The Mark of Triumph

The Mark of Triumph is a TVB drama that came out in 1992 hence the translated Chinese title of 92' Wu Yen. The drama starred Nadia Chen and Ekin Cheng as well as a cast of other TVB actors and actresses. Seeing that I'm not sure of their names, I won't mention their names.

This drama is Nadia's second contemporary roles in TVB. The Mark of Triumph also starred a young Ekin Cheng, continuing a trend after the successful pairing of them in earlier works such as Beside the Seaside Beside the Sea and The Zu Mountain Saga. What makes this drama worth mentioning; this is TVB's earlier attempt for a fictional satire and adaptation at the name of Wu Yen.

Historically, the name of Wu Yen is known by the Chinese to be a woman that is extremely ugly, but with a good heart. There is a story behind this name that I could say, but it would be off topic from my review of the drama that has the name of 92' Wu Yen. For a perspective of Wu Yen's real story, there is a movie adaptation with Sammi Cheng, Anita Mui and Cecelia Cheung.

Nadia in this drama played a character named, [translated from Cantonese] Li Tien Ai. Her face has a green birthmark on the left side of her face; everyone around her regards this as being a very ugly characteristic in spite of the kindness and steadfastness of her personality.

Ekin plays a painter construction worker known as Ah Kit. On one occasion when it was raining, Ah Kit sees Ai with her face covered on the left side, showing her unmarked side. Ah Kit sees the pretty face of Ai and is attracted, however, they didn't meet as Ai's life takes a turn for the worst. Through several depressing events for Ai, in the form of her boyfriend cheating on her with her best friend and with everyone just hating her for her ugly face, Ai finally ends up jumping off a building.

At the moment of her suicide attempt, however, she by mistake, drags Ah Kit right off the building with her. Ai was knocked unconscious as her face landed on a broken glass bottle. Ah Kit sends her to the hospital. To make a long story short, Ah Kit meets up with a renowned plastic surgeon that fixes Ai's face. She adapts a complete new identity; wanting everyone who knew the old her to believe that she was dead.

Later in the story, Ai becomes a famous star, of how she became a star, I wouldn't say; let's just leave it for the viewer to know how she became well known. There are a few trials for Ai and Ah Kit's relationship in the middle of her being famous became a romantic one, but the stress of Ai's stardom came down hard. Their relationship broke off and Ai starts to go out with her manager. She also bumps back into with her family, who she starts to support.

However, with some misunderstandings, scandals breaks out as the manager in time turns to sue Ai for lying about not having plastic surgery. Ai's ex-best friend is connected with this whole scandal. But all's well ends well, Ai's wins the court case as the same surgeon helps her in lying about her surgery.

There were problems between Ai and Ah Kit as a triangular relationship was formed with their mutual friend, another girl named Ah Moon who was in love with Ah Kit. Ah Kit and Ah Moon were about to get married when Ai decides to leave Hong Kong going to America. There was a big misunderstanding because at that same instant; Ah Moon leaves Ah Kit thinking that she could push Ah Kit back to Ai when she knew that Ah Kit was still in love with Ai.

Yet, the only result of this was Ah Kit being alone, because Ai leaves and the girl leaves as well. The time is fast forwarded to three years later, Ai is a world famous movie star, and the ex-manager is still around, doing the same job of finding new stars. Ai's family owns a teashop as Ai's younger sister marries Ai's ex-boyfriend. Ah Moon comes back with her husband and two twin babies and Ah Kit owns a bar. The ending is suppose to be a good one as Ah Kit joins Ai in going to mainland China to act in a film.

What was good about this series was to see how Nadia's character developed like in a Cinderella story from rags to riches. Her natural beauty is very well emphasized by this series as what the title of The Mark of Triumph would really be related with. Then there were also the cute romantic scene with Ekin and the scene where with work; she becomes famous in the form of a flying angel.

What I didn't like about this series was the rushed plot line. What I didn't understand was how the manager's character could turn that bad in a few episodes. There were very choppy explanations on why he turned on Nadia after helping her to stardom and then wanting to topple her. Also, Nadia's younger sister, who wasn't a very nice person, betrays Nadia in the climax of the court case. Then as Nadia's character attempts suicide a second time by the usage of suffocation by gas, the younger sister suddenly comes back in as being very concerned for her sister who she betrayed earlier.

I would give this series on a scale of 1 to 5 a rating of 3.5. This drama may be for someone that would like to see an early work of Nadia other then Song Bird.