The Little Nyonya
Encyclopedia
The Little Nyonya is a 34-episode drama serial which debuted on 25 November 2008 on Singapore's
free-to-air channel, MediaCorp TV Channel 8
. The storyline, which involves an extended Peranakan
family in Singapore, is set in the 1930s and spans 70 years. The series was partly sponsored by the Media Development Authority
of Singapore. The drama ended its run on 5 January 2009.
This drama was produced by MediaCorp
in celebration of the channel's 45-year anniversary (45载光芒·8方贺台庆). This drama took a year of research and four months to film. More than 150 behind-the-scenes staff were involved in the production, and the cast also went to Penang
and Malacca
to film part of the series. The series' production cost was also the highest ever for MediaCorp, with a pair of beaded shoes costing S$
1,200, while a dining table costs S$15,000.
Although MediaCorp's series normally have episode counts which ends in multiples of 5 (20, 25, 30 etc.), The Little Nyonya was, however, extended from the initial 30 episodes to 34 episodes due to over-runs in filming. Possibly as a result, two episodes were aired on Mondays, starting from 15 December 2008.
, but was instead offered to Xiang Yun eventually, as Huang chose not to renew her contract with MediaCorp. It was also rumoured that Zoe Tay wanted a role in this series, but there were no suitable roles for her.
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, and after overcoming many obstacles, they finally get married and Juxiang gives birth to a daughter Yueniang. During the World War, Juxiang is injured and both 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 ran away to England to seek refuge there returned home. Yueniang ends up leading the life of her mother – always discriminated against, beaten up, blamed and tortured. She puts up with all this mistreatment to protect her grandmother.
Yueniang's beauty incurs jealousy from her cousins and attracts the attention of many rich Peranakans. However, she only has eyes for the penniless driver Chen Xi, who lies he has 10 younger brothers and sisters to look after. Chen Xi 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, and 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, Zhenzhu, 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 her life is always manipulated by others and decides to end her own life. Yueniang's 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 no children as 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.
Star Awards 2009
This drama is 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 at Star Awards 2009, Best Actor (2), Best Actress (2), Best Supporting Actor (4), Best Supporting Actress (5), Young Talent Award (1) and also nominated for Best Theme Song and winner of the Top 10 viewership local drama category.
Criticisms were also leveled MediaCorp's bias towards Jeanette Aw
. Many viewers see The Little Nyonya as a drama series that was conceived as a launching vehicle for Aw's career in television (she had failed to receive the 'Top 10 Most Popular Artistes Award' at the previous Star Awards
ceremony), and that her role in the series was purpose-built for winning awards at the Star Awards ceremony. In addition, audience believe that that producers purposefully wrote Aw's first role as a mute, in order to conceal her flawed and unnatural pronunciation. In response, producers have lauded Aw's work, saying that she performed in a professional manner. Despite the controversy, Aw's performance has been praised by members of the audience.
Others have criticized the selection of actresses for the roles of the young Yueniang, the older Yueniang and the elderly Yueniang.
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.
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. 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.
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. 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.
: 小娘惹大团圆) which was aired on day one of the Lunar New Year (26 January 2009) at 7 pm, hosted by Dasmond Koh, where the stars talked about the filming experiences and about the unexplained fates of characters that were not mentioned in the finale. The special also had a special re-run on February 8, 2009 (day 14 of the New Year) at 9 pm.
, 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. 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.
imitates Liu Yidao (留一刀) and Dennis Chew imitates Yamamoto Yue Niang (山本岳娘). Yue Niang also told the "Black Rose" viewers that she will be acting as Yue Qing, her indirect sister, in the 'possible' sequel. Perhaps the sister was illegitimate.
.
: 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.
n region.
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
.
Hong Kong broadcaster TVB
purchased the rights to telecast the series in April 2009, and aired the series a year later, in late April 2010.
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.
The series was promoted at the MIPTV Television Trade Show in Cannes
, France
during the end of March, 2009. Qi Yuwu and Jeannette Aw were also in Cannes to promote the series at MIPTV.
on 27 December 2008 at 3pm. More than 5,000 members of the public, including fanclubs went to the shopping centre to see the cast in person (12 in total).
A limited amount of only 100 posters (which comes in 4 different types) were given out to those who came early to queue for it. The queue for these posters were so long that it even stretched to the MRT station. An autograph session was also held at the same place.
Due to the overwhelming response of more than 5,000 people attending, Compass Point was extremely crowded at that point of time till escalators had to stop moving so that audience could look on, and the tiles of the floor even cracked due to the high pressure exerted by people on the ground.
Due to overwhelming response, a few more roadshows were held at various places between January to April 2009. On the 17th of January, Jeanette Aw and Xiang Yun promoted bird nest at Tiong Bahru Plaza, whereas Qi Yuwu and Joanne Peh appeared at Courts Megastore along Tampines Road.
On the 31st of January, the second big-scale event dubbed the "Thank You Roadshow" was held at Suntec City, where fans can take group picture with the cast and then shake hands with them to show their appreciation for their support. It features some of the cast members from the first event as well as Olivia Ong. The response was less chaotic than that for the first roadshow at Compass Point.
On the 5th of March, Yuwu and Joanne appeared in character as part of the official launch for Media Feista at Marina Square. In the early afternoon of the 26th of April, Jeanette and Pierre Png made an appearance at the first anniversary of the Peranakan Museum, before heading off for the Star Awards ceremony.
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
free-to-air channel, MediaCorp TV Channel 8
MediaCorp TV Channel 8
MediaCorp Channel 8 is a 24-hour free-to-air Mandarin Chinese general entertainment television channel in Singapore...
