''The Election'' () is a

political drama A political drama can describe a play, film or TV program that has a political component, whether reflecting the author's political opinion, or describing a politician or series of political events. Dramatists who have written political dramas in ...

series produced by

Hong Kong Television Network Hong Kong Technology Venture Company Limited (HKTV, ) is a Hong Kong-based technology company primarily known for its e-commerce platform and once had plans to become a television station. HKTV currently provides an over-the-top shopping and e ...

(HKTV). With a budget of HK$15 million, filming started in July 2014 and wrapped up on 28 October 2014. Popularly voted to be the inaugural drama of HKTV, the first episode premiered on 19 November 2014, and the remaining episodes were broadcast every Saturday. A second season was initially planned to start filming in February 2015 but was eventually postponed indefinitely.

Plot summary

With the failure of democratic movements such as the

2014 protests Fourteen or 14 may refer to: * 14 (number), the natural number following 13 and preceding 15 * one of the years 14 BC, AD 14, 1914, 2014 Music * 14th (band), a British electronic music duo * ''14'' (David Garrett album), 2013 *''14'', an unrel ...

, the election of Chief Executive in 2017 is a hybrid universal suffrage: one has to obtain 600 votes from the 2400-member Nominating Committee to stand as an official candidate. Wai Man-hin (Poon Chan-leung), non-partisan candidate, is killed in a car accident on the day he wins the Chief Executive election. In the coming years, Wai's widow, Yip Ching (

Angelica Lee Lee Sinje (; born 23 January 1976) is a Malaysian film actress and pop singer. She started her career in singing and later moved on to acting in Taiwan and Hong Kong and Malaysia. Lee starred in '' The Eye'', the hit Asian horror film by the ...

), becomes an active activist for

labour rights Labor rights or workers' rights are both legal rights and human rights relating to labor relations between workers and employers. These rights are codified in national and international labor and employment law. In general, these rights influen ...

. As the 2022 Chief Executive election approaches, Luk Wai-tou (Savio Tsang), DNRA-backed candidate, is embroiled in an extramarital scandal. While DNRA continues to back Luk under the pressure of a mainland official Wang, Sung Man-san (

Liu Kai-chi Dick Liu Kai-chi (, 30 September 1953 – 28 March 2021) was a Hong Kong actor, best known for his everyman supporting roles. His career spanned over 40 years, with appearances in over 90 television series and 70 films. He earned eight nomina ...

), President of the Legislative Council and Chairman of DNRA, is ambitious and tries to replace Luk. Meanwhile, Yip is persuaded by Cheung Gwai-lung (

Gregory Wong Gregory Wong Chung-yiu (; born 2 October 1978) is a Hong Kong actor. His notable roles include ''Lan Kwai Fong'' (2011), ''The Election'' (2014) and ''The Menu'' (2015). On April 29, 2015, Wong renewed his contract with China 3D Digital Enterta ...

) into following her late husband's footsteps and participating in the election. With the increase in the maximum election expenses, prospective candidates have to rely more on sponsors of local tycoons, who are mostly supportive of the government and pro-government DNRA. After appointing Cheung as her election adviser, Yip eventually receives sponsor and nominating votes, but refuses to co-operate with HKMG, Hong Kong's leading media group. Sung fabricates evidence of Luk's affairs to weaken Luk's popularity, but Wang still supports a now-reluctant Luk to stand for the election. Luk discovers that Sung is behind all his scandals but is killed and then replaced by Sung in despair. Cheung rejects Sung's invitation to return to DNRA and is framed for a rape. Although the charge against Cheung is dropped, Yip loses several nominating votes and has to turn to the

Heung Yee Kuk The Heung Yee Kuk, officially the Heung Yee Kuk N.T., is a statutory advisory body representing establishment interests in the New Territories, Hong Kong. The council is a powerful organisation comprising heads of rural committees which repres ...

for help. However, unbeknownst to Yip, her meeting with a rural strongman is used by DNRA and HKMG as evidence of her linkage to the Triads. Shortly, Yip joins the Democratic and Liberal Party (DLP), of which her late father is a co-founder, amidst its fierce intraparty conflict; with the Young Turks' support, Yip beats chairman Ho Chung-bak (

Kwok Fung Kwok Fung (born 27 October 1951 in 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 re ...

) in the party's

primary election Primary elections, or direct primary are a voting process by which voters can indicate their preference for their party's candidate, or a candidate in general, in an upcoming general election, local election, or by-election. Depending on the ...

. Sung Man-san, now diagnosed with

brain cancer A brain tumor occurs when abnormal cells form within the brain. There are two main types of tumors: malignant tumors and benign (non-cancerous) tumors. These can be further classified as primary tumors, which start within the brain, and secondar ...

