Ex-leading man Dai Xiangyu fondly remembers Mediacorp buddies
Dai Xiangyu may have been away for many years but he has not forgotten his old friends in Mediacorp.
The 38-year-old actor from China, who was known as Dai Yangtian when he was signed with the local broadcaster, will be returning to Singapore on June 19 to publicise the drama Sisterhood, the Chinese version of Singapore's historically significant drama Samsui Women released 37 years ago.
Having not visited Singapore since the pandemic started in 2020, he asked about his fellow actors Elvin Ng, Desmond Tan and Jeanette Aw, reported Shin Min Daily News.
The four starred in the 2010 drama Breakout.
When told that they are still active in showbiz, Dai said: "That's good!"
Best remembered for his role in 2008's The Little Nyonya with Aw, Dai was talent-spotted by Mediacorp while modelling in Shanghai. He was a full-time Mediacorp artiste from 2007 to 2013.
He remembers local food too: "I lived in Singapore for over 10 years and it is my second home. It feels familiar. There are many things I want to eat, such as popiah, Hokkien mee and laksa. I miss popiah!"
He said that his Chinese actress wife Chen Zihan wanted to come to Singapore with him but could not take time off work.
Sisterhood, similar to Samsui Women, is a drama about the struggles of samsui women who moved from China to Singapore to earn money and support their families back home. Samsui women worked in construction specifically, doing physically demanding tasks like moving bricks, carrying wooden planks and mixing concrete.
Dai plays a gangster trying to make ends meet and Yelena Shaw, 26, plays his love interest, a samsui woman.
Both had previously acted as a couple in the Chinese version of The Little Nyonya (2020).
- Sisterhood will stream on iQiyi.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now