Noblesse Oblige (Chinese: 宦海奇官; Jyutping: waan6 hoi2 kei4 gun1; Cantonese Yale: waahn hói kèih gūn; literally "The Realm of Unusual Officials") is a 2014 till 2015 Hong Kong period drama set during the later years of Kangxi Emperor's Qing dynasty rule. Produced by Lee Tim-sing, it stars Kenneth Ma, Tavia Yeung as the main leads, with Joel Chan, Benjamin Yuen, Ram Chiang and Cilla Kung as the major supporting cast. The drama was filmed from January till April 2014. First original broadcast began on Hong Kong's Jade and HD Jade channels December 29, 2014 till January 24, 2015 every Monday through Friday during its 8:30-9:30 pm timeslot with a total of 21 episodes, the last two episodes were aired on the same night as a two-hour finale.[1]
This is also Joel Chan's first drama since previously quitting acting to concentrate on his personal life.[2]
Synopsis
"Noblesse Oblige" is a French term meaning those who are privileged are obligated to help those that are less fortunate.
To Chun-fung (Kenneth Ma) is the illegitimate son of an affluent banking family during the Qing dynasty, but due to his birth title and his step-mothers he doesn't have much ambitions in life. Wanting to help the poor people in his county he decides to borrow money from his father and open a unique kind of bank. Instead of currency, his bank lends tools to people so that they can be employed. When nuns to-be Wai Lam (Tavia Yeung) and Wai Yu (Cilla Kung) borrows from Chun-fung's bank to renovate their monastery and is unable to pay him back they are forced to be his personal servants and body guards.
Prince Yu (Ram Chiang) takes notice of Chun-fung's clever idea and pushes him to be a government magistrate. Wanting to eradicate corrupted officials and with the help of Prince Yu, his older half-brother To Chun-ming (Joel Chan), who is the imperial governor of their province, and help of his best-friend Fong Gwai-cheung (Benjamin Yuen), Chun-fung becomes a magistrate. With Lam and Yu's protection against those who want to retaliate Chun-fung's cleansing of corruption he is able to take down many corrupted government officials but he is faced with having to choose doing right or family when one of the corrupted officials is Chun-ming.[3][4]
The title during early developments of the drama was "Top Quality Petty Official 極品芝麻品", because producer Lee Tim-sing thought the title sounded too simple it was changed to "The Beauty of Bureaucracy 官場浮世繪" during start of production. During post-production of the drama the title was once again changed to the confirmed title "Noblesse Oblige 宦海奇官'.[5]
The costume fitting ceremony was held on January 23, 2014 12:45 p.m. at Tseung Kwan O TVB City Studio One.[6]
The blessing ceremony was held on February 18, 2014 at Tseung Kwan O TVB City.[7]
An early preview if Noblesse Oblige was shown at FILMART 2014 in April 2014.[8]
