Mediacorp & ViuTV Pact to Streamline Production of Ink at Tai Ping

Mediacorp and ViuTV have agreed to streamline work on the drama series Ink at Tai Ping under COVID-19 guidelines, with ViuTV assuming sole production responsibilities to address safety and scheduling issues.

Ink at Tai Ping was originally planned to be filmed on location in Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan from February 2020. Due to the coronavirus and the consequent travel and filming restrictions, the mutual decision was made for ViuTV in Hong Kong to take full control of production and for Mediacorp to pull back from participation in the project. Per the new agreement, ViuTV will helm all aspects of the aforementioned show, including adjustments to the list of cast members, filming sets and script.

Mediacorp and ViuTV are still set to join forces for an upcoming project in their co-production deal that was announced at the 2019 Asia TV Forum & Market. A romantic reimagining of the renowned Chinese legend of the star-crossed lovers Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, the series will be set in contemporary Singapore and Hong Kong.

Doreen Neo, chief content officer, Mediacorp said: “Mediacorp remains committed to co-creating content for our audiences. Strategic collaborations are increasingly important in mitigating the multiple challenges facing the creative industry during this unprecedented period. We share a common passion for polished production values and stellar storytelling with our partners at ViuTV, and look forward to embarking on our next exciting endeavor that will surely entertain and engage our viewers.”

Lofai Lo, director and general manager at ViuTV, said: “In addressing the safety and scheduling challenges posed by the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, ViuTV and our partner Mediacorp have mutually agreed to film Ink at Tai Ping in Hong Kong, a drama series which audiences can look forward to later this year. Meanwhile, we are working closely with Mediacorp on the development of another exciting co-production which, in my view, will only bring out the best of the two cities in showcasing joint creativity and originality in production.”