“Gilded Chopsticks” Premieres at 28 Ratings Points
Wong Cho Lam’s (王祖藍) period comedy, Gilded Chopsticks <食為奴>, premiered last night with an average of 28 ratings points and peaking at 29 points. Although aired in a typically low-ratings season, Gilded Chopsticks‘ premiere episode attracted 1.8 million local viewers, slightly higher than recent TVB dramas that aired.
Last night, the cast and crew gathered together for a meal to watch the premiere together. At the same time, Ben Wong (黃智賢) wanted to make use of the opportunity to give everyone a treat. Ben already had the intention to treat the cast and crew when they were filming at the Hengdian World Studios. However, it was difficult to gather everyone together for a meal at the time, so he waited until the Hong Kong broadcast to treat everyone.
Ben said, “There was a scene I filmed with Nancy Wu (胡定欣) and Joey Meng (萬綺雯). During filming, I did not realize that my wig dropped so Nancy had to reshoot the scene with me. It took us about five hours. Fortunately, we did not have to film the kissing scene again.” Ben felt guilty about the incident and promised to treat Nancy to a meal. Since Nancy had another work commitment and did not attend last night’s dinner, Ben will have to wait for another opportunity. Cho Lam offered to split the bill with Ben.
Full of confidence for the ratings of Glided Chopsticks, Cho Lam expected the ratings for the drama to go up to 30 points. He said, “We hope that the mainland China’s online rating will hit above 100 million. When that happens, I will thank everyone, be it a big feast or stripping. Anything is possible. I will do what everyone wants. Haha.”
Glided Chopsticks follows the adventures of a lazy but gifted “golden-tongued” imperial chef Ko Tin Po, played by Wong Cho Lam, who befriends Fourth Prince, Yongzheng (Ben Wong) by chance. The story is said to be inspired by Jin Yong’s (金庸) The Duke of Mount Deer <鹿鼎記>.
Sources: Ming Pao; On.cc; On.cc
Lazy is wrong word to use. Anyway am watching. Am baffled by some casting decision but other than that I am enjoying this series very much. After all it features my fave emperor in Chinese history. Story is nothing new but chemistry is there. The dukes’ costumes look cheap though.
I saw the first episode yesterday and so far I am liking it and the cast selected for it 🙂
Glad to see Matthew Ko and Power Chan in it as well.
”Too much kinder jargon from Cho and acting as Eric isn’t cool at all.
Disagree with any chemist being involved in the making of such cheap soap. Its more like clowns trying too hard to make audience laugh.
Is it not stupid to dress actor suppose to be the Qing Crown Prince in Taiping rebel robe. Next stupid thing going to occur might have Cho in tranny costume pretending to a foreign ambassador from wonderland and audiences might well take a short break and or switch channels?”
This drama is pretty good
No offense, this drama is a great. I am not talking about “Gilded Chopsticks”
However I do feel that hk audience really lowered their bar thinking that idiotic comedies series are great.
I know they create laughters, but most of the time hk audiences do things differently(the opposite) as what they say…They are clueless on what they want.
how could such a ugly short irritating guy as wong cho lam takes the lead role in tvb drama? this is an insult for the hk audience,i used to watch tony leung andy lau chow yun fat chow sing chi that level of “stars” in tvb dramas,and now tvb treats me a kelefeh look a like to watch as he is the next stephen chow? wth..?
he’s one of the leads. Ben Wong is also a main character since he becomes the emperor and that Joey Meng is one of the female leads and has a romantic storyline with Ben…
Ben I consider as supporting. It seems Wong Cholam is the leading character but since leading duties can be shared, I will say of course Ben is considered co-lead.
I personally think that the palace brothers are in a supporting role. As for Nancy, Ben, Joey, WCL are main leads, co-leading this drama. But it’s way too early to say who’s supporting..
@sing : Because he has talent? I enjoy Wong Cho Lam… he certainly has more talent than some of the other muscle bound actors / pageant beauty queens that strut around in TVB dramas.
yes he has talent and that is his irritating jokes.
all i got was ‘hes short, ugly and irritating’, so he doesnt deserve the recognition and chances as the other actors? everyone has to start somewhere. Acting isnt all about looks.
