Emerald Hill’s Scriptwriter, EP Tell Us If Romeo Tan's Character Died And Other Burning Questions About Drama’s Rage Baiting Ending

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From becoming the first Mediacorp Chinese drama to hit number one on Netflix, to drawing more than 1.35mil viewers on mewatch and Ch 8 before the finale aired, there is no denying that Emerald Hill is a massive hit.

But let’s be honest, the happily ever after ending for the Zhang family left us scratching our heads with more questions than answers.

Like many viewers, we were left with plenty of what, why, and how by the time the credits rolled.

So 8days.sg decided to hunt down Emerald Hill's executive producer Loh Woon Woon and scriptwriter Ang Eng Tee, who also wrote 2008's The Little Nyonya, for answers, so you don’t have to.

We also had to ask if some of these loose ends meant they were cooking up yet another of spin-off of The Little Nyonya universe?

“Maybe? We can continue with Yaopeng's storyline next? I am up for it!” teased Woon Woon. Yaopeng is of course the son of Li Shu Qin (Jesseca Liu) and Zhang Jin He (Xiu Jie Kai), and he never got to meet his ill-fated parents.

Ooh, one can only hope that would come true. 

#1 Did Zhang Jin Quan (Romeo Tan) die in the end?

Emerald Hill's executive producer Loh Woon Woon: Yes, he is dead. This was mentioned in the newspapers, following the doctor's diagnosis that it wasn't promising.

8days.sg: In case you're wondering, the newspaper Woon Woon is talking about is a blink-and-you-miss it Chinese newspaper article about his death in the background during the closing moments of the drama. You literally need to have super eyesight and speed-reading skills to catch it. 

#2 What did Zhang Yinniang (Sheila Sim) do in Africa all that time and what was that postcard about? Couldn't she have called? 

Emerald Hill scriptwriter Ang Eng Tee: She was in Africa doing volunteer work and the postcard was meant to keep people in suspense, especially since she was away for so long. We also mentioned the postcard was late by five years. And no, she couldn't have made a long-distance call to the family 'cos that would have been hard during those times. 

Woon Woon: Yes, it was deliberately left vague to let viewers wonder if she was alive or not.

#3 Did Li Shu Yu (Jojo Goh) ever find out that she was raped?

Here's the backstory: It was revealed that her husband Zhang Jin Hai (Shaun Chen) did not want to bed her on their wedding night so he got her drunk and asked his best friend to sleep with her instead. And Shu Yu got pregnant and never found out that the father of her child Yaozu (Nick Teo) is actually the best friend. 

Eng Tee: No, she didn’t. Her son Yaozu didn’t dare tell her because he knew she wouldn’t have been able to take it and would probably have committed suicide.

#4 What happened to Yaopeng/Yaohui, the son of Zhang Jin He (Xiu Jie Kai) and Li Shuqin (Jesseca Liu)? He wasn't in the final family picture.

Woon Woon: He was in the final family picture… (She takes out a screenshot of the Zhang family picture to shows us) He’s standing in front of Xinniang (Tasha Low).

#5 Why did Bai Ah Li (Tyler Ten) say "Sorry Xinniang" before he died?

Eng Tee: He regretted not listening to her and becoming a better person...

Woon Woon: Bai Ah Li probably felt he couldn’t go back and give her happiness.

#6 How did Zhang An Na (Chantalle Ng) escape the fire?

Eng Tee: What do you think? We purposely left it open-ended for people to come up with their own answers.

8days.sg: A hidden door, the roof? She jumped from the window of the second floor??

#7 Did Liu Xiuniang (Zoe Tay) ever find out all the drama that happened to her family?

Woon Woon: No. By the time of the family picture, her dementia had progressed significantly. So it was either they kept it from her, or she just forgot which is sadly quite common for people with dementia

8days.sg: Guess she still thinks her second son and daughter-in-law are still on that cruise?

Photos Mediacorp

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