When Heaven Burns
Encyclopedia
When Heaven Burns is a 2011 TVB
television series starring Bowie Lam, Moses Chan
, Charmaine Sheh
, Kenny Wong and Maggie Shiu. First revealed during TVB's Sales Presentation 2009 in 2008, filming took place in late 2009 to early 2010, with the first episode airing both in Hong Kong and TVB's overseas affiliates on the 21st of November 2011.
Eighteen years later Yip Chi Yan remains haunted by the memory of Ka Ming, trying to regain what she had with him in part with her husband and and in part with her lover, but finding neither a complete replacement for her lost love breaks with them both. Troubled she loses track of time while alone in the wilderness, sparking a missing persons alert which becomes the catalyst for the four estranged friends to meet again. Though she was Ka Ming's girl friend all four band mates were in love with her and the three survivors remain in love with her.
Suffering from selective amnesia
Cheng Chun Hin is unable to remember the mountaineering trip, and out of nostalgia of their past friendship he strives to bring the friends back together. This he achieves by recalling a lost song written by Ka Ming just before his death, although he had strove to do so for eighteen years he is only able to finally do so after encountering Chi Yan again. The rebuilding of their friendship is reflected in the reconstruction of the lost song, as they don again their roles of lead guitar, drummer and bassist.
However just as the friends learn to let go of the past Ka Ming's remains are discovered on the mountain.
, Paul Wong is guitarist on both and vocalist on the opening theme. The closing theme is sung by the three male leads and serves as the reconstructed lost song.
The plot line of a band returning home with one of their number dead has led to comparisons between the fictional band and Beyond.
Television Broadcasts Limited
Television Broadcasts Limited, commonly known as TVB, is the second over-the-air commercial television station in Hong Kong. It commenced broadcasting on 19 November 1967...
television series starring Bowie Lam, Moses Chan
Moses Chan
Moses Chan Ho is an award-winning actor from Hong Kong. Having started his career working mostly on films, Chan has gained remarkable success in recent years while concentrating on his TV acting career with Television Broadcasts Limited...
, Charmaine Sheh
Charmaine Sheh
Charmaine Sheh Sze-man is a Hong Kong TVB actress.Sheh is best known for her roles in TVB dramas, including Return of the Cuckoo, Country Spirit, Perish in the Name of Love, Angels of Mission, War and Beauty, The Dance of Passion,The Drive of Life, Maidens' Vow, Forensic Heroes II,Beyond the Realm...
, Kenny Wong and Maggie Shiu. First revealed during TVB's Sales Presentation 2009 in 2008, filming took place in late 2009 to early 2010, with the first episode airing both in Hong Kong and TVB's overseas affiliates on the 21st of November 2011.
Plot summary
In their youth Lau Chun Hung (Bowie Lam), Sung Yee Long (Moses Chan), Cheng Chun Hin (Kenny Wong) together with the deceased Hui Ka Ming are good friends and band mates. During a mountaineering trip, the four are stranded on a snow bound mountain and out of desperation Hui Ka Ming is killed and eaten by the other three. This event has a traumatic effect on their friendship, and their friendship with Yip Chi Yan (Charmaine Sheh), Ka Ming's girl friend, leading the previously close group to go their separate ways.Eighteen years later Yip Chi Yan remains haunted by the memory of Ka Ming, trying to regain what she had with him in part with her husband and and in part with her lover, but finding neither a complete replacement for her lost love breaks with them both. Troubled she loses track of time while alone in the wilderness, sparking a missing persons alert which becomes the catalyst for the four estranged friends to meet again. Though she was Ka Ming's girl friend all four band mates were in love with her and the three survivors remain in love with her.
Suffering from selective amnesia
Lacunar amnesia
Lacunar amnesia is the loss of memory about one specific event. It is a type of amnesia that leaves a lacuna in the record of memory.According to Steven Johnson, :...
Cheng Chun Hin is unable to remember the mountaineering trip, and out of nostalgia of their past friendship he strives to bring the friends back together. This he achieves by recalling a lost song written by Ka Ming just before his death, although he had strove to do so for eighteen years he is only able to finally do so after encountering Chi Yan again. The rebuilding of their friendship is reflected in the reconstruction of the lost song, as they don again their roles of lead guitar, drummer and bassist.
