Sweetness in the Salt 《勝雪鹽棧》

[yanfeng]

It's so far so good up to episode 10.

click to show/hide spoilers

I don't know if I will continue watching after Raymond Wong died.


p.s. I hate it when Steven get all the credit for Sing Suet parent's burial. It was Raymond who suggested and ask from Steven, whom I think will not care if they are left rotting at city gate.

I'm up to episode 4 and agree- Raymond's character and his father are the most fun for now- quite touching and cute a pair!

Raymond's character is super swoon-worthy! He's given the most warm and touching lines- I love his "Be steady. There is always me." Okay, I like Steven Ma, but his character has a LOT of catching up to do in my books!

Official Yiu is cool- he knows lots and seems like a cool guy- he's eccentric, but kind and smart as hell even if he's a little unorthodox in his methods! I hope he'll be okay after offending Steven's god-father!

click to show/hide spoilers

And for sure it was Raymond who asked for the burial of Tavia's parents- what was foremost on his mind was what Tavia's dearest wishes would be at the point. I hope he gets some credit for that somehow, some when!

I wish they would give Raymond Wong a good ending with Tavia, alas, 2nd lead actors seldom get happy ever-afters with the lead actresses. Sigh...

My current prediction: That after Raymond Wong dies, Tavia, Raymond's 3rd brother, and Steve join forces to fight the evil God father! Possibly with the help of official Yiu... though I worry that the 4th sister will turn bad after being disappointed by Steve Ma!

[Liling]

I'm up to episode 4 and agree- Raymond's character and his father are the most fun for now- quite touching and cute a pair!

Raymond's character is super swoon-worthy! He's given the most warm and touching lines- I love his "Be steady. There is always me." Okay, I like Steven Ma, but his character has a LOT of catching up to do in my books!

Official Yiu is cool- he knows lots and seems like a cool guy- he's eccentric, but kind and smart as hell even if he's a little unorthodox in his methods! I hope he'll be okay after offending Steven's god-father!

click to show/hide spoilers

And for sure it was Raymond who asked for the burial of Tavia's parents- what was foremost on his mind was what Tavia's dearest wishes would be at the point. I hope he gets some credit for that somehow, some when!

I wish they would give Raymond Wong a good ending with Tavia, alas, 2nd lead actors seldom get happy ever-afters with the lead actresses. Sigh...

My current prediction: That after Raymond Wong dies, Tavia, Raymond's 3rd brother, and Steve join forces to fight the evil God father! Possibly with the help of official Yiu... though I worry that the 4th sister will turn bad after being disappointed by Steve Ma!

Yup, I agree. I really like Yiu (Ram Tseung's) unconventional methods of helping the poor. He seems like an annoying jerk in the beginning, but he's a nice guy. But I don't really like the actor much and I don't think he really has the physical looks to play the "smart" type of characters probably because he's too convincing as the useless husband in A Kindred Spirit, The Charm Beneath, etc.

[yanfeng]

There's something otherworldly about Raymond's character- perhaps his illness has granted him a detached perspective in life.

click to show/hide spoilers

I'm at the part where Raymond is being defended by both Tavia and Steve, and he shakes his head sadly, wondering quietly why Steve can't see how much Tavia still cares about Steve.

There's something wise but tragic about him- and it's actually quite touching that someone as otherworldly as he would still so warmly care about his brother, his father, the family and Tavia.

His 3rd brother is actually quite sweet too in here- willing to change for him even if not for anyone else.

[Suet Seung]

I guess TVB is promoting Raymond Wong because this role will possibly be his breakout role as he's one of the lead actors. So far he has a lot of screen time with Tavia. Ting-Hin is such a sweet guy. Too bad he's ill-fated.

The english subs translates his illness as diabetes? Nowadays, diabetes is treatable right?

[yanfeng]

Yup, I believe insulin injections or implants that release insulin based on blood glucose levels are a way to treat some forms of diabetes. Though, back in those days, the only way to get insulin would likely be extraction from pigs... which I don't even know if they had the technology to do, and whether there's a danger of contamination somehow. These days they just put the gene for insulin into cultured cells and can generate loads of pretty high purity insulin!

Anyway, yeah, I think this is Raymond Wong's most significant role that I've seen him in. It is possible that at this point, he has almost as much screen time as Steve Ma and more interaction with Tavia's character!