There us more to acting rather than just looks. I gave seen really handsome actors that are really irritating because they just cannot act, have no aura,charm or anything. In order to attract the audience you need much much more than just a pretty face. I have seen Wong Cho lam act and has a lot of talent.He is a good example of someone who does not need looks only in order to attract the audience. Another good example is Benz Hui. He is a great actor even though he is not handsome and many love him and his acting. What is the point of having just a pretty face?
Short and ugly can’t be famous, it tells how shallow you are.
narrow-minded & apperance obssessed guy. Poor u
you can compensate a lack of good looks with extraordinary talent like stephen chow but i dont feel wong cho lam is in possession of any talent,its only luck and by brushing erics shoes.
Stephen Chow is actually a good looking guy when he was younger.
They should have made Ben Wong as lead role along time ago. After watching him in “A Kindred Spirit” I was waiting for a opportunity for him to rise but nooooo.
Agree. Ben Wong is one of the talented actors that’s finally given a lead role.
I agree that Ben is a talented actor that should be given a leading role.
It’s kind of maddening that WCL gets lead billing even though hes new and Ben is co-lead after so many years. Ben deserves to be promoted more. He is a great under appreciated actor.
WCL needs more 2nd billing roles. He needs to pay his dues like everyone else.
I hate the favoritism in TVB.
Greenleaf are neglected/disrespected and the kiss-ups are heavily promoted whether they have talent or not.
I am also of the opinion that WCL is kind of irritating, but then again I have only seen him in Inbound Troubles.
Ben was given a lead role a long time ago (in that series with Nick Cheung back in the 90s) — but the series tanked and he never got a lead role again after that (which I feel is unfair because a big part of the reason why the series failed was because the script sucked, plus a combination of other factors such as boring storyline, bad casting, etc).
Ben is definitely talented in terms of acting and I also would like to see him get another leading role soon.
I prefer a system where good people are given leads over people with “seniority” – the idea of “paying your dues” to progress in your job is antiquated. (IMHO of course :P)
“Ben was given a lead role a long time ago (in that series with Nick Cheung back in the 90s)”
I liked that TVB series Triumph Over Evil. But Ben Wong and Joyce Tang’s acting were a little bit raw compared to the rest of the cast back then.
“bad casting”
maybe if Ben Wong acted with Chen Songling or fadans back then, the ratings will probably be better. But I like Joyce Tang.
@KK: Yes, Ben was raw, but not that raw – he actually held his own pretty well starring alongside “Movie King” Nick Cheung (though of course Nick wasn’t Movie King yet at that time, so at least the cast didn’t have to worry about that pressure…). I actually only remember Ben, Joyce, and Chor Yuen’s performances the most from that series – ironically, I don’t remember much about Nick’s character. Overall, the series itself was boring in my opinion…
@sing different people get annoyed by different things and if wong cho lam’s comedic approach irritates you, i can understand. HOWEVER, if you’re discriminating him because of his appearance then that’s not very nice of you. i would anytime switch my channel to watch wong cho lam than any of the handsome and tall tvb actors. and by the way, beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. i don’t think wong cho lam is ugly
WCL is not an insult to the Hk audience, they enjoy his acting and comedic talent. Whereas YOU trying to speak up for the general Hk audience is an insult. The ratings goes to show that the audience isn’t shallow like you.
Eris Tsang is short and he is ugly and he is considered HK entertainment’s ah gor. Height and looks for guys is not a problem. Look at Wong Cholam who has a tall pretty girlfriend. It is about talent. Admittedly he is not that funny but he works with what he has.
yeah, $$$ is more important. An ugly man with deep pockets gets more honey than a good looking guy with no dough.
I am enjoying this series right now!
I’m glad Ben Wong play a good guy in this series.
Wong cho lam is funny.
This is ok so far. Although the costume and set are clearly well below the standard of some mainland dramas but I can overlook that. I hope Wong cho lam will not keep using his salted fish catchphrase, as it can get annoying. Casting wise, I don’t like the 8th Prince. Ben is ok but I do think he lacks the flair to be a main lead.
Qing dynasty outfits for men are really cheap looking and unflattering, period.
