''With or Without You'' () is a 2015
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
period historical fiction comedy drama produced by
TVB
Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) is a television broadcasting company based in Hong Kong SAR. The Company operates five free-to-air terrestrial television channels in Hong Kong, with TVB Jade as its main Cantonese language service, and TVB ...
, starring
Bobby Au-Yeung
Robert Au-yeung Tsan-wah (born 28 July 1960) is a Hong Kong actor best known for his comedic roles in many TVB television dramas. He gained wide public attention in the 1990s for his portrayal of Ben Yu in the 1991 legal drama ''File of Justice' ...
and
Joey Meng
Joey Meng Yee-man born 2 October 1970 is a Hong Kong actress, model and beauty spokesperson. She is best known for her roles with television network ATV before moving to network TVB in 2013. Her contract with TVB ended in 2020.
Life and career
...
as the main leads. Filming took place from October 2014 to February 2015 on location in Hong Kong and China Central Television Wuxi Film & Television Base. The drama is broadcast on Hong Kong's Jade and HD Jade channels from 26 October till 6 December 2015 every Monday through Friday during its 8:30–9:30 pm timeslot with a total of 30 episodes.
The drama is a fictional telling of
Song dynasty
The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...
poet
Su Shi
Su Shi (; 8 January 1037 – 24 August 1101), courtesy name Zizhan (), art name Dongpo (), was a Chinese calligrapher, essayist, gastronomer, pharmacologist, poet, politician, and travel writer during the Song dynasty. A major personality of ...
and is the last of TVB's four 2015 grand anniversary dramas to be broadcast.
Synopsis
The drama is a fictional account of the family life of Song dynasty poet Su Shi also known as So Tung Po.
Unable to forget his late wife, So Tung Po (Bobby Au Yeung) has refused to remarry until he meets talented female chef Wong Yun Chi (Joey Meng) who wins him over with her cooking. Thinking life will get better, he marries Yun Chi, but after marriage the two constantly bicker and Tung Po's son from his first marriage does not accept his new step mother .
Besides his own marriage Tung Po is also concerned with his youngest sister So Siu Mui's (Jacqueline Wong) love life since he believes her flirtatious boyfriend Chun Siu Yau (Vincent Wong) will eventually leave her and break her heart. Also his other younger sister So Dai Mui (Harriet Yeung), who still has not gotten over her first love that is now married to someone else.
So Dai Mui finally marries with Tung Po's friend, Chan Kwai Sheung. They were lovers when Kwai Sheung was working in a temple. However that time he chose another one to marry. But the wife he marries is shrewish and claimed by Tung Po as "the lioness of Hedong". And eventually he is separated from his wife and be with Dai Mui.
Before marrying Siu Mui, Siu Yau told Tung Po a secret he's been keeping from Siu Mui. Siu Yau is a divorced man, with a divorce certificate he showed to Tung Po. However, his ex-wife returns to seek him after knowing he's already been the Champion of Keju. She lies to everybody that she is unaware of the divorce certificate. To not break her heart, Siu Mui chooses to serve Siu Yau with her. However Tung Po and Jeon Chi finally discover her she has been lying to everyone except her parents for a long time. She re-separate with Siu Yau.
Siu Yau goes to Silkworm Village for a working journey. He goes investigating the plague happened in the silkworm village since he used to help the villagers there. The plague is caused people to act as zombies. The plague was from Wong On Shek while he was planted the virus with an injury after he was fired by the emperor. Siu Yau found it in the medical classics knowing the plague is so call
Baak Bin Ku and make up the antidote. When he and Siu Mui are both in illness, Tung Po save them with the antidote. This makes Wong On Shek and So Tung Po end with their argument.
The Emperor was dating with Kum Chow who is a famous prostitute in the Capital. She was introduced by Tung Po to the emperor. Underneath the prostitute's cover, she is actually a spy from the Kingdom of Liao. She set a lot of traps, and the plague is one of them.
Cast
So family
*
Bobby Au-Yeung
Robert Au-yeung Tsan-wah (born 28 July 1960) is a Hong Kong actor best known for his comedic roles in many TVB television dramas. He gained wide public attention in the 1990s for his portrayal of Ben Yu in the 1991 legal drama ''File of Justice' ...
as
So Tung Po, a famous poet and officer in Song dynasty
*
Joey Meng
Joey Meng Yee-man born 2 October 1970 is a Hong Kong actress, model and beauty spokesperson. She is best known for her roles with television network ATV before moving to network TVB in 2013. Her contract with TVB ended in 2020.