. The storyline, which involves an extended Peranakan
Peranakan
Peranakan Chinese and Baba-Nyonya are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants to the Indonesian archipelago of Nusantara during the Colonial era....
family in Singapore, is set in the 1930s and spans 70 years. The series was partly sponsored by the Media Development Authority
Media Development Authority
The Media Development Authority is a statutory board of the Singapore Government, under the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts .-History:...
of Singapore. The drama ended its run on 5 January 2009.
This drama was produced by MediaCorp
MediaCorp
Media Corporation of Singapore, better known as MediaCorp, is a group of commercial media companies in Singapore, with business interests in television and radio broadcasting, interactive media, and, to a lesser extent, print publishing and film-making....
in celebration of the channel's 45-year anniversary (45载光芒·8方贺台庆). This drama took a year of research and four months to film. More than 150 behind-the-scenes staff were involved in the production, and the cast also went to Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
and Malacca
Malacca
Malacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south...
to film part of the series. The series' production cost was also the highest ever for MediaCorp, with a pair of beaded shoes costing S$
Singapore dollar
The Singapore dollar or Dollar is the official currency of Singapore. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively S$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
1,200, while a dining table costs S$15,000.
Although MediaCorp's series normally have episode counts which ends in multiples of 5 (20, 25, 30 etc.), The Little Nyonya was, however, extended from the initial 30 episodes to 34 episodes due to over-runs in filming. Possibly as a result, two episodes were aired on Mondays, starting from 15 December 2008.
Elders
- Huang Yuan (黄元, also known as or 頭家, meaning "Head of Household", portrayed by Yan Bing Liang (严炳量)) - The head of the Huang family, he is also forced to follow the family's manipulations. For example, he is persuaded into disregarding Juxiang as part of their family.
- Guihua (桂花, also known as Tua Ji or "Big Sister", portrayed by Lin MeijiaoLin MeijiaoLin Meijiao 林梅娇 is a Singaporean television actress.-Bio:Lin is a consummate artiste who has acted in many drama serials. This thespian was also awarded the Best Supporting Actress at the 1995 Shanghai International Film Festival for her role in the drama serial Silk Of Love.Her congenial and...
(林梅娇))- The matriarch of the Huang family. She is very protective of her daughters, and hates Tian Lan's side of the family with a passion, treating them as mere inferiors. She blames Yueniang for all the misfortunes happening in the family, but she later confesses her sins and suffers a stroke during her attempt to burn Yueniang.
- Tian Lan (天兰, portrayed by Xiang YunXiang YunXiang Yun ) is a Singaporean actress from MediaCorp. She is considered as one of the veteran actresses in MediaCorp with 27 years of her career in the Singaporean entertainment industry. She is also deemed as MediaCorp's first "Ah Jie" ....
(向云)) - Mother of Juxiang. She was a maid of the Huang family. Having been raped by Huang Yuan, she was taken in as second mistress of the house. However, her status in the family remains essentially that of a maid. She is accidentally thrown off the second floor of the Huang residence by Jincheng, after Tian Lan stumbles upon his affair with Xiujuan. Tian Lan's injuries from this fall prove fatal.
- Tua Kor (大姑, portrayed by Guan Xuemei (管雪梅))- Huang Yuan's elder sister and mother of Xiulian, Xiufeng and Xiujuan. Being a very demeaning elder in the Huang family, she often abuses Ah Tao. She was later mentioned by Xiufeng to have passed out after learning that her youngest daughter, Xiujuan, went to bed with a man at a hotel in Singapore. She was no longer seen or mentioned after that, although it wasn't mentioned that she died, it was most likely that she did after the incident.
First generation
- Huang Juxiang (黄菊香, portrayed by Jeanette AwJeanette Aw-1979–2000: Early life and education:Born Jeanette Aw Ee-Ping to Chinese parents. Her father has Peranakan ancestry while mother is a Hokkien. Jeanette is the youngest of three children, she has an older sister and older brother...
(欧萱))- Daughter of Huang Yuan and Tian Lan, mother of Yueniang. Although born into a wealthy Peranakan family, she is treated with scorn and insult because of her mother's humble origins. She becomes a deaf-mute from the age of nine due to an illness caused by her grandmother's death. As a result, she cannot stand up for herself in many cases. She dies of internal injuries soon after her husband, Yamamoto Yousuke, is killed by Japanese soldiers.
- Huang Jincheng (黄金成, portrayed by Darren Lim (林明伦)) - Son of Huang Yuan and Guihua. He has a crush on Xiujuan but is arranged to marry her sister, Xiufeng instead. He dies of a massive heart attack upon learning that Tianbao is sentenced to death for murdering Chen Sheng, as well as Charlie and Robert Zhang.
- Huang Meiyu (黄美玉, portrayed by Apple HongApple HongApple Hong is an entertainer from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Her career in show-business started when she was awarded first-runner up in the Malaysian Star Search 1999, and was then known as ‘Malaysian Shu Qi’ due to her slight resemblance to the Hong Kong actress...
(洪乙心)) - Eldest daughter of the Huang family, and sister of Jincheng. Wife of Chen Sheng. However, Chen Sheng does not regard her as his wife. As a result, she shows a great sense of hatred towards Juxiang and Yueniang. Was later upset upon learning about Chen Sheng's death, she eventually becomes nice to Yueniang after that.
