When Duty Calls

*When Duty Calls*
When Duty Calls
	卫国先锋
Genre	Contemporary; Friendship; Romance; Military
Written by	Seah Choon Guan ; Tang Yeow
Directed by	Png Keh Hock ; Doreen Yap ; Martin Chan ; Khoo Khiang Ting
Starring	Desmond Tan ; Romeo Tan ; Pierre Png ; Paige Chua ; Felicia Chin
Opening theme	以刚克刚 by Desmond Ng and Kenny Khoo
Ending theme	1) 以为的以为 by Alfred Sim and Tay Kewei ; 2) 一直都在 by Alfred Sim ; 3) 关怀新方式 by Desmond Tan and Felicia Chin
Country of origin	Singapore
Original language	Chinese
No. of episodes	20
Production
Executive producer	Chong Liung Man
Running time	approx. 45 minutes (excluding advertisements)
Original release
Network	Mediacorp Channel 8
Release	31 July –; 25 August 2017
Related
	Honour and Passion (2007) ; When Duty Calls 2 (2022)

When Duty Calls (Chinese: 卫国先锋) is a 20-episode Singaporean drama produced and telecast on Mediacorp Channel 8 in 2017. It was made to commemorate 50 years of National Service in Singapore. It is sponsored by the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Home Affairs.

It stars Desmond Tan, Romeo Tan, Pierre Png, Paige Chua, and Felicia Chin as the main cast of the series.^[1]

Cast

Main cast

Desmond Tan as Lu Junguang (陆俊光), a sergeant in the Singapore Army
Romeo Tan as Xu Longbin (许龙斌), a captain in the Singapore Army
Pierre Png as Chen Jinbao (陈金保), Corporal in the Singapore Army
- Chen Jinbao (陈金保) as young Chen
Paige Chua as Shen Yixuan (沈宜萱), a captain at the Republic of Singapore Navy
Felicia Chin as Bai Jingyu (白静雨), a senior brigade medic with the rank of Military Expert 2

Supporting cast

Cast	Character	Description
Shane Pow	Yao Weiguo (姚卫国)	Navy (Sea) Officer Cadet - Yeoh Wei Guo (Midshipman) Gordon Yeoh, Mate/Buddy (伙伴), Recruit Yeoh, Sabo King Yao Yixin's brother Lu Xianfeng's Basic Military Training buddy Shen Yiyun's ex-boyfriend
Richie Koh	Lu Xianfeng (陆先锋)	Air Force (Air) Officer Cadet - Loke Xian Feng (Air Warfare Officer (C3) Ah Boy (阿Boy), Mummy Boy, Mate/Buddy (伙伴), Recruit Loke Lu Junguang's nephew Lu Meiguang's son Yang Yongzheng's son Yao Weiguo's Basic Military Training buddy Shen Yiyun's boyfriend
Jasmine Sim	Shen Yiyun (沈宜芸)	Air Force (Air) Air Force Engineer - Military Expert 1 Sim Yi Yun Air Force Engineering (AFE) (Maintenance) Cloudie Sim Yao Weiguo's ex-girlfriend Lu Xianfeng's girlfriend Shen Yixuan's sister
Kym Ng	Lu Meiguang (陆美光)	Teenage version portrayed by Cai Bei'er (蔡贝儿) Ms Lu (陆小姐), Little White Boat (小白船) Ding Ji Breadshop's owner and boss Kopi Kia's previous employee Yang Yongzheng's ex-lover Lu Xianfeng's mother Lu Junguang's older sister Chen Jinbao's girlfriend and long lost childhood friend Chen Weirong's previous employee
Mei Xin	Yao Yixin (姚一心)	Germaine Yeoh, B (宝贝), Lawyer Yao (姚律师)
James Seah	Xie Mingyao (谢明耀)	Navy (Sea) Captain - Seah Ming Yao (Divisional Officer) