Spirit of Love – The Taiwanese Hokkien Series

Posted by narrowband - 12/05/07 at 03:05:00 am

Do you watch the Spirit of Love (yi nan wang – 意难忘) on AEC? It comes on every weekday at 6pm. And now Astro’s showing episode 446 already – that’s the four-hundred and forty-sixth episode. Pretty long huh? Reminds me of A Kindred Spirit (zhen qing – 真情), which was aired on Wah Lai Toi for over 1,000 episodes. Why do all the ‘super-series’ have the word ‘spirit’ in their name eh?

The Spirit of Love | Narrowband.org
(Acknowledgment: Picture shamelessly grabbed from youthwant.com.tw via Google Images.)

To be honest, I am not a big fan of the Spirit of Love series. But when I sink myself into the couch and watch, that’s it – I’m glued. It’s so engaging ok! I’ve not been able to keep up with every single episode, so it’s an on-off kinda thing. Sometimes when I miss certain chapters I’d ask my sis what happened. So what’s the deal with this Taiwanese Hokkien drama that almost every Chinese auntie is watching?

The series touches on a lot of things (yea it doesn’t have more than 400 episodes for nothing), including relationships, gangsterism, kinship, friendship and revenge. It’s all interconnected and sometimes, quite complicated – but very engaging nonetheless. The spoken Hokkien is somewhat similar to our local Hokkien (both Penang and Klang), but most of the time I rely on the subtitles (no not the Chinese one, the BM one).

I like how the stories unfold, and how each of their lives are intertwined and connected. The ending of each episode is always full of suspense (of course lah rite?), so much so that we’d stay on to watch the preview (during the rolling of credits) of what’s going to happen in the next episode. We never fail to skip this part. And it sucks to watch it on Fridays because you’d have to wait til Monday for the continuation. Heh.

But some scenes are a little weird because, get this: almost all indoor scenes are shot in the studio. The windows are all not really windows – they’re either covered with curtains or lit with a nice wallpaper background. The layout of most of their houses is also similar. Echo is heard from almost anywhere in the house, too. However, these factors never stopped me, or anyone that I know, from watching the series. That goes to show only one thing: It’s the essence in the story that matters. I also noticed that Taiwanese actresses can be really pretty!

The soundtrack keeps playing in my head day and night now. If you don’t know which one I’m talking about, here:

[audio:yi_nan_wang_OST_-_zhen_ai_zhi_you_ni.mp3]

Does Redbox Karaoke have this track? LOL. Catch the cast of the Spirit of Love (actually, only five of them) on the 25th and 26th of May in Genting Highlands! Then you can listen to the song sung live :).

Addendum: A snippet of my MSN conversation with -identity withheld-:

¦h¦pÇ»» ¦ ©小晶晶 says:
crap
u actuali watch yi nan wang?

Why not!! Actually, she was the second person – within an hour – who seemed not too convinced that I actually watch the series, haha.

89 Comments

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  1. hana hana. its me!haha
    i recommend “chun tin au bo sim” though

    Comment by hooiching — May 12, 2007 #

  2. hey man …. been searching for that song for a very long time….

    Can pass me the link to download ….. :> tsooi1@gmail.com

    Thx

    Comment by tsooi1 — May 12, 2007 #

  3. Is that the guy who acted as Ah Hui in Greater Love?

    Comment by anthraxxxx — May 12, 2007 #

  4. OMG… YOU watch that????

    You speaku the Hokkien arr??

    ps: Smart of u to rely on the BM subs ;)

    Comment by angel — May 12, 2007 #

  5. Hc – Haha, wei paiseh, wa mm bat tnia kui ha leh hee … ;p But anyway, I can barely keep up with this one, what more another series. You know I’m not so much of a ‘TV guy’!

    tsooi1 – Man, baidu man… baidu…. It’s the place for all your Chinese mp3 needs, hehe.

    Anthrax – Sorry dude, I don’t know that for a fact… this is just one of the *very* limited few TV series that I watch!