- Huang Xiufeng (秀凤, portrayed by Pan LinglingPan LinglingPan Lingling is a Singaporean versatile actress.Pan entered the entertainment industry in 1988 after graduating from the then Singapore Broadcasting Corporation's 8th Drama Artiste Training Course. She made her TV debut with the series, Mystery, Golden Quest, Ups and Downs...
(潘玲玲)) - daughter-in-law of Guihua. Married to Jincheng. Elder sister to Xiujuan and the mother of Tian Bao, Zhenzhu and Yuzhu. Mistreated Yueniang along with the others by canning her and even leaving her in an old warehouse to die when she is in coma after being rescued from a well. She is later shocked to discover that her husband is having an affair with her sister, Xiujuan. Xiujuan takes revenge on Xiufeng and escapes the Huang household with the Huangs' money. Jincheng and Tian Bao's deaths and her youngest daughter, Yuzhu, becoming mentally unstable has a great impact on her and she learns her lesson.
- Huang Xiujuan (秀娟, portrayed by Cynthia KohCynthia KohCynthia Koh is a Singaporean Chinese actress, appearing in MediaCorp drama serials.-Early life and education:Born in 1974, Koh has one younger sister. Her father works in the Singapore Civil Defence Force while her mother is a housewife...
(许美珍)) - Younger sister of Xiufeng. She has an affair with Jincheng. When Huang Tianbao is arrested for the murder of Chen Sheng, she plots a scheme to defraud the Huangs of their money, under the pretext of bribing a high-ranking police officer. The plot succeeds, and the Huangs gives her the proceeds from their sale and mortgage of virtually all of their assets. She runs away to Hong Kong after she receives the money. However, she keeps the money in a bank during her years there, where it earns a tidy sum of interest. She returns the money to the Huangs after many years.
Second generation
- Yamamoto Yueniang (山本月娘, portrayed by Jeanette AwJeanette Aw-1979–2000: Early life and education:Born Jeanette Aw Ee-Ping to Chinese parents. Her father has Peranakan ancestry while mother is a Hokkien. Jeanette is the youngest of three children, she has an older sister and older brother...
(欧萱), older version portrayed by Xiang YunXiang YunXiang Yun ) is a Singaporean actress from MediaCorp. She is considered as one of the veteran actresses in MediaCorp with 27 years of her career in the Singaporean entertainment industry. She is also deemed as MediaCorp's first "Ah Jie" ....
(向云)) - The daughter of Juxiang and Yousuke, and looks exactly like her mother. Her parents' deaths make her a strong-willed woman. She is forgiving towards Guihua and her other relatives despite their mistreatment of her and her family. Tao states at the present time that she has been diagnosed with colon cancer but did not want an operation, which implied that the disease is in its terminal stages. It is at this point that she tells Angela that she isn't her biological grandmother.
- Huang Tianbao (黄天宝, infrequently called Alexandre Huang, portrayed by Andie Chen (陈邦鋆)) - The only son of Huang Jincheng and Xiufeng. He sends someone to kill Chen Sheng with the hopes that Robert will reinstate him as deputy GM, but is laughed at instead. He is sentenced to death for instigating the murders of Chen Sheng, Charlie Zhang and Robert Zhang.
- Huang Zhenzhu (黄珍珠, portrayed by Eelyn KokEelyn Kok-Career:Eelyn started out playing supporting roles in her starting years. She had two Best Supporting Actress nominations, in 2008 and 2009. In 2009, Eelyn starred in My Buddy as the first female lead. She starred as Huang Jinhao, 2nd female lead in Channel 8 Blockbuster drama, Together opposite...
(郭蕙雯)) - first daughter of Xiufeng and Jincheng. A willful girl who fancies Chen Xi. However, Zhenzhu is lazy, straightforward and naive. She witnesses Yuzhu being raped by Robert and tries to save her, but hesitates because of Xiujuan's advice and ultimately does nothing. In Episode 13, it is revealed that although she almost tortures Yueniang, she does not want to see Yueniang die. She manages to marry Chen Xi, but in the end, she runs away with another man as she does not want to stay with Chen Xi. Chen Xi ends up hating and disliking her. She is the only half-antagonist-half-protagonist of this show.
- Huang Yuzhu (黄玉珠, portrayed by Joanne PehJoanne PehJoanne Peh is a Singaporean actress.Peh studied at Temasek Secondary School where she was head prefect and subsequently went on to Victoria Junior College then to Nanyang Technological University...
(白薇秀)) - Second daughter of Xiufeng and Jincheng. A demure girl who fancies Chen Xi, she often helps Yueniang and Ah Tao out of situations where they would otherwise get into trouble with the family elders. However, having been raped by Robert Zhang, she is forced to marry him, and thereafter suffers an ill fate under him. Tortured into insanity, she is committed to a mental institution for the rest of her life after giving birth to Zuye, the father of Angela. It is not known what happened to her after that.
Third generation
- Zuye (祖业, child portrayed by Lim Yongxun (林泳勳), elder portrayed by Zzen Zhang (章缜翔)) - Son of Yuzhu and Robert Zhang. Due to Yuzhu's mental condition, he is adopted and raised by Yueniang. Grows up to look exactly like his father. He became a top lawyer and has two sons and a daughter, the latter being Angela.
Fourth generation
- Angela (安淇, portrayed by Felicia ChinFelicia ChinFelicia Chin Foon Ling , also known by her Chinese stage name Chen Jingxuan, is a Singaporean television actress.-Biography:...
