure from his family, Chen Xi is forced to marry Yueniang's cousin, Yuzhu, instead. Yueniang is then married to a butcher, Liu Yidao. Many things happen after this and it is revealed that the Huangs use misunderstandings and mistakes for granted and resort to off-board measures.

Yueniang is unwilling to accept the fact that she is always manipulated by others and decides to end her life. Her strong personality impresses Liu Yidao and they become sworn siblings instead. Yueniang decides to choose her own path in life. She begins learning how to run a business and, in the process, she is framed and ousted from her business. Despite the odds, she manages save her declining family business. Soon, she marries the lawyer, Paul. She has two miscarriages. So, she adopts Yuzhu's son as her own and names him Zuye. Zuye has two sons and a daughter. The daughter's name is Angela, in the present time. She has her business and sells cosmetics from overseas. However, Yueniang soon succumbs to intestinal cancer, and dies.

Cast

Huang family

Elders

First generation

Second generation

Third generation

Fourth generation

Chen family

Elders

First generation

Second generation

Zhang family

Other characters

Development and production

Sites of the Pinang Peranakan Mansion were used in the drama

The Little Nyonya took a year of research and four months to film.[2] More than 150 staff members were involved in production of the series and the cast was required to travel frequently from Singapore to Penang, Malacca and Ipoh during filming. The Little Nyonya was notable for having the highest production budget in the history of MediaCorp due to the elaborate period costumes. A pair of beaded shoes traversed over a cost of SGD$1200, while a dining table acquired for the set cost $15000.

Rumours indicate that the role of Xiufeng was initially offered to May Phua, who turned the offer down due to her pregnancy at the time of filming. Huang Biren was said to be a prime candidate for the role of Tian Lan, although the actress' decision not to renew her contract with MediaCorp ultimately resulted in Xiang Yun obtaining the part. It was also rumoured that Zoe Tay had expressed interest in portraying a role in the series, although there were no suitable roles for her. Andrew Seow was first choice to play Robert Zhang but he declined due to scheduling conflicts and the role went to Zzen Zhang.

The series initially received a 30-episode order, although over-runs in filming led the series to be extended to 34 episodes instead. Possibly as a result, two episodes were aired on Mondays from December 15, 2008 till the conclusion of the series.

Promotion

Promotion for the The Little Nyonya lasted throughout the initial broadcast of the series as well after the series ended. Twelve members of the cast participated in "The Little Nyonya Public Event" 小娘惹户外影迷会 at Compass Point on December 27, 2008, which included an autograph session. An estimated 5000 people were present during the event. 100 posters were given out to members of the audience. The unprecedented number of appearances resulted in damage of the flooring at Compass Point. Certain tiles on the floor cracked under the pressure exerted by the crowd.[3][4][5][6]

Due to the overwhelming response of the initial public event, a "Thank You Roadshow" was held at Suntec City on January 31, where fans were allowed to take photographs with the cast and then shake hands. It featured several cast members from the first event as well as Olivia Ong, who recorded the theme song of the series.

Minor roadshows were held at various locations between January and April 2009. On January 17, Jeanette Aw and Xiang Yun promoted bird nest at Tiong Bahru Plaza, while Qi Yuwu and Joanne Peh appeared at Courts Megastore along Tampines Road. Qi and Peh later appeared in character as part of the official launch for Media Fiesta at Marina Square on March 5. On April 26, Aw and Pierre Png made an appearance at the first anniversary of the Singapore Peranakan Museum shortly before leaving to attend the Star Awards.

Home media release

The series was released by MediaCorp a 2-volume DVD boxset. The first volume, which contained the first 12 episodes of The Little Nyonya was released to stores on January 6, 2009. The remaining episodes were compiled in the second volume and released two weeks later.[7] The boxset contains no special features, although it is accompanied by a booklet which provides descriptions of the major characters in the show, as well as a family tree.

Reception

Commercial performance

The Little Nyonya achieved extremely high ratings during its initial run, with an average of 993 000 viewers[8] per episode and peaking at 1.67 million viewers on the final episode.[7] In addition, the series achieved the highest viewership rating in Singapore in 14 years.

