The Drama Continues: 20 Years of Singapore Chinese Drama in 20 Keywords (1982–2001)

A new chapter for local Chinese drama began in 1982 with the establishment of the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation’s (SBC) Chinese Drama Unit (CDU). From SBC’s first Chinese drama, The Seletar Robbery, to The Awakening, which marked the beginning of large-scale drama productions, the years that followed saw local productions extend their reach. Dramas such as Takeover reached audiences beyond Singapore while works like The Unbeatables became part of a generation’s collective memory. Together, these milestones made 1982 to 2001 a memorable period for Singapore Chinese drama.

Following The First Twenty Years: The Birth of Singapore Chinese Television Drama (1963–1982), which traces the early development of local Chinese drama, this talk picks up where the previous talk by Su Zhangkai left off. Looking across dramas about history, local life, youth, wuxia and family, it draws on classic productions, familiar faces and archival footage to piece together memorable moments from the two decades that followed the establishment of CDU.

Through 20 keywords, this lecture brings these 20 memorable years of local Chinese drama back into focus, tracing its development and exploring how these dramas came to hold a special place in a generation’s memories.

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