(陈靓萱)) - A university student in Canada. Originally considered to be the biological granddaughter of Yueniang, it is revealed at the end that she is the biological granddaughter of Robert Zhang and Yuzhu, as Yueniang adopts her father (Zuye) due to Yuzhu's mental illness. Before the series, in the present-day storyline, she has an unlucky run in romance. She decides to briefly return to Malacca, where she learns about her adoptive grandmother's bitter past.
Elders
- Madame Chen (陈老太, portrayed by Li YinzhuLi YinzhuLi Yin Zhu is a Singaporean veteran Chinese actress, appearing in MediaCorp drama serials. She has been in the entertainment industry since Year 1969 and has filmed more than 150 drama serials to date....
(李茵珠)) - Chen Xi's great-grandmother (Chor Chor), Chen Sheng's grandmother (Ma Ma). Likes to eat rempah udang very much. She places great emphasis on women's ability to cook Peranakan dishes and sew beaded shoes. She is one of the few people who trusts Yueniang. Juxiang's grandmother is one of Madame Chen's bosom friends.
First generation
- Chen Gong (陈功, portrayed by Chen Xiang (陈翔)) - The eldest grandson of Madame Chen, frequently comes into conflict with the Zhang family.
- Chen Sheng (陈盛, portrayed by Pierre PngPierre PngPierre Png is a Peranakan Chinese Singaporean MediaCorp television and film actor and comedian who works on both Channel 5 and Channel 8 . He is best known for his role as Phua Chu-Beng in Phua Chu Kang Pte Ltd and as Mo Yangyang in Holland V...
(方展发)) - Married to Meiyu, but harbours love for Juxiang. After losing Juxiang, he drowns his sorrows by spending his free time drinking as well as singing and dancing pantun with young women. Sheng is later murdered on Huang Tianbao's orders, who believes that it is what Robert Zhang wants.
Second generation
- Chen Xi (陈锡, portrayed by Qi YuwuQi YuwuQi Yuwu is a China-born Singapore film and television actor. Qi is a permanent resident of Singapore and a contracted artiste under Singapore's MediaCorp Studios.-Biography:...
(戚玉武)) - Son of Chen Gong. So named because on the day of his birth, his family signed a lucrative tinTinTin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4...
contract. He is the only child in his family. Having been educated in the UK, he is more liberal than his conservative family. Although he wants to marry Yueniang, his family forces him to marry Huang Zhenzhu instead. After he thinks that Yueniang perishes in the fire where Robert Zhang sets up, he later marries Libby and has six children. His career is very successful and he contributes a lot of money to charity.
Zhang family
- Charlie Zhang (查里张, portrayed by Desmond Sim (沈金兴)) - A Baba who returned from the United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, his general disapproval of the Peranakan culture earns him scorn from the older generations of high Peranakan society. He has affairs with many women, especially paying money to bed virgin girls, and makes use of his wealth and status to collaborate with the Japanese. He had some influence behind the deaths of Yousuke and Juxiang. He is killed during a scuffle between Robert Zhang and Huang Tianbao, when a pistol is accidentally fired and hits Charlie in the head.
- Robert Zhang (罗伯张, portrayed by Zzen Zhang (章缜翔)) - Son of Charlie Zhang. A cunning one like his father, he raped Yuzhu, thinking that she was Yueniang. This incident forced him to marry Yuzhu, whom he tortures endlessly; even to the extent of drugging her so another man (Mr. Smith) can sleep with her in exchange for business benefits. He is killed by Huang Tianbao, despite Robert's promise to return the money and distributorship to the Huangs.
Other characters
- Ah Tao (阿桃, portrayed by Ng HuiNg HuiNg Hui is a Singaporan television actress. She is best known for her award-winning role as 'Tao Jie' in The Little Nyonya....
(黄慧), elder version portrayed by Zhu Xiufeng (朱秀凤)) - An amah for the Huang family. Originally a personal servant of Huang Yuan's elder sister, Tua Kor (who abuses her heavily), she is bought by Tian Lan, and becomes her kitchen helper. She is loyal to Juxiang and Yueniang, and serves Yueniang all the way to the present day. Her right leg is broken by Guihua for being the bride's maid during Juxiang and Yousuke's marriage at the beginning of the show.
- Yamamoto Yousuke (山本洋介, portrayed by Dai Yangtian (戴阳天) - An ethnic Japanese, he is very interested in Peranakan culture. In order to protect Juxiang from the philandering Charlie Zhang, he marries her. Yousuke is murdered by invading soldiers when Singapore falls to Japanese forces. It is implied that Charlie Zhang has a role in his murder.
- Liu Yidao (留一刀, portrayed by Yao WenlongYao WenlongYao Wenlong , a Malaysian Johor born Singapore actor, came into the local television scene after winning Star Search 1993 organised by MediaCorp Channel 8. Within a year, he won the Most Popular Newcomer award in Star Awards 1994 and the Best Supporting Actor award in Star Awards 2001 for his role...
(姚玟隆) - A butcher who has an arranged marriage with Yueniang, but later accepts her as his sworn sister. He and his brotherhood later assist Yueniang with her business. At the advice of Yueniang, Yidao gives up his bullying and gangster-like ways, in favour of a more civilized lifestyle.
- Libby (丽贝儿, portrayed by Pamelyn Chee (齐騛) - A woman who is more liberal than social norms at the time, she eventually marries Chen Xi, and has six children with him.
- Jonathan Li Xiuwen (李修文, portrayed by Nat HoNat HoNathaniel "Nat" Ho is a Singaporean actor who is most notable for his debut in the show, Honour and Passion . He is one of the up-and-coming artistes in MediaCorp....