Viewership for The Little Nyonya steadily increased throughout its run. Its first episode garnered an estimated 1.098 million viewers, which equates to 20.3% of the country population. On Episode 11, the show rating increased to 23.6%. The 15th and 16th episodes, both broadcast back-to-back, was watched by 24.1% of the country's population. The rating increased by 2.2% a week later, and further increased to 27.8% by the 27th and 28th episodes. The viewership peaked at 33.8% on the final two episodes, also broadcast back-to-back.

Critical response

The Little Nyonya has been critically acclaimed. However, despite being lauded as a drama that provides an insight into the unique Peranakan culture, the show has received criticism in local media over portrayals and promotion. Issues that were raised early included the castings of Pan Lingling and Cynthia Koh to portray teenage girls albeit being already in their thirties. This issue was counter-argued by being tantamount to ageism, as well as the fact that it was raised only three episodes after the show began airing.[9] The character development of Xiufeng has come under fire due to the character's exhibitions of violence.

Criticism was also leveled at MediaCorp's bias towards Jeanette Aw. Many viewers saw The Little Nyonya as a television series conceived as a launching vehicle for Aw's career in television and to secure an award at the next Star Awards. Several viewers also believe that the producers intentionally wrote Aw's first role as a mute in attempt to conceal her imperfect delivery of Mandarin.[10] In response, producers have lauded Aw's work, saying that she performed in a professional manner. Despite this, Aw's portrayal of Juxiang and Yueniang has been praised by members of the audience.[11]

Mass publicity for The Little Nyonya began two months before the show premiered – it had also received criticism from the public. Within MediaCorp, there are also some misgivings in regards to the over-promotion this show has received. The cast of the long-running drama Love Blossoms have privately lamented that the show, which used to receive tremendous amounts of advertising support from MediaCorp, is being neglected in favour of The Little Nyonya.[12]

As many of the Peranakan characters in the series (such as most of the Huang family, as well as Charlie Zhang and son Robert) are antagonists (Jincheng, Xiufeng and Huangyuan are part-time antagonists), many viewers think that the series will negatively stereotype Peranakans as being ruthless. In response, the show's writer, Ang Eng Tee, said that ruthlessness and petty politicking, which are basic human interactions, appears within any culture, and is not an exclusive trait of the Peranakans.[11]

Due to the usage of dramatic license, the series also contains a significant number of historical inaccuracies, particularly in the first few episodes involving Juxiang's life and Yueniang's childhood. Notable examples include the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1932 (as opposed to 1937) and the first air raid on Singapore (8 December 1941) occurring in broad daylight (which took place at night in reality).

Accolades

In the Channel 8 countdown party, Dai Yangtian's role of Yamamoto Yousuke was ranked as one of the Top 8 Most Likeable Male Characters of the year. Jeanette Aw's portrayal of Huang Juxiang and Yamamoto Yueniang also received similar recognition by placing in the Top 8 Most Likeable Female Characters list.

This drama was seen as an extremely strong contender in the Star Awards 2009, which would be held in April 2009. The drama smashed the five year record of Holland V of 9 nominations with 16 nominations in the acting category and swept nearly every award in the technical category at Star Awards 2009. It was also ranked the most watched drama serial of the year 2008.The Best Theme songs and Best Drama nominated are Yi Xun 亦迅 — Just in Singapore ,一房半厅一水缸 (《屋檐》) , Daren Tan 陈轩昱 — Crime Busters x 2 叮当神探 (《幻听》) , Chew Sin Huey 石欣卉 — Perfect Cut 一切完美 (《我知道我变漂亮了》) , Mi Lu Bing 迷路兵 — The Golden Path 黄金路 (《路》) , Cavin Soh 苏智诚 — Love Blossoms 心花朵朵开 (《心花朵朵开》)

2009 Accolades

Award Nominee Result
Best Actor Qi Yuwu Nominated
Pierre Png Nominated
Best Actress Jeanette Aw Nominated
Joanne Peh Won
Best Supporting Actor Dai Xiangyu Nominated
Darren Lim Nominated
Yao Wenlong Nominated
Zen Chong Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Eelyn Kok Nominated
Li Yinzhu Nominated
Lin Meijiao Nominated
Ng Hui Won
Xiang Yun Won
Young Talent Award Christabelle Tan Nominated
Most Popular Newcomer Dai Xiangyu Won
Best Director Chia Mien Yang Won
Chong Liung Man Won
Best Screenplay Ang Eng Tee Won
Best Set Design Ho Hock Choon Won
Best Drama Theme Song 《如燕》 by Olivia Ong Won
Best Drama Serial The Little Nyonya Won

2009 Asian Television Awards

Award Nominee Result
Best Actor Qi Yuwu Nominated
Pierre Png Nominated
Best Actress Joanne Peh Nominated
Best Drama Series The Little Nyonya Won
(Joint winner)

Star Awards 2010

The spin-off variety special The Little Nyonya's Big Reunion was nominated for the Best Variety Special Award, but lost to The Chinese Challenge Finals.

Star Awards 2011

This drama is encored from April 27, 2010 till June 11, 2010, at 5.30pm. The promotional ad for the encore clinched the Best Promotional Ad award.

The Little Nyonya: The Final Chapter

The scriptwriter of the series, Ang Eng Tee (also known as Hong Rongdi 洪荣狄), plotted five endings for the series, 4 of which would involve Yueniang and Chen Xi reuniting and living happily ever after.[13]

The ending used in the series was criticised by fans to be too sad and abrupt. The response also prompted Ang to say that had he know that viewers would react as such, he would have Yueniang and Chen Xi reunite, for TV dramas are, in his words, made for viewers.[2] In response to the criticisms, MediaCorp decided to make an alternate ending, which was aired on 11 January 2009 at 9.55pm. The ending, titled "The Little Nyonya: The Final Chapter" (小娘惹之月娘与陈锡重逢篇, literally: "The Little Nyonya: The Chapter of Yueniang and Chen Xi Reuniting), lasted for three minutes. According to producers, the script for the alternate ending was finalised on 8 January, and filming was completed on the following day.[14]

Although it was rumoured that the ending would reunite Yueniang and Chen Xi, and have them living happily ever after, the new ending merely had Yueniang and Chen Xi tell each other why they can't be together. Yueniang and Chen Xi ended up separated, just as it was in the original ending. This drew heavy criticisms from viewers, who told local newspapers that they felt they were being cheated.[15] In response, MediaCorp said that this was not an "alternate ending", as some have suggested. Rather, it is a special presentation to show the station's appreciation to the fans of the series.[15]

Chinese New Year Special

In response the tremendous support to the show, the producers filmed a one-hour special, showcasing the stars enjoying a special Nyonya's reunion dinner, "The Little Nyonya's Big Reunion" (Chinese: 小娘惹大团圆), which was aired on day one of the Lunar New Year (26 January 2009) at 7 pm. It was hosted by Dasmond Koh and featured Yan Bingliang, Lin Meijiao, Pan Lingling, Darren Lim, Li Yinzhu, Cynthia Koh, Eelyn Kok, Andie Chen, Joanne Peh, Zzen Zhang, Dai Yangtian, Jeanette Aw, Xiang Yun, Pierre Png, Qi Yuwu, Ng Hui and Yao Wenlong. The cast talked about the filming experiences and about the unexplained fates of characters that were not mentioned in the finale. Unaired blooper clips and behind-the-scenes shots were also shown. The special also had a special re-run on February 8, 2009 (day 14 of the New Year) at 9 pm.

