Additional Update on HKTV Launch: Series Titles, Synopsis, and Trailers ** Plot Summaries updated ***

As a follow-up to my previous post about HKTV's official launch, below are the details on the 16 series that they've released information on so far -- the information is taken directly from HKTV's website (as credited below).

Obviously HKTV's artists and production crew have been hard at work, as 16 series is actually quite a lot -- however one thing I do want to say is that I know for sure there are a few more series HKTV filmed but didn't release the trailer clips for (like that horror series starring Dominic Lam and Noelle Leung for example).  I'm actually curious to know the reason for holding back those series (perhaps further touch-up/editing is needed?).  

At any rate, I'm happy to see that HKTV is finally making some headway with their launch and sincerely hope that things will go smoothly this time around.  And I am definitely looking forward to watching a few of their series.  Even though some of the series don't interest me much (mainly because I'm not keen on the particular genre), there are quite a few that I know I will enjoy.  Besides, I absolutely appreciate the variety that HKTV has to offer, as all 16 series are completely different in terms of genre, theme, and cast to some extent, plus the creativity with some of the series such as pushing the envelope with real life surgery scenes, graphic action scenes, realistic makeup, the movie-like quality of the scenes, etc. (TVB -- are you guys taking notes????).

Ok, I'll stop the ranting now and get to the "real action"....

Enjoy!!

P.S.:  The series are not listed in any particular order.  Also, the English and Chinese titles are the "official" series titles as listed on HKTV's posters and trailer clip summaries.

P.P.S:  I'm still working through the translations on the plot summaries.  There are a few that I already translated several years back when the series commenced filming and since the summaries haven't changed, I posted those translations below.  The remaining translations will be posted by this weekend.

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The Election (選戰)

Director:  Wong Kwok Keung (黃國強)

Script Supervisor:  Wong Wai Keung (黃偉強)

Cast:  Angelica Lee (李心潔), Liu Kai Chi (廖啟智), Gregory Wong (王宗堯), Samuel Kwok (郭峰), Li Ying (李影)

Plot Summary:

The Election is a series that reflects what is currently happening in society.

Each level of society has its own struggles and oftentimes, the lines between humanity, power, and self-interest can be difficult to unravel.   Lead actress Angelica Lee (李心潔) participates in the Chief Executive election bearing her husband’s mission of selfless diplomacy and constant pursuit of fairness on her shoulders.  Unfortunately, the reality of society causes her to be drawn into a complicated predicament – on one side, she must deal with internal conflicts within her team while on the other, she must fend off constant attacks from her political opponent Liu Kai Chi (廖啟智).   After enduring numerous obstacles, she discovers that it is impossible to separate friend from foe.  In that sense, the interweaving of love and hate, humanity and self-interest between the characters precisely mirrors the reality of today’s society. 

Through the [life] games people play, this series attempts to bring out the repulsive as well as radiant extremes of human nature.

Night Shift (夜班)

Director:  Luk Tin Wah (陸天華)

Creative Producer:  Choi Suk Yan (蔡淑賢)

Script Supervisor:  Alex Pau (鮑偉聰)

Cast:  Frankie Lam (林文龍), Dominic Lam (林嘉華), Kathy Yuen (湯怡), Samuel Kwok (郭鋒), Sin Ho Ying (冼灝英), Philip Keung (姜皓文), Luvin Ho (菁瑋), Wu Kwing Lung (胡烱龍), Kong Fai (江暉), Rachel Lam (林熹瞳), Crystal Leung (梁寶琪), Bryant Mak (麥子樂), Eva Chan (陳詩慧), Chow Tsz Lung (周子龍)

Plot Summary:

A series filmed entirely at night, the entire story begins in the darkness and ends in the darkness.

The story links together the experiences of several E.U. assault team members working different night shifts.  During their shifts, they already encounter all kinds of unfathomable dangers and challenges, but the true test of their endurance lies in the endless temptations that they face in the darkness of the night.  With their willpower slowly weakening as the night wears on, their self-protection and restraint are also in danger of suffering serious blows.

Night – mysterious, beautiful, yet full of danger.  In an environment lacking self-control and discipline where the barriers against the forbidden are lowered and the dividing line from temptation could be easily crossed, the results can be devastating.

