118 (TV series)

Plot

Hong Daming (Chew Chor Meng) is a positive and generous man. As his coffee shop and house number are both "118", the people around him gave him the nickname of "118" (or 要要发), much to his delight. Together with his wife, Liu Meimei (Pan Lingling), he makes a living by running the coffee-shop, and are well known in Tiong Bahru. Whenever someone is in need, they would always seek Daming for help.

His family lives in a 3-room flat, which was built in pre-war years, above the coffee shop. He has 4 children. The children are named Hong Shunfeng (Dennis Chew), Hong Shunshui (Xu Bin), Hong Jinzhi (Ya Hui) and Hong Yuye (Somaline Ang).

Having 6 people living in a 3-room flat is cramped-up enough, yet he also rents out a room to "Ah Niang", a middle-aged man whose original name is Li Weiliang (Chen Hanwei). Weiliang studied fashion design in France, but circumstances led him to simply run a stall in 118's coffee-shop, selling dumplings with the recipe that his mother left for him.

Weiliang was not the only addition to the cramped flat. Later, Meimei's elder sister – Liu Jiejie (Liu Lingling) and her family also came to live with 118 when her husband, Zhang Tiancheng's (Chen Tianwen) business failed. Daming's own younger sister, Hong Shanshan (Sheila Sim), and her daughter also came to live with him "temporarily" when her husband disappeared mysteriously. Kind-hearted by nature, Daming felt that they must have come to him because they were at their wit's end. He would rather make room for them by having his own sons sleep in the living room, than to chase them away heartlessly.

As such, the story unfolds with this myriad of personalities living under the same roof and hanging around the 118 coffee-shop, where many dramatic yet comedic events took place…

"118" presents the positive side of a Singaporean – passionate, practical, caring, resilient, faithful, tolerant and forward-looking – while also touching on the lesser side of our personalities. Through the dramatic play of events, we are able to see ourselves in the many characters, who are in fact a mirror of the good and bad sides of all of us.

Opening sequence (ep 1-127)

The sequence begins with all the skyscrapers and the HDB flats unfolding from the city skyline to the 118 coffeeshop.

In the coffeeshop, we can see Hong Daming's family - Daming brewing coffee, Meimei sweeping the floor, their children talking to each other with Jinzhi preparing breakfast, Yuye making up and Shunshui talking on the phone. The scene folds to Weiliang standing outside a restaurant and bowing down, holding a tray of dumplings on his right hand. At this time, Shanshan and Viveka (Sun Yi En) enters the scene on a bicycle, surprising Weiliang and spilling the dumplings. Shanshan attends to Viveka; at this time, Weiliang covers his nose with his finger, due to her smelliness. When Zhigao (Cavin Soh), on his taxi arrives and is calling, Weiliang and Shanshan start to look away from each other. Later, Meimei and Jiejie, the Ang Mo Kio sisters, perform at 118 getai.

Later, Shunfeng is seen strolling happily in a back alley, and starts to run when Meiyou (Roy Li) chases him in hot pursuit. In the nick of time, Shunshui arrives in his car as they run along the HDB corridor, during which Shunfeng hops on the car and they escape. Back at the coffeeshop, Jinzhi is seen tossing noodles at her wonton noodle stall. Later outside, Jinzhi and Yuye see Zhihao (Charles Lee) arriving with a pizza on his hand, and spins when Jinzhi kicks his bum. Jinzhi and Zhihao recognize each other. At the park, Weiliang sees Max Chan (Benjamin Heng) and Sijia (Priscelia Chan) walk past together hand-in-hand, and is heartbroken.

Shanshan appears by Weiliang's side to try to cheer him up. Meanwhile, Tiancheng (Chen Tianwen), Jiejie, and Zhenhui (Nick Teo) are seen moving with luggages; with Jiejie handling the bulk of them. Tiancheng, with only his phone in hand, tells Jiejie and Zhenhui to hurry up. At the same time, Shunshui offers Ada (Chloe Wang) tickets for two to watch a film; Ada takes the ticket and steps one of her high heels on Shunshui, after which, brings him closer and kissing him. This creates a heart-shaped love (paper-fold) which flies all the way to Keke (Dawn Yeoh) and Clinton's (Zhang Zhenhuan) residence, where they have wine at the balcony.

The sequence ends with the cast outside the coffeeshop and celebrate after the logo for 118 is being decorated.

Opening sequence (ep 128-255)

There is a new opening sequence for the show beginning from episode 128. Instead of beginning from the city skyline, it goes into the HDB buildings and then to the 118 coffeeshop. Cast who did not appear this time round were Ada and Max Chan, while new additions to the sequence are Ke'ai (Carrie Wong), Jiabao (Lawrence Wong), Meizhen (Sora Ma) and Jingui (Yeo Thiam Hock).

In the living/dining room, Tiancheng, Jiejie, Shanshan, Viveka and Zhenhui are having dinner at the table together. The scene zooms out to show Weiliang (in facial mask), Jinzhi, Daming (seated), Meimei (seated), Shunfeng, Shunshui and Yuye (seated) at the couches, where Jinzhi breaks a huge wind. At 118 Street, Shunshui calls Ke'ai off for being stupid. They see Keke at the other corner, harassed by Clinton's apologies and sweet-talking.

Weiliang, Sijia, Shanshan and Viveka are happily together at the park, with Zhigao standing at a corner. Jinzhi expresses her concern when Meiyou hurts himself at his provision store. Meimei comes with Daming and picks up an argument with Meiyou. At the food centre, Shunfeng senses Jiabao and Meizhen walking together happily behind him. Shunfeng is disappointed, and Jiabao expresses his delight. At the back alley, Tiancheng is so obsessed with money so much to the point where Zhenhui, Jiejie, Keke and Ke'ai get peeved and ignore him.

In the kitchen, Daming sings a love song for Meimei; Shunfeng enters and gives them a bouquet of flowers. Shunshui, Jinzhi and Yuye, who are also gathering behind, gets surprised. Down at Pizza@119, Jiabao sees Zhihao reunited with Jinzhi and Yuye and quarrels with him, irritating Tiancheng. Tiancheng serves pizza and coffee; the setting changes to show the cast having breakfast at the coffeeshop.

After Daming and Meimei greet everyone, they gather everyone outside the coffeeshop, as the logo for 118 is being decorated, to celebrate.

Cameo appearance (appearing from ep 1-127)

Note: Only credited cameos are listed.

Cameo appearance (appearing from ep 128 onwards)

Note: Only credited cameos and notable cast are listed.

Trivia

Inconsistencies

2016 Accolades

118 has the third-most number of nominations for Star Awards 2016, with 11 nominations in 10 award categories. The series has at least one nomination in every performance award for drama programmes. Along with Crescendo, The Dream Makers II, The Journey: Our Homeland and Tiger Mum, it is one of the five dramas to be nominated for both the Best Drama Serial and Best Theme Song.