(鹤天赐) - A native of Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
who grows up in CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He falls in love with his university schoolmate, Angela, and follows her from Canada to MalaccaMalaccaMalacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south...
. Because of Yueniang's dramatic past, he decides to write a story about her life and will not leave Malacca until it is finished.
- Da Sha (大傻, lit. "The Big Silly [person]", portrayed by Li Yuejie (李岳杰)) - A simpleton who saves Yueniang's life when she is in a coma after being rescued from a well. Pioneer of the bird's nest dish and helps Yueniang with her business.
- Paul (portrayed by Bobby TonelliBobby TonelliRobert Tonelli Jr., known as Bobby Tonelli is an American actor who has appeared in several Hollywood films including Cages, Running Red, No Tomorrow, and Darwin Conspiracy.-Early life:...
) - A British lawyer who is originally hired by Robert Zhang, but eventually helps the Chens in a lawsuit. He later marries Yueniang. The couple have no children of their own, as Yueniang has 2 miscarriages.
- Jinhua (金花 portrayed by Jeszlene ZhouJeszlene ZhouJeszlene Zhou is a Singapore-based actress of Chinese descent. An actress who roots her beginnings to indie films, Jeszlene has since ventured into television and other commercial projects.-Feature Films:-Short Films:...
) Also an Amah for the Huang family. Often bullies Yueniang along with Zhenzhu. Fell asleep while watching Yueniang, indirectly contributing to Yuzhu being raped.
Roles
The role of Xiufeng was rumoured to be offered to May Phua originally, but she was not able to accept the role, due to her pregnancy. The role of Tian Lan and an elderly Yamamoto Yueniang was originally offered to top actress Huang BirenHuang Biren
Huang Biren is a television actress in Singapore. She has left the local TV station, MediaCorp TV since 30 June 2008.-Career:Huang joined the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation in 1988 after completing its Professional Drama Performers' Training course...
, but was instead offered to Xiang Yun eventually, as Huang chose not to renew her contract with MediaCorp. It was also rumoured that Zoe Tay wanted a role in this series, but there were no suitable roles for her.
Plot
The story spans over 70 years, from the 1930s till the present day.Huang Juxiang is born into a large Peranakan
Peranakan
Peranakan Chinese and Baba-Nyonya are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants to the Indonesian archipelago of Nusantara during the Colonial era....
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
Japanese Occupation
Japanese Occupation may refer to:*Occupation of Japan, the occupation of Japan by United States forces following World War II*Japanese occupation of Burma*Japanese occupation of Cambodia*Japanese occupation of Guam*Japanese occupation of Hong Kong...
in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, 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, and after overcoming many obstacles, they finally get married and Juxiang gives birth to a daughter Yueniang. During the World War, Juxiang is injured and both 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 ran away to England to seek refuge there returned home. Yueniang ends up leading the life of her mother – always discriminated against, beaten up, blamed and tortured. She puts up with all this mistreatment to protect her grandmother.
Yueniang's beauty incurs jealousy from her cousins and attracts the attention of many rich Peranakans. However, she only has eyes for the penniless driver Chen Xi, who lies he has 10 younger brothers and sisters to look after. Chen Xi 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, and 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, Zhenzhu, 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 her life is always manipulated by others and decides to end her own life. Yueniang's 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 no children as 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.
Reception
"The Little Nyonya" achieved extremely high ratings, with an average of 934,000 viewers during its 34-episode run, and peaking at 1.67 million viewers (33.8%) on the last episode. This series has recorded the highest viewership rating ever since 1994.Major records
- Episode 1: 20.3% (1,098,000 viewers)
- Episode 11: 23.6%
(Juxiang and Yueniang (as a kid) were thrown down the ship by Guihua and Meiyu. Chen Sheng becomes depressed because of this.) - Episode 15 and 16 (2 hours on Monday): 24.1%
Yueniang and Chen Xi get kidnapped. Yueniang falls in love with Chen Xi during the ordeal when he ensures she doesn't get harmed. - Episode 21 and 22 (2 hours on Monday): 26.3%
- Episode 27 and 28 (2 hours on Monday): 27.8%
- Episode 33 and 34 (2 hours on Monday; FINALE): 33.8%
Channel 8 countdown party
- Dai Yang Tian as Yamamoto Yousuke - Top 8 Most Likeable Male Characters
- Jeanette Aw as Huang Juxiang / Yamamoto Yueniang - Top 8 Most Likeable Female Characters
Star Awards 2009Star Awards 2009Star Awards 2009 was a television award ceremony held in Singapore. It was part of the annual Star Awards organised by MediaCorp for MediaCorp Channel 8 and MediaCorp Channel U. Star Awards 2009 was telecasted 'LIVE' on Channel 8, 26 April 2009 at 1900 hrs, where the results were announced...
, 2010Star Awards 2010Star Awards 2010 was a double television award ceremony held in Singapore. It is part of the annual Star Awards organised by MediaCorp for the two free-to-air channels, MediaCorp Channel 8 and MediaCorp Channel U. Star Awards 2010 was telecast 'LIVE' on Channel 8, on 18 April 2010 and 25 April 2010...
and 2011Star Awards 2011Star Awards 2011 was a double television award ceremony held in Singapore. It is part of the annual Star Awards organised by MediaCorp for the two free-to-air channels, MediaCorp Channel 8 and MediaCorp Channel U. Star Awards 2011 was telecast 'LIVE' on Channel 8, on 17 April 2011 and 24 April 2011...
