ICAC 2009: Episode 4

*WARNING*: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD. If you DO NOT want to be spoiled, please DO NOT read. You have been warned.

This case was surrounding the idea of the conspiracy between several parties and construction projects.

It started out with Henry (Raymond Wong) and Kenny (Pakho Chau) following closely behind their suspect  Lam Gwong Yiu (portrayed by Kenny Wong). He was a consultant whose job covered the areas of finding and assigning building projects to construction companies. It was believed that he was trying to make inside deals with contractors of different construction companies and benefited more than that was of his salaries. What was more shocking of the whole incident was he would assign projects or make agreements with the construction companies and then back out after the companies had already gone through the production process, causing a loss for them in the end.

Another man named Lau Gau (portrayed by Lam Suet) was also known to be involved in such acts, including the boss of the construction company.

As they were following Lam Gwong Yiu, Henry discovered of Kenny’s rash behaviors, like following the suspects too closely and causing possible exposure. He reported it to Carrie (Maggie Siu) and seek advice from her. Carrie called Kenny in to tell him that she was going to transfer him over to do more office work, especially research to train his patience.

Kenny felt frustrated and trapped while doing office work. However, he was encouraged by one of his seniors, Madame Matilda Yeung (Mariam Yeung). She also gave him advices along the way as she was taking a break from her latest case.

While that was going on, we learned that Lau Gau’s daughter, Karen (Carolyn Chan),  recently graduated and was going to start work soon. Coincidence of all coincidences, Karen soon learned that the industry that she worked in was rather rocky with many twists to it. She accidentally learned of the con jobs her company was doing, which her father was also involved. She was shattered by the information since their pair of father and daughter were very close.

The ICAC investigators finally found enough evidence to bring Lau Gau in and tried to get him to confess. He was hesitant at first but was later convinced to cooperate with the police for his daughter’s sake.

The last piece of puzzle fell into place when Kenny’s hard working attitude paid off. He finally took in the advice of looking through most unrelated piece of information and they were able to capture Lam Gwong Yiu at last when he was trying to make an escape.

The episode ended with the ICAC team chatting among themselves and sharing some food. However, the atmosphere was broken by Carrie’s attempt to crack a joke as the others tried to laugh (although they did not find it amusing at all). It was still a fun ending with seeing the bonding of the team again with Matilda joining also.

*All images were captured by DTLCT

 

ICAC 2009: Episode 3

*WARNING*: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD. If you DO NOT want to be spoiled, please DO NOT read. You have been warned.

This case was probably the most complex among them all because it contained a 48 hour deadline and a lot of information searching and witnesses seeking.

This case was actually about insurance fraud. A man (Johnny Tang) was waiting for the insurance company to transfer money over to his account after the death of his sister – who bought a policy that has him as the person who will benefit from the insurance if something happened. The cause of death was due to the fact that she was hit by lightning.

Every piece of information was there and seemed to be legit on the surface. However, when the ICAC investigators dugged deeper into the case, they found out that not only the deceased was still alive and well, but she did not have a brother or have ever been in those places that the paperwork had claimed. The truth was that she had lost her ID card awhile back and had since replaced it with a new one. Her identity was used to commit fraud without her knowledge (obviously) and had send the ICAC investigators on a wild goose chase. Though all was not in vain since they managed to persuade all witnesses to show up in court. The only problem was that they were not able to convince the so-claimed ‘brother’ to slip out who his co-conspirators were.

While Carrie (Maggie Siu) and Henry (Raymond Wong) were riding around verifying different pieces of information the insurance company passed on to them, Kenny (Pakho Chau) and Sam Sam (Fiona Sit) were trying to persuade the guy to disclose his co-conspirators. As the clock was ticking, everything seemed so nerve-wrecking and not promising until the man finally agreed to help them. (Because he was able to see through Kenny and Sam Sam’s sincerity toward him – and it was not just about arresting the criminals and solving their case.)

This episode not only unfolded the conspiracy between several parties involved in the insurance fraud but also showed some more bonding of the ICAC team. There were also traces of a personal life out of their work. However, the person who got most out of it was Sam Sam since we were able to see that she had a boyfriend (who was portrayed by Jason Chan). We also learned in this episode that Carrie has a little daughter while Henry was already married. Although they were busy with their work, but they still managed to take some time – even IF only a little – to call and check in on their family members. Sam Sam, seeing how her colleagues cherished those little moments, also made an effort to spend the little time  that she could spare with her boyfriend. It led to very heart-warming scenes at the end.