Hidden Faces (三面形醫)

Director:  Kwan Shu Ming  (關樹明)

Script Supervisor:  Choi Ting Ting (蔡婷婷)

Cast:  Frankie Lam (林文龍), John Chiang (姜大衛), Wilson Tsui (艾威), Kate Yeung (楊淇), Sam Chan (陳宇琛), Leanne Ho (何思諺), Lesley Chiang (姜麗文), Rain Lau (劉玉翠 ), Benji Chiang (姜文杰), Queenie Chan (陳莉敏), Rachel Lam (林熹瞳), Yan Ng (吳日言), Maria Chen (陳霽平), Philip Keung (姜皓文)

Plot Summary:

Humans are naturally born to love beauty. Alot of people put on makeup, do beauty treatments, some even opt for plastic surgery -- but there are probably not many people who are willing to look directly into a mirror and comfortably, naturally, peel away their glamorous 'outer skin' and reveal the rawest, most hidden side of themselves. That's why all along, doctors are only able to heal our physical bodies, but not our hearts. Ultimately, the 'root cause' of alot of illnesses does not stray far from what we call 'humanity' (renxing)!

Utilizing the story of a plastic surgeon joining a franchised medical treatment conglomerate as basis and adding in a 'discussion' of a few recent controversial 'hot topics', the series will attempt to critique the value system of mainstream modern society in the hopes of inspring the general public to reflect on the definition of 'beauty' and how it relates to their own value system. At the same time, it hopes to be the 'voice' for different levels of people in society and thereby resonate with audiences.

Beyond the Rainbow (歲月樓情)

Director:  Wong Kwok Keung (黃國強)

Script Supervisor:  Leung Man Wah (梁敏華)

Cast:  Ha Yu (夏雨), Paw Hee Ching (鮑起靜), Felix Wong (黃日華), Leila Tong (唐寧), Emily Kwan (關寶慧), Philip Keung (姜皓文), Savio Tsang (曾偉權), Lam Lei (林利)

Plot Summary: 

Comprised of best actor and best actress caliber artists, the cast brings to life a story spanning 30 years that takes place amidst the background of a public housing complex.  The series bears witness to how ordinary, working class citizens rely on their unyielding persistence and “never give up” attitude to endure through hardships and eventually build up a stable family unit.  

Same blue sky, countless family units -- as long as the starting point is a happy, healthy, stable family unit, everyone has the chance to live a fulfilling, brilliant life, and over the flow of time, leave behind footprints that bear witness to the life stories of various peoples.

Borderline (警界線)

Director:  Peter So (蘇萬聰)

Script Supervisor:  Chu King Kei (朱鏡祺)

Cast:  Liu Kai Chi (廖啟智), Dominic Lam (林嘉華), Leila Tong (唐寧), Lawrence Chou (周俊偉), Joman Chiang (蔣祖曼), Annie Liu (廖安麗), Philip Keung (姜皓文), Crystal Leung (梁寶琪), Lui Hei (呂熙), Deno Cheung (張松枝), Lam Lei (林利), Mo Lian Yu (余慕蓮)

Plot Summary:

Having a clear separation between black and white, placing heavy emphasis on discipline – both are the most important ‘boundaries’ for a cop. But if those boundaries are broken through and cops collaborate with crooks, the investigative process as well as the probability of cracking the case becomes limitlessly greater. A 12 year undercover agent living on the edge, a hot-tempered cop who once broke out of jail after he was framed for crime, a ‘King of Robbers’ who was once jailed for a crime he didn’t commit and now specializes in robbing crooks, a ‘spinster’ female cop who had never fired a single shot in her life and relies on her wits as well as life experiences to ‘figure out’ criminals, a fugitive from the law who is obsessed with female cops but always puts righteousness ahead of all else, and finally a high-ranking female officer who is also a military weapons expert – together, they will match wits as well as match strength. Out of this will come not only love, hate, and sparks, it will also break all boundaries – joining forces to crack cold cases and locate criminals, it creates an entirely different battlefield. Through blood, tears, life, and death, these most ‘hot-blooded’ of cops and criminals manifest the brilliance of human nature, leaving behind one touching, heart-stopping story after another.

The Menu (導火新聞線)

Director:  Fong Chun Wah (方俊華)

Creative Producer:  Lam Siu Chi (林少枝)

Script Supervisor:  Poon Man Hung (潘漫紅)

Cast:  Noelle Leung (梁小冰), Catherine Chau (周家怡), Kate Yeung (楊淇), Gregory Wong (王宗堯), Shek Sau (石修), Benji Chiang (姜文杰), Samuel Kwok (郭峰), Felix Lok (駱應鈞), Dexter Young (楊天經), Anita Chan (陳穎妍), Lee Fung (李風), Brian Wong (黃澤鋒), Meiki Wong (黃美棋)

Plot Summary:

