Why are Singapore-made shows unappealing to many Singaporeans?

High production values, great storytelling. The home-grown drama Emerald Hill has it all, yet there’s amazement that it matches foreign TV standards

- Ben Chester Cheong

Emerald Hill - The Little Nyonya Story, starring Tasha Low and Tyler Ten (both left), hit No.1 on Netflix Singapore in March 2025. Later, Shanghai Media Group acquired it for Dragon TV in China, joining distribution deals across South-east Asia, Taiwan and Malaysia.

(PHOTO: MEDIA CORP)

It was an extraordinary development.

In March 2025, Mediacorp Channel 8 drama Emerald Hill The Little Nyonya Story hit No.1 on Netflix Singapore, beating Korean blockbuster When Life Gives You Tangerines.

By June, Shanghai Media Group acquired it for Dragon TV in China, joining distribution deals across South-east Asia, Taiwan and Malaysia.

THE YEARNING FOR OVERSEAS VALIDATION

I'm 35. I grew up watching Channel 8 dramas - The Little Nyonya, Holland V and the other evening shows my family gathered around to watch.

Today, when people my age choose what to watch, there's often a natural gravitation towards Korean series, Japanese anime or Thai shows. Local dramas remain on the radar, particularly when there's buzz or strong word of mouth, but they're less likely to be the automatic first choice.

Yet when I watched Emerald Hill, it hit all the right notes high production value, compelling storytelling and meticulous Peranakan cultural details. What struck me wasn't just the quality, but my own mild surprise at the quality. It suggested I'd been approaching local content with slightly lower expectations than I'd realised.

Netflix data for the first quarter of 2025 offers an interesting regional snapshot. South Korea, Japan and Thailand consistently placed their own content at No.1.

Korean shows topped Korean charts for all 11 weeks. Japan's top spots went to Japanese shows except for Squid Game S2.

Thailand elevated Good Heavens!

I'm A Goose Not A Swan and Dalah: Death And The Flowers for multiple weeks.