When Duty Calls

*When Duty Calls*
When Duty Calls
	卫国先锋
Genre	Contemporary; Friendship; Romance; Military
Written by	Seah Choon Guan ; Tang Yeow
Directed by	Png Keh Hock ; Doreen Yap ; Martin Chan ; Khoo Khiang Ting
Starring	Desmond Tan ; Romeo Tan ; Pierre Png ; Paige Chua ; Felicia Chin
Opening theme	以刚克刚 by Desmond Ng and Kenny Khoo
Ending theme	1) 以为的以为 by Alfred Sim and Tay Kewei ; 2) 一直都在 by Alfred Sim ; 3) 关怀新方式 by Desmond Tan and Felicia Chin
Country of origin	Singapore
Original language	Chinese
No. of episodes	20
Production
Executive producer	Chong Liung Man
Running time	approx. 45 minutes (excluding advertisements)
Original release
Network	Mediacorp Channel 8
Release	31 July –; 25 August 2017
Related
	Honour And Passion (2007) ; When Duty Calls 2 (2022)

When Duty Calls (Chinese: 卫国先锋) is a 20-episode Singaporean drama produced and telecast on Mediacorp Channel 8 in 2017. It was made to commemorate 50 years of National Service in Singapore. It is sponsored by the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Home Affairs.

It stars Desmond Tan, Romeo Tan, Pierre Png, Paige Chua, and Felicia Chin as the main cast of the series.^[1]

Cast[edit]

Main cast[edit]

Cast	Character	Description
Desmond Tan	Lu Junguang (陆俊光)	Army (Land) 1st Sergeant (NS) - Loke Jun Guang (Platoon Sergeant ↝ Company Sergeant Major) Sergeant Loke (陆上士), Brother (兄弟) Ding Ji Breadshop's second owner and head-baker Shen Yixuan’s boyfriend
Romeo Tan	Xu Longbin (许龙斌)	Army (Land) Captain (NS) - Koh Long Bin (Officer Commanding) Captain Koh (许军官), BB (宝贝), Busy Man (工作狂), Mr Xu (许先生) Kopi Kia coffeehouse's assistant operation director
Pierre Png	Chen Jinbao (陈金保)	Army (Land) Young Version portrayed by Shaun Tan (陈凯轩) Corporal (NS) - Tan Kim Poh (Trooper) Lance Coperal Tan (陈下士), Daniel Tan, Daniao (大鸟), Play Boy (花花公子), Rich Kid (富二代), Little Airplane (小飞机) Kopi Kia coffeehouse's younger boss
Paige Chua	Shen Yixuan (沈宜萱)	Navy (Sea) Captain - Sim Yi Xuan (Divisional Officer) Madam Sim (沈女官) Shen Yiyun's older sister Xie Mingyao's ex-girlfriend Lu Junguang's poly mate and girlfriend Yao Weiguo's commander
Felicia Chin	Bai Jingyu (白静雨)	Army (Land) Military Expert 2 - Pey Jing Yu (Senior Brigade Medic) Madam Pey (白女官), Brother (兄弟), Tom Boy (男人婆), Stainless Steel (铁金刚), Babe (美女) Lu Junguang's childhood best friend and ex-girlfriend

Supporting cast[edit]

Cast	Character	Description
Shane Pow	Yao Weiguo (姚卫国)	Navy (Sea) Officer Cadet - Yeoh Wei Guo (Midshipman) Gordon Yeoh, Mate/Buddy (伙伴), Recruit Yeoh, Sabo King Yao Yixin's brother Lu Xianfeng's Basic Military Training buddy Shen Yiyun's ex-boyfriend
Richie Koh	Lu Xianfeng (陆先锋)	Air Force (Air) Officer Cadet - Loke Xian Feng (Air Warfare Officer (C3) Ah Boy (阿Boy), Mummy Boy, Mate/Buddy (伙伴), Recruit Loke Lu Junguang's nephew Lu Meiguang's son Yang Yongzheng's son Yao Weiguo's Basic Military Training buddy Shen Yiyun's boyfriend
Jasmine Sim	Shen Yiyun (沈宜芸)	Air Force (Air) Air Force Engineer - Military Expert 1 Sim Yi Yun Air Force Engineering (AFE) (Maintenance) Cloudie Sim Yao Weiguo's ex-girlfriend Lu Xianfeng's girlfriend Shen Yixuan's sister
Kym Ng	Lu Meiguang (陆美光)	Teenage version portrayed by Cai Bei'er (蔡贝儿) Ms Lu (陆小姐), Little White Boat (小白船) Ding Ji Breadshop's owner and boss Kopi Kia's previous employee Yang Yongzheng's ex-lover Lu Xianfeng's mother Lu Junguang's older sister Chen Jinbao's girlfriend and long lost childhood friend Chen Weirong's previous employee
Mei Xin	Yao Yixin (姚一心)	Germaine Yeoh, B (宝贝), Lawyer Yao (姚律师)
James Seah	Xie Mingyao (谢明耀)	Navy (Sea) Captain - Seah Ming Yao (Divisional Officer) Roger That (收到) Shen Yixuan's ex-boyfriend Lu Junguang's best friend and rival in love (Deceased - 4 years ago by involved with a truck accident)
Darryl Yong	Li Hongxun (李宏讯)	Police Deputy Superintendent (NS) - Lee Hong Xun (Patrol) Roger That (收到), Lawyer Li (李律师) Lawyer Xu Longbin's best old-friend Yao Yixin's colleague In love with Shen Yixuan
Zheng Geping	Yang Yongzheng (杨勇正)	Air Force (Air) Teenage version portrayed by Li Bin (李彬) Lieutenant Colonel - Yeo Yongzheng Fighter SQN (Commanding Officer) Michael Yeo Tina's husband Lu Meiguang's ex-lover Lu Xianfeng's father Lu Junguang's brother-in-law Chen Jinbao's rival in love Shen Yiyun's boss Chen Weirong's previous employee
Hong Huifang	Zhu Cuihua (朱翠花)	Auntie Hua (花姐) Kopi Kia coffeehouse's lady boss Xu Longbin's lady-boss and god-mother Chen Weirong's wife Chen Jinbao's mother
Li Wenhai	Chen Weirong (陈伟荣)	Uncle Rong (荣叔) Kopi Kia coffeehouse's older boss Xu Longbin's boss Zhu Cuihua's husband Chen Jinbao's father Yang Yongzheng and Lu Meiguang's previous boss Suffered from heart attack