Supervising and maintaining an orderly society has always been a responsibility that the Media should partake in and support –however, the perception of the news media is oftentimes synonymous with the promotion of violence, sex, bloodiness, and overall havoc in society.  The series will revolve around 3 female news agency workers with very different philosophies on life who, in efforts to gather material for publication of their free newspaper Smart Post (囧報), engage in nearly daily arguments and conflicts.  The chief editor of the newspaper is a woman driven by profit who does not hesitate in publishing unscrupulous, sensationalist reports, even if it means sacrificing moral reporting standards and ethics.  At the same time, the agency’s supervisory staff and reporters are filled with an almost patriotic desire to make the voices of the weak and vulnerable in society heard loud and clear, while simultaneously bringing to light society’s many injustices.  In the face of reality – that is, a commercialized society and the injustices that go along with it -- a newspaper that even those in the same industry look down upon, continues to persevere;  ultimately motivated by different goals, its staff continues to struggle daily to reveal – and, in some cases, hide – the truth.  In such a pressure-filled environment, how will the news agency’s staff uphold righteousness while at the same time protect their own reporting aspirations?

P.4B (四年B班)

Director:  So Ka Man (蘇嘉敏)

Creative Producer:  Lam Siu Chi (林少枝)

Script Supervisor:  Yuen Mei Fung (阮美鳳)

Cast:  Sam Chan (陳宇琛), Joman Chiang (蔣祖曼), Samuel Kwok (郭鋒), Crystal Leung (梁寶琪)

Plot Summary:

Matters that seem trivial in the eyes of adults are oftentimes matters of utmost importance in children’s hearts.   This series looks at the vast world we live in through the eyes of children and show how they follow their pure yet determined hearts to realize these important ‘trivial’ matters.  In doing so, they also attempt to help the adults in their lives understand that they shouldn’t try to force their own methods on their children – instead they should allow children their freedom to let their own dreams soar!

The story revolves around a group of fourth year elementary school students who are on the brink of entering a higher grade level, yet lack the independence to truly think on their own.  In these students’ lives, things happen that often render adults helpless, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, yet at the same time, have the ability to move people’s hearts with their sincerity and innocence.

Sexpedia (大眾情性)

Director:  Wong Wing Shan (黃頴珊)

Script Supervisor:  Cheung Tze Yan (張之彥), Sin Siu Ling (冼少玲)

Cast:  Jason Chan (陳柏宇), Joman Chiang (蔣祖曼), Alan Luk (陸駿光), Meiki Wong (黃美棋), Jan Tse (謝芷倫), Cherry Pau (鮑康兒), Lui Hei (呂熙)

Plot Summary: 

Sex is definitely a very complicated learning experience.  With all the complexities involved – such as communication between two individuals, a couple’s preferences and inclinations, concerns amongst family members, one’s philosophy on life, etc. – we definitely shouldn’t underestimate the impact that “sex” has on people’s lives and the importance it bears.

Sexpedia is a series that uses real life cases as a blueprint to bring out the story of 3 main characters who have very distinct personalities but undergo similarly “unusual” experiences:  one character is a male virgin who, after being oppressed his entire life, deeply believes that he only has one chance in life to make love to a woman; another character is a female who thinks that having a sexual impediment means that she is not worthy of being loved; the third is a divorced male who is overly confident about his sexual experience, yet actually knows nothing about how to please a woman. 

The stories of these 3 characters weave together in this romantic comedy that takes a daring, brazen yet light-hearted and humorous approach to draw audiences into an intimate discussion about sex and love.

Doom+5 (末日+5)

Director:  Wong Kwok Keung (黃國強)

Script Supervisor:  Wong Wai Keung (黃偉強)

Cast:  Sunny Chan (陳錦鴻), Philip Keung (姜皓文), Poon Chan Leung (潘燦良), Mimi Kung (龔慈恩), Gregory Wong (王宗堯), Alan Luk (陸駿光)

Plot Summary:

January 23rd, 2015.  While all of Hong Kong’s 8 million citizens are still immersed in their own thoughts of whether the stock market will achieve a new high, still continuing to struggle over whether their love relationships will blossom, still striving and persevering in their daily jobs, 5 ordinary citizens – strangers who have nothing to do with one another – discover the same secret that the government has been hiding:  at 11:45pm that night, the world will come to an end and no one will be spared!   When people discover that they must start ‘counting down’ to the end of their lives and there are only 15 hours to live, will they descend into desperation or will they be consumed with sheer madness?!?!

Doom+5 is a series comprised of 5 individual stories entitled: Promise (承諾), Monica, Derailment (出軌), Resurrection (復活), Police Uniform (警服).   In the last 15 hours of their lives, each character rediscovers a hidden secret about themselves previously unknown to anyone.