Life and career
...
as Wong Yun Zhi, Tung po's younger cousin-sister-in-law and wife later.
*
Jimmy Au
Jimmy may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* Jimmy (2008 film), ''Jimmy'' (2008 film), a 2008 Hindi thriller directed by Raj N. Sippy
* Jimmy (1979 film), ''Jimmy'' (1979 film), a 1979 Indian Malayalam film directed by Melat ...
as
So Chit, Tung Po's younger brother, also a poet and officer.
*
Harriet Yeung
Harriet(t) may refer to:
* Harriet (name), a female name ''(includes list of people with the name)''
Places
*Harriet, Queensland, rural locality in Australia
* Harriet, Arkansas, unincorporated community in the United States
* Harriett, Texas, ...
as So Tai Mui, one of the two Tung Po's younger sisters, So Siu Mui's elder sister. Chan Kwai Sheung's concubine.
*
Jacqueline Wong
Jacqueline Wong Sum-wing (, born 23 January 1989) is an American-born Hong Kong Canadian actress and television host. She won the Miss Hong Kong 2012 first runner-up title and placed in the top 12 talents at Miss World 2013. In 2022, her con ...
as So Siu Mui, Tung Po's youngest sister,
Chun Shiu Yau's wife and later the
equivalent wife (a kind of old-fashioned marriage relationship in China), good in martial arts and couplets.
*
Vincent Wong as Chun Shiu Yau, another famous poet in Song dynasty. Tung Po's younger brother-in-law, So Siu Mui's husband, not only good in literature, but also martial arts.
*Lam Wing Yu
*
Wong Yee Kam
Chan family
*
Tyson Chak
Tyson is a male given name of old French origin meaning 'high-spirited', 'fire'. It is from this that a surname arose 'son of Tyson'.
Surname
*Alan Tyson (1926–2000), British musicologist
*Barbara Tyson (born 1964), Canadian actress
*Bill Tyson ...
as Chan Kwai Sheung, Tung Po's best friend, he is historically famous for his fear of his cruel wife. He's So Tai Mui's ex-lover. Tai Mui and Yin-hung's lover.
*
Alice Chan
Alice Chan Wai (born 21 November 1973) is a Hong Kong actress currently contracted to TVB.
Early life
Alice Chan was born in Beijing, with ancestry in the county-level city of Puning in Guangdong. She settled in Hong Kong with her parents and ...
as Lau Yuet O, Chan's wife, historically famous by her husband describing her as a lion from the east of Yellow River in Chinese idiom 河東獅吼
Song dynasty Royals and Officials
*
Jonathan Cheung
Jonathan Cheung Wing-hong (, born 26 December 1981), native of Zhongshan, Guangdong, is a Hong Kong actor since 2001. He is currently contracted to TVB.
Career
In 2006, Johnathan Cheung joined TVB by Andy's recommendation and mostly played sup ...
as
Song Shenzong
Emperor Shenzong of Song (25 May 1048 – 1 April 1085), personal name Zhao Xu, was the sixth emperor of the Song dynasty of China. His original personal name was Zhao Zhongzhen but he changed it to "Zhao Xu" after his coronation. He reigned f ...
, the emperor.
*
Mary Hon
Mary Hon is an actress from TVB
Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) is a television broadcasting company based in Hong Kong SAR. The Company operates five free-to-air terrestrial television channels in Hong Kong, with TVB Jade as its ...
as the empress dowager
*
Leanne Li
Leanne Li Yanan (; born 25 November 1984) is a Chinese people, Chinese-born Canadians, Canadian actor, actress and television host. She was the 2005 Miss Chinese International Pageant winner hailing from Vancouver, British Columbia.
Early life
L ...
as Shau-On State Princess, ex-master for Kwai Sheung's wife Lau Yuet O and Tung Po's wife Yun Zhi.
*
Pal Sinn
Pal Sinn Lap-man (born 17 March 1959) is a Hong Kong musician, singer and actor.
Sinn is noted for his roles as Sai-Mun Hing in '' The Reincarnation of Golden Lotus'', for which he received Hong Kong Film Award nomination for Best New Performe ...
as
Wong on Shek, a famous reformer and poet in the Song Dynasty.