*All images were captured by DTLCT

 

ICAC 2009: Episode 2

*WARNING*: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD. If you DO NOT want to be spoiled, please DO NOT read. You have been warned.

Ah Chuen (Sonija Kwok), Zoe (Yoyo Mung), and Rainy (Halina Tam) are three best friends since high school – who are  also known to be sworn sisters. Their life has taken a different path as in career and leisure but they still remain close after all these years.

Ah Chuen is happily married to a Taxi driver,  Zeng Wing Hong (Derek Kwok), and is pregnant with their first child. They have quite few good news having worked so hard all these years for it. They have nothing more to ask since they are satisfied with their current status. Bad luck strikes when Wing Hong is involved in an accident and being the party at fault for not reacting fast enough thus causing the consequences. In compensation, they have to pay 1 million for the damage.

Zoe, on the other hand, is still  dating her boyfriend of seven years, Lee Chi Lun (Raymond Cho), who is a hard working man. Although Zoe is proud of Lun and is supportive of his efforts, her family thinks otherwise. Zoe silently wishes to get married too, but does not dare to open her mouth, fearing that Lun will misunderstand it for persistency. Facing the pressures from both Zoe’s family and his boss, Lun wants to prove to them both that he could succeed.

Rainy chooses a different path from her friends, wishing to become a successful businesswoman. Though single, she is proud of her work and hope  that her efforts will pay off one day. Perhaps her urges to bring in several more major customers and/or projects is her downfall because it leads to her succumbing to other alternatives of seeking financial benefits.

A possible solution presents itself to solve everyone’s problem when Lun’s boss presents a new land redevelopment project involving several areas, including a rundown apartment building. Lun, who was lured in by Rainy several times of a possible collaboration, finally consults with Rainy of the new project thus leaking out the secret. It is supposed to be a way out for them all, especially Ah Chuen and Wing Hong’s urgent financial needs. Not to mention Lun finally having a large sum of money to impress Zoe’s family and in getting married.

The gig is actually to move into the apartment building and wait for the compensation fees to arrive thus reaping in at the end. Ah Chuen and Wing Hong will pose as two strangers moving into two of the apartments in that particular building. They will pretend not to know each other so that they will be compensate twice the amount. Rainy will arrange all the details since she’s a realtor agent. With Lun’s information, all plans should work out in the end. All they have to do is be patient and wait for the result.

When Zoe learns of their conspiracy, she protests and objects against the whole matter, knowing that it is illegal since they have traded inside information and used it for their own benefit. However, Lun convinces her of the possibility of saving Ah Chuen and Wing Hong’s financial crisis and at the same time help them earn enough for an elegant wedding.

Ah Chuen and Wing Hong are more than grateful with their friends offering a solution to help them ease off the financial pressure. However, they do not know the consequences of it or the actual laws covering that section. Ah Chuen even asks Rainy about the matter at first and Rainy covers it up by convincing Ah Chuen that they’re just helping themselves and aren’t harming anyone.

Zoe watches silently as all plans proceed. It is just one more month before they could collect their money and star anew. They have no idea that the ICAC are investigating the matter in the background, following their every move.

Lun and Zoe finally move forth with preparing for their wedding. Ah Chuen, Zoe, and Rainy also return to their high school to help in the yearly event, practicing their hit song ‘Yesterday Once More’ with Ah Chuen holding onto the microphone and performing while Zoe and Rainy accompany her by playing the music on their guitars.

Coincidentally, one of the ICAC investigators, Sam Sam (Fiona Sit), is actually the junior of the three girls. It is a bit ironic to see Sam Sam having to arrest her seniors if they could find evidences that proves the three to be guilty. While she’s being torned between admitting the cold facts in regard to what her seniors have done, she also has to reconsider what she has been trained to do all along - with the guidance by Henry (Raymond Wong).

As they are leaving the wedding parlor one time, Zoe spots Rainiy taking money from someone – possibly after having sold her new learned information to that person. Zoe is once again thrown into the obstacle of knowing and not telling. Perhaps it is a relief for everything to finally end as the ICAC team finally push forth to arrest Lun and Rainy because they have more than enough evidence.

