How a 2007 Hong Kong soap opera captivated millions with a family fortune war
In short: Heart of Greed, a 2007 TVB drama, became a cultural phenomenon by chronicling the explosive internal collapse of a wealthy family. Centered on a HK$600 million dried seafood empire, the series explored betrayal, greed, and the desperate struggle for status, ultimately becoming one of the highest-rated television dramas of the decade.
The narrative centers on Tong Yan-Gai, a 58-year-old businessman who owns a successful dried sea products store and 31 rental properties. His family life is defined by a complex dynamic between his legal wife, Ling Hau, and his unofficial second wife, Wong Sau-Kam. When Hau, a strong-willed woman who survived cancer, senses Kam’s growing resentment and schemes to seize the family fortune, she expels her from the household. This act triggers a bitter, multi-year conflict that tears the family apart.
The drama escalates as Kam, manipulated by the opportunistic Sheung Joi-Duk, launches a campaign of public slander and legal warfare to invalidate the family will. The conflict is further complicated by the involvement of the extended family, including the greedy Ling Bo and the manipulative family of Cheuk Man-Lai. Amidst this chaos, the Tong family relies on the legal expertise of Sheung Joi-Sum, whose own life is marked by the tragic death of her boyfriend, the lawyer Ching Leung, who dies in a car crash while contemplating a reconciliation.
Heart of Greed was a massive critical and commercial success, winning Best Drama at the 2007 TVB Anniversary Awards. Its finale reached a peak of 48 points, placing it just behind the decade's top-rated drama, Dae Jang Geum. The show’s impact was such that it was later honored in a 2022 joint programme by Youku and TVB, cementing its status as a classic. The series remains a study of how petty grievances and the pursuit of wealth can dismantle even the most prosperous households.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Heart of Greed
- Also: Wikidata — Heart of Greed · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — list of Heart of Greed episodes · CC0
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