Incredible Mama (我阿媽係黑玫瑰)

Director:  Au Yiu Hing  (歐耀興)

Script Supervisor:  Yip Sai Hong (葉世康)

Cast:  Kara Hui (惠英紅), John Chiang (姜大衛), Sam Chan (陳宇琛), Meiki Wong (黃美棋), Carlos Chan (陳家樂), Mannor Chan (陳曼娜), Mimi Kung (龔慈恩), Adrian Wong (黃芷晴), Kathy Yuen (湯怡), Bak Biu (白彪), Luvin Ho (菁瑋), Mason Chiu (趙敏通), Cheng Ka Sheng (鄭家生), Hui Ming Chi (許明志)

Plot Summary:

Seven-time Best Actress winner Kara Hui (惠英紅) stars in this family action comedy.  The series talks about famous female heroine Black Rose (黑玫瑰) who decides to give up her lifestyle performing chivalrous deeds in order to take care of her family.   However, not knowing about her past, her children see her as a weak and timid ‘little woman’ who has no regard for righteousness.  It’s not until later on, when her children learn about their mother’s true identity that they start to truly “know” their mother and begin to understand her efforts.

Paranormal Mind (開腦儆探)

Director:  Lau Shun On (劉順安)

Creative Producer:  Lau Choi Wan (劉彩雲)

Cast:  Felix Wong (黃日華), Sam Lee (李璨琛), Grace Huang (黃芝琪), Kelvin Kwan (關楚耀), Adrian Wong (黃芷晴), Anita Chan (陳穎妍), Lo Hoi Pang (盧海鵬), Kathy Yuen (湯怡), Lo Hei Loi (盧希萊), Crystal Leung (梁寶琪), Dominic Lam (林嘉華), Lam Lei (林利), Carlos Koo (古天祥), Janice Ting (丁樂鍶), Bryant Mak (麥子樂)

Plot Summary:

Paranormal Mind is a supernatural-themed detective series – however the ‘supernatural’ won’t be the traditional ghosts and spirits-theme that audiences are used to seeing. Rather, it will utilize ‘super’ scientific concepts as well as realistic methods to investigate a variety of mysterious, unusual cases. The series will revolve around the main character Hung Gei Yuen (Felix Wong) -- a former high-ranking police inspector who, after being traumatized by the mysterious death of his son, acquires the hidden ability to capture and enter other people’s subconscious, as he deeply believes that his son was actually murdered in the ‘inner confines of the subconscious’! At the same time, he starts to display signs of having a split personality and works hard to study about the ‘hidden subconscious’ in the hopes of one day finding his son’s killer.

Each main character in this series will have some sort of ‘hidden ability’ that makes them different from other people. Even though each of them will have a ‘regrettable flaw’ and perhaps even be viewed by society as being ‘abnormal’ or ‘weird’, this does not affect their self-esteem. In fact, they are able to turn this ‘regrettable flaw’ into a ‘hidden ability’ and use it to help them solve many mysterious cases.

Second Life (第二人生)

Director:  Chan Sam Hap (陳新俠)

Script Supervisor:  Lee Yi Wah (李綺華), Suen Ho Ho (孫浩浩)

Wilfred Lau (劉浩龍), Terence Yin (尹子維), Joey Tang (鄧建明), Patrick Lui (雷有暉), Bondy Chiu (趙學而), Ann Ho (何紫綸), Maria Chen (陳霽平), Anita Chan (陳穎妍, ), Samuel Kwok (郭鋒), Bonnie Wong (黃文慧), Wong Ching (王青), Mannor Chan (陳曼娜)

Plot Summary: 

After living for several decades, when one has reached middle age, we start to complain about the pressures and failures that we’ve experienced and regret those ‘missed opportunities’ from the past. But for someone who doesn’t have any dreams or aspirations, what is the point of living a life of such uselessness? The series will explore how the main characters, while going through a low period in their lives, will encounter a situation that gives them the opportunity to change history – however, once the history is changed, they discover that their lives did not become better than it was before. This makes them realize that instead of constantly fretting about the past, why not seize the opportunities they have presently and live life to the fullest?

To Be or Not To Be (來生不做香港人)

Director:  Luk Tin Wah (陸天華)

Creative Producer:  Choi Suk Yan (蔡淑賢)

Script Supervisor:  Alex Pau (鮑偉聰)

Cast:  Maggie Cheung ( 張可頤), Prudence Liew (劉美君), Savio Tsang (曾偉權), Poon Chan Leung (潘燦良), Lam Lei (林利), Zac Koo (高皓正), Tse Yuet Mei (謝月美), Mimi Kung (龔慈恩), Wilson Tsui (艾威), Fung So Bor (馮素波), Ng Wai Shan (伍慧珊), Queena Chan (陳丹丹)

Plot Summary

Through the reunion of 2 biological sisters who bring with them years of resentment and grievances, this series attempts to show the subtle changes in the relationship between Hong Kong and Mainland China over the past 30 years.

