Once Upon a Time in Macao (2025)

A Brilliantly Written Republican Drama on Financial Warfare at Macau During WWII

THE PREMISE

The story set in Macau during WWII spesifically after the Pearl Harbour bombing on how our male lead: He Xian, on his efforts in saving the economy of Macau from collapsing. What made this drama different from other Republican dramas are due to its focus on the financial and economy side of war in the battle of getting resources, maintaining value of currency and also exchange of intelligence at Macau at that time.

And what made Macau such an interesting place? This is because Macau is an 'isolated island' that are not occupaid by Japanese Imperialism. Thus it maintain a free market and law and due to its 'free' statue, lots of Chinese refugees find refuge on this Island during the war which made the Island's population tripled at that time.

UNITED FRONT

Another reasons on what made the drama so interesting due to how openly the people there practice their political ideologies. Usually, in Republican dramas, most people are so secretive whether they are Communist or Nationalist but here, they are very open even in front of Japan army and they can even openly conduct events to collect donation for war funds. This is because Macau is a 'free' nation under the Portuguese during that time which allowed this kind of free dynamics that are so different than rest of China at that time.

I think what makes me appreciate this drama the most is that it's not the usual Communist VS Nationalist political ideology but simply a united Chinese people fighting oppression by the Japanese Imperial Army. Mostly all of the war resources they get in this drama are given to the nationalist front army that fought the war at that time. No prejudice, no shade and no propaganda to show who is right and who is wrong.

HISTORICAL ACCURACY

The historical accuracy that the production team wanted to potray in this drama is simply amazing. They constructed 20 old buildings for the shooting of this drama. The writer also went to Macau 20 times in order to study the events that happened during that time and also interviewed the remaining descendants of He Xian which is our male protagonist in this drama. Since this drama based on his life and how he saved Macau at that time, the writer ensures that he properly wrote his life story during this period accurately to preserve his legacy and contribution he did that earned him the title of 'King of Macau' by the people there.

THE ACTING

This is the first time Ren Jialun is acting in this kind of role. He usually playing the cool, aloof and restrained characters but here he is just a banker and a normal citizen getting caught in war and fighting to survive with his family. And he gave He Xian such layers and emotional depth and narrative that we truly see him as He Xian instead of Ren Jialun the actor. The way he actually trembles when gun are pointed towards his head, how you can actually see fears in his eyes on many critical situations to how his whole body trembling with fatigue after carrying 1 whole boat of grain are simply amazing. He embodied the character to the fullest -- he made He Xian so human, yet so extraordinary at the same time. Then we have Lan Ying Ying as Yin Wan. She is playing the same resilient and strong woman role as she did in This Thriving Land and she did it so well. So can see the strength in her resolution and how she is so calm and steadfast even in difficult situations. She made Yin Wan such an intelligent character and it's so easy to root for her. Then we have Li Chun as the sweet and lovely Qi Wen. So so beautiful despite all the tears that she shed and she has this silent strength in her that is so admirable. She play the passionate wife so delicately that you can see her love for her husband in everything that she does - - standing beside him unwavering no matter how impossible are the situations. She is a scene stealer everytime she appears on screen. I love how the writer made her so lovely despite having her own mind.

THE CONFLICTS & COMPLEX CHARACTERS

I truly love the conflicts! It is just so nerve wrecking as the stakes are always so high and very realistic based on real life situations. I love how all characters even the Japanese are written with nuance as they all felt very human and complex. Everyone has their own troubles, goals, and objectives. He Xian has his own worries that he faced with ensuring the survival of his family to staying true to his principles to the later part in the drama where he is trying to save the economy of Macau from collapsing. Then we have the brotherhood gang with their own goal to capture their traitors and He Xian seemed to unintentionally assist the said traitor. Then the officer who took bribes and was caught and his own way of seeking justice. Then we have the espionage side of the whole political sides of the Chinese people. Then add to the mixed of the neutral Portuguese government who in charge of Macau. And this didn't include the Japanese who is the biggest enemy of them all. This drama covers the depiction of lives of people during the war from the elite, merchant, authority, police, spy, resistance army and normal citizen.

THE AMAZING WRITING FULL OF SILVER LININGS

I love how everything just seamlessly woven together between all these parties. The drama opens with He Xian applying for banking license at Macau and how his lives intertwined with all these people later. I like how the drama established from the first episode how brilliant is He Xian with the forex exchange scene since we need to know that and understand why he is able to open his own bank despite his unprevileged background. And I feel bad for him regarding the US dollar plot since it did paint him in bad light especially among his peers. Then add the destruction of his bank which makes him penniless at the end with 4 mouths to feed. So many thing happened yet there are silver lining in all these conflicts since he touched people everywhere with his kind and good hearts. And the scene where the boat dweller people comes and saved them, how awesome is that scene? This is usually a very good indication of well written dramas where the writer mixed happiness and tragedy equally that made watching experience highly satisfying.

