The Journey: Tumultuous Times


The Journey: Tumultuous Times is a Chinese language period drama which aired on MediaCorp Channel 8. It is the second of The Journey trilogy which chronicles the history of Singapore through the eyes of immigrants during the pre-World War II era until contemporary times. It stars second generation casts of Shaun Chen, Jeanette Aw, Andie Chen, Felicia Chin, Romeo Tan, and Chen Hanwei as the main cast of the second instalment.
The Journey culminates in Singapore's nation building celebrations in 2015 with The Journey: Our Homeland, in time for Singapore's 50th National Day.

Plot

The Journey: Tumultuous Times depicted the period of the Japanese occupation where the adversity only served to strengthen the characters' survival instinct. When the British colonialists returned, stirrings of dissent became more apparent about their right to rule. In this period of uncertainty, there were vastly different ideals about how independence could be achieved. Yet despite all odds, they pulled through and survived.
This is the story of five young people unraveled over a period of 20 years spanning World War II and Independence. Major events that will happen in the drama include the Japanese occupation of Singapore, Hock Lee bus riots, student demonstrations, and social tensions.
In the wee hours of the morning on 8 December 1941, Japanese planes attacked Singapore by air under the cloak of the night. This is the beginning of the period of unrest in Singapore. During the Sook Ching, Zhang Tianying gets captured and is killed. Zhang Huiniang dies in her two children's arms after being brutally raped by the Kempeitai.
In 1954, nine years after the Japanese Surrender, Zhang Jia, now with the surname Hu, lives with his adoptive father, Hu Weiren. Zhang Min is living with her cousins, Zhang Yan, Hong Dangyong, Hong Minghui and their parents. Hu Jia has an obvious crush on Bai Lanxiang, also known as Sweet Soup Lass. Hu Jia has become a gang leader and is the heir to Liang Sihai's brand Siu Yee Tong, while another gang, The Seventh Gate of Loyalty sends a mole to join Hu Jia's gang.
The Hock Lee bus riots causes a series of other riots like the halting of education during the State of Emergency in Singapore. One of Zhang Min's students are killed in the ensuing protest. Hu Jia then finds out about his parents' horrible deaths, all caused by Weiren. He takes revenge by drowning Weiren to honour his parents.
Zhang Min is then imprisoned by Zhang Yan, who married Minghui. Zhang Yan believes that his brother-in-law is part of an underground gang of fugitives and orders Dangyong to be killed. Minghui overhears this, and files for a divorce. Sweet Soup Lass is then raped and killed after being kidnapped by the mole, Jaws. The Seventh Gate of Loyalty burns the hut where Sweet Soup Lass died. Hu Jia retrieves her body, barely surviving. He then slips into a bout of depression. Minghui tries to console him but to no avail.
Meanwhile, Zhang Yan gets addicted to his power and abuses it, getting drunk and finding a new woman, Fang Lulu. Someone tries to kill Zhang Yan but Minghui takes the bullet for him. She survives.
Dangyong tries to find Minghui at a hospital before being ambushed by Zhang Yan and his group. They run to a bridge before Zhang Yan shoots him, and Dangyong falls into a river. After reaching land, his comrade Ding Hao tries to betray him, but Hu Jia intervenes and takes care of Dangyong. Dangyong realises that his right hand has been crippled.
Zhang Min gets raped by Zhang Yan. She decides to cheapen herself so that Dangyong will survive. Dangyong saves a PTSD-stricken Zhang Min and they get married. Zhang Min then realises her brother is not dead and has been by her side this whole time. Hu Jia and Zhang Min reconcile. Meanwhile, Hu Jia manages to hunt down Jaws and kill him.
Zhang Yan, who tries to kill Dangyong himself accidentally causes the Bukit Ho Swee fire. 2000 families go homeless and Dangyong is blamed to be the arsonist. He goes to jail and studies law there. Then, Zhang Tianpeng realises that Zhang Yan sold his company, Brothers' Balm 2 years ago and dies of a heart attack. Zhang Yan blames Lulu for instigating him to sell his company. Lulu is killed and Zhang Yan goes to jail in England. Hu Jia invites Minghui to dinner but gets stabbed by Bai Gou, the leader of the Seventh Gate of Loyalty. Hu Jia kills him and proposes to Minghui.
It is 1965. Independence arrives and the Zhang and Hong family start a new life...