, and Yip Ching become official Chief Executive candidates. A hostage taker demands a conversation with Yip and surrenders himself to the police afterwards. Nevertheless, a hostage dies from heart attack. HKMG collaborates with DRNA to blame the victim's death on Yip and discredit her. While it becomes clear that HKMG leans towards DRNA, its journalists Kei Man-wai (

Isabel Chan Chan Yat Ling (), known in the West as Isabel Chan or Yat Ling Chan, is a Chinese actress based in Hong Kong. Chan Yat Ling is the Cantonese equivalent of her Mandarin Chinese name. She has been active as a Cantonese language performer since 199 ...

) becomes Sung's

sex partner Sexual partners are people who engage in sexual activity together. The sexual partners may be in a committed relationship, either on an exclusive basis or not, or engage in the sexual activity on a casual basis. They may be on intimate terms ...

and Poon Tsz-wan (Eunice Ho) leaves to set up an

online radio station Online radio (also web radio, net radio, streaming radio, e-radio, IP radio, Internet radio) is a digital audio service transmitted via the Internet. Broadcasting on the Internet is usually referred to as webcasting since it is not transmitted ...

. To further weaken Yip's camp, Sung attempts to lure a disgruntled Ho into tearing DLP apart, but is stopped when Yip threatens Sung with his wife's extramarital

sex tape Amateur pornography is a category of pornography that features models, actors or non-professionals performing without pay, or actors for whom this material is not their only paid modeling work. Reality pornography is made porn that seeks to em ...

. Kong Yat-tung, DRNA's secretary-general, reveals himself to the source of the video on Wang's order. Despite suffering from a fall in support, Yip receives a territory-wide signatory support and decides to stay in the election campaign. Sung's attacks on Yip continue. First, he convinces Tsui Kam-chuen, a radical activist whose offer for coalition was rejected by Yip, to withdraw his support for Yip and launch a blank-vote movement. Second, he releases his own wife's sex tape to HKMG and then blames Yip for her suicidal attempt. Third, he makes HKMG fabricate an intimate relationship between Yip and Cheung. Fourth, he demands Yip has to be absent in the

televised debate A leaders' debate or presidential debate is a public debate held during a general election campaign, where the candidates expose their political opinions and public policy proposals, and criticism of them, to potential voters. They are normally ...

in exchange for the truth behind her husband's death. As Sung starts to show signs of deteriorating health in public, he forces his personal doctor into exile to conceal his illness. A scandal-embroiled Cheung flies to Taiwan to track down the doctor. While the ballots are being counted, Sung falls in coma and Cheung is assaulted. The fates of Sung, Yip and Cheung remain unknown.

Cast

as Yip Ching *

as Sung Man-san *

as Cheung Gwai-lung *

as Ho Chung-bak * Violet Li as Sam Suet-lai * Savio Tsang as Luk Wai-tou * Mimi Kung as Lee Tsz-kwan *

as Kei Man-wai * Yeung Ying-wai as Kong Yat-dung *

Shek Sau Shek Sau (, born Chan Shek-sau, Bill, 21 November 1947) is a Hong Kong actor working for TVB. His son Sam Chan also works for TVB as an actor. In 2005, they appeared in a cooking show together for a Father's Day Father's Day is a holiday o ...

as CK, guest star * Poon Chan-leung as Wai Man-hin *

Casper Chan Casper Chan is a Hong Kong actress. Notable roles include a hotel employee in ''7 Days in Life'', and ''Legend of the Demigods'' as a magistrates daughter. Television *''Beyond the Rainbow'' (2015) *''Sexpedia'' (2015) *''The Menu'' (2015) *'' ...

as Eva * Bryant Mak as Mark * Calvin Hei as Henry * Cherry Pau as Siu Jan-tim * Tong Chun-ming as Chan Gin-yau * Eunice Ho as Poon Chi-wan *

Felix Lok Felix Lok Ying-kwan is a Hong Kong actor. His television appearances include roles in ''Looking Back in Anger'', ''The Drive of Life'' and '' The Academy''. Filmography Television series Films *''Heroes of the Underground'' (1976) *''The Happ ...

as Cheuk Tin-fan * Luvin Ho as Tse Mei-mei, episode 5 and 6 * Peter Lai as Sing Chi-koeng, episode 7 * Wong Man-piu as Leung Yat-hong, episode 7 * Alan Luk as Fong Kai-chiu * Anita Kwan as Mary * Oscar Chan as Kelvin, episode 7 and 8 * Wu Kwing-lung as Lee Kai-hou, episode 9 to 11 * Eva Chan as herself (cameo appearance), episode 9 and 10 *

Candy Chu Candy Chu is a Hong Kong actress for the popular Hong Kong TVB television station. Career Chu entered Miss Hong Kong pageant in 2000, she was 24 years old when entering the pageant. Her goal is to become a successful actress. Her roles in TVB ...

, episode 10 and 11 * Simon Lo as Lin Chi-yun, episode 11 and 12 * Daniel Kwok as Hui Kam-cyun, episode 12 to 15

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Election Hong Kong Television Network original programming 2014 Hong Kong television series debuts 2010s Hong Kong television series