Wong Cho Lam’s “Inbound Troubles” Gets Censored in China
TVB’s upcoming comedy drama, Inbound Troubles <老表,你好嘢!>, may face with the possibility of getting the scissor treatment in mainland China.
While promotional trailers for Inbound Troubles are being aired frequently during the commercial breaks in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, many mainland Chinese audiences noticed that whenever a trailer for Inbound Troubles was set to run on their TVB Jade network, the trailer would be replaced with a local commercial ad. The station would resume to its normal broadcasting after the ad was over.
Many mainland Chinese TVB fans are worried that Inbound Troubles will get censored from their network on the drama’s January 14 premiere date. It is assumed that Chinese stations may find Inbound Troubles inappropriate for broadcast due to its rather negative portrayal of the mainland Chinese.
Inbound Troubles stars Roger Kwok (郭晉安), a Hong Kong tour guide, and Wong Cho Lam (王祖藍), Roger’s younger cousin from mainland China. The light-hearted comedy drama addresses the current souring relationship between mainland China and Hong Kong. It will feature many of Hong Kong’s current social issues and problems, such as overpopulation due to Chinese immigration, Chinese maternity tourism in Hong Kong, and Hong Kong’s abuse on mainland China’s commercial market.
Wong Cho Lam, who also serves as the drama’s scriptwriter, was shocked when he heard that Inbound Troubles may get censored in mainland. “What! This drama is all about achieving harmony and peace. Even the trailers have mentioned this! Why would it get censored?”
Wong Cho Lam does not believe that he went over the limit, and he would not alter anything in the drama, even if Inbound Troubles may be censored. “It’s a comedy. I want everyone to enjoy it. Don’t be so sensitive! While editing the drama, we were already very careful in avoiding the more sensitive topics. We try to make it a win-win scenario for everyone.”
The drama’s producer, Wong Wai Sing (黃偉聲), could not be reached for comment.
Source: ihktv.com
This article is written by Addy for JayneStars.com.
Serves you right, TVB. Don’t pretend, Wong Cho Lam.
This mainland bashing is getting abit too much, starting with ‘Friendly Fire’ and now this, an entire drama ‘devoted’ on the negative topic.
It just makes HK people look so ungracious, and very aloof.
This medical tourism thingy, it’s legal, it’s within your law, so what’s the fuss, why complain? If you want to blame anyone, blame it on your HK legislature.
They make the laws.
I am beginning to dislike and have a negative image of HK people. It will only backfire on you people to the whole world.
It won’t really make us have a bad outlook on mainlanders, which is what your ill intention was when you go portraying them in negative light, time and time again..
So well said…..I totally agree with you!
It’s a TV drama for god sake. Don’t like it, don’t watch.
People can’t just focus on the positive and ignore the negative. If it didn’t happen, no one will be talking about. Maybe it’s a way to get the HK govt to address these issues. I’m not saying there are no alternate channels but if we have to be politically correct all the time, this world will be a boring place (and we wouldn’t be talking about it…)
What’s all this about ‘HK people’ and ‘you people’. Is this sterotyping base on a TV series? Can we not distingish between fiction and real life?
Do we now label everyone the same becoz of actions of minority group?
So Western movies/dramas doesn’t protrait people from other cultural backgrounds badly? Most of us can name a few movies where a person of asian background is always the ‘baddies’. Why doesn’t anyone say anything???
I’m an Australian and I don’t agree with you. Though I accept your dissent, but I don’t agree with you.
Zzzzzzz
>It just makes HK people look so ungracious
What does HK have to be gracious about?
>This medical tourism thingy, it’s legal, it’s within your law, so what’s the fuss, why complain? If you want to blame anyone, blame it on your HK legislature.
They make the laws.
It’s exploitation of certain freedoms/civility endowed onto the public.
Say like, a public restroom. There aren’t any laws to prevent people from bringing buckets to fill with water so they can use it at home instead of filling it with their own water. But you don’t see it happening because people still have a shred of decency.
Likewise, there’s no law to keep mainland mothers from giving birth in the ER, unannounced. Yet they do it.
i can understand the problem of many mainlanders,if you look yourself at the mirror and see how ugly you are then of course you dont want to see it again.
but you also can face true and try to understand why you are so ugly in the mirror.