However just as the friends learn to let go of the past Ka Ming's remains are discovered on the mountain.
The Lau family
| Cast | Role | Description | Age |
| Bowie Lam |
Lau Chun Hung (Joe) 劉俊雄 |
An accountant/A trade union executive/A councillor candidate A band drummer Mok Ka Sin's husband Yip Chi Yan's admirer Sung Yee Long and Cheng Chun Hin's friend Killed and ate Hui Ka Ming |
43 |
| Astrid Chan | Ma Wing-yee (Gina) 馬詠儀 |
A nurse Lau Chun Hung's wife Yip Chi Yan's love rival |
41 |
The Yung family
| Cast | Role | Description | Age |
| Elaine Jin Elaine Jin Elaine Jin or known as Yanling Jin, Elaine Kam is a famous Taiwanese actress.She has been nominated five times in the Hong Kong Film Awards and won two for her supporting roles in Love Unto Waste and People's Hero... |
Yung Cheuk Wah (Brenda) 翁卓樺 |
Yung Cheuk Tung's older sister | 50 |
| Maggie Shiu | Yung Cheuk Tung (Emma) 翁卓桐 |
Yung Cheuk Wah's younger sister Sung Yee Long's girlfriend turned wife Yip Chi Yan and Cheng Kin Sang's friend Lai Sze Man's love rival |
40 |
| Moses Chan Moses Chan Moses Chan Ho is an award-winning actor from Hong Kong. Having started his career working mostly on films, Chan has gained remarkable success in recent years while concentrating on his TV acting career with Television Broadcasts Limited... |
Sung Yee Long (Angus) 宋以朗 |
A securities agent Lau Chun Hung and Cheng Kin Sang's friend Yung Cheuk Tung's boyfriend turned husband Lam Pui Ling's ex-boyfriend, later lover Yip Chi Yan's ex-boyfriend Killed and ate Hui Ka Ming at the snow mountain |
38 |
The Cheng family
| Cast | Role | Description | Age |
| Kenny Wong |
Cheng Chun Hin (Ronnie) 鄭振軒 |
A bass guitarist Yeung Suet Mei's husband Lau Chun Hung, Sung Yee Long and Yung Cheuk Tung's friend Killed and ate Hui Ka Ming at the snow mountain |
44 |
| Angela Tong Angela Tong Angela Tong, born 30 June 1975 in Montreal, Canada with family roots in Shunde, Guangdong, China, is a Hong Kong actress and was Miss Chinese Montreal 1995. She went to Concordia University.-Pageant life:... |
Yeung Suet Mei (Shirley) 楊雪薇 |
Cheng Chun Hin's wife Lau Chun Hung's admirer Yip Chi Yan's good friend, later friendship breaks |
39 |
| Rachel Poon | Shan (Katie) 珊 |
Cheng Chun Hin and Yeung Suet Mei's daughter | |
| Yeung Ka Shing | Kei (Frankie) 基 |
Cheng Chun Hin and Yeung Suet Mei's son | |
The Yip family
| Cast | Role | Description | Age |
| Yu Tsz Ming | Yip Chi Yan's father | ||
| Doollou Poon | Kwan | Yip Chi Yan's stepmother | |
| Charmaine Sheh Charmaine Sheh Charmaine Sheh Sze-man is a Hong Kong TVB actress.Sheh is best known for her roles in TVB dramas, including Return of the Cuckoo, Country Spirit, Perish in the Name of Love, Angels of Mission, War and Beauty, The Dance of Passion,The Drive of Life, Maidens' Vow, Forensic Heroes II,Beyond the Realm... |
Yip Chi Yan (Hazel, Yan) 葉梓恩 |
DJ Yung Cheuk Tung's friend Hui Ka Ming, Sung Yee Long's ex-girlfriend Arthur's mistress, later broke up Lau Chun Hung, Sung Yee Long and Cheng Chun Hin's friend and love interest 30 |
34 |
Other cast
| Cast | Role | Description | |
| Stanley Cheung King Shun | Hui Ka Ming 許家明 |
A telecom technician, a band guitarist Yip Chi Yan's first boyfriend Lau Chun Hung, Mok Ho Yin and Cheung Kin Sang's friend Killed and eaten by Lau Chun Hung, Sung Yee Long and Cheng Chun Hin at the snow mountain |