Thoughts? It was actually a very touching story and the most in consideration for a lot of matters. It was good to put in how Sam Sam was torned in between her job and her seniors. The group of five are not bad in actuality but it is the circumstances they are facing that they choose to seek another alternative. Ah Chuen and Wing Hong do not know the consequences of it but Zoe knows yet she does not tell. Perhaps it might have been better to stomp on the urge to move forth with such a plan but it is not easy since the obstacle they’re all in. When pressured, people choose other alternatives and possibly any to just find a way out. I think the one most guilty has to be Rainy since she has always wanted personal gain whether it is from Lun or someone totally different. She says that they’re just helping themselves yet she ends up selling the information to others as well, bringing in even more money for herself. I could understand that Lun would go crazy with so much pressure and the need to prove himself. But he’s not any better that he pressures Zoe into it with the whole ”we’re just trying to help Ah Chuen and Hong” thing.

Cast? Was surprised that they put Sonija, Yoyo, Halina, Derek, and Raymond Cho into one but it was really cool to see their collaboration. I especially love both pairings of Derek and Sonija and Raymond and Yoyo – once again. It’s nice to see their pairing though it does seem repetitive yet just for a short span of about 40 minutes.

It was interesting to see Raymond Wong getting to supervise over someone this time around and guide her through the process. However, I rather have Jessica for this one as well and how she would continue to work with Raymond as a team. It would be interesting to know just a bit more about her character.

With all that said though, this is actually my favorite story since the friendship between Ah Chuen, Zoe, and Rainy were admirable though Rainy was more for her self gained than the other two. The song ‘Yesterday Once More’ was a nice companion to their friendship and past.

*Special thanks to *.marshmalloww for helping with some of the character names above.

 

ICAC 2009: Episode 1

*WARNING*: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD. If you DO NOT want to be spoiled, please DO NOT read. You have been warned.

While Ma Yat Ming (Bowie Lam) was riding in his car, he received a call from his wife,  Lam Boi Kei (Crystal Tin), telling him that she was back in Hong Kong and she wanted to go confess to her crimes. Shocked, he convinced her not to do such a thing. She did not want to listen to him because he had betrayed her by having an affair with the finance manager, Ho Lai Man (Vivien Yeo).

While that was going on, Annie (Jessica Hsuan), Henry (Raymond Wong), and other ICAC investigators were following both Ma Yat Ming and Wong Hoi (Ellesmere Choi), a stock analyst, closely in trying to find proofs of their acts.

While following Wong Hoi, the ICAC investigators discovered that he was comitting suicide. Annie gave Henry the orders to stop him. However, he was a step too late since Wong Hoi already jumped. Fortunately, Wong Hoi has some surrounding objects cushioning his fall so he was only severely injured but not dead. Wong Hoi finally confessed later at the hospital.

What was happening was Ma Yat Ming, Lam Boi Kei, Ho Lai Man, and Wong Hoi were trying to manipulate the stock markets and bring profits for themselves. Yat Ming convinced them all to join in on the gig in making money. Yat Ming used both his wife to become a Chairman of the company while his finance manager and the stock analyst manipulated the figures and boost about the company’s credential.

Boi Kei fled Hong Kong to Taiwan after learning that the ICAC was investigating their company. However, she changed her mind after learning of the affair between Yat Ming and Lai Man. Though it could be more true to say that both Yat Ming and Lai Man were only in for the money. It was just Yat Ming getting craftier with his words of how he cared for both parties, Boi Kei and Lai Man, when he conversed with them – individually. It was more a stunt to shut them up, preventing himself from getting caught.

Not being able to convince Boi Kei from coming in to make a confession, Yat Ming tricked her into meeting him by implying how much he cared for her well being while at the same time hiring a hitman to go after her at the arranged meeting.

It appeared that Boi Kei’s father (Lau Kong) had served a sentence in the past for the same crime. He did not want to cooperate with the ICAC investigators at first because he was going by what was really good for her, i.e. not going to personally put her in prison. He soon changed his mind after knowing that Boi Kei was nearly killed at the meeting with Yat Ming. Henry was there in time to save Boi Kei though she fled again with Yat Ming aiding in the process.