Sequel

In an interview with Lianhe Wanbao, the series' scriptwriter, Ang Eng Tee, said that if the demand exists, he will write a special presentation, or even a sequel to the series. Ideas for a possible sequel or special presentation have already been drafted by Ang, one of which would have Angela receiving a secret wooden box from Ah Tao, before Angela returns to Singapore. The box was owned by Yueniang, and Ah Tao defied her orders to burn the contents before Yueniang died. The box contained details on Yueniang and Chen Xi's relationship, in addition to a letter from Libby, telling Yueniang that Chen Xi and Libby did not get married after all.[15] However, it was noted that production sequels have been much frowned upon by producers, and owing to the high production costs, a sequel seems to be very unlikely, but another drama in 2010 Unriddle is having a sequel to the original in 2012.

Cultural References

The Little Nyonya has had notable cultural impact in Singaporean media. It was notably parodied in the variety show, Black Rose. In the episode when the encore started its debut, Chen Hanwei played Liu Yidao (留一刀) and Dennis Chew portrayed Yamamoto Yue Niang (山本月娘). It was also used in the skit segment of Star Search 2010 Grand Finals in which contestants played Liu Yidao, Yuzhu, Ah Tao and Robert Zhang.

The Peranakan Ball

On May 16, 2009, Jeanette Aw and Dai Yangtian starred in a musical called The Peranakan Ball (Chinese: 娘惹之恋). The musical is based on the story of Cinderella and it stars Jeanette Aw as Bee Tin, a Nyonya servant in a wealthy Peranakan household, and unrelated to the television series, even though the concept was clearly derived from the drama.[16]

The Great Servant

While not promoted as such, and the program was produced by a different television station, many Singaporeans who watched the series Da Yahuan (Chinese: 大丫寰 "The Great Servant" in pinyin) believe it copies the main plot of The Little Nyonya. Da Yahuan was produced by Yu Zheng and broadcast by Hunan Broadcasting System in China.[17] On May 6, The Great Servant's writer Li Yaling (李亚玲) claimed that Yu Zheng indeed plagiarized from The Little Nyonya.[18] She claimed that Yu Zheng once told her that as long as plagiarism does not exceed 20% then the courts would have no case. Another writer Zou Yue (邹越) also claimed to have heard the "20% rule" from Yu Zheng.[18][19]

Precious

A remake of The Little Nyonya titled Precious was filmed in 2011 from May to July. It stars Jeanette Aw as its lead actress again and Dai Xiangyu as the male lead. It is a China and Singapore co-production and will debut in China at the end of the year 2011 and in 2014 on Singapore's Channel 8. The Story though is adapted from The Little Nyonya, it'll not be based on the Peranakan Culture but instead about the Chinese medicine with some other changes in the characters. The drama is a Blockbuster drama commemorating China and Mediacorp's 20 years of partnership.

Other series references

International release history

The drama serial was broadcast overseas, mostly in the Asian region.

Country of Broadcast Broadcasting Network Release Date
 Malaysia Astro Shuang Xing, Astro AEC February 2, 2009[20]
 Malaysia NTV7 October 26, 2009
 Cambodia PPCTV Drama 9 March 29, 2009
 France MIPTV March 31, 2009
 Philippines Associated Broadcasting Company(TV5) August 24, 2009
 Myanmar MRTV September 5, 2009
 United States Tai Seng Entertainment Channel (broadcast on DirecTV) December 1, 2009
 Vietnam Vietnam Television August 12, 2010
 China (Shanghai) TBA 2009
 China (run across China via satellite) TBA January 16, 2010 [20]
 Thailand Thai Public Broadcasting Service January 20, 2010
 Hong Kong TVB PayVision April 26, 2010

In Indonesia, aired on B Channel starts July 2011. The series was originally scheduled to air in Malaysia in mid-January, but was later delayed to February. The series was also aired by TV stations in Cambodia, Vietnam, and Mainland China.[20]

On 1 December 2009, Tai Seng Entertainment Channel, an ethnic Chinese entertainment channel on DirecTV, became the first non-Asian station to air The Little Nyonya. It is also the first station to air the series with Cantonese dubbing.

Hong Kong broadcaster TVB purchased the rights to telecast the series in April 2009,[20] and aired the series a year later, in late April 2010. Like the US, the series has also been Cantonese-dubbed.