[kidd]

I guess TVB is promoting Raymond Wong because this role will possibly be his breakout role as he's one of the lead actors. So far he has a lot of screen time with Tavia. Ting-Hin is such a sweet guy. Too bad he's ill-fated.

I don't think TVB is promoting Raymond Wong because this series was not aired in Hong Kong free channel. I was only released overseas. Secondly, this role was initially tailor-made for Joey Leung to revive his popularity after a scandal. Don't know for what reason Joey Leung finally didn't play this role and Raymond got it.

[charbydis]

I don't think TVB is promoting Raymond Wong because this series was not aired in Hong Kong free channel. I was only released overseas. Secondly, this role was initially tailor-made for Joey Leung to revive his popularity after a scandal. Don't know for what reason Joey Leun finally didn't play this role and Raymond got it.

Well, I'm glad that Joey Leung didn't get this role. To me, Joey overacts in serious roles and he does not look tragic or scholarly like Raymond. Raymond did such a good job as Ting Hin.

I just finished the last ep yesterday. I think it is a good series, but not a smashing series. The story is engaging but not every attractive. Even up to the end, I still felt nothing for Lip Chi Yuen and Sing Suet. Meanwhile, Ting Hin and Sing Suet was what i was rooting for. But there is no overwhelming chemistry between any of the casts. Nor do i feel very sympathetic or connected with any character except for Wu Ting Hin and Ying Yuet.

Maybe it is due to the weak support of veterans. Compared to other series, the veterans in this series don't have that much of an impact.I was hoping for lots of drama and emotion but I felt disappointed. I hate the unclimatic ending as well. I'd rather a tragedy.

[Liling]

Well, I'm glad that Joey Leung didn't get this role. To me, Joey overacts in serious roles and he does not look tragic or scholarly like Raymond. Raymond did such a good job as Ting Hin.

I just finished the last ep yesterday. I think it is a good series, but not a smashing series. The story is engaging but not every attractive. Even up to the end, I still felt nothing for Lip Chi Yuen and Sing Suet. Meanwhile, Ting Hin and Sing Suet was what i was rooting for. But there is no overwhelming chemistry between any of the casts. Nor do i feel very sympathetic or connected with any character except for Wu Ting Hin and Ying Yuet.

Maybe it is due to the weak support of veterans. Compared to other series, the veterans in this series don't have that much of an impact.I was hoping for lots of drama and emotion but I felt disappointed. I hate the unclimatic ending as well. I'd rather a tragedy.

Yup, agree with you that the series is a good one, but not a smashing one. The ending was common and predictable. Like you I have been hoping that Sing Suet and Ting Hin will end up together, but knowing that Steven and Tavia are the leads (to me, Raymond has equal screentime) they'll end up together some how. Actually, I think all the supporting characters gave a fine performance especially Pierre who I always thought couldn't really act; but that's because he was never given such a big role as this one. I also wished Ting Fai chose Ying Yuet over Siu Yuen, but he chose both. LOL...

[yanfeng]

Alas it is _very_ trying how TVB manages to build up a great series for 20 episodes... only to dash it in the last few episodes!

There were cool characters (particularly the central 3, and my favorite is Ting Hin), good minor character development (specially from the Ting family- love how the father, Ting Fai, sisters, even Aunt managed to grow and make us care a little for each of them) and quite an engaging plot- then it was as if they ran out of time, or attention or couldn't figure out how to end it.

I agree whole-heartedly that the ending was an anti-climax and that a tragedy would have been fitting for all that build-up. It was trying too hard to make it a 'unique' ending that was a big disappointment.

Ting Hin's last scene was great- and if it ended after they got revenge, that would have been a very fine end to a fine series.

Still am glad to have seen this, Ting Hin, Sing Suet and Ting Hin's dad were touching characters- and even the arch nemesis was interesting and 3 dimensional (though poor Kara Hui's character was a bit of a throwaway, appearing too late to get that much character development.)

[charbydis]

Yup, agree with you that the series is a good one, but not a smashing one. The ending was common and predictable. Like you I have been hoping that Sing Suet and Ting Hin will end up together, but knowing that Steven and Tavia are the leads (to me, Raymond has equal screentime) they'll end up together some how. Actually, I think all the supporting characters gave a fine performance especially Pierre who I always thought couldn't really act; but that's because he was never given such a big role as this one. I also wished Ting Fai chose Ying Yuet over Siu Yuen, but he chose both. LOL...