Are the costumes that bad? I feel it is sad how TVB claims to have the money and resources but yet fail to even provide decent costumes? I think having decent costumes is very basic and if they cannot even do that then, I wonder how they will be able to go back to the good old days of making quality productions? New companies are emerging too so it is not just all about them anymore.
HTS, I’ve only watched 2 episodes, but the costumes are not great, not horrible bad, but I’m used to BBJX and Zhen Huan’s beautiful Qing costumes, so this is way inferior in comparison.
Puff,
Thanks for your info. I guess you cannot compare to the lovely Qing dynasty costumes in China productions. Back then,the costumes for TVB series were more colorful and rich looking while the ones from China looked more cheap. But now the China series seem to have better costumes.
Bigger budget in China. Zhen Huan’s costumes and props are so so exquisite.
I’m afraid even the variety shows staging have improved so much in China. I love HK and it has a special space in my heart because I grew up watching TVB. I hope things will improve in HK entertainment industry especially TVB.
Seen it. The 1990s costumes were better than the ones in 2014.
The costumes from the 80s and early 90s were the nicest in my opinion.but sadly, there were all burned down in a fire back then. They are now all gone and TVB is getting cheaper and cheaper when it comes to putting out money to design nice costumes.
Although the costumes used in Gilded Chopsticks are somewhat plain looking compared to the costumes in BBJX, I don’t really mind.
I mind big time. They look extremely silly and cheap.
The palace outfits look decent, especially Power’s costume. As for the actors/actresses who are playing as civilians or “middle to low class” category, it’s understandable why their costumes aren’t the same quality, and more on the plain-looking costumes. If it’s too fancy, then it won’t match up with the actor’s role, in terms of civilian’s background and status within that society.
Actually the ordinary people’s costume is ok. It is the appalling baby blue and hot pink duke’s clothings that got my eyes screaming NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Which episode was that? I may have overlooked it.
Every time 10th, 9th 14th appear which you can’t miss.
“Every time 10th, 9th 14th appear which you can’t miss.”
^ Just re-watched some previous episodes, and only 9th and 14th wears it, but 9th prince wears it more than 14th. I haven’t seen 10th prince wearing that color scheme yet.
The story so far is still acceptable but the costumes are damn cheap looking! I even saw Ben Wong wearing something like a Chinese New Year deco as his belt hanging accessories! Some of the actors cast as Prince really look more suitable being an eunuch!
Looks like TVB dramas typically don’t cross more than 28 points on average these days.
hope this tv film will get more points for this year but lest year’s vote was so much points almost a lot of shows have alot of points but this year is not good enough GET onto the POINTS………
Another actor I quite enjoy watching li ka sing, the guy who portray fourth prince’s right hand man
I have seen him act for a long time in a variety of roles and must say that he is a very good and versatile actor. Hope he gets more prominent roles in the future because that guy can act.
I agree. Dickson Lee is a hugely underrated actor who has been with TVB for decades, has acting talent, but yet is struggling to get recognition(sort of similar to Derek Kwok’s situation).
I grew up watching Dickson in the 80s and 90s and can tell you that he has always been a consistently good, versatile actor who can do a whole spectrum of roles and do them all well….my personal favorites are his roles in Family Squad, The Swords of Conquest, and even Once Upon a Time in Shanghai (hated his villain character so much but loved his portrayal!) It’s a shame that Dickson has been at TVB close to 30 years (give or take) and only recently started to get a little bit of recognition. Hopefully TVB does right by him soon because with his talent, he definitely has other options….
HTS, actually when Li Kasing first debuted he was poised to be a lead actor. However somewhere along the way he was shove to the back. He can act but I think he is fine as he is.
李家聲 right?
Love his acting. Actually ever since The Academy (2005 tvb series), I always liked his acting! 🙂
Yes, that is him!! I have seen him act back in the 80s when he was still just a minor and extra and noticed him… Then I saw him in better roles in the late 80s and 90s. I love him as that one character in Bian Cheng Lang Zi. He was really funny,lively and cute…
I agree! Dickson Lee is a hugely underrated actor (sort of similar to Derek Kwok). I grew up watching Dickson in the 80s/90s and can tell you that he has always been a consistently good, versatile actor who can do a whole spectrum of roles and do them all well….my personal favorites are his roles in Family Squad, The Swords of Conquest, and even Once Upon a Time in Shanghai (hated his villain character so much but loved his portrayal!) It’s a shame that Dickson has been at TVB close to 30 years (give or take) and only recently started to get a little bit of recognition. Hopefully TVB does right by him soon because with his talent, he definitely has other options….
