First episode date 16 September 2002 | Theme music composer Chan Chung-hung Final episode date 15 November 2002 Number of episodes 45 | |
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Written by Lau Choi-wanSharon AuCheung Siu-fongWong Lei-chi Directed by Man Wai-hungLai Kai-mingChung Kwok-keung Starring Gallen LoDeric WanJessica HsuanRaymond LamMichelle Ye Opening theme The Fairy Tale of Life (歲月的童話) byGallen Lo Cast Similar At the Threshold of an Era, Daddy Dearest, Secret of the Heart, Between Love & Desire, Eternal Happiness | ||
Golden Faith is a 2002 Hong Kong television drama produced by TVB, starring a cast that includes a strong mix of new generation actors such as Gallen Lo, Deric Wan, Jessica Hsuan, Raymond Lam, Anne Heung, Myolie Wu, Tavia Yeung, and Michelle Ye and old generation powerhouse actors such as Paul Chun, Lau Dan, Shek Sau, Kwok Fung, Lau Kong, and Gigi Wong. It is Gallen Lo's final dramatic epic before he left TVB, Deric Wan's comeback drama, Myolie Wu's breakthrough role and Felix Lok's first major role from random support characters. It is billed as a major production from the makers of At the Threshold of an Era.
Contents
Synopsis
Ivan Ting Sin-boon (Gallen Lo) is orphaned at young age and was adopted by Ting Wing-pong (Paul Chun), the CEO of Ting Fung, a jeweller in Hong Kong. His real name is Chung Tin-yan and his family died in a ship wreck when he was a child coming to Hong Kong. Ivan grew up knowing the business ethics his father went through as he built his empire, which included drug trafficking and illegal money interaction, but never got involved in the operations himself. No one knows of his true identity, not even his adopted mother and siblings.
On a trip to Perth, Australia, he meets Rachel Ching Tin-lam (Jessica Hsuan). After a few incidents, they are brought together. As they are about to begin a relationship together, Ivan is called back to Hong Kong due to one of his father's old business partners requesting help. During this incident, he gets into trouble with the law; he crosses paths with an undercover police officer, Chung Sau-hong (Deric Wan) who is out to put an end to their illegal operations. Ivan is soon arrested for what seems like an illegal transaction between himself and his father's old partner but in reality he simply gives money without actually taking the "goods". When he faces his case in court, the prosecutor is none other than Rachel. After clearing the misunderstandings, he manages to embark on a relationship with her.
However, in the middle of their relationship, Ivan is faced with more and more crises. On one hand, he believes he killed Law Kai-cheung (Kwok Fung) while trying to save his sister, Yan (Myolie Wu). On the other, he is constantly helping his family avoid legal prosecution due to their past. This puts a strain on their relationship.
Ivan's good friend, Sabrina Kwai Lai-fu (Anne Heung), who loves Ivan with all her heart, is constantly tormented by Hong Pak-to (Shek Sau), his rival business partner. Pak-to steals a precious crown meant from Ting Fung and she is forced to make a sacrifice of sleeping with him to get it back. Eventually, Pak-to pushes her too far and she kills him. As a result, Ivan decides to fully give up his relationship with Rachel because of obligation to Sabrina.
When his father dies, he is left with a majority of the family fortune and is the principal stakeholder, making him CEO and Chair of Ting Fung. This upsets his second-uncle greatly. His brother Oscar, who studied in America, comes back to help in the family business despite initially hesitating and preferring to pursue a career in marine biology. Oscar accidentally hits someone with his car one day and their second uncle uses this incident to twist Oscar's mind into hating Ivan, initiating a power struggle between the two brothers that will lead to Ivan's true identity being revealed. Oscar is not pleased that a non-Ting member holds the ruling power in the company. Ivan agrees to allow Oscar to be the new CEO with a few stipulations.
Their second uncle continues to scheme, attempting to revert the company back into the money laundering scheme it used to be. Eventually Rachel goes out with Hong and he is revealed to be Ivan's brother who was thought to have died at sea. Sabrina leaves Ivan due to being constantly reminded of her time with Pak-to. Soon after, Ivan and Hong reconcile, leading to Ivan and Rachel's increased interaction once again. She starts to understand his complex life and realizes why he made the choices he made and how it burdens him so. Ivan's personality makes her realize who she truly loved and she reconsiders her relationship with Hong. Meanwhile, Oscar is driven further and further down the wrong path by their second uncle.
Eventually, Oscar realizes the error of his ways and Ivan regains control of Ting Fung, exposing their second uncle. Once he realizes his late-father's dream for the company, he is free to pursue his relation with Rachel once again. In the end, Ivan and Rachel live happily ever after in Perth.
Main cast
Additional cast
Cameos
Critics
Critics of this television series have spanned a long spectrum of opinions. Some regard it to be a spectacular production with classic value while others have whiplashed the series for its "unrealistic" characters. The lasting selflessness of the hero Ivan, as well as the incidental innocence displayed by some usually clever characters, does justify such criticism. However, the story as a whole was written in the spirit of romanticism, and true artists have not been able to dismiss its complex but excellently written plot, considering its genre.