# Ghost Writer (Hong Kong TV series)

Ghost Writer is a 2010 Hong Kong television series produced by TVB, starring Steven Ma and Linda Chung. The protagonist of the series, Po Chung-ling, is based on the author of Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio, a collection of Chinese tales on the supernatural. The series tells how he was inspired to write those stories based on his personal encounters with the supernatural, as well as her relationship with Lau Sum-Yu.

## Plot

Po Chung-Ling was born in Jinan a family of New Year print. He is very bright, his father, Po Poon, has therefore always hoped that he could one day carry on the family business. Ling, mistakenly thinks that Poon is working in collusion with some corrupt officials, refuses to listen to what his father says. His good friend, Ko Jit, is a constable and he hates corrupt officials as much as Ling does. Rumor has it that a fox spirit is creating troubles in Jinan. Ling is almost killed when he is investigating into the matter with Jit. A mysterious girl named Ling Wu Siu-Tsui comes to his rescue in the nick of time. It turns out later that she is the fox spirit, and that she saves Ling so as to return a past favour. As they spend more and more time together, Tsui starts to fall for Ling.
The Po family has secured a large order of New Year print. To ensure the work can be finished in time they have to hire a large numbers of female workers. Lau Sum-Yu applies for the job, but her real intention is to look for the man who was unfaithful to her sister, never knowing that she would later be caught in a love triangle with Ling and Jit.

## Cast

    Note: Some of the characters' names are in Cantonese romanisation.

### Po family

| Cast | Role | Description |
| Elliot Ngok | Po Poon 蒲槃 | Po Chung-Ling and Po Hok-ling's father Po Bak-ling's uncle Good friends with Cheng Jung-Bong, but finally split up Siu Tsui's life saver |
| Rachel Kan | Tung Wai-yan 董慧欣 | Deceased Po Chung-ling's mother |
| Rebecca Chan | Yip Wing-Han 葉詠嫻 | Po Chung-ling's stepmother Po Hok-Ling's mother |
| Steven Ma | Po Chung-Ling 蒲松齡 | Po Poon's son Love Triangle with Sum Yu and Ko Jit, Sum Yu and Siu Tsui Bak Ling's younger cousin |
| Mok Hoi-him | Po Hok-ling 蒲鶴齡 | Po Poon's son Po Chung-ling's half-brother Yip Wing-Han's son |
| Ruco Chan | Po Bak-Ling 蒲柏齡 | Po Chung ling and Po Hok-ling's older cousin Po Poon's nephew Incriminate Yip Wing-Han (Villain) |
| Queenie Chu | Leung Pik-yuk 梁碧玉 | Po Bak-ling's wife Incriminate Yip Wing-Han and Chu Po-yin (Semi-Villain) |
| Kong Wing-fai | Tung Chi-ming 董自鳴 | Villain Tung Wai-yan's brother Collude with Po Bak-Ling Incriminate Yip Wing-Han (Semi-Villain) |
| Rain Lau | Chu Po-yin 朱寶燕 | Tung Chi-ming's wife Incriminate Yip Wing-Han (Semi-Villain) |

### Lau family

| Cast | Role | Description |
| Elaine Yiu | Lau Sum-Yin 柳心妍 | Sum Yu's older sister Chui Jung Man's lover (Deceased) |
| Linda Chung | Lau Sum-Yu 柳心如 | Love Triangle with Chung Ling and Ko Jit Sum Yin's little sister |

### Ko family

| Cast | Role | Description |
| Bak Yan | Song Ho 宋好 | Ko Jit's mother |
| Sunny Chan | Ko Jit 高喆 | Soldier Song Ho's son Ngai Chung's subordinate Crush on Sum-Yu Initially Chung Ling's good friend, but eventual enemy Ngan Hung's betrothed (Main Villain) |

### Ling Wu family

| Cast | Role | Description |
| Law Lok-lam | Ling Wu Gat-Cheung 令狐吉祥 | Fox Spirit Siu Tsui's grandfather |
| Fala Chen | Ling Wu Siu-Tsui 令狐小翠 | Little Fox Goddess Involved in a love Triangle with Chung Ling and Sum Yu |

### Other cast

| Cast | Role | Description |
| Eric Li | Ngai Chung 魏沖 | Head of Magistrate's police force Ngai Hung's adopted brother Ko Jit's direct supervisor Enemies with Ko Jit (Villain) |
| Charmaine Li | Ngai Hung 魏虹 | Ngai Chung's adopted sister Cheng Jung-Bong's daughter Ko Jit's betrothed |
| Lau Kong | Ma Yuk-Sing 馬旭昇 | Cheng Jung-Bong's direct supervisor |
| Matthew Ko | Chui Jung-Man 徐仲文 | Sum Yin's lover |
| Lau Dan | Cheng Jung-Bong 鄭忠邦 | Ngai Chung's uncle Ngai Hung's father (Villain) |

## Awards and nominations

TVB Anniversary Awards (2010)
* Best Drama
* Best Actor (Steven Ma) (Top 5)
* Best Actress (Linda Chung) (Top 5)
* Best Supporting Actress (Fala Chen) (Top 15)
* Most Improved Actress (Elaine Yiu)

## Trivia

* The last episode ends with footage from previous TVB production based on the tales of Pu Songling, namely Dark Tales and Dark Tales II.

## Viewership ratings

| | Week | Episodes | Average Points | Peaking Points |
| 1 | June 7–11, 2010 | 1 — 5 | 30 | 33 |
| 2 | June 14–18, 2010 | 6 — 10 | 32 | 34 |
| 3 | June 21–24, 2010 | 11 — 14 | 33 | 36 |
| 4 | June 28 - July 2, 2010 | 15 — 19 | 35 | 37 |
| 5 | July 5–8, 2010 | 20 — 23 | 35 | 38 |
| 5 | July 9, 2010 | 24 — 25 | 37 | 41 |
<Ghost Writer> Average Points 32, Peaking 41.