|
| Queenie Chu Queenie Chu Queenie Chu or Queenie Chu Wai Man , born in Hong Kong, on April 22, 1981 with family roots in Shunde, Guangdong, China, is a Hong Kong television presenter and actress affiliated with TVB. She was also Miss Hong Kong 2004 1st runner-up.-Biography:Queenie studied in University of Washington,... |
Lam Pui Ling (Jasmine) 林佩玲 |
Sung Yee Long's assistant and lover Yung Cheuk Tung's love rival |
27 |
| Ben Wong Ben Wong Ben Wong Chi-yin is a Hong Kong actor best known for his role as Yung Heung-hoi in the long-running drama series A Kindred Spirit.-Film:-Television dramas:-Hosting gigs:*1989: 陽光節拍一小時*1991: Flash Fax... |
Bowman | A cook Yip Chi Yan's husband, later divorced |
|
| Tsui Wing Tsui Wing Tsui Wing is a Hong Kong actor from TVB.-Television series:-Reference:... |
Arthur | Yip Chi Yan's lover, later broke up | |
| Catherine Chau | Mabel | DJ Yip Chi Yan's colleague |
|
| Rachel Kan | Daisy | DJ Yip Chi Yan's colleague |
|
| Lau Dan Lau Dan Lau Dan is a Hong Kong actor.- Works :Lau is known to portray good characters, but could play cunning and sly characters with ease... |
Kong Siu Chuen 江兆泉 |
A trade union leader/A councillor Lau Chun Hung's master |
|
| Chan Hung Lit | Hau Chiu-ping 侯釗平 |
||
| Cheung Kwok Keung (張國強) | Lui Yiu-bun 雷耀彬 |
||
| Felix Lok | Ivan Wong | ||
| Calinda Chan (陳宛蔚) | Sweets Shop owner | ||
| Cindy Lee (李思雅) | |||
| Yeung Ching Wah (楊證樺) | |||
| Tai Yiu Ming (戴耀明) | |||
| Ho Wai Yip (何偉業) | |||
| Bryant Mak (麥子樂) | |||
| Yiu Ho Ching (姚浩政) | |||
| Joe Junior Joe Junior Joe Junior is a popular Hong Kong English pop singer from Hong Kong during the 1960s. He has since been in a number of TVB drama series in the 1990s and 2000s playing older character roles. Joe Junior is his stage name. Regularly appeared on TV music programs as host and as performer... |
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| Cheung Hon Pan (張漢斌) | |||
| Fu Kim Hung (傅劍虹) | |||
| Chung Yuk Ching (鍾鈺精) | |||
| Tsang Yuen Sa {曾琬莎) | |||
| Wong Lok Yee (黃樂兒) | |||
| Tai Chi Wai (戴志偉) | |||
| Janice Ting (丁樂鍶) | |||
| Owen Ng (吳雲甫) | |||
Viewership ratings
| Week | Episodes | Average Points | Peaking Points | References | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
November 21, 2011 | |
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| November 21 - November 25, 2011 | |
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November 28 - December 2, 2011 | |
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Theme songs
When Heaven Burns opening and closing theme songs by Paul Wong, formerly of Hong Kong band BeyondBeyond (band)
Beyond was a rock band formed in Hong Kong in 1983. The band became prominent in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia. They were also very popular in mainland China. The band was, and still is, widely considered as the most successful and influential Cantonese band from Hong Kong...
, Paul Wong is guitarist on both and vocalist on the opening theme. The closing theme is sung by the three male leads and serves as the reconstructed lost song.
The plot line of a band returning home with one of their number dead has led to comparisons between the fictional band and Beyond.