Burning Flame promises to fire up your screen
March 8, 2001

Watch these uniformed heroes brave fire and water in their jobs and in their love lives.

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Dramas about the uniformed groups have always been popular with viewers.

With all-time favourite ingredients such as action, intertwined relationships and a strong cast (especially eye candy like Louis Koo), Burning Flame promises to ignite your interest with more twists and turns as the plot unfolds, leaving you hungry for more.

Popular actor Wang Xi is the filial Luo Tianyou who yearns to be a fireman, an ambition inspired by the brave fighters who saved his life when he was a child. Still, he represses his wish so as not to upset his mother.

However, this does not reduce his burning desire to save people.

We see him playing the hero; dispersing old folks in a near-fire, rescuing the mentally-impaired brother of Liu Haibo (Louis) and getting himself injured in the process.

Seeing his determination, his Mum finally relents.

Louis is the cool and arrogant Liu Haibo, who falls out with his wealthy father over his lack of care about his mentally-impaired brother.

Esther Kwan (Guan Yonghe) is the strong-willed Shen Biyao who has to shoulder responsibilities as the sole breadwinner in the family.

In the following episodes, the trio meet in the fire brigade training school and become friends.

Upon graduation, Tianyou and Biyao are assigned under the wing of Luo Xiaofeng (Li Zixiong), an outstanding fireman, who gets involved in a complicated love triangle with them.

On the other hand, Haibo develops another love triangle with his elder brother's girlfriend, Luo Xiaocui (Liang Cheng).

In the midst of all these love troubles, the 3 are faced with multiple challenges in their work and they have to pit their skills and wits against their common ruthless enemy, fire in all its fury.

In this TVBS blockbuster produced in 1998, the leads were cast in roles that they play best.

As usual, Louis is portrayed as the typical cool guy who does not give a damn about anyone. Wang Xi plays his most popular type of role: the warm and approachable guy-next-door.

Esther, with her steadfast image, plays the strong woman to perfection, while the mature and steady Zixiong fits his role to a T.

Everything seems perfect; except that, however I look at it, the 2 pairs of lovers, Wang Xi and Esther Kwan, Louis Koo and Liang Cheng, hardly make compatible couples.

From what I see, they look more like elder sisters with their younger brothers.

However, despite that and its much-replicated storyline, I will be catching the serial whenever I can because I know that I can expect a good performance from the able Esther and the unpretentious Wang Xi.

Besides, although his scenes are few, Louis Khoo with his tanned, muscular build and drop-dead gorgeous looks is already a pull factor on its own.

Catch Burning Flame every Mondays to Thursdays at 7 pm on Channel 8.

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