Boi Kei, through Yat Ming’s persuasion, finally agreed to return to Taiwan and back into her hiding place. However, he had slyly snatch up the evidence from her bag before saying his farewells to her when a boat arrived to take her away. Yat Ming fled the scene after playing out the tragic goodbye scene at the pier. He tossed the evidence into the water and drove off into the night, knowing everything would be over within seconds.

Luckily, Annie and Henry finally discovered of their whereabouts through the last call that Boi Kei made to her father. When the hitmen hired by Yat Ming were about to carry on with their pre-given orders, Annie and Henry arrived in time to save Boi Kei from being killed – once again. Boi Kei still did not know of the incident and still insisted on keeping her mouth shut regarding the matter, not knowing that she had been deceived many times by Yat Ming.

The ICAC investigators continued to follow Yat Ming and finally got a break when they discovered Yat Ming giving Lai Man the last of the money she asked for. They managed to snap some shots of the two and finally got a confession from Boi Kei.

This first story seemd to be a warm up for the rest since the seriousness of the atmosphere reflected on the dark and thick background accompanying their blacksuits. Everyone meant business in here. It was that serious. The case was all right, considering they only had about 40 minutes to map everything out. Jessica and Raymond were a good team. It was nice to see Raymond in the action for the most part. However, I could not help but found it very funny that Raymond and Vivien were on opposite sides this time since I recently watched ‘A Great Way to Care’ with them pairing up.

 

ICAC 2009

I especially like this approach to investigation dramas more than the dragging storyline of the same characters over and over. It could be nice to watch when the storyline is good with a mix of crimes and personal life, but in these cases, it’s better not to have too much of randomness. This was 5 episodes long so 1 episode per case.

Anyway, the ICAC Investigators included:

Jessica Hsuan as Annie (Episode 1)

Raymond Wong as Henry (Episodes 1-4)

Pakho Chau as Kenny (Episodes 1-4)

Gregory Lee (Episodes 1-2, 4)

Fiona Sit as Sam Sam (Episodes 2-3)

Maggie Siu as Carrie (Episodes 3-4)

Mariam Yeung as Matilda Yeung (Episode 4)

Andy Hui (Episode 5)

Sammul Chan as Ka Ming (Episode 5)

Cases:

Episode 1 was about the crafty handling of money between a couple and one of the assistants at the husband’s company. There were also others involved in the acts (including Ellesmere Choi). Bowie Lam and Crystal Tin portrayed the husband and wife while Vivien Yeo was the assistant. Jessica was leading the case while Raymond Wong, Pakho Chau, Gregory Lee and various other ICAC investigators were following the suspects. Lau Kong made an appearance as Crystal’s father.

Episode 2 involved a conspiracy between a group of friends who had inside information regarding a building project in an attempt to benefit from the compensation fees. Sonjia Kwok, Yoyo Mung, and Halina Tam were best friends while Derek Kwok portrayed Sonija’s husband and Raymond Cho was Yoyo’s boyfriend. The ICAC investigators involved in this case were Raymond Wong, Pakho Chau, Fiona Sit, and Gregory Lee.

Episode 3 was about three guys trying to con the insurance company by faking a death with all the legit information throughout the whole process of buying the insurance policy to the death scenes. Johnny Ngan was the guy who posed as the deceased’s brother. Maggie Siu was leading the team this time around with Raymond Wong, Fiona Sit, Pakho Chau, and the others involving in the case. Jason Chan also made an appearance as Fiona’s boyfriend.

Episode 4 was dealing with some clever tricks between the construction workers, the agents (which could be called middlemen), and the actual company that needed people to work on their projects. Kenny Wong portrayed the middleman. Maggie Siu was leading the team again with Raymond Wong, Pakho Chau, and some others as the investigators. Mariam Yeung also made a special appearance as one of the madams of ICAC.

Episode 5 was trying to shoot two birds with one stone since it involved two cases – one major and one side one though it intersected with each other, affecting one’s progress and both had to do with cars. Evergreen Mak and Louis Yuen were the bad guys this time around while Stephen made an appearance for the other case. Andy Hui was the person in charge while Sammul Chan and others were investigators.

*Note*: Detailed episode summary and analysis will be posted up in the future.