The series was promoted at the MIPTV Television Trade Show in Cannes, France during the end of March, 2009.[21] Qi Yuwu and Jeannette Aw were also in Cannes to promote the series at MIPTV.[22]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Shown in subtitles on the first episode as "Eguchi Yosuke", which changes the name to "江口洋介".
  2. 1 2 Lee, Jocelyn; Jasmine Teo (7 January 2009). "Where's the happy ending?". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on January 21, 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-12.
  3. ↑ pangizes (2009-01-02). "the little nyonya roadshow (27 dec)". Blogspot. Archived from the original on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2015-06-26.
  4. ↑ wubingyu (2009-01-08). ""The Little Nonya" Road Show and Meet-the-Fans Session". Blogspot. Archived from the original on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2015-06-26.
  5. ↑ Channel NewsAsia (2008-12-27). "Thousands turn up at "Little Nyonya" roadshow". Jeanette Aw. Archived from the original on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2015-06-26.
  6. ↑ The Little Nyonya (2008-12-29). "The Little Nyonya Roadshow ~ 27 Dec 2008". The Little Nyonya's Facebook Page. Retrieved 2015-06-26. External link in |publisher= (help)
  7. 1 2 "Catch The Little Nyonya again on DVD". MediaCorp TV. 7 January 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-09.
  8. ↑ Frois, Cheryl (31 December 2008). "MediaCorp Ch8's "The Little Nyonya" is highest rated series in 15 years". Channel NewsAsia. Retrieved 2009-01-13.
  9. ↑ "潘玲玲《小娘惹》演少女 观众嫌老 (Translation: Audience found Pan Lingling to be too old to play a teenager in The Little Nyonya)" (in Chinese). Lianhe Wanbao (carried on omy.sg). Retrieved 2008-11-29.
  10. ↑ "安排欧萱演哑巴 《小娘惹》剧组刻意'藏拙' (Translation: Deliberate move in arranging a mute role for Jeanette Aw in The Little Nyonya)" (in Chinese). Lianhe Wanbao (carried on omy.sg). Retrieved 2008-11-28.
  11. 1 2 "《小娘惹》收视报捷 不合理内容惹观众批评 (Translation: "The Little Nyonya" enjoys ratings success, but attracts criticism from viewers over unreasonable storyline)" (in Chinese). Lianhe Wanbao (carried on omy.sg). 18 December 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-20.
  12. ↑ "长寿剧vs台庆剧: 《小娘惹》宣传过猛　《心花朵朵2》被冷落 (Translation: Long-Running Drama vs. Channel Anniversary Drama: "The Little Nyonya" is being overpromoted while "Love Blossoms 2" is being neglected)" (in Chinese). Shin Min Daily News (carried on omy.sg). 3 December 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-22.
  13. ↑ "How should it have ended?". The Straits Times. 6 January 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-12.
  14. ↑ Lim, Cheryl (10 January 2009). ""The Little Nyonya: The Final Chapter" to air on Channel 8 this Sunday". Channel NewsAsia. Retrieved 2009-01-10.
  15. 1 2 3 Zhong, Yanling (12 January 2009). "《小娘惹》重逢版被轰是垃圾 (Translation: "The Little Nyonya: The Final Chapter" criticised as garbage)" (in Chinese). Lianhe Wanbao. Retrieved 2009-01-12.
  16. ↑ CNA, CNA (1 May 2009). """The Peranakan Ball" musical set for May 16". Channel NewsAsia. Retrieved 2009-05-02.
  17. ↑ "大丫環抄襲小娘惹? (Translation: "Da Yahuan" copying "The Little Nyonya"?)". ChinaPress.com. 31 May 2010. Retrieved 18 November 2010.
  18. 1 2 琼瑶诉于正抄袭 编剧李亚玲：愿协助作证 (in Chinese). 2014.
  19. ↑ (Chinese) 于正，他们忍你很久了
  20. 1 2 3 4 "Little Nyonya 小娘惹". Astro. 19 March 2009. Archived from the original on February 7, 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-19.
  21. ↑ http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/416636/1/.html
  22. ↑ http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?area=1&article=48368
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