    Angel – LOL Yes!! Although not every episode la. My mom and sis watch it, so sometimes I just sit down and watch together hehe. Yeap I speak Hokkien (although not native-speaker that kind), and you?

    Actually it’s interesting to hear how they speak their Hokkien – the subtitles are just for guidance. I can understand most, if not all, of their dialogues.

    Comment by narrowband — May 12, 2007 #

  6. Yes, this is very hot drama series ler. and I feel the theme song is very nice. haha..but i never chase it. just some times watch 1 or 2 episod.

    Comment by maria — May 12, 2007 #

  7. *faints at 400 plus episodes and still counting*

    I don’t follow this series because it’s so long and also because I don’t speak Hokkien! *grin*

    Comment by rinnah — May 12, 2007 #

  8. dave, my mom n sister also watch this series la.. sometimes i also will sit in front of the tv n finish the episod when i was at home. quite nice wan la… but hav to read subtitle la.. their hokkien talk so fast n i cant really understand. but i like the song u in the series which u had put it on ur blog.. nice song.

    Comment by elainecch — May 12, 2007 #

  9. vid u are such the man, i seriously can’t think of any of my frens watching tat, andu are always full of suprises like this! And since it’s from u, i’ll try glue myself with 1 episode and see.. really hope i dun get addicted to it, else……

    Comment by Jian — May 12, 2007 #

  10. honestly speaking, i do not have the zeal to watch even a 150 episodes drama let alone 450.

    Comment by anthraxxxx — May 12, 2007 #

  11. Maria – Yeah I cannot ‘chase’ it too.. Just sometimes happen to pass by the TV while my family members are watching, so I join them. But the story is interesting!

    Rinnah – I think it’d be very difficult to find someone who has actually watched every single episode… I don’t watch every episode hehe. I’m sure there are people who don’t speak Hokkien at all who watch the series!

    Ecch – Their Hokkien sometimes quite funny wan, hehe. I like to listen to their Hokkien. Ya the song is very nice – it’s called 真爱只有你.

    Jian – Don’t be surprised man. I do many other things you don’t know… hehehe. Won’t get addicted lah.

    Anthrax – Neither do I, really. That’s why I don’t watch it often! ;)

    Comment by narrowband — May 12, 2007 #

  12. got. got – i have the karaoke version of the songs.
    with chinese subtitles la.
    nak?
    you can get the pin yin online though.

    ini lah hasil kerja ku untuk my mom. ;D

    Comment by moyzie — May 12, 2007 #

  13. Wah sehh!! You is can one horr! I cuma potong the mp3 left the chorus part and upload kasi jadi her handphone ringing tone nia.

    Mrs Jill must have been elated!

    Comment by narrowband — May 12, 2007 #

  14. Me mom watches it too and I’d watch with her sometimes esp during ITP. Cannot compare it with A Kindred Spirit, coz I think that drama shows only half an hour a day? And this one is one hour a day wor.

    But one thing I discovered is that… if I don’t watch this Yi Nan Wang for one week, I can still catch what’s going on wan lor. It drags a little but yeah, the story’s quite nice.

    Anyways, mom says it has 800 episodes. *lol* Enjoy.

    Comment by sweewon — May 12, 2007 #

  15. 800?!!? *Faints*

    Comment by narrowband — May 12, 2007 #

  16. I Penang gurl, of cos I speak Hokkien ;)

    These type of serials, no need to watch everyday also can follow story wan… I’m also glad to know that the BM subs help you to understand the prog ;)

    Comment by angel — May 13, 2007 #

  17. wa… i love the soundtrack. =)

    Comment by Jasmyin — May 13, 2007 #

  18. Ohh Angel you’re a Penang zha bo hior… Now only I know. Ya can skip and still follow wan ;p But dun skip too long lar.

    Jasmyin, nice right? I don’t really understand the entire lyrics but I like it alot nevertheless.

