What to expect from Pierre Png and Rebecca Lim’s historical drama premiering on National Day?
The 15-part series, This Land Is Mine, delves into the world of post-World War II in Singapore.
This Land Is Mine stars Pierre Png and Rebecca Lim. (Photo: Mediacorp)
If you’re a history buff with a love for period dramas, upcoming English series This Land is Mine will be perfect for you.
The series is set in 1945, just after the Japanese Occupation of Singapore. Against a backdrop of familial strains, betrayal, courtroom intrigue and struggle for power, a search for identity unfolds for the young nation, exploring the various stories of people living in Singapore.
Pierre Png and Rebecca Lim are the leads in the series, playing Dennis Chiang and June Chiang, respectively. And at the helm is director Lee Thean-Jeen, best known for his work on TV dramas such as Code Of Law and The Pupil.
The Chiangs are cousins who work for the law firm D’Almeida and D’Almeida and find themselves entangled in some of the most gripping cases of their careers and lives.
Dennis finds himself facing intense community backlash for defending a former Kempeitai (Japanese Military Police) for atrocities committed during the war. Meanwhile June, amidst personal struggles, attempts to aid Marge, a teenage British girl whose identity sparks conflict between her adopted Malay family and biological British family.
Speaking at a virtual press conference on Tuesday (Aug 3), Png described his character Dennis as conflicted, unyielding and certain.
“He’s still deciding whether he wants to give his client a good defence, or to throw him under the bus for all the atrocities his client committed during the war,” said the actor, who also starred in Crazy Rich Asians.
“He wants to make his father proud. And he is still learning how to let go of the past and move on into the future,” Png added.
The series is an adaptation of the novel The Devil’s Circle, which was written by author and former Attorney General Walter Woon. When asked about his thoughts on the series' casting choices, he quipped that while some were perfect, others might have been too perfect.
“When you write, you have a certain picture. Shabir as Habibullah and Sora as Helen are spot on with what I imagined. But Pierre and Rebecca are too good looking, frankly,” shared Woon, with a laugh. “It’s not a complaint, it’s better this way. When I write the next book, that’s the image that’s going to move the story a little bit in a different direction.”
“Authentically, this series is about the struggles we have overcome as a nation. We believe that this is our birthday present to Singapore, and we’re very proud,” said Sapna Angural, Head of English Audience at Mediacorp.
Watch This Land Is Mine on meWATCH and Channel 5 on Aug 9 at 9.30pm.