Mainlanders will never admit they are wrong. Case in point: burning down Juscos in mainland China, which employed mainland people, throwing stones and setting fires at the Japanese embassy on mainland China soil, flipping cars of Japanese brands which (surprise) are owned by their own countrymen.
You think they stopped to think whether they should have done that stuff? Nope.
It’s this childish entitlement and the idea that they can do no wrong disgusts me.
Well says…
The beating of Chinese people due to their ownership ofJapanese cars is beyond immature and ridiculous.
Indeed, someone got pulled out of his Toyota and had his legs crippled by a mob. That was insane.
It’s a reflection of social issues. What’s wrong with that?
I agree. These social issues should be brought to attention and hopefully the government will make some changes. I truly hope that HK citizens would get along with Mainlanders and live in harmony.
Can’t agree with you more. People are going to start commenting and bashing your outspokenness . But that’s okay, I’m on your side and I support you. Greetings from Canada !
I don’t think it’s about bashing. More about social awareness. The things mentioned in the dramas did actually happen. It’s not like they were made up for the purpose of the drama.
Mainland Chinese people are trashing HK up. Making it a horrible place to live. They don’t follow simple rules in public areas and public transport, they are selfish and am inconsiderate of others eg pushing in, spitting, trying to use money to pay their way through things…. Ugggggg
Like the HK people don’t trash it already …. I’d say they both are.
you’re probably right 🙂
Since China bans a lot of things, I am not surprised by this nor do I think it is unusual. I hope Wong Cho Lam will give us an insightful witty social commentary which talks about both China mainlanders AND HK people’s quirkiness and annoying everything. Then that’s a pretty fair series.
The drama is crystal clear China-bashing. They will probably give Wong Cho Lam’s character a good ending, but hey, this issue can’t be swept under the rug any longer.
Not it matters. Instead of thinking “oh yeah, maybe we are taking it too far and exploiting HK’s good will”, mainlanders will think “we own you HK, we do whatever we want, when we want”.
The mainlanders are the ones buying up seats at US colleges although the children they send over mostly can not speak a coherent sentence. They may study like hell but they are not able to socialize confortably. Additionally, the new mainland immigrants who are over here in the US are on welfare because they are able to circumnavigate the system but yet work under the table for cash. WTF, I have my taxes taken out every paycheck to feed them and their medical care to include their spanish speaking cousins from Latin America as well. Damn right and OK by me if they hit on topics sensitive to China…China definitely persecutes those who speak out just like the Tibetans, Fan Lung Gong, Christians or those common citizens vocalizing against “corrupt” government officials or their policies. Unless the new Chinese leadership moderates their stance, and appease their citizens by adopting some form of democratic and equitable system in China, China bashing will continue.
“I have my taxes taken out every paycheck to feed them and their medical care to include their spanish speaking cousins from Latin America as well.”
Totally understand how you feel.
I grew up in a community dominated with mainland immigrants. I can safely say all my friends’ families are getting welfare and tries to lie on their apps for free lunch back in grade school and report less income now that we’re in college so they would have more financial aid.
i’m not saying all mainland immigrants are like that but, in my community, 97% are.
with that said, -even in america!-, i don’t blame hong kong for shedding such negative light on mainlanders.
If people know people who abuse the system, then why don’t they call the Department of Social Services. Unless, there’s corruption in there as well.
Regarding the show, there’s nothing wrong with a satirical television programs.
The Dept of Social Services rely on taxpayers like us to keep their jobs. Without welfare cheats, illegals, and scammers, many of them will have no value added in the government and then will be part of the problem as well. It is the politicians who have created this mess for the taxpayers to deal with. Politicians get free medical care for life while the taxpayers have to pay for their even after retirement. Look at Social security which we are paying into, who is getting the bulk of the monies and look at the continued raising of the retirement age and the growing federal deficit. When your offsprings grow up, I am not sure if they will see or get social security.