Guest appearances[edit]

Cast	Character	Description
Tommy Wong	Lu Jiading (陆家钉)	Lu Meiguang and Lu Junguang's father Lu Xianfeng's grandfather
Zack Lim	Fuji	Mount Fuji (富土山) Kopi Kia's employee Chen Weirong and Zhu Cuihua's employee and chef In love with Lu Meiguang
Caryn Cheng	Summer	Sweetheart (甜蜜) Chen Jinbao's ex-lover
Dylan Quek	Jeffery Poh	Navy (Sea) Jeff Xie Mingyao and Shen Yixuan's best friend
Gary Tan	Nick Goh	Navy (Sea) Shen Yixuan's cadet
Brian Ng	Roy Ho	Navy (Sea) Yao Weiguo's platoon mate Shen Yixuan's cadet
Benjamin Cheah		Part time Police Officer (NS) - (Patrol) Li Hongxun's colleague
Amy Cheng	Tina	Yang Zhongzheng's wife
Terence Tay	Captain Khoo	Air Force (Air) Yang Yongzheng's friend Lu Xianfeng's sir

Awards and nominations[edit]

Year	Ceremony	Nominees	Category	Result
2018	Star Awards Creative Achievement Award Ceremony	Png Keh Hock	Best Director	Nominated
		Martin Chan	Best Director	Won
		Seah Choon Guan & Tang Yeow	Best Screenplay	Nominated
	Star Awards	Desmond Tan	Best Actor	Won
		Pierre Png	Best Actor	Nominated
		Shane Pow	Best Supporting Actor	Nominated
		Kym Ng	Best Supporting Actress	Won
		Mei Xin	Best Supporting Actress	Nominated
		Richie Koh	Best Newcomer	Nominated
		Desmond Ng and Kenny Khoo	Best Theme Song (《以刚克刚》)	Won
		—	Best Drama Serial	Won

Soundtrack[edit]

No.	Song Title	Artist
1)	以刚克刚 (Main song for the series)	Desmond Ng Kenny Khoo
2)	以为的以为 (Song for Lu Junguang, Shen Yixuan, and Bai Jingyu)	Alfred Sim Tay Kewei
3)	一直都在 (Song for Xu Longbin and Yao Yixin)	Alfred Sim
4)	关怀新方式 (Song for Chen Jinbao and Lu Meiguang)	Desmond Tan Felicia Chin
5)	关怀方式 (Song for Chen Jinbao and Lu Meiguang)	Chen Hanwei
6)	关怀方式 (Unplugged Version) (Song for Chen Jinbao and Lu Meiguang)	Pierre Png
7)	I Just Wanna Be Loved (Song for Shen Yiyun, Yao Weiguo, and Lu Xianfeng)	Tim Ellis

Development and production[edit]

Filming began in February 2017 and was completed in May. The series was filmed in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and Ministry of Home Affairs (Home Team).^[2]

References[edit]

^ ""When Duty Calls" — Bringing NSmen's Lives to the Big Screen". Ministry of Home Affairs. 28 July 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2017.^{[permanent dead link]}
^ "Those were _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ times". Ministry of Defence (Singapore). 1 July 2017.

Preceded by Hero 2016-17	Star Awards for Best Drama Serial When Duty Calls 2017-18	Succeeded by Blessings 2 2018-19

[1] ""When Duty Calls" — Bringing NSmen's Lives to the Big Screen". Ministry of Home Affairs. 28 July 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2017.^{[permanent dead link]}

[2] "Those were _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ times". Ministry of Defence (Singapore). 1 July 2017.

[1]

[2]

v t e Star Awards for Best Drama Serial
1990s	The Unbeatables (season 1) (1994) Chronicle of Life (1995) Tofu Street (1996) The Price of Peace (1997) Stand by Me (1998) Stepping Out (1999)
2000s	Hainan Kopi Tales (2000) Three Women and A Half (2001) Beautiful Connection (2002) Holland V (2003) A Child's Hope II (2004) A New Life (2005) The Shining Star (2006) Metamorphosis (2007) The Little Nyonya (2009)
2010s	Together (2010) Breakout (2011) On the Fringe (2011) (2012) Pillow Talk (2013) The Dream Makers (season 1) (2014) The Journey: Tumultuous Times (2015) The Dream Makers (season 2) (2016) Hero (2017) When Duty Calls (2018) Blessings 2 (2019)
2020s	− ~~(2020)~~ A Quest to Heal (2021) My Star Bride (2022) Your World in Mine (2023)