By Damian Chong
Premiering on 2 August 2021, MediaCorp’s latest Chinese drama My Mini-Me and Me《很久以后的未来》will air on Channel 8 on weekdays at 9pm. This sci-fi dramedy will also be available for streaming on meWATCH, MediaCorp’s digital video-on-demand service platform.
The 12-episode-long dramedy series tells the story of an unaccomplished graphic designer Zhang Zhen Dong (portrayed by Xu Bin), who suddenly finds his 12-year-old self (portrayed by Nathaniel Ng) at his doorstep, having time-travelled to the future. His younger self brings chaos to his life, reinforcing the idea that he is a loafer. He then realises that this is an opportunity for him to change his life through his younger self.
The series took five months to film due to Covid-19 restrictions. During filming, Xu Bin had also contracted dengue which further delayed filming.
In an interview with Lian He Zao Bao, Xu Bin recalled the incident. “When I got home after filming, I felt dizzy. Something was not right. I checked my temperature and realised that I had a fever of 39 degrees Celsius,” he said.
The actor was hospitalised for five days and was given another five of mandatory rest to recuperate at home. During his recovery, he lost three kilograms.
Before filming, Xu Bin had other concerns, particularly about the struggles 11-year-old Ng might encounter. He said: “I was worried at first as there are many long scenes. I was worried that he would be unable to memorise his lines, or his position on set was wrong leading to an NG.”
However, he realised that his worries were unfounded. “Nathaniel is very smart. I have never seen a child actor whose Mandarin was as good as his,” he said.
It is also worth noting that this is Ng’s debut role in a Chinese drama, though he has previously acted in English films.
Even if you were not a fan of sci-fi flicks, the show does offer a refreshing take on the subject of time travelling, seeing as how similar tales are often about travelling back in time to change the future. This series is certainly one to catch if you are looking for something new to watch in the midst of this pandemic.
The 12-episode dramedy premieres on 2 August on Channel 8 at 9pm, and is also available for free on meWATCH.
