two men over a woman - rotc

epi 16 Lai Shun a confident man

So, how long has Kwan Ho known Lai Shun - months? Definitely less than a year versus her whole life with Man Chor.  So isn't it natural that she would run to her most beloved 'brother', who is most precious to her next to her mom, not necessarily because of romantic love but familial love?  Putting aside the question of romantic love vs familial love, can her ingrained love for Man Chor be so easily overcome by love for Lai Shun, who was but a mere stranger not so long ago? So, in the same concept of "who would you save, your mother or your wife?  Who indeed!

Anyway, if I were Lai Shun faced with this dilemma I would remove/distant myself from Kwan Ho and risk losing her, so that she can have the space to make up her mind - after all, they have just started dating not that long ago. Yes, they like each other,  but their passion I don't see nor feel between KH with Lai Shun, or for that matter, between KH and Man Chor?  This whole series to me is a warm drama  high on familial love and friendship but as an 'unforgettable' triangle love story, it totally lacks the intensity and  romantic passion unlike the similar 讓愛 trope in Sweetness in the Salt Anyway Kwan Ho is still a university undergraduate so what's the hurry to get marry? Is it the time period - what year did this story take place?  Anyway, this is a TVB series - don't ask why, it just is!

Updated to ep 12- Rotc video clips

epi 12 - Steven's Stupid 傻

epi 16 song by Steven: 忘不掉

epi 11 song by Steven: 忘不掉

epi 11 How lucky can Kwan Ho be? So, how many times did Lai Shun chase after an angry/upset Kwan Hor, too many times to count?

Episode 1 Lai Shun gives direction in English.

Episode 6  Lai Shun and Kam Sing sing karaoke duet.

Re-watching ROTC rerun - at episode x presently. At the time, among the three guys namely: Man Chor, Lai Shun and Kam Sing, I thought Kam Sing to be the handsomest, and my opinion stays the same. Kam Sing has the misunderstood, brooding masculine good looks. Today, all three maintain their good looks - Father Time has indeed been kind to them all. Somehow I've never thought Julian as handsome but admittedly he can be quite charming. His Man Chor is more on the cutesy side, Btw, Julian totally nailed his character with an award worthy performance.  Lai Shun has the si-man scholarly good looks. It's weird how Lai Shun alternates between looking pretty tan and milky pale in different scenes.  Among  the three male characters, his Mr. Perfect Nice Guy is rather bland, so far anyway. As for Kwan Ho, she is so loud and noisy and shrilling and rude and materialistic and whining and totally spoiled rotten by her mom and Chor gor gor.  But she does look cute with her short hair. I forwarded all her piggyback on Man Chor's scenes, just like I did for her Princess Cheung Ping and Sai Hin's praying scenes.

ETA: More ROTC news

video source

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ETA: Headline video  I can't dl this video. A more detailed video whereby Steven relates how he was first contacted by Stephen Shiu on wechat (not phone as initially reported)

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source 粤夜粤娱乐20151111  The hosts admire Steven's graciousness at attending the premiere to show support despite that inevitable twinge of disappointment at being left out in the movie.



source: HotTV@Bastille Post

So, per this latest appledaily report, looks like Steven was actually invited by producer Stephen Shiu last year on his birthday (not this year birthday) to photoshoot a funeral and a wedding portrait. Given this extra, defining information, "my last year birthday" (上年我生日) Steven was not an afterthought after all, so I gladly take back what I said about the whole matter about him being slighted, used and discarded. Just two omitted words, "上年", can so effectively change the whole picture and perspective for me. So Helen Ma's 2014 Dec weibo happily declaring that Lai Shun was in the cast is true after all. Now, I'm all right with Steven agreeing to a cameo in the series.

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Appledaily

《十月初五》慈善首映】開拍前撞正馬浚偉生日蕭定一叫佢影「遺照」？
噚晚電影《十月初五的月光》搞慈善首映，張智霖、佘詩曼、薛家燕、商天娥及唐文龍等亦現身銅鑼灣時代廣場，由勞工及福利局局長張建宗做主禮嘉賓，而喺電視中演「司徒禮信」嘅馬浚偉，就以特別嘉賓到場。

會場有一大班張智霖、佘詩曼及薛家燕嘅fans圍觀，張智霖喺台上表示：「好感動，好緊張，好似返番去15年前咁。」佘詩曼就話有少少緊張，剛才謝票時，見到啲觀眾反應喊晒唔開心，反而自己好開心，因為角色感動到佢哋。

