Being Little Nyonyas is harder than K-pop, say Emerald Hill leads Tasha Low and Ferlyn Wong

SINGAPORE – In what seems like a serendipitous coincidence, two out of the three lead actresses of

Mediacorp’s upcoming blockbuster series Emerald Hill

– The Little Nyonya Story are the two Singaporeans from now-defunct K-pop girl group Skarf. 

Singer-actresses Tasha Low and Ferlyn Wong join actress Chantalle Ng to form the trio of new “little Nyonyas” in the 30-part series, a spin-off and loose sequel to Channel 8’s massive 2008 hit The Little Nyonya. 

The period drama, set against the backdrop of the wealthy Zhangs, a Peranakan family in 1950s to 1970s Singapore, airs on Channel 8 on March 19 at 9pm. It will also be available on Netflix and mewatch Prime from March 10 and mewatch from March 17.

At a media conference for the star-studded show on March 6, Low – who plays Xinniang, a kind and upright street urchin who is later taken in as a long-lost granddaughter of the Zhang clan – tells The Straits Times she finds it harder to be an actress than a K-pop idol.

“Acting is such a different art form. In K-pop, we’re very used to practising and honing the craft before performing onstage, whereas for acting, you have to be vulnerable in the moment,” the 31-year-old says. 

Wong, 33, agrees. “Performing, singing and dancing are like second nature to us, but acting is completely different.”

The pair debuted as members of Skarf in 2012 after two years of training in South Korea. The group disbanded in 2014.

This is not the first time Low and Wong have acted together alongside Ng, 29. The trio co-starred in another Channel 8 series, Live Your Dreams (2021), with Wong as an antagonist. All three took acting lessons with Golden Horse Award-winning Malaysian actress Yeo Yann Yann to prepare for their roles in Emerald Hill.

“This time, I’m not the bad one,” Wong quips.

Instead, she portrays Zhou Hongyu, an infamous prostitute who becomes entangled with the Zhangs. Emerald Hill’s big bad, Xinniang’s jealous and vindictive nemesis Zhang Anna, is played by Ng. Coincidentally, Ng’s mother, veteran actress Lin Meijiao, also played a villain in the original series.

The role came at just the right time for Ng, who rose to fame playing a bubbly Vietnamese bride in My Star Bride (2021) and has been known for a slew of similarly sweet girl-next-door characters in recent years.

“The most ‘shiok’ thing about portraying Anna was the chance to be different, because I had reached a point in my career where I felt like I didn’t have any more to give, but this role gave me the space to do something new.”

Following in the footsteps of The Little Nyonya is no easy feat. At the time of its airing, it was the most-viewed Channel 8 drama in 15 years. It even inspired a 2020 Chinese remake of the same name.

At the Star Awards, the series took home Best Drama Serial, and the Best Actress prize went to Joanne Peh instead of the titular Little Nyonya Jeanette Aw, in what was seen as a controversial win.

When asked what are the odds of them re-enacting a Best Actress showdown a la Aw and Peh at 2026’s awards ceremony, the trio take some time to think. 

Ng begins: “I think we all did... is it shameless to say?”

“Honestly, I feel we all deserve an award,” Wong finishes Ng’s thought. 

Besides the central female trio, Emerald Hill boasts a who’s who of well-known and established stars like Zoe Tay, Chen Liping, Jesseca Liu, Romeo Tan, Dawn Yeoh and Elvin Ng. Up-and-coming actors Zhang Zetong and Tyler Ten play rivals who vie for Xinniang’s affection.  

Zhang, 32, and Ten, 29, entered the entertainment industry via Mediacorp’s 2019 talent competition Star Search. While the close pals have acted in the same shows, like Key Witness (2021) and All That Glitters (2023), they have never shared scenes together – until now.

Ten, who plays a fellow street kid and Xinniang’s childhood friend, says: “I hope to be nominated at the Star Awards. I think this is one of the most important roles I’ve got, in terms of the potential this character offers for me to explore.

“This is a big production – all eyes are on us. I felt a lot of motivation to do well. So many people auditioned for the various roles, and I’m lucky to be able to play a part.”

Zhang, who previously won Best Supporting Actor at the Star Awards for his villainous turn in All That Glitters, adds: “I think Tyler’s character is really likable and someone people will root for. I hope people see how he shines in this role.”

Aside from local stars, the cast also includes Taiwanese actor Hsiu Chieh-kai in his first appearance in a Singapore production. It is also his first brush with Peranakan culture.

The 42-year-old, who plays Xinniang’s father, says: “It’s a very special culture unique to the region. The clothes they wear, the decor of the house and, of course, the food are interesting. I especially liked buah keluak. I heard it’s an acquired taste, but I enjoy it.”

Hsiu also had a good experience working alongside his Singapore castmates, whom he says he has grown close to.

“They couldn’t stand to see me just spend time in my hotel room, so they would take me out to eat and ask me to hang out. They were very warm and took very good care of me,” he says.

Even though Emerald Hill is a new story, it does feature an important cameo from original star Aw. The 45-year-old reprises her role as Yueniang, the adoptive mother of Zhang’s character Zuye. 

Ng recalls meeting her in one shared scene, saying: “Tasha and I were both star-struck. We were whispering among ourselves, like ‘Oh my god, did you see her?’ She was in the kebaya get-up, looking exactly the same as she did 16 years ago. It was so surreal to see this iconic character come back to life.”