I like how they show us the brutality of war and how it affect different people. Like how the British people used prisoners to do really dangerous stuffs or how they just left Hong Kong to fend on its own after the bombing. Or how the banking people cope with the Japanese takeover of Hong Kong and their failure in destroying all the notes and it ended up with Japanese getting 100 millions of cash for free just like that. To how useless is the Portugal government when they supposed to be neutral. Then add the foreign businessman that only interested to get more profit in the war.

I also like how the women are written here. The main characters are still men but despite that, they are not written as simply in support roles but active roles. Whether it's the female lead; Yin Wan and her help in getting funds for the war to He Xian's wife; Qi Wen which is written as more than simply his backbone. Her worries, her attempt to ask him not to go for the last day to hand over the last deposits, to asking him to help her in preparing to move to Macau made her simply human with her own thoughts despite her lovely and supportive nature as a wife. And how she has her own money, knowing how to manage the difficult situations and how she is ready to defend her husband even in front of hooligans -- and most of all, her trust in him has never weaver even at the the lowest point of their lives. It made sense why He Xian can affort to be 'reckless' sometimes since he has a really reliable wife to support him physically and emotionally.

And everytime I thought He Xian can't go anymore low (like how his son got sick due to malnourishment), then the drama gave us another scene that makes us question the brutality of war and how it affect normal people. When Mr. Ma comes to his house and see what his family prepared for New Year dinner, I swear my heart sank with him. 😢 He must feel very guilty how the small favour he asked from He Xian makes him hits rock bottom like that.

Then the scene where He Xian broke down in front of all his friends and family, I think many of us didn't realized how horrible the things he had to go through that day. Having to go through mass grave to find Xiao Yu, the girl who saved his entire family and later run away from his house due to his inability to provide for her and her mother is some crazy stuff you can't get over with. That kind of rock bottom place you reached in your life that basically kill all your desire to live. And that's whats war did to normal people.

I love how everytime they show rock bottom scenes like this, the writer never fail to write silver linings to the whole tragedy and make the drama so uplifting and full of hope at the same time. Amazing amazing writing.

THE ROMANCE

I love He Xian little family. ❤️ I love how He Xian always tell his wife everything - - or even when he wants to make any business decision that will effect the family, he always tell her as well and ask her permissions.

In one of the episodes, you can know how Qi Wen was worried to death for He Xian. She always had her eyes on him before he leaves then when he comes back, she just burst to tears with how relief she is.

Usually in Republican dramas, husband and wife always have kind of distant relationship but I love how the writer portrayed He Xian and Qi Wen as such affectionate couple. They always holds hand, they always hold each other's hands lol, reassuring each other and despite having 2 small kids, they still seemed like a newly married couple when they are alone together.

And even when they are with friends eating together at different table, He Xian will look at Qi Wen and smile at her. I just love all this tender and soft gestures they always reserve for each other. Their relationship makes the turbulence time they are facing at that time seemed bearable.

CONCLUSION

Everything about the drama has been amazing so far especially the acting, writing and directing. Don't miss this gem of a drama if you want to watch soemthing truly well written that made you gain knowledge whether in history or finance while watching this.

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7 reasons why you shouldn't miss this amazing drama

1. The uniqueness of the location and time

The story, based on real historical events and persons, takes place in Macau after the fall of Hong Kong (then British colony and the most important harbour/trade hub in the entire region) to the Japanese in December 1941, event which impacted Macau in many aspects:
- geographically (an island surrounded by Japanese land and naval forces, served with a series of ultimatums, Macau was utterly beholden to Japanese permissions for all its external needs, including the movement of goods and people, including Portuguese and other “neutral” or third-country nationals, especially those arriving from Hong Kong)
- demographically (it was flooded by refugees, tripling the number of inhabitants creating enormous demanding pressure on food supplies and dwellings)
- economically (higher demands reflected on prices; monetary problems - Macau used HK dollars as its currency; all kind of trade exchanges and financial activities which previously occurred in HK shifted to Macau, attracted by its neutral status; consequently, the role of transportation gangs incresead as well)
- politically (a weak and understaffed Portuguese administration needed the cooperation of Chinese businesses and finances to tackle the emergencies as above, turning a blind eye to their trades, aids and acts in support of the Chinese resistence, thing which ofc irritated the Japanese as "violating Macau's neutral status", raising their demands and convincing some of them it would be better to occupy the city directly, as they've already done with the Portuguese Timor Est, so the Portuguese administration again - in a desperate search of balance - ought to turn a blind eye to their schemes, abuses, criminal and violent acts, recruitment of gangsters etc., accepting a humiliating joint crime investigations conducted by military police of the two countries...)
Briefly, maintaining (a kind of) peace between de facto belligerants (Chinese and Japanese) while keeping their ground as "Portuguese territory and warfree zone" was (a kind of) "mission impossible". There were also other variables, Macau lived up to its name of "oriental Casablanca", it attracted a number of spies and informers working for all relevant intel agencies of the time in the world and even this aspect is addressed in this drama. A drama dealing with such an important location, period and issues was unseen before Silent Tides, especially not in this form of a full-immersion into Macau's WWII world.

2. Consistent and compelling story telling

Yes, because while watching it, you'll get sucked into that place and time. In terms of narrative, this series is the most coherent drama I've watched in years. Probably because the depiction of point 1. above is not imposing, it feels totally natural while we follow the life and problems of the main lead, He Xian, a Hong Kong businessman who comes with his family to Macau as a refugee, among thousands of others, suffering with them the humiliation, hunger and poverty, living on a junk with Tanka people, who are casted from Macau's society (something like Indian "intouchables"), also known as "sea dwellers" or "sea gypsies". His calm, composure, honesty and belief in values (instilled by his father even with a stick, lol) help him to build new (and sometimes unexpected) social connections despite temporary misunderstandings. His supportive wife also contributes to his "going further". But what moves the most the actions in this story is HX's polar opposite: Japanese colonel Sawa. Insanely restless and brazen, Sawa isn't only a personification of "kempeitai" (Japanese military police, similar to Nazi Gestapo), he is a personification of what He Xian resists by his nature and defeats wherever the villain, unable to accept a previous defeat, moves the plot with his schemes. The production cast an incredible Japanese actor for the role of Sawa, who embodied this villain with a convincing, piercing energy, able to portray vast traits of this character - malice, hypocrisy, competitiveness, with visceral need to feel the power, to dominate others and enjoy in other people's pain, endowed with a quick, scheming, twisted mind and sheer brazenness to the point of being ready to commit any kind of crime - and to take his colonel Sawa step by step towards insanity and grotesque.

3. Real people's bios

The number of interesting characters who really existed (you'll see four of them at the end of the drama) or are inspired by real persons of the time with their names changed (actually, even He Xian was Ho Yin in real history) is impressive, totally amazing. Not only the Portuguese governor, chief inspector, Macau's chairman of Chamber of Commerce who evidently existed and had connections with real He Xian for obvious reasons, even some unexpected side characters like He Hongshan is mandarinized Ho Hung-sun, better known (in his later years) as Stanley Ho, Godfather or King of Gambling and who indeed started his career working in a Japanese-owned import-export company in Macau. I've read the author's research work for this original story started in 2018. It's already an incredible work but what takes the story on another level of incredible is how these biographies are told to make them easily comprehensible and how these people are so well intertwined with the real (or slightly modified) events, conflicts, issues and setting as well as with fictional characters (necessary to explain different aspects of a problem). We all know that the real life writes the most incredible stories but it isn't easy to find someone really capable of telling them with consistency this drama has from the first to the last minute.

4. Educational/universal moral value

Beside its intrinsic historical and extrinsic narrative value which are quite obvious from my descriptions above, the drama conveyed smth even more precious: by depicting Macau's troubles and the ways how they were resolved, many different - even mutually conflicting and opposing - interest groups (Chinese businessmen-official administration, Portuguese businessmen-transportation gangs, Kuomintang financial supporters-Communist guerrillas, + British agents working practically with all of them) ought to come to terms in order to resist "the greater evil". This coming to terms shaped Macau as a unique "unified" community and although its unity was out of necessity, it affected a number of heroic or deeply human decisions as well as honest, respectful and durable relations. In ST, Macau is not only the location, it's a unique spirit of a common ground, of sense of reality and humanity which permeates the city and its people, becoming stronger as a "human being", a character in itself which transforms and grows up gradually, growing up on you as well. Explaining along the way why this city was able to maintain that apparent neutrality status while incessantly working behind the lines for the resistence till the end of the Sino-Japanese war.

5. HQ production assured listenable lines delivered in foreign languages, a rarity in C-dramaland
The dubbing of one marginal character could have been better, but overall, the entire backstage offered highly accurate interiors, exteriors and props

6. Great acting.
Most of the time, you'll have an impression you are watching real people, not actors. Making the characters so credible can only mean they've truly gave their best.

7. It will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Not a minute is wasted, smth happens - bad, worse, good or great - continuosly.

There are also other great reasons why you shouldn't miss it I can't include in this review (MDL's limit of characters) but at this point you'll discover them on your own 😁The only advice I'll give you is to try not to binge-watch it but to take some time to relieve the tension in your blood and muscles...

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