Who's Pierre?

Hehe, I'd always thought of Chi Yuen as a third wheel even though he is the 1st male lead! I think it had something to do with the story beginning after they fell in loveiwth each other. We could not see how they came to be in love whereas with Ting Hin, we saw the whole process of them developing feelings for each other.

[Liling]

Who's Pierre?

Hehe, I'd always thought of Chi Yuen as a third wheel even though he is the 1st male lead! I think it had something to do with the story beginning after they fell in loveiwth each other. We could not see how they came to be in love whereas with Ting Hin, we saw the whole process of them developing feelings for each other.

Pierre is the actor who played Ting Fai.

Storyline wise, it does seem that Tavia and Raymond are the leads because, like you said, we see the process of them falling in love. But knowing that Steven has always been promoted and always plays lead, its just inevitable to think that Steven and Tavia are leads. Actually, like some of you guys, I didn't really like the couple much simply because I didn't feel anything for them.

[kidd]

Pierre is the actor who played Ting Fai.

Ngo Ka Nin will deny it if you ask him. I don't know why TVB put that name on the calendar. Same with Lai Lok Yi. He also didn't know how he came to be known as Chris. He said that isn't his english name and he doesn't have one.

[clfan]

I'm watching this series for Raymond Wong. By the way, is there a Raymond Wong thread under Actor? Anyone know?
Raymond been a very good image boy in the showbiz industry, doesn't have any rumours of dating actresses or people in the showbiz. Maybe because he is married in real life. He is great in this series, first couple episolds were really good, he can really act like a sick person.
I miss him in ATV, he got lead roles in ATV, ever since he went to TVB, he doesn't get much lead roles anymore.

[Liling]

Ngo Ka Nin will deny it if you ask him. I don't know why TVB put that name on the calendar. Same with Lai Lok Yi. He also didn't know how he came to be known as Chris. He said that isn't his english name and he doesn't have one.

Thanks for clarifying it kidd. I never heard anything about this probably because everyone goes around calling Lai Lok Yi Chris Lai in the forums. But I also notice that I've seen Lai Lok Yi address himself in by Chinese name most of the time in interviews/videos, etc. As for Ngo Ka Nin, he's not that popular and there aren't that many discussions about him.

[IloveMimiLo]

I really enjoy this show, I think that Wu Kin and Ting Hin are the one who really stole the show for me! This one was a tear jerker for me! Yes I proabably been crying for every series now. LOL. I don't know why there is not much reponse to this seires, I thought it was actually pretty good. Very Similar to rosy Business in many ways too. Anyhow I now have a new fav HK actor Raymond Wong! <3

[kidd]

I really enjoy this show, I think that Wu Kin and Ting Hin are the one who really stole the show for me! This one was a tear jerker for me! Yes I proabably been crying for every series now. LOL. I don't know why there is not much reponse to this seires, I thought it was actually pretty good. Very Similar to rosy Business in many ways too. Anyhow I now have a new fav HK actor Raymond Wong! <3

This is because many people have already watched and discussed about this series when it was released overseas early this year. Only now TVB airs this series. Everything overseas viewers (and anyone who has access to the series) want to say about the series has already been said early this year.

[IloveMimiLo]

This is because many people have already watched and discussed about this series when it was released overseas early this year. Only now TVB airs this series. Everything overseas viewers (and anyone who has access to the series) want to say about the series has already been said early this year.

Yes I know that. I meant to say even when it was just realease there still not much discussion about it back than. There is only three pages on the thread. I try to google it also, but not much luck on it either.

[kidd]

Yes I know that. I meant to say even when it was just realease there still not much discussion about it back than. There is only three pages on the thread. I try to google it also, but not much luck on it either.

There are lots of discussion of it in baidu and asianfanatics.

[IloveMimiLo]

There are lots of discussion of it in baidu and asianfanatics.

thanks, I will become a Fourm ***** soon!

[kidd]

Hopefully Wu Ting Hin can get as much popularity as Laughing Gor and Chai Gau.
Even 1/2 of the popularity is already good.