Curse of the Royal Harem

Curse of the Royal Harem
Curse of the Royal Harem title screen
Also known as	The Queen of All
Genre	Historical fiction Drama
Format	Serial
Written by	Lee Yee-wah Choi Shuk-yin
Starring	Jessica Hsuan Myolie Wu Sunny Chan Gigi Wong Nancy Wu Joel Chan
Theme music composer	Tang Chi-wai (opening) Yip Kai-chung (ending)
Opening theme	Kok On Tin Ming (各安天命) by Susanna Kwan
Ending theme	Tin Cho Tei Chit (天造地設) by Myolie Wu
Country of origin	Hong Kong
Language(s)	Cantonese
No. of episodes	31
Production
Executive producer(s)	Chong Wai-kin
Location(s)	Hong Kong
Camera setup	Multi camera
Production company(s)	TVB
Broadcast
Original channel	TVB Jade
Picture format	576i (SDTV) 1080i (HDTV)
Original run	31 October – 9 December 2011
External links
Website

Curse of the Royal Harem
Promotional Poster
Traditional Chinese	萬凰之王
Simplified Chinese	万凰之王
Literal meaning	"The King Among Ten Thousand Phoenixes"
Transcriptions Mandarin - Hanyu Pinyin Wàn Huáng Zhī Wáng Cantonese (Yue) - Jyutping Maan6 Wong4 Zi1 Wong4

Curse of the Royal Harem is a 2011 Hong Kong period drama produced by Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) under executive producer Chong Wai-kin. The drama will broadcast 45-minute episodes from 31 October to 9 December 2011, in a total of 30 episodes. It is one of three grand TVB productions used to celebrate the channel's 44th anniversary, the other two being Super Snoops and Forensic Heroes III.

Summary

Set in the mid-1800s Qing Dynasty, Curse of the Royal Harem is loosely based on the reign of the Daoguang Emperor of China and tells of the drama and romantic intrigue in the court's Manchurian royal harem.^[1]

Cast and characters

Character names are in Cantonese romanisation.

Main cast

• Jessica Hsuan as Niohuru Yee-lan (鈕祜祿·伊蘭), the Consort Tsuen (全妃) — the Do-kwong Emperor's favourite consort and childhood crush. She was once married to Do-kwong's older brother Min-yi; however, he went missing after he went to control a rebellion in Northwest China a few months after their marriage. Yee-lan is forced to become a human sacrifice for Mini-yi's funeral ceremony by the orders of Empress Dowager Kung-chee, who sees Yee-lan as unfortunate and cursed. Do-kwong saves Yee-lan from her death and announces that he will take her hand in marriage. Although Yee-lan agrees to become his consort, she still holds the belief that Min-yi is alive, and once escaped palace grounds to search for him. Yee-lan eventually falls in love with Do-kwong, who honoured her as an individual and wife.

• Myolie Wu as Tunggiya Yuen-yuen (佟佳·沅宛), the Empress Consort Hao-sun (孝慎皇后) — Do-kwong's first empress consort and Yee-lan's main rival. Her coronation as Empress is disrupted by Do-kwong when he goes to save Yee-lan from burial. Jealous of Do-kwong's favouritism towards Yee-lan, and a fear of losing her title as Empress, Yuen-yuen attempts to strip Yee-lan from power by dispatching a spy to Yee-lan's palace chamber. Yuen-yuen becomes desperate to conceive a son and is later deposed of her title as Empress after Do-kwong discovers her illicit affair with Min-yan.

• Sunny Chan as the Do-kwong Emperor (道光帝) — the benevolent Qing Dynasty emperor who naturally became the successor due to the death of his older brother, Min-yi. He has had a crush on Yee-lan since youth, but because Yee-lan and Min-yi were in love, he decided to forgo his pursuits. Do-kwong interrupts Yuen-yuen's Empress coronation in order to save Yee-lan from her burial, and soon announces to take her hand in marriage, much to the dismay of Yuen-yuen and Kung-chee. Do-kwong is extremely close to his brothers and muses that if Min-yi hadn't died, he would have been crowned instead.

• Joel Chan as Min-yan, the Prince Sui (瑞親王綿忻) — Do-kwong's younger half-brother and best friend. Min-yan extremely respects his older brother and purposefully presents himself in a much harsher and militaristic image in court to highlight Do-kwong's more sincere and benevolent image. Min-yan was Yuen-yuen's lover before she married Do-kwong. Though he still harbours feelings for her, Min-yan is disgusted by Yuen-yuen's calculating and cunning schemes for power. Yuen-yuen later seduces Min-yan, and he sires a son with her. Influenced by Kung-chee and Yuen-yuen, Min-yan begins to develop a growing dissent towards Do-kwong's rule, and ultimately decides to overthrow him.