Nominations
This drama is seen as an extremely strong contender in the Star Awards 2009Star Awards 2009
Star Awards 2009 was a television award ceremony held in Singapore. It was part of the annual Star Awards organised by MediaCorp for MediaCorp Channel 8 and MediaCorp Channel U. Star Awards 2009 was telecasted 'LIVE' on Channel 8, 26 April 2009 at 1900 hrs, where the results were announced...
, which would be held in April 2009. The drama smashed the five year record of Holland V
Holland V
Holland V is a 2003 Singaporean drama series produced by MediaCorp. It was the third long-running drama in Singaporean television history, and was modelled on the long running Hong Kong drama A Kindred Spirit...
of 9 nominations with 16 nominations at Star Awards 2009, Best Actor (2), Best Actress (2), Best Supporting Actor (4), Best Supporting Actress (5), Young Talent Award (1) and also nominated for Best Theme Song and winner of the Top 10 viewership local drama category.
- 2009:
- Pierre PngPierre PngPierre Png is a Peranakan Chinese Singaporean MediaCorp television and film actor and comedian who works on both Channel 5 and Channel 8 . He is best known for his role as Phua Chu-Beng in Phua Chu Kang Pte Ltd and as Mo Yangyang in Holland V...
and Qi Yu Wu were both nominated for the Best Actor awards, but both lost to Chen HanweiChen HanweiChen Han Wei , is a MediaCorp TV artiste in Singapore. He is a permanent resident of Singapore.-Early life:Chen grew up and lived in Kampung Ungku Mohsin, Johor Bahru. Born into a poor family, Chen nonetheless excelled academically and studied at one of the most famous Chinese independent schools...
in By My SideBy My Side (TV Drama)By My Side is a Singaporean Chinese drama which was telecasted on Singapore's free-to-air channel, MediaCorp Channel 8. It made its debut on 28 October 2008 and ended on 24 November 2008...
. - Jeanette AwJeanette Aw-1979–2000: Early life and education:Born Jeanette Aw Ee-Ping to Chinese parents. Her father has Peranakan ancestry while mother is a Hokkien. Jeanette is the youngest of three children, she has an older sister and older brother...
(Yamamoto Yueniang version) and Joanne PehJoanne PehJoanne Peh is a Singaporean actress.Peh studied at Temasek Secondary School where she was head prefect and subsequently went on to Victoria Junior College then to Nanyang Technological University...
were both nominated for the Best Actress award, and Joanne PehJoanne PehJoanne Peh is a Singaporean actress.Peh studied at Temasek Secondary School where she was head prefect and subsequently went on to Victoria Junior College then to Nanyang Technological University...
clinches the award. - Dai Yang Tian, Darren Lim, Yao WenlongYao WenlongYao Wenlong , a Malaysian Johor born Singapore actor, came into the local television scene after winning Star Search 1993 organised by MediaCorp Channel 8. Within a year, he won the Most Popular Newcomer award in Star Awards 1994 and the Best Supporting Actor award in Star Awards 2001 for his role...
and Zzen Zhang (ironically) were nominated for the Best Supporting Actor award, but all four of them lost to Chew Chor MengChew Chor MengChew Chor Meng is a Singaporean television actor.-Career:Chew started his career in MediaCorp Studios after winning Star Search in 1990, a bi-annual nationwide talent search. Since then, he has never failed to make it to the Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes in Star Awards, an award ceremony for...
in The Golden PathThe Golden Path (TV series)The Golden Path is a 30-episode drama serial. Set in 1982 and spanning 25 years, it tells the story of a family embroiled in conflicts of interest, webs of deceit, love, hatred and vengeance...
. - Eelyn KokEelyn Kok-Career:Eelyn started out playing supporting roles in her starting years. She had two Best Supporting Actress nominations, in 2008 and 2009. In 2009, Eelyn starred in My Buddy as the first female lead. She starred as Huang Jinhao, 2nd female lead in Channel 8 Blockbuster drama, Together opposite...
, Li YinzhuLi YinzhuLi Yin Zhu is a Singaporean veteran Chinese actress, appearing in MediaCorp drama serials. She has been in the entertainment industry since Year 1969 and has filmed more than 150 drama serials to date....
, Lin Mei Jiao, Ng HuiNg HuiNg Hui is a Singaporan television actress. She is best known for her award-winning role as 'Tao Jie' in The Little Nyonya....
and Xiang YunXiang YunXiang Yun ) is a Singaporean actress from MediaCorp. She is considered as one of the veteran actresses in MediaCorp with 27 years of her career in the Singaporean entertainment industry. She is also deemed as MediaCorp's first "Ah Jie" ....
(for both characters) were nominated for the Best Supporting Actress award. This time, two prizes were awarded for this category, and Ng HuiNg HuiNg Hui is a Singaporan television actress. She is best known for her award-winning role as 'Tao Jie' in The Little Nyonya....
and Xiang YunXiang YunXiang Yun ) is a Singaporean actress from MediaCorp. She is considered as one of the veteran actresses in MediaCorp with 27 years of her career in the Singaporean entertainment industry. She is also deemed as MediaCorp's first "Ah Jie" ....
clinches the award. - Crystabell Tan was nominated for the Young Talent Award, but lost to Regine Lim in Perfect Cut.
- This drama's theme song 如燕 by Olivia Ong clinched the Best Drama Theme Song award.
- This drama is mostly watched by viewers in 2008, clinching the first in Top 10 Highest Viewership Local Dramas in 2008 award.
- This drama is the Best Drama Serial.