張智霖喺台上拎住電話錄低同現場嘅人一齊大叫「十月初五的月光」，當馬浚偉上台時，見馬浚偉塊面好白，佢話：「當大家見到我一黑一白，以為我咩事，其實當開拍電影版，籌備嘅時候，蕭定一打畀我，話想搵我幫忙，當日係我生日，佢就話想我影張『遺照』，佢冇直接咁講呢兩個字，個故事一開始，我已經死咗，如果我唔死，文初點同君好呢!」

馬浚偉又喺台上笑言：「撞正我生日就同我講啲咁嘅嘢，今日就可以報仇，因為過咗12點，就係蕭定一生日，決定要佢影『遺照』，唔係，係影一張合照。」

馬浚偉其後接受訪問，問佢今次喺片中影「遺照」，有冇收利是，佢講：「冇呀!因為唔係怕我死，只不過係阿一打嚟同我講，撞正上年我生日出發去台灣慶祝，阿一wechat叫我幫手，當時我喺機場，阿一話之前冇搵你，係因為你喺片中一開始已經死咗，乜我生日流流講啲咁嘅嘢，阿一話想你喺片中死前影一輯結婚相，之後返嚟冇咗件事，後嚟葉念琛搵我，自己聽到個劇情好感動。」

馬浚偉又話司徒禮信死咗，君好幻想又好、係靈魂出竅又好，畀君好一個鼓勵，解決咗君好嘅心魔，馬仔話出場都過一分鐘，唔係「秒殺」，係「分殺」，唔係計錢，因為同蕭定一識咗好耐。

Return of the Cuckoo news

wallpaper size pix source
Steven's video interview

Steven: "I was moved by the script after listening to Director Kong's narration.  I know that Lai Shun loved Kwan Ho very much, they even got married but if Lai Shun doesn't die, how can Man Chor and Kwan Ho further develop their love story? They (scriptwriters) had to come up with a (catalytic) explanation, and death is a pretty good one. But how come after he (Lai Shun) died he still reappears, that's Patrick Kong's effort.  I've known Stephen Shiu for 20 years now, even before he was in entertainment we already knew each other, most people don't know that."

TN: Moreover, Kwan Ho as a grieving widow elicits audience's sympathy compares to a divorced Kwan Ho of a failed marriage.

Edited: So, Steven's participation was not an afterthought, after all. He said movie producer Stephen Shui called him up (on his birthday) to ask if he could shoot a Lai Shun's funeral portrait for the movie. Such timing!  (lol) Guess Steven graciously obliged Shiu's request. But Steven was leaving for Taiwan (eta: he was at the airport) so he postponed their talk. When Steven got back to Hong Kong from his Taiwan trip, Director Kong emailed him the details.  Somehow the proposed photoshoot became a cameo shoot. (or was it always a cameo scene?)  Steven read the script and apparently was moved by the story.  He understood that Lai Shun must be sacrificed (died) to fulfill Kwan Ho and Man Chor's great love story.  There you go, Lai Shun put on the altar as the sacrificial lamb to appease  Kwan Ho and Chor gor gor's shippers. And to add spice, Kwan Ho suspected Lai Shun of infidelity before his untimely death. Ever the understanding husband, Lai Shun comforts a guilt-wrecked Kwan Ho to accept her one great love - her and everybody's Chor Gor Gor. But to add more spice and melodrama, CGG apparently has terminal cancer - dang! this poor guy just can't get a break.

Anyway, because of his long time friendship with Mr. Shiu, Steven accepted his offer as a show of support for Shiu and for the movie. When asked whether he was paid for having his his funeral portrait taken, Steven said he got a "lai si" (red packet) for his performance.

Aside, what's with him wearing his stark white unlaced sneakers with his suit?  It's like the shoes are wearing him instead of the reverse.

Sources:
【on.cc東網專訊】蕭定一親邀幫忙　馬浚偉客串演出收利是
藝人馬浚偉以神秘嘉賓身份，出席電影「十月初五的月光」首映禮。他表示戲中有客串佘詩曼亡夫一角，相信電影中亦有以分鐘計的亮相。他表示戲中的出現是佘詩曼的幻覺形式，向她鼓勵與張智霖好好相愛。

馬浚偉憶述早前生日的時候接到電影公司老闆蕭定一的電話，問他可否幫手拍一張「死人相」讓在電影中出現，他表示因為趕着到台灣，要求回港後再傾，其後由導演葉念琛再致電游說下完成這個戲份。問到拍了這張「死人相」有沒有酬勞，他表示演出有收到利是。