• Gigi Wong as Empress Dowager Kung-chee (恭慈皇太后) — Do-kwong's stepmother and Min-yan's mother. Although Do-kwong is not her biological son, he is the most filial. Kung-chee believes Yee-lan is creating tension between her and Do-kwong, and finds her power in court to be weakening. She later convinces Min-yan to start a coup to overthrow Do-kwong.

• Nancy Wu as Choi-lam (彩藍) — born Borjigit Ching-yu (博爾濟吉特·静瑜), the maiden spy Yuen-yuen sennds to spy on Yee-lan. Choi-lam later changes her loyalty to serve Yee-lan, but is unhappy with her ambiguous relationship with her two masters. She later wins the emperor's favour and becomes known as Noble Consort Ching (靜貴妃).

Minor characters

• Samuel Kwok as Mukcheung-or (穆彰阿) — Lok-yan's father and Consort Dowager Shun's past lover.
• Sire Ma as Lok-yan, the Princess Consort Sui (瑞王福晉樂欣) — Yuen-yuen's younger cousin and Min-yan's wife. Her marriage to Min-yan is arranged by Yuen-yuen.
• Sarah Song as Empress Xiaoshurui (孝淑睿皇后) - Do-kwong Emperor's deceased mother.
• Peter Pang as Prince Muk (穆親王) - Do-kwong Emperor's deceased brother and Yee-lan's ex-husband.
• Elena Kong as Consort Dowager Shun (信太妃) — Kung-chee's main rival.
• Cheung Kwok-keung as Wai Fuk-on (衛福安) — the Kung-chee's personal eunuch and trusted follower.
• Ching Hor-wai as Chui Mor-mor (崔嬤嬤) — Yee-lan's loyal maidservant and one of her closest friends.
• Gordon Liu as Tunggiya Shumung-or (佟佳·舒明阿), Yuen-yuen's father.
• Rebecca Chan as Tunggiya Sin-yau (佟佳·倩柔), Yuen-yuen's mother.
• Ching Hor-wai as Chui Mor-mor (崔嬤嬤), Yee-lan's servant and Choi-kiu's mother.
• Ben Wong as Fucha Ngok-tai (富察·鍔泰) — Yee-ling's pupil and Yee-lan's best friend.
• Kong Hon as Niohuru Yee-ling (鈕祜祿·頤齡) — Yee-lan's father.
• Charmaine Li as Concubine Yeung (祥嬪) — one of Yee-lan's good friends. She is the first of Do-kwong's concubines to get pregnant, but had a miscarriage few months later.
• Macy Chan as Choi-kiu (彩喬) — Chui Mor-mor's daughter and Yee-lan's maid.
• Vivien Yeo as Consort Wan (芸妃)
• Jess Shum as Consort Shing (成妃)
• Oscar Chan as Little Eunuch Choi (小蔡子) — Do-kwong's assistant eunuch. He has a crush on Choi-lam.
• Russell Cheung as Little Eunuch Hong (小康子) — Yee-lan's assistant eunuch.
• Lee Yee-man as Choi-yin (彩燕) — Yuen-yuen's maid.
• Sherry Chen as Worthy Lady Lam (琳貴人)
• Deborah Poon as Worthy Lady Tung (彤貴人)
• Jason Cheng as Little Eunuch Kwai (小季子) — Yuen-yuen's assistant eunuch.
• Tina Shek as Choi-yuet (彩月)
• Peter Pang as Min-yi, the Prince Muk (穆親王綿怡), Do-kwong Emperor and Min-yan's missed brother.

Viewership ratings

Week	Episode(s)	Average points	Peaking points	Viewers in millions (peak)	References
1	1 — 6	29	34	—	[2]
2	7 — 11	29	—	—	[3]
3	12 — 16	30			[4]
4	17 — 21				[5]
5	22 — 27				[6]
6	28 — 29				[7]

Awards And Nomination

45th TVB Anniversary Awards 2011

• Nominated: Best Drama
• Nominated: Best Actor (Sunny Chan)
• Nominated: Best Actress (Jessica Hsuan)
• Nominated: Best Actress (Myolie Wu)
• Nominated: Best Supporting Actress (Gigi Wong)
• Nominated: Best Improved Female Artiste (Sire Ma)

References

1. ^ [1]
2. ^ Week 1 Ratings
3. ^ Week 2 Ratings
4. ^ [ Week 3 Ratings]
5. ^ [ Week 4 Ratings]
6. ^ [ Week 5 Ratings]
7. ^ [ Week 6 Ratings]

External links

• TVB.com Curse of the Royal Harem - Official Website (Chinese)