Cast

Main cast

  • Shaun Chen as Hu Jia / Zhang Jia
  • * Younger version portrayed by Damien Teo, Teenage version portrayed by Zong Zijie
  • Jeanette Aw as Hong Minghui
  • Andie Chen as Hong Dangyong
  • * Younger version portrayed by Gary Tan
  • Felicia Chin as Zhang Min
  • * Younger version portrayed by Lieu Yanxi
  • Romeo Tan as Steven Chong
  • * Younger version portrayed by Amos Lim
  • Carrie Wong as Bai Lanxiang
  • * Teenage version portrayed by Alicia Lo
  • Chen Hanwei as Hu Weiren
  • Allen Chen as Zhang Tianying
  • Joanne Peh as Zhang Huiniang
  • Li Nanxing as Zhang Tianpeng
  • Chris Tong as Bai Mingzhu
  • Desmond Tan as Hong Shi
  • Jeanette Aw as Lin Yazi
  • Ian Teng as Hong Kuan
  • Louis Lim as Uncle Sweet Soup
  • Zheng Geping as Liang Sihai
  • 陈翔 as Old Cai
  • 陶樱 as Ling-jie
  • Ernest Chong as Bullethead
  • Zakk Lim as Cannon
  • Alan Yeo as Hei Gou/Black Dog
  • Brandon Wong as Bai Gou/White Dog
  • 小孟 as Boar
  • Seth Ang as Jaws/Ironteeth
  • James Fong as Ah Wei
  • Eric Lee as Chen Anguo
  • Chia De Zhong as Pan Zhiming
  • Jay Goh Jun Hui as Li Xiaowen
  • Tan Mei Kee as Lin Meiyan
  • Zhu Xiufeng

    Others

  • 陈志强 as Uncle De
  • 廖永辉 as Japanese Officer
  • 许纾宁 as Yu Jie
  • 郑文 as Luo Xin
  • Ray Nu D/O Su Wan as Siti
  • 叶进华 as Subordinate Lim
  • 徐啸天 as Ding Hao
  • 郑扬溢 as Xiao Fang
  • 陈天赐 as Liu Qiang
  • Nic Lee as Xiao Gao
  • 刘慧娴 as Fang Lulu

    Production

The series is partly sponsored by the Media Development Authority of Singapore. Production began in June 2014.
Similar to its predecessor, The Journey: A Voyage, Tumultuous Times uses CGI in its production. The series is Channel 8's 2014 year-end blockbuster celebrating 51 years of television.

Original soundtrack

There are three variations of the opening sequence. The third opening sequence uses the ending song, 《诀别书》, instead of the original theme song, 《信。约》, unlike the first two opening sequences, used between episodes 1-4 and episodes 5-24 respectively.
Song titlePerformer
"信。约"Kelvin Tan and Joi Chua
"诀別书"Jim Lim and The Freshman

Other media

This series was adapted as a comic and has been selling at Popular Bookstores since November 2015, targeted at upper primary and secondary students. The comic showcases the best of the series, and is promoted by the Committee to Promote Chinese Language.

Accolades

Tumultuous Times garnered 19 nominations in 16 awards, the most nominations for a drama in Star Awards 2015, and won nine, which include Best Drama Serial. It also garnered two nominations in 10th Seoul International Drama Awards under the Best Drama Series and Best Director categories.
YearCeremonyCategoryNomineesResultRef
2015Star AwardsYoung Talent AwardDamien TeoWon
2015Star AwardsYoung Talent AwardGary Tan
2015Star AwardsBest Theme Song《信。约》 by Joi Chua and Kelvin TanWon
2015Star AwardsBest DirectorDoreen Yap Pei Kiang
2015Star AwardsBest DirectorLoo Yin Kam
2015Star AwardsBest ScreenplayAng Eng Tee
2015Star AwardsBest Costume and Image DesignXu Ying Ying
2015Star AwardsBest Cameraman for Drama ProgrammeSteve Wong
2015Star AwardsBest Music and Sound DesignGao Jun Wei and Zheng Kai Hua
2015Star AwardsFavourite Male CharacterRomeo Tan
2015Star AwardsFavourite Female CharacterJeanette AwWon
2015Star AwardsRocket AwardShaun ChenWon
2015Star AwardsBest Drama SerialWon
2015Star AwardsBest ActorShaun ChenWon
2015Star AwardsBest ActressFelicia Chin
2015Star AwardsBest Supporting ActorChen HanweiWon
2015Star AwardsBest Supporting ActressCarrie Wong
2015Star AwardsBest Supporting ActressJoanne PehWon
2015Asian Television AwardsBest Drama SerialWon
2015Asian Television AwardsBest Actor in a Leading RoleChen Hanwei
2015Asian Television AwardsBest Drama SerialWon
201510th Seoul International Drama AwardsBest Drama Serial
201510th Seoul International Drama AwardsBest DirectorLoo Yin Kam