- Pierre Png
- 2010:
- The variety special The Little Nyonya's Big Reunion was nominated for the Best Variety Special Award, but lost to The Chinese Challenge Finals.
- 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.
Criticisms
Despite being lauded as a drama that provides an insight into the unique Peranakan culture, the show has received criticism in local press over casting, excessive promotion, and the illogical storyline.Casting
Viewers have criticized the casting of Pan Lingling and Cynthia Koh, both of whom are in their 30s, as 18-year-old teenage nyonyas, arguing that both actresses are too old. Some viewers have also criticized the portrayal of Xiufeng, saying that Pan Lingling has misportrayed a nyonya teenager, who, being raised in a wealthy family, is supposed to be more restrained in their daily demeanors. However, others retort that this criticism is tantamount to ageism, and is absolutely unfair to both actresses, and that the criticisms were leveled way too early (after the 3rd episode was aired).Criticisms were also leveled MediaCorp's bias towards Jeanette Aw
Jeanette Aw
-1979–2000: Early life and education:Born Jeanette Aw Ee-Ping to Chinese parents. Her father has Peranakan ancestry while mother is a Hokkien. Jeanette is the youngest of three children, she has an older sister and older brother...
. Many viewers see The Little Nyonya as a drama series that was conceived as a launching vehicle for Aw's career in television (she had failed to receive the 'Top 10 Most Popular Artistes Award' at the previous Star Awards
Star Awards
The Star Awards is an annual ceremony where the media organisation, Mediacorp, recognises entertainers in their employ for their outstanding performances...
ceremony), and that her role in the series was purpose-built for winning awards at the Star Awards ceremony. In addition, audience believe that that producers purposefully wrote Aw's first role as a mute, in order to conceal her flawed and unnatural pronunciation. In response, producers have lauded Aw's work, saying that she performed in a professional manner. Despite the controversy, Aw's performance has been praised by members of the audience.
Others have criticized the selection of actresses for the roles of the young Yueniang, the older Yueniang and the elderly Yueniang.
Overpromotion
The mass publicity for Little Nyonya two months before the show premiered also received criticism from the public. Within MediaCorp, there are also some misgivings in regards to the overpromotion this show has received. The cast of the long-running drama Love BlossomsLove Blossoms
Love Blossoms was the sixth long-running drama produced by Singapore's free-to-air channel, MediaCorp TV Channel 8. Part 1 was aired from 28 May 2008 to 15 August 2008. Part 1 consisted of 58 episodes...
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.
Stereotyping of Peranakan culture
As many of the Peranakan characters in the series (such as most of the Huang family, as well as Charlie Zhang) 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, Hong Rongdi, said that ruthlessness and petty politicking, which are basic human interactions, appears within any culture, and is not an exclusive trait of the Peranakans.Historical Inaccuracies
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).Alternate ending
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.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. 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.
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. 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.
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, ChineseChinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
: 小娘惹大团圆) which was aired on day one of the Lunar New Year (26 January 2009) at 7 pm, hosted by Dasmond Koh, where the stars talked about the filming experiences and about the unexplained fates of characters that were not mentioned in the finale. The special also had a special re-run on February 8, 2009 (day 14 of the New Year) at 9 pm.
Possible sequel
In an interview with Lianhe WanbaoLianhe Wanbao
Lianhe Wanbao is a Singapore Chinese afternoon newspaper published daily by Singapore Press Holdings . It was started on March 16, 1983 after the merger between as Nanyang Siang Pau and Sin Chew Jit Poh....
, 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. 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
Unriddle
Unriddle is a Singaporean Chinese drama which was telecasted on Singapore's free-to-air channel, MediaCorp Channel 8. It made its debut on 4 August 2010 and ended on 31 August 2010. This drama serial consists of 20 episodes, and was screened on every weekday night at 9:00 pm...
is having a sequel to the original in 2012.
"Black Rose" imitations
In the episode when the encore started its debut, Chen HanweiChen Hanwei
Chen Han Wei , is a MediaCorp TV artiste in Singapore. He is a permanent resident of Singapore.-Early life:Chen grew up and lived in Kampung Ungku Mohsin, Johor Bahru. Born into a poor family, Chen nonetheless excelled academically and studied at one of the most famous Chinese independent schools...
imitates Liu Yidao (留一刀) and Dennis Chew imitates Yamamoto Yue Niang (山本岳娘). Yue Niang also told the "Black Rose" viewers that she will be acting as Yue Qing, her indirect sister, in the 'possible' sequel. Perhaps the sister was illegitimate.
Related Series
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 and broadcast by Hunan Broadcasting System in ChinaPeople's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
.
Musical
On May 16, 2009, Jeanette Aw and Dai Yang Tian starred in a musical called The Peranakan Ball (ChineseChinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
: 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.
Ratings
Viewership figures showed that The Little Nyonya was the highest rated Channel 8 drama for 15 years, with an average viewership of 993,000 people. The finale itself was watched by 1,672,000 viewers, which roughly equaled to 33.85% of the TV viewing audience in Singapore.Overseas Release
The drama serial was broadcasted overseas, mostly in the AsiaAsia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
n region.