    Comment by narrowband — May 13, 2007 #

  19. wow.. so many fans it seems! I watch it too, with my mom, I somehow feel like a oldie.. but I only watch it occasionally when I get the chance, I have to read subs to und what they say =/

    Comment by xin — May 14, 2007 #

  20. *Salute* narrowband the episodes watcher. I tot only my old parents sienz at home watch.. but u.. eer.. The ppl in the drama always cry.. sigh.. somemore is 800 episodes?!?!? I can only watch max up to 30 episodes (by keep forwarding and jump off the crying part.. ekekek) When I free next month onwards, I can try to watch it ^__^

    Comment by Cybie — May 14, 2007 #

  21. Xin – I sometimes feel old watching it too hehe.

    Cybie – The programme didn’t say below 25 years old cannot watch ma! How you forward? Wei I watch from Astro leh, not recorded or downloaded or rented…

    But sometimes I use Astro Max to record lar – and the only part I forward is the commercial break.. ehe.

    Comment by narrowband — May 14, 2007 #

  22. I like the song! My mom always CHASE this series, but I don’t watch, long long 1 time when nothing to do will sit in front of the TV then watch lor.

    I can heard the song coming out from my TV NOW.

    Comment by niC niC — May 16, 2007 #

  23. Hehe, I was watching it just now… ;p

    Comment by narrowband — May 16, 2007 #

  24. “chun thee au bu sim” is nice as well :)

    Comment by kj — May 16, 2007 #

  25. Hi, I am Stephen. Must be my lucky day to come across to know you. Can I ask for a favour? I would like to have this “Spirit Of Love” song that you have posted. To be honest. I have been looking high and low for this song.I have been humming this song every time in my heart. Can you send this song to my e-mail address as per above please,please,please?

    I thank you in advance and warmest regards to you.

    Stephen

    Comment by Stephen Gan — May 17, 2007 #

  26. Kj – Yea… you’re not the first person who said that… ;)

    Stephen – Hmm…. you’re not the first person who asked for that… hehe.

    Comment by narrowband — May 17, 2007 #

  27. i really love these series….and their songs too….i really can’t manage to search for those songs…..if u don’t mind, can u send me all the “spirit of love” songs to me via email? thank you very much….

    Comment by adeline — May 18, 2007 #

  28. I don’t have all the songs, only one. Sent you an email!

    Comment by narrowband — May 19, 2007 #

  29. hi…im also an avid fan of the series….could anyone tell me who sang both the opening and ending song for the drama????

    Comment by apis1312 — May 23, 2007 #

  30. Hi anyone knows the exact number of episodes Spirit of Love has? Is it really 800?!! Will be great if someone could answer me. THanks!

    Comment by joanne — May 27, 2007 #

  31. plz send me the song!! i been searching for it .. and i can’t read chinese so i can’t go in baidu.. plz .. =o

    Comment by jaz — June 12, 2007 #

  32. hey guys,i’, not chinese or whatsoever but i’m just here to download the song for my mum.hope the wish is grantable. =) i dun undersatnd any word except for wo ai nie.so help me out guys..please send me some of this addictive ost to my email.. thanx a lot!

    Comment by Fiona — June 23, 2007 #

  33. i’ve been looking for the songs… can e-mail to me… thank you very much.

    Comment by e-lyn — June 26, 2007 #

  34. hey….just wanna ask for help….please help me getting those songs for the drama series…please…email me kay….my mum really wants it…she kept urging me…..though i myself liked it also

    Comment by apis1312 — June 27, 2007 #

  35. do u mind to send me this song??
    chongwee89@hotmail.com

    Comment by cwee — June 29, 2007 #

  36. i am lookin for the 意难忘 song. can give the link?

    Comment by edmund — July 10, 2007 #

  37. About the song, go to http://music.cn.yahoo.com, copy this 真爱只有你 and paste it at the “search” area, then download the song from the results.

    Bonus for those chasers, you can also watch clips of the future episodes at YouTube, just key in “yi nan wan” at search area.

    Lots of karaoke version songs from the drama can be downloaded as well, but u need to have youtube downloader software first.

    Comment by ong xin tian — July 20, 2007 #

  38. hi every1 here and narrowband… i like this show and this song 真爱只有你 alot . hope some1 here can email me this song tuanliang16@hotmail.com thanks alot

    Comment by eggssy — August 1, 2007 #

  39. Is there any Hokkien shows and movies(horror,fighting and comedies) that you can recommend me?I am interested in Hokkien+Mandarin languages only.There are many shows in Cantonese and Mandarin already,quite easy to find.How about Hokkien language?

    Comment by LIM — August 1, 2007 #

  40. Can You pls sent me the link to this song, my jie jie like this song..pls ..it’s so hard to find and download

    Soo Lin

    Comment by Ho Soo Lin — August 9, 2007 #

  41. Hey… can you pls send me the whole soundtrack of this show if you can… its so hard to find.. pls..

    Comment by Eroz — August 16, 2007 #

  42. Hi! Came across your page. Can yo pls email me the soundtrack ? Been looking for it but to no avail. Please …

    thank you so much!

    Cheers!

    Comment by ika — September 5, 2007 #

  43. Anyone out there who knows the ending of The Spirits of Love (a
    Taiwanese hokkien drama series showing now on Astro AEC) can e-mail me at edwinchj@hotmail.com. Please! Please! Thank you in advance.

    Comment by Edwin — September 12, 2007 #

  44. plz give me the download link of this song too, email to meldahung@yahoo.com

    Comment by melda — September 18, 2007 #

  45. can send me the link of this song i like!!! thanks my email is christophera1@hotmail.com

    Comment by tom — September 18, 2007 #

  46. Anyone know where can i stream this series on the net or download it anywhere ?? Cause i missed quite a number of episode and need to watch them. pls email me at milligan84@hotmail.com if u do THANKS a MILLION !! =’)

    Comment by jarren — October 4, 2007 #

  47. Plz send me the link to download the song. My email h.suwondo@gmail.com

    Comment by Henry — October 8, 2007 #

  48. i like this movie very much!!! i will always not miss any of it episodes!!! now about 500 over episodes already!! anyway it is not boring watching!!! i loves every characters except cai jin pao, peggy, li wen hua and wang sheng zhi!!! the song is very nice also!!! i also like it very much!!!

    Comment by Lennie — October 10, 2007 #

  49. wat is the name of the ending theme song of tis drama…? the 1 tat “hai sui ye dan, chiu dau eh nua”…

    Comment by hou — October 31, 2007 #

  50. I’m a huge fan of the drama..especially the song..Plz send me the link to download the song. My email f_florie@yahoo.com

    Comment by florief — November 6, 2007 #

  51. im a gila fan of the drama! can someone out der tell me how many episode more until the ending? plz send me in my e-mail. i also want the ending if you know. THAN KIU~~~!!!

    Comment by Julie — November 7, 2007 #

  52. o yeah, i also wan the songs if u hav them! plz send theme to me! my e-mail is

    julieedumbong@hotmail.com

    thankiu!!

    Comment by Julie — November 7, 2007 #

  53. Hi.

    I sit down with my mom and watch yi nan wang too! and of course, rely on the BM subs : ) it’s so sad to see li zhu be blamed for sheng zhi’s death

    cheers!

    Comment by Lyn — November 16, 2007 #

  54. ola…

    hate the idea the bad guy cai chin pao is still alive! but i guess if he is death the there would be no story eh..and i hope he will meet with AH Bing(Niu Niu husband) at South..hehe..Ah Bing will kill him there..

    Comment by florief — November 16, 2007 #

  55. i’m also like dis taiwanese drama…wen i will go 2 somewhere, i will not 4get 2 record it, den i will watch it later…i never miss 2 see dis drama…i also love dis song… plz send me all of dis song or send the link 4 donlod dis song….n anyone have de picture, wallpaper of dis drama, sent me also at my email miyul_08@hotmail.com

    Comment by miyul — November 20, 2007 #

  56. i’ve been looking for the songs… can e-mail to me… thank you very much.

    Comment by xiong — December 10, 2007 #

  57. hmm…
    Can u email me the links for the songs…
    zolanxs@yahoo.co.id
    plzz….
    i’ve been trying for a very long time to have that songs…
    but when i search the links only a word of bla bla bla appears…
    i dun understand which one to download…
    thx before

    Comment by Dedex — December 13, 2007 #

  58. My son LOVES this song! hehehe

    Comment by giddy tigress — December 28, 2007 #

  59. Btw, can you send me the MP3 for this song?

    Comment by giddy tigress — December 28, 2007 #

  60. eh.. can u send me the song pls.. i tried searching and i cant find.. pls pls pls =x

    Comment by anne — December 29, 2007 #

  61. Hi…Ya , i love this show too ! I always wathc it with my mom. It’s nice ! At first i dont really like it , but later on , i found it interesting when i watch it with my mom ! haha….Especially Jian Ji and Ting Ting…their relation rocks !!!

    joee_low@hotmail.com

    Comment by joey — December 31, 2007 #

  62. hi there, i’ve been trying to get this song but in vain, wonder if i can get it from u, thanks, tis my email, wyhjason@yahoo.com…

    thanks a milion!

    Comment by jason — January 8, 2008 #

  63. haha… this show is interesting… but i don’t watch it a lot tho… i luv the soundtrack… LOL… only during skool holiday i watch…

    Comment by AmberGal — January 11, 2008 #

  64. Hi again… anyone who knows where you can find the sountrack to download as mp3 or wma, pls tell me! Thx

    Comment by AmberGal — January 12, 2008 #

  65. woow, such a nice song.. actually I’m still looking for another song.. which is the starting song for now..around 600episod.
    do u have the song?

    Comment by CindyChin — February 1, 2008 #

  66. Hi hi…. I am trying to download the sountrack too! Does anyone know where to get? :)

    lim_siew_lee@yahoo.com.sg

    Comment by JanLim — March 1, 2008 #

  67. hyetz!! Thank goodness at last I found somethin to discover one of my fave dramas. Hey.. now the episodes have become 664 lah!! I’m sure you haven’t up date dis page 4 a long period. Actually , I want to know more about someone who is very attractive in dis drama that is Ah Ming(Yang Jian Zhi).. Yup, he is Cai Jin Pao’s son and Niu Niu’s stepbrother.. Please!!
    Can anybody help me.. ??

    Comment by are_myra77 — March 11, 2008 #

  68. hi again!!

    the episodes now become more palpitate as li wen hua were caught as he is accused to burn the Bo Ai hospital and kill Dr Xu and also an attemption to kill Dr.Xu’s wife.. dun’t get any idea who is them bcoz i’m away to study in my boarding school. i hate li wen hua!! He damn Ting Ting life..
    Luv Ah Ming!!

    Comment by are_myra77 — March 11, 2008 #

  69. I’m a very very big fan of this drama!!!
    Can anyone tell me what is the exact episodes for this drama?
    Pls contact my MSN or email: malwync@hotmail.com

    Comment by malwync — March 26, 2008 #

  70. I don’t watch the drama la but I heard some ppl saying that the show drag from mother to children to grandchildren and so on lol

    Comment by Holyboy27 — April 9, 2008 #

  71. finally found this website …

    Can anyone send me the whole sound tracks???
    Has been looking for it….cheezecake80@hotmail.com

    xie xie ni~~~~

    Comment by ahger — April 10, 2008 #

  72. can anyone told me how 2 find d taiwan drama title ‘ai’????? im crazy bout dat mvie duh…. n can tel me whr can find dose actress picture plz?????????

    Comment by iveline tan — April 26, 2008 #

  73. I am trying to download the sountrack too! Does anyone know where to get? please email me in speedh1r0@msn.com.thanks

    Comment by suyanto — May 6, 2008 #

  74. hiii…i m s’wak hokkien galz…..i love to watch this drama series ya…
    especially for tis couple niu niu and ah bing…they look like real couple in this movie…wao,are both of them truly couple ah?

    Comment by S@LEn@ — May 8, 2008 #

  75. wola….!!!!meng lee in d house…wazzup waZZup~~!!!! i wish aLL of u enjoy dRaMA Series ok…TELL me hOw To Find Song LYRICS frm this drama?????!!!! thks!!!!!!!!~~~A““L`o`t~~~@@@

    Comment by menglee — May 8, 2008 #

  76. Plz can send me this song to my email~ Even better, if you can tell me how to find the whole OST! I really love the songs from this drama! It rocks!

    Comment by xxxmirai — May 9, 2008 #

  77. hi there ..can anyone tell me the name in chinese for this hokkien drama on 8tv at 6 pm daily ( Tian Ha Te Yi Bi )

    I just started watching this drama ( its my first Hokkien drama) so i have missed a lot of past episods…need the chinese name of this drama ..maybe online..can read a bout their past and what happen to the family.
    thanks

    Comment by mary — May 14, 2008 #

  78. hye people, good day to u ya’all..me like you guys too depended on the BM subtitle to know what exactly they are saying although i can speak hokkien..i wonder how many episodes are there?sad to say i’m nor regular on watching the dram coz i’m working..the days i’m watching are the days i’m free like now coz i’m jobless..=p one part which i love to know is that will tian zhu and shan ni get back together?any spoilers around??

    Comment by shinie — May 17, 2008 #

  79. haha nice movie……. my mami like to follow it

    Comment by LIm Fang Shen — May 24, 2008 #

  80. haha i like it

    Comment by Danny — May 24, 2008 #

  81. pliz,send me This…Yi Nan Wang songs – Xue Zhong Hua,Yi Nan Wang songs – Zhen Ai Zhi You Ni.
    To marcho89@yahoo.co.id

    Comment by marco — May 25, 2008 #

  82. anyone of u who knows the ending? pls send it to my email add: toline2002@yahoo.com… pls…pls… i really love this series. also, can anyone tell me where i can watch this online? plsssss… email me at me addresss: toline2002@yahoo.com

    Comment by marje — May 27, 2008 #

  83. hello…im a huge fan of the spirit of love..could you email me one of the song “xue zhong hua” if im not mistaken..really love the song..thanx!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orU0xFuKUMk&feature=related

    Comment by florie — June 3, 2008 #

  84. hey….can u tell me where 2 download d whole movie soundtrack…i finding very hard but cant get it…plz….send me d info or link 2 my email..craysion_tan@yahoo.com…thx very much…

    Comment by why kit — June 11, 2008 #

  85. YI NAN WAN ROX!!
    i never fail to catch up wif the series every weekdays, same goes to my whole family members. Sharp at 6pm, we will channel to AEC Astro eargerly for this show ^^
    totally into the dramas..also taiwanese actress are so pretty!!- my fave Ting Ting xD

    CAn anyone tell me where can i download the drama series?? my email…dominic_t89@hotmail.com
    thx

    Comment by kctan — June 21, 2008 #

  86. hi..evryone..seems like we’re all addicted 2 the drama right..? hehehe…anyone here got the OST 4 the drama..kindly send me a copy…plzzz….really2 appreciate tat..muuaaahhh…

    Comment by eianne — June 24, 2008 #

  87. hi..evryone..seems like we’re all addicted 2 the drama right..? hehehe…anyone here got the OST 4 the drama..kindly send me a copy…plzzz….really2 appreciate tat..muuaaahhh…

    Comment by eianne — June 24, 2008 #

  88. hi..evryone..seems like we’re all addicted 2 the drama right..? hehehe…anyone here got the OST 4 the drama..kindly send me a copy…plzzz….really2 appreciate tat..muuaaahhh…

    e_ryieza@yahoo.com

    Comment by eianne — June 24, 2008 #

  89. Kindly note that this is not an mp3-sharing/requesting/downloading site. Nobody provides free mp3 here. Good luck anyway.

    Comment box is now irrelevant.

    Comment by Site Administrator — June 24, 2008 #

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