客串演阿佘老公　馬浚偉生日拍遺照
張智霖（Chilam）、佘詩曼、薛家燕等出席電影《十月初五的月光》首映禮，在戲中演阿佘老公的馬浚偉以神秘嘉賓現身，笑言之前生日時收到蕭定一電話要他為《十》拍遺照，因他死了阿佘才可與Chilam在一起，雖然當時覺得大吉利是，但為支持阿一都有客串演出。

Steven Ma as cameo in ROTC movie.

hkchannel 《十月初五的月光》阿佘馬浚偉人鬼情未了

Steven has a cameo appearance in the Return of the Cuckoo movie version. He appears in Kwan Ho's dream.  In the trailer, she suspected Lai Soon of having an extramarital affair because of his abnormal behavior before his death and their two children's.

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News English translation below credit hyn5

Return of the Cuckoo" Final Trailer & Making Of; Steven Ma Guest Stars
In the movie, Kwan Ho's experience is extremely tragic. Her entire family dies in an accident, leaving her wandering on the edge of life of death time and again by herself. Steven Ma, who portrays Szeto Lai Sun, also makes a secret appearance in the movie. Because his character has already died in the movie, there is a scene where Kwan Ho sorrowfully recollects her husband, reuniting with Lai Sun in a dream. Regarding this, Steven laughingly said, "Ha ha. Yes, it is the unfulfilled love between a human and a ghost. Actually, this time, Director [Patrick Kong] invited me to guest-star. He has a lot of heart toward this movie. He even specially asked to meet with me to discuss and explain the story. He was very sincere. I was also touched by this story of his! 'Return of the Cuckoo' is a series from many years ago. Believe that everyone has the feeling of collective memories. I personally also really love this story. Hope that my appearance will give everyone some surprises!"

Creating Sparks When Collaborating Again
Steven has not collaborated with Charmaine Sheh for many years. Reuniting in "Return", he also feels very happy: "Collaborated with Charmaine in the 'Return' series, then 'Perish in the Name of Love, and then collaborating in Mainland...the feeling is still amiable, happy, and full of chemistry. When filming, we both said that we look forward to collaborating again! Anyway, I think that my appearance in this movie is a blessing for Kwan Ho and Man Chor. Hope that they have a good ending".

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Below English translated news credit hktopten
2015.11.07] CHARMAINE SHEH AND STEVEN MA HAS A GHOST LIKE REUNION
Artists Julian Cheung Chi Lam and Charmaine Sheh Si Man starred in the film RETURN OF THE CUCKOO (SUP YUET CHOR NG DIK YUET GUONG) yesterday released its final trailer that contained a lot of spoilers, including "Kwan Ho" Sheh Si Man's bathtub suicide and "QE" Nancy Sit Ka Yin's hospital crying scenes. Steven Ma Chun Wa's guest starring role in the film was also unveiled for the first time. 

Ma Chun Wai's character actually was an extension of his character Szeto Lai Shun from the television series. Because in the film his character already died, "Kwan Ho" Sheh Si Man remembered her late husband in one scene and reunited with Lai Shun in her dream. Ma Chun Wai said, "Haha! It's like GHOST! Actually this time director Yip Lim Sum (Patrick Kong) invited him to guest star. He put a lot of thought into this film. He even asked to meet with me to explain the story. He was very sincere. His new story also moved me. I hope that my appearance will give the audience a pleasant surprise!" 

After years without working with Sheh Si Man, Ma Chun Wai said that the RETURN reunion pleased him very much. "After working with Ah Sheh on the RETURN OF THE CUCKOO television series, we worked on PERISH IN THE NAME OF LOVE (DAI NUI FA). Then we worked together in the Mainland. The feeling was as familiar as usual, pleasant and full of chemistry. During the shoot we both said that we looked forward to our next collaboration very much!"

The Sun on.cc

singpao
Lai Soon's tender look and loving eyes.with a tinge of sadness. 

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screencap source: on.cc 《十月初五的月光》阿佘馬浚偉人鬼情未了

tn: Way back in Dec 2014, Helen Ma mentioned on weibo that Steven would be in the ROTC cast but she never confirmed her earlier comment, so that's that.

Updated Oct 8 2015 series: screen caps from Return of the cuckoo/Macao (2000)

ROTC's rerun on TVB station starting October 17 at 12:05 am through 4 am every Saturday. Yay to HD quality online videos.

screencaps credit: steven ma .org
More caps in baidu steven ma

Steven is absolutely gorgeous as the reporter prince in this series.  So young and fresh!  He was 29 years old then looking much like a college boy. There was a purity in his boyish good looks.