| Country of Broadcast | Broadcasting Network | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
 Malaysia |
Astro Astro (Malaysian satellite television) Astro is the brand name of the Malaysian direct broadcast satellite pay television service. It transmits digital satellite television and radio to households in Malaysia & Brunei... Shuang Xing Shuang Xing Astro's Shuang Xing channel is a specialty drama channel offering content primarily sourced from Taiwan, mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea and Japan. Astro Shuang Xing first started in 2003 broadcasting two channels, i.e., Shuang Xing 1 and Shuang Xing 2. A few years later, both channels... , Astro AEC Astro AEC Astro AEC is a 24-hour in house Mandarin-generic television channel from Malaysia, which is provided by Astro on channel 301 . It offers local content as well as programmes from China, Taiwan, Singapore and Japan.-External links:*... |
February 2, 2009 |
| Malaysia |
NTV7 Ntv7 Natseven TV Sdn Bhd or better known as ntv7 is a terrestrial television channel in Malaysia. It was launched nationwide on 7 April 1998 and was the country's third private free-to-air TV station after TV3 and Astro. Its mission is to promote a happier and more enlightened Malaysia... |
October 26, 2009 |
 Cambodia |
PPCTV Phnom Penh Cable Television Phnom Penh Cable Television, also known as PPCTV, is a direct-to-home cable TV and subscription service included MMDS TV, Fiber Optic and Internet Service, established by Phnom Penh Municipal Cable Television... Drama 9 |
March 29, 2009 |
 Early Modern France |
MIPTV | March 31, 2009 |
 Philippines |
Associated Broadcasting Company Associated Broadcasting Company The Associated Broadcasting Company, Inc is a television network in the Philippines, with main broadcast facilities and transmitter located at 762 Quirino Highway, San Bartolome, Novaliches, Quezon City. The network was previously known as the , Associated Broadcasting Company remains the legal... (TV5 Associated Broadcasting Company The Associated Broadcasting Company, Inc is a television network in the Philippines, with main broadcast facilities and transmitter located at 762 Quirino Highway, San Bartolome, Novaliches, Quezon City. The network was previously known as the , Associated Broadcasting Company remains the legal... ) |
August 24, 2009 |
 Myanmar |
MRTV | September 5, 2009 |
 United States |
Tai Seng Entertainment Channel (broadcast on DirecTV DirecTV DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ... ) |
December 1, 2009 |
 Vietnam |
Vietnam Television Vietnam Television Vietnam Television, or VTV, is the national television broadcaster for Vietnam. Like all media of Vietnam, its programming is directly controlled by the government.-History:... |
August 12, 2010 |
 Mainland China (Shanghai) |
TBA | 2009 |
| Mainland China (run across China via satellite) |
TBA | January 16, 2010 |
 Thailand |
Thai Public Broadcasting Service Thai Public Broadcasting Service The Thai Public Broadcasting Service , or, in brief, TPBS , is a public broadcasting service in Thailand. It is established by the Thai Public Broadcasting Service Act, BE 2551 , which came into force as from January 15, 2008... |
January 20, 2010 |
 Hong Kong |
TVB PayVision | April 26, 2010 |
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
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, and Mainland China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
.
Hong Kong broadcaster TVB
Television Broadcasts Limited
Television Broadcasts Limited, commonly known as TVB, is the second over-the-air commercial television station in Hong Kong. It commenced broadcasting on 19 November 1967...
purchased the rights to telecast the series in April 2009, and aired the series a year later, in late April 2010.
On 1 December 2009, Tai Seng Entertainment Channel, an ethnic Chinese entertainment channel on DirecTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
, became the first non-Asian station to air The Little Nyonya. It is also the first station to air the series with Cantonese
Cantonese
Cantonese is a dialect spoken primarily in south China.Cantonese may also refer to:* Yue Chinese, the Chinese language that includes Cantonese* Cantonese cuisine, the cuisine of Guangdong province...
dubbing.
The series was promoted at the MIPTV Television Trade Show in Cannes
Cannes
Cannes is one of the best-known cities of the French Riviera, a busy tourist destination and host of the annual Cannes Film Festival. It is a Commune of France in the Alpes-Maritimes department....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
during the end of March, 2009. Qi Yuwu and Jeannette Aw were also in Cannes to promote the series at MIPTV.
Public events
The one and only "The Little Nyonya Public Event" 小娘惹户外影迷会 was held at Compass PointCompass Point
Compass Point may refer to:* Compass point, a direction on a traditional compass* Compass Point * Compass Point Shopping Centre, a shopping mall in Singapore* Compass Point Studios, a studio in Nassau, Bahamas...
on 27 December 2008 at 3pm. More than 5,000 members of the public, including fanclubs went to the shopping centre to see the cast in person (12 in total).
A limited amount of only 100 posters (which comes in 4 different types) were given out to those who came early to queue for it. The queue for these posters were so long that it even stretched to the MRT station. An autograph session was also held at the same place.
Due to the overwhelming response of more than 5,000 people attending, Compass Point was extremely crowded at that point of time till escalators had to stop moving so that audience could look on, and the tiles of the floor even cracked due to the high pressure exerted by people on the ground.
Due to overwhelming response, a few more roadshows were held at various places between January to April 2009. On the 17th of January, Jeanette Aw and Xiang Yun promoted bird nest at Tiong Bahru Plaza, whereas Qi Yuwu and Joanne Peh appeared at Courts Megastore along Tampines Road.
On the 31st of January, the second big-scale event dubbed the "Thank You Roadshow" was held at Suntec City, where fans can take group picture with the cast and then shake hands with them to show their appreciation for their support. It features some of the cast members from the first event as well as Olivia Ong. The response was less chaotic than that for the first roadshow at Compass Point.
On the 5th of March, Yuwu and Joanne appeared in character as part of the official launch for Media Feista at Marina Square. In the early afternoon of the 26th of April, Jeanette and Pierre Png made an appearance at the first anniversary of the Peranakan Museum, before heading off for the Star Awards ceremony.