HKTV holds blessing ceremony for new series “The Menu”

HKTV held a blessing ceremony for its new media-themed series The Menu (導火新聞線) today. Led by the series’ script coordinator Poon Man Hung (潘漫紅) [TN: former TVB scriptwriter who helmed the popular medical drama The Hippocratic Crush (On Call 36 小時)] and main director Ben Fong (方俊華) [TN: former TVB director with dramas such as Moonlight Resonance (溏心風暴之家好月圓) to his credit], the cast and crew will join forces to create a brand new series that explores the theme of safeguarding freedom of the press while simultaneously pushing the boundaries of news reporting ethics and morality. To increase the series’ dramatic element, the storyline will bring the rush of minute by minute news gathering techniques to the forefront through the depiction of newspaper reporters’ unwavering efforts to uphold societal righteousness and ethics in the midst of uncovering the truth about the movement to stifle freedom of the press.

The Menu features a cast consisting of both veteran and newcomer actors/actresses, including Kate Yeung (楊淇), Catherine Chau (周家怡), Noel Leung (梁小冰), Gregory Wong (王宗堯), Shek Sau (石修), Samuel Kwok (郭峰), Benji Chiang (姜文杰), etc. During today’s press conference, the cast gathered on stage and introduced each of the characters that they would be portraying in the series. Afterwards, the cast and crew were led by HKTV’s Managing Director To Wai Bing (杜惠冰) in a blessing ceremony to offer best wishes in advance for a smooth production and filming process.

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The Menu (導火新聞線)

Creative Producer: Lam Siu Chi (林少枝)
Copy Editor (Scriptwriter): Poon Man Hung (潘漫紅)
Main Director: Ben Fong (方俊華)

Cast:
Kate Yeung, Catherine Chau, Noel Leung, Gregory Wong, Shek Sau, Benji Chiang, Samuel Kwok, Felix Lok, Dexter Young, Anita Chan, Li Fung, Brian Wong, Maggie Wong, Lee Hong Kit, Kwan Wai Lun, Chan On Ying, Cherry Pau, Rachel Lam, Jones Lee, Leung Kin Ping, Eddie Li, etc.


Entire Cast and Character List (in Chinese):


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?

Source: HK Channel, Sina Weibo
Translated by: llwy12 @ AsianFanatics Forum