The only Mandarin television drama series in Singapore to have WWII front and centre, focusing on the Japanese Occupation in Singapore from 1942 to 1945.
There are actual historical figures featured who will be later known as war heroes in Singapore, apart from fictional characters. Lim Bo Seng (played by Rayson Tan), Elizabeth Choy (played by Xiang Yun).
The other historical figure featured is China-born Singaporean businessman and philanthropist Tan Kah Kee (played by Chen Shucheng).
The other historical figure featured is China-born Singaporean businessman and philanthropist Tan Kah Kee (played by Chen Shucheng).
Winner of Best Drama Serial at the 1997 Star Awards, the annual award ceremony honouring the best Mandarin TV productions in Singapore produced from Mediacorp. It also took major awards for the cast including Best Actor for Christopher Lee (as Xie Guomin), Best Actress for Carole Lin (as Wang Qiumei), and Best Supporting Actress for Hong Huifang (as Wang Jinfeng). The theme song, which also shares the same title, won Best Theme Song.
The entire drama series is divided into seven main broad themes, dealing from events pre-war outside of Singapore, to the end of the Japanese Occupation.
Businessman and philanthropist Tan Kah Kee is from Jimei in Xiamen in China, whereas the actor who played him Chen Shucheng might had also being born in China, he was originally from Shantou. It made the latter a Teochew in terms of his dialect, whereas the person whom he played is a Hokkien.