Blood is thicker than water -- no matter how unwilling, this is a fact that cannot be changed.  Amidst the rise of a powerful nation (China), what role should Hong Kongers play?  In your next life, would you still want to be a Hong Konger?   Seeing all the problems in society currently, how much of it can be resolved with money?  With the ultimate goal of Hong Kong and Mainland co-existing in harmony, how much of their core intrinsic values will Hong Kongers be able to uphold?

Love in Time (還來得及再愛你)

Director:  Fong Chun Wah (方俊華)

Script Supervisor:  Lam Siu Chi (林少枝)

Cast:  Danson Tang (唐禹哲), Michelle Wai (詩雅), Terence Yin (尹子維), Sherming Yiu (姚樂怡), Charles Ying (應昌佑), Kathy Yuen (湯怡), Chan On Ying (陳安瑩), Carlos Chan (陳家樂), Sin Ho Ying (冼灝英), Bond Chan (陳少邦), Rachel Lam (林熹瞳), Wong Ho Ting (黃浩霆)

Plot Summary:

This series’ 224 year old male protagonist has been guarding a painful past relationship for over 200 years.  As a young man growing up in a local village, he once endured tremendous tragedy that changed his life forever:   all the villagers – including the woman he loved – are killed by a demon; he is the lone survivor, saved by a blood-sucking baron.   Though alive, his broken heart is sealed in ice – despite the pain, he is unable to cry.  That is, until he meets the lively, energetic, and optimistic female protagonist who eventually melts his heart.  But one problem still exists – the male will never die, while the female will eventually see the end of her life.  Can this relationship truly be a match made in Heaven, or an example of Providence playing a trick on mankind?

Once Upon a Song (童話戀曲201314)

Director:  Wong Kwok Keung (黃國強)

Script Supervisor:  Leung Man Wah (梁敏華)

Cast:  William So (蘇永康), Bernice Liu (廖碧兒), Kelvin Kwan (關楚耀), Evelyn Choi (蔡穎恩), Jason Chan (陳柏宇), Kate Yeung (楊淇), Shek Sau (石修), Mimi Kung (龔慈恩), Lisa Lui (呂有慧), Wilson Tsui (艾威), Savio Tsang (曾偉權), Rain Lau (劉玉翠), Benji Chiang (姜文杰), Lesley Chiang (姜麗文)

Plot Summary:

In our childhood, most of us probably fantasized about being the prince or princess from those fairytale stories we often listened to; once grown up however, we realize that we can only be ‘ordinary’ people living in the real world.   Choosing a girlfriend involves considering certain external factors while the primary criteria in choosing a boyfriend is that he must own a house, a car, and have a stable career.  Thinking on a deeper level, does anyone follow the dreams in their hearts anymore?

This series’ love story revolves around a young CEO played by Kelvin Kwan (關楚耀) and his relationship with female leads Kate Yeung (楊淇) and Evelyn Choi (蔡穎恩) – add to this the talent of singer William So (蘇永康), whose singing voice accompanies the entire story.  With a portion of the filming completed on location in Okinawa, Japan, this series brings together elements of music, dance, and acting into a musical ensemble drama that is definitely worthy of anticipation!

The Wicked League (惡毒老人同盟)

Director:  Kwan Shu Ming  (關樹明)

Creative Producer:  Choi Suk Yan (蔡淑賢)

Script Supervisor:  Alex Pau (鮑偉聰)

Cast:  John Chiang (姜大衛), Yuen Wah (元華), Samuel Kwok (郭鋒), Bak Biu (白彪), Peter Lai (黎彼德), Lee Fung (李風), Fung So Bor (馮素波), Tse Yuet Mei (謝月美), Cheng Shu Fung (鄭恕峰), Wong Ching (王青), Bonnie Wong (黃文慧)

Plot Summary:

As the saying goes: “having an elder at home is a treasure to the family”.  However, in reality, many elderly are oftentimes targets of discrimination.  The 5 main elderly characters in this series are the epitome of this, as they are constantly looked down upon by their family, friends, and even co-workers.  During a chance encounter, the 5 of them come together and decide to ‘take revenge’ on all those who’ve looked down upon them, so they join forces to form “The Wicked League”.

This series utilizes light-hearted black humor to bring forth some of the problems and challenges that the elderly face in today’s society, with the hope that audiences can develop a better understanding of the elderly in their own lives and treat them better.