I liked him after watching The Academy too. But after awhile, the liking for him just decreased because of his other roles in subsequent dramas.
Stephen Chow was highest grossing actor for Hong Kong for almost a decade. Nothing wrong with comedic actors. Andy Lau is prolific and Tony Leung is great actor – neither are tall – I think wiki height profiles are wrong.
Stephen Chow was and still is God(father) of comedy. No one else come close, not even miles and miles away.
Agreed! Love his films.
All d male cast are great..especially Power Chan, his acting in this drama reli details, refine & outstanding!. Power Chan is a versatile, “solid” & “stable” actor.
Power Chan is great in this series. Soooo evil and unlikeable.
I didn’t know he could do it so well. This is the first time that I hope his character has a bad ending.
He also deserves a leading role cause he is an amazing actor. It’s too bad TVB treat him so poorly, and now probably even worse because of the HKTV thing.
well i like the cast so far the role suit wcl so much.
I also like the cast so far. It’s well chosen. This drama is quite hilarious! (:
you shouldnt judge someone by their height or look …. Stephen Chow is just a genius who know how to use idea ,script and have eyesight this what make everyone like his role.But in real person he just a person with no friends but have money….
Andy lau was just famous from his look and icon movie which made him famous but have protective personalty
look at chapman to he is a shorty and who swear alot but still get main roles
each person have their own uniques style of acting. Not everyone is raymond lam or andy lau or some korean popstar …
Most comedians are like that. On screen they appear so lively but in person they may have various issues.
I don’t have a problem with his looks since acting is above that anyways but he seems to think he’s more funny than he actually is, a lot of his comedy is exaggerated he’s actually not that funny. Apparently the HK viewers like his kind of obvious and cheesy humor which is why in my opinion comedies aren’t the company’s strongest genre.
I totally agree with what you said about cho lam and his acting. His antics get so boring after the novelty dies down.
“he seems to think he’s more funny than he actually is, a lot of his comedy is exaggerated he’s actually not that funny.”
I agree with that though I have no issues with watching him act in dramas. I just don’t like seeing him in variety shows, his responses were like out of place sometimes and did not seem very nice.
Finally, Ben is again a good-side character 🙂 I’m actually bored of him taking the villain roles haha. No comment on Wong Cho Lam.
And yes, Li Ka Sing is again the good side. 😀
I’m not sure whether Ben’s character is good all the way. I saw a character relationship chart before showing the link between Ben and WCL as first friends, enemies later, and the link between Ben and Louis Cheung stating they’re against each other.
Here’s the link
http://wiki.d-addicts.com/static/images/5/55/Gilded_Chopsticks_chart.jpg
Without looking at the chart or synopsis I can tell you
a. 8th and 4th will be enemies and 4th will get 8th killed or something like that
b. WCL may be his enemy due to 4th marrying Nin Yeuk Pik (is that her name?) but what can he do? 4th is emperor but I think he will help 4th later
I kinda figure Nancy’s character (Nin Yeuk Bik) will marry 4th because her character is the equivalent of Hua Fei in Zhen Huan. She’s the sister of Nin Kang Yiu.
Loving this series so far!
Me too! 😀
Me 3! =)
One-note actor, same acting in every drama.
I think this drama is really meh. I’ve watched the first four episodes, and sure, it’s one of the better quality dramas in recent years but not that funny, and the plot is predictable.
Say what you will but Wong Cho Lam over indexes on his viewership. First Inbound Troubles and now this. I am not a big Cho Lam fan but I’d rather watch his rather entertaining idiocy than most of the sleep inducing TVB dramas like Triumph In the Skies.
Give Wong Cho Lam the credit. Ben Wong’s acting always impresses, with such good looks all he needs is some good luck! This guy is understated.
Nancy Wu and Joey Meng’s acting seem mundane here and both look tired or maybe due to their make-up, older here.
“both look tired or maybe due to their make-up, older here.”
Because they are a minimum of 15 years too old for their roles. But a credit to Joey Meng who can still sound youthful.