Multilingual drama 128 Circle depicts microcosm of Singapore society
Singapore, 28 September 2019 – Demonstrating Mediacorp’s commitment to telling Singapore stories with Singapore talent, Mediacorp debuts 128 Circle, a drama steeped in the familiar sights, smells and rhythms of a hawker centre and depicting a microcosm of Singapore society on 28 September on Toggle and 7 October 2019 on Channel 5.
The drama follows the lives of a group of hawkers operating from the titular 128 Circle Food Centre. The fictional address plays on the sonic similarities between “128” and “want to eat”, a reference to the Singaporean passion for food, combined with the metaphoric circle of community. This 15-episode drama looks at the challenges hawkers face, both at work and in their personal lives.
Filmed on location at Ci Yuan Hawker Centre at Hougang Avenue 9, 128 Circle was produced by Weiyu Films and directed by its founder Lee Thean-jeen. The multiracial cast includes veteran actors like Duan Wei Ming, Silvarajoo Prakasam; familiar faces Daren Tan, Jae Liew, Sharon Ismail, Ashwini Nambiar, and new faces like Constance Lau and Chase Tan. In the show, the cast will speak a mix of English and their native mother tongues in Mandarin, Malay or Tamil to reflect the authenticity of local dialogue in situations where they naturally arise.
Irene Lim, Chief Customer Officer, Mediacorp said: “128 Circle is set in a hawker centre, an icon of Singapore culture and a much loved destination where Singaporeans from all walks of life congregate. The setting reveals the rich diversity of our heritage while the use of multiple languages reflects our different voices in a fresh, authentic way. At the heart of what Mediacorp does is telling relatable stories that are close to the hearts of Singaporeans and celebrate our unique identity. 128 Circle tells our stories.”
Executive Producer and Director Lee Thean-jeen said: “Weiyu Films is delighted for the opportunity to collaborate with Mediacorp in bringing this landmark production to our viewers. I could not think of a better way to showcase our multi-faceted society than the humble hawker centre, which in 128 Circle, serves as the perfect backdrop to explore the colourful and rich interactions between different races in Singapore. The stories that these hawkers tell are raw but very relatable to every Singaporean.”
In conjunction with the launch of 128 Circle, Mediacorp will also be launching an original comedy podcast related to the series available from 7 October on Mediacorp’s digital audio destination, MeRadio. The podcast will feature Gurmit Singh, Mark Lee and Fiza O discussing interesting and relatable topics on Singapore’s unique culture and hawker habits.
128 Circle telecast details
Catch the first two episodes of 128 Circle on Toggle from 28 September 2019. Also available on Channel 5 every Monday from 7 October 9.30pm-10.30pm (15 episodes)
Toggle VOD: Episodes 1-2 (28 September)
Episodes 3-4 (7 October);
Episodes 5-8 (21 October);
Episodes 9-12 (4 November);
Episodes 13-15 (18 November)
Official website: Toggle.sg/128Circle
- ends
Media contact
Winston Chong
Communications Specialist
Corporate Marketing & Communications, Mediacorp
Tel: +65 6350 3351
Email: winstonchong@mediacorp.com.sg
About Mediacorp
Mediacorp is Singapore’s largest content creator and national media network, operating six TV channels, 11 radio stations and multiple digital platforms including CNA, Singapore's most used news app, and Toggle, its digital video platform. Its mission is to engage, entertain and enrich audiences by harnessing the power of creativity.
Mediacorp pioneered the development of Singapore’s broadcasting industry, with radio broadcast in 1936 and television broadcast in 1963. Today, it reaches 98% of Singaporeans in four languages weekly and has a growing Asian audience base through CNA as well as entertainment content that is distributed across markets in the region.
The Mediacorp Partner Network brings Mediacorp together with industry-leading brands like ESPN, Edipresse Media, 99.co and VICE to deliver rich content for consumers and effective solutions for advertisers.
Mediacorp is the recipient of industry accolades including New York Festivals, World Media Festivals, PromaxBDA (World and Asia) and Asian Academy Creative Awards.
For more information, please visit mediacorp.sg.