Aww, poor Mainland people are getting their feelings hurt 🙁
I don’t see the problem with portraying HK-China problems. I honestly doubt there will be much actual discussion, probably just having fun with the stereotypes. If China can’t accept it, so be it. Don’t change just because some people are sensitive.
Serve them right. One of the reasons for this xenophobia is due to the 150 years of colonial taming (the British do have a lot of experience in training dogs, horses and slavish humans), followed by 15 years of Apple Daily and an ironically “pro-democracy” medieval institution the Catholic Church (which enjoys a historical grip and brainwashing right on the school system), Many Hongkongers have fallen way below the “idiocy line”.
some mainlanders if they are in hongkong must behave themself and dont act like an animal.have some respect otherwise go home.yeh its fine to be a british colony,at least freedom of speech,cant say if you are in communistic brainwashing china, idiot.
Taming, training, slavish, institution, brainwashing… Does that not ring a bell?
What a nice post.
Say, whatever happened to the Chinese recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize a few years back? Oh, that’s right — he got put in f**king jail. Ah, but wait, there’s more. The kicker is, his wife also got put in jail for doing nothing but be married to him.
So you know what? I don’t blame you. And I don’t blame your mainland brethren for ignoring your government’s flaws either because you’re all scared of being sent to jail.
I’d also like to refer you to some statistics:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Press_Freedom_Index
Out of 178 nations:
HK: 54th
China: 174th
What’s with all the name calling?
You think Hong Kong people were brainwashed by the British. Aren’t you brainwashed by the Chinese Gov’t and its school system?
If all things were portrayed ‘positively’, there would be no such thing as drama.
People need to get a grip. Did you guys not read the article?? This series will focus on both the positives and negatives of Hong Kongers and Mainland Chinese!!! Thats right. It will criticize hong kong as well. And do you think TVB will be so stupid to do something that would offend the mainland audience, especially as it such a lucrative market. Get over it!!!
Hong Kong is not perfect, but it is better than the mainland in terms of education, healthcare, social justice, and manners. I’ve come across some mainlanders who keep breaking rules and don’t give a damn about it, but those are usually the older folks. I guess if we give it about another 20 years, mainlanders will become more civilized as the population becomes more educated.
Well said , Cloud !
Yeah agree ! They need time coz China just started to be modernised and more educated will help them to be civilized.
I’m actually disappointed that the trailer looks like it portrays HK’s social tension in such positive light. I’d much rather see a drama series about HK-mainland relationship than a comedy about it. People need to stop being so sensitive. It’s a problem that actually exist in HK. The wrong thing to do would be to hide it. Expose it, embrace it, and then try to solve it. Problems can never be solved by avoiding it.
thats just exactly the point,” Problems can never be solved by avoiding it”mainlanders are used to shut their mouth due to no human rights and communistic system. if they dare to say something negative in public they would be immediately put to prison.so thats why the problems never solved.
To be honest, china keeps banning stuff doesn’t make them seem very good. It just kind of shows how uptight they are and can’t take a made up series for a series and movie for a movie. They have ban a few movies and books due to explicit sex i.e. lust,caution, shanghai baby but no offense i doubt there is no one in china that watches porn. Also they ban film/series that make them look bad, why can’t they learn from unless the portrayal is true thats why they are all sensitive
It’s just a freaking drama holy. If you don’t like it, then don’t watch it. No one asked you to watch it.
Mainland Chinese are also buying all our powdered milk in Australia and now we have shortages for our babies.
I was wondering why all these people were buying so much at the local pharmacy?!@#$
Go figure!!!!! Pure exploitation.
This drama is addressing what is happening in life. If you can’t handle the truth then don’t watch it.
Nothing wrong with a drama reflecting on real life social issues. I’m eager to watch this. I support Cho Lam! Mainland is banning way too much things! They only let people watch shows that portray a positive image of Mainland China? Sounds like brainwashing to me! Mainlanders need to open up and learn to accept criticism.
I find it funny how a simple tv show that is a comedy, not a documentry, can result in people saying its china bashing? probably 90% of people that will watch will just laugh at the story line rather then create hatred for the remaining 10% they probably have prejudice already.
I wonder if they are just overthinking it. or they know the stories are true so they don’t want it to be aired?