*Kevin Yau
*
Joan Lee
Extended cast
*
Sire Ma
Sire Ma (; born 31 July 1987), or Ma Choi, is a Chinese actress based in Hong Kong. Her birth name is Sima Saier (). She was the 2nd runner up at the Miss Hong Kong Pageant 2008, simultaneously winning the Miss Photogenic Award. She later went on ...
as Kum Chow, a prostitute and spy from the Liao State
*
Akina Hong Akina may refer to:
* Akina, a character in the 3D-CG Hong Kong donghua TV series ''Zentrix''
* Mount Akina, name for Mount Haruna in the ''Initial D'' series of manga and anime
* Akina, New Zealand, suburb of Hastings City, in the Hawke's Bay Regi ...
as So Chit's wife, she is also the servant of Kum Chow
*
Becky Lee
Becky Lee (, born 11 August 1978) is a Hong Kong TVB actress and host. She also is a vocal music artist. She graduated from the Music Department of Hong Kong Baptist University, majored in vocal music.
Filmography TV series
Film
*The Fortune B ...
as Shuk Mei, Mrs. What, Shiu Yau's ex-wife and later wife, a liar too
*
Dickson Lee Dickson may refer to:
People
*Dickson (given name)
*Dickson (surname)
Places
In Australia:
*Dickson, Australian Capital Territory in Canberra
*Dickson College in Canberra
*Dickson Centre, Australian Capital Territory in Canberra
*Division of Dick ...
as Hung Sei, a captor and Shiu Yau's friend
*
Joseph Yeung
Joseph is a common male given name, derived from the Hebrew Yosef (יוֹסֵף). "Joseph" is used, along with "Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the mo ...
*
Chan Wing Chun
Chan may refer to:
Places
*Chan (commune), Cambodia
* Chan Lake, by Chan Lake Territorial Park in Northwest Territories, Canada
People
*Chan (surname), romanization of various Chinese surnames (including 陳, 曾, 詹, 戰, and 田)
* Chan Cald ...
*
Bob Cheung
*
Joel Chan
*
Ceci So as Shiu Yau's mother-in-law
*
Wong Chun
Wong Chun () is a Hong Kong director and screenwriter. His feature film debut ''Mad World'' (2016) was nominated for eights awards at the 36th Hong Kong Film Awards. For the film, Wong won Best New Director at the 53rd Golden Horse Awards and 36t ...
as Shiu Yau's father-in-law
*
Albert Law
Albert Law (28 December 1872 – 22 October 1956) was a British Labour Party politician.
Law was born in Bolton, and worked as a cotton spinner in the town. He became active in the Bolton and District Operative Cotton Spinners' Provincial Asso ...
as Ching Chi-Coi, Tung Po's ex-brother-in-law and Kum Chow's servant
*
Lily Li
Lily Li () (born 14 June 1950) is a Hong Kong film and television actress. She is best known for her films '' The Wandering Swordsman'', ''Executioners from Shaolin'', ''One Foot Crane'' and ''The Young Master'', and television series ''The Br ...
*
Lydia Law
*
Ally Tse
An ally is a member of an alliance.
Ally may also refer to:
Place names
* Ally, Cantal, a commune in the Cantal department in south-central France
* Ally, County Tyrone, a townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland
* Ally, Haute-Loire, a commune ...
*
Wong Hong Kiu
*
Roxanne Tong
Roxanne Tong Lok Man () is a Hong Kong actress and former beauty pageant contestant contracted to TVB.
Background
Roxanne Tong was born in Hong Kong, the older of two children. Her father, Tong Chun Chung, was an actor. She is the niece of Hon ...
as Yin-Hung, a prostitute in Luk Ming Yuen. Tung Po's friend, Chan Kwai-sheung's mistress
*
Glen Lee as Wong Pong, the elder son of Wong On Shek
*
Suki Lam
*
Ivana Wong (王舒銳) as Wong Yun Zhi's servant
Development
*The costume fitting ceremony and blessing ceremony was held on 30 October 2014 at 12:30 pm Tseung Kwan O TVB City Studio One Common Room.
*Filming took place from October 2014 to February 2015 on location in Hong Kong and China Central Television Wuxi Film & Television Base.
*In March 2014, ''With or Without You'' was one of ten TVB dramas previewed at FILMART 2014.
*A promo image of ''With or Without You'' was featured in TVB's 2015 calendar for the month of September.
Viewership ratings
*19 November 2015: No episode was broadcast due to live airing of 2015 TVB Anniversary Gala.
International broadcast
Awards and nominations
References
External links
TVB Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:With or Without You
TVB dramas
Hong Kong television series
2015 Hong Kong television series debuts
2015 Hong Kong television series endings
2010s Hong Kong television series