Review: Return of the Cuckoo 十月初五的月光,

So, the filming of movie is currently in progress, but Steven is not in it though the movie is being touted as having the original cast. His character is killed off -  leaving his wealthy widow, Kwan Ho, free to love another man again.

reposted from AF#230 

'Sneezer', on 28 Apr 2010 - 11:57 PM,
Start watching Return of Cuckoo, wow all the cast look so young back then, probably except Nancy Sit.. she looks the same!!!  I think it's like 10 years old but still really enjoy the storyline. The acting is a little sophmoric. ChiLam stood out and Steven is so into his zone playing this good guy character... I can see why so many like him through the character he played. At some scenes, the face slapping seem so fake and cheesy!! kinda funny to watch.

Tamaya: I should re-watch that series again. It is considered a classic by baidu netizens but I thought though above average I didn't enjoy it as much as other Steven's series - maybe because I watched it online, (inferior quality & buffering) but more importantly Steven did not have too much screen time. Plus I was super annoyed by Kwan Ho, especially her indecisiveness and willfulness. Anyway, most Steven fans think that Sittu Lai Seon is way too good for Kwan Ho, just like how Chi Yat Bo is also too good for fickle-minded Jing Gao. Yeah, Chi Lam stood out. Though Steven was a bit green in his acting, his performance was naturally done. Also usually goody-2-shoes characters can come across as fake and super annoyingly, but not Steven's Lai Soon who just seems so super nice with a good heart, and oh so very adorable. Are you watching the series online or from dvd? I don't feel compel to buy the dvd set as keepsake because Steven's screen time wasn't all the much, and the story is way too melodramatic for my taste, not to mention I'm not all that into angsty triangle love.  Overall, I didn't enjoy ROTC as much as I thought I would, considering its great online reviews, but then again I didn't enjoy many netizens' lauded TVB series either.

Sneezer on 01 May 2010 - 11:47 PM Tamaya - I watch Cuckoo on DVD as online is too slow and and the quality is choppy which affects the enjoyment experience. Anyways I finally finished watching Return of Cuckoo. Feel kinda bad for Lai Seon that he is the "fall back" guy for Kwan Ho and yet he doesn't know that. He thinks he got both, her heart and the person but in truth, he captured her physically. Their relationship is clearly not equal. The ending was open and abrupt, easily leaves me the impression that, based on her unwillful character, she may even leave him for ChiLam. Her heart is uncommitted - I totally don't appreciate her character. Nevertheless the open interpretative ending left much to be desired, I did enjoy watching it..only wish they develop more on Lai Seon's character.

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Mag scan: In ROTC, producer Tsui Yu On gave the role of Szetu Lai Soon to Steven, and in the latter’s portrayal, this 3rd person role that should have provoked viewers’ hatred instead set off a tug of heart war among the viewers. If at the time, Kwan Ho were to end up with Man Cho, then Lai Soen would have been the one secretly licking his wounds. (hence, reversing viewers' sympathy towards him.)

Akazukin: As for ROTC, I don't really agree that Lai Soon's 3rd party was written as likely to provoke audiences' hatred. Lai Soon was as close to perfect as perfect, it is hard to hate him. I remember reading an interview of ROTC scripwriter somewhere and the scriptwriter said that she was inspired by those wuxia story where the heroes can love many women at the same time, so she thinks if man can do it, woman can do it too. Therefore, Kwan Ho loves both guys but she can only love one guy physically and that guy is Lai Soon. 

Despite me thinking that Lai Soon is a likable character himself, it is still necessary that the actor who acts him out make him likable and I think Steven did just that. I find him not only likable there, but also very lovable.

2013 Eta: Actually, a few years back, I browsed HK Golden Forum and I was shocked to read that many of its active members have hated Steven ever since Cuckoo to these days, totally merging the line of make-believe and reality. I kid you not.  Even now, they still hate Steven (blurring the actor for the character) for 'stealing' Kwan Ho from Chor Gor Gor - imagine that - such delusional people.   

MV-return of the cuckoo

mv by crystin cao

Kissing Scenes

Came across these pictures while going through my Steven Ma photobucket photo album.  Images are from baidu steven ma

to be continued.......
Return of the cuckoo - Steven as well as Charmaine first ever screen kiss- happened to be with each other. epi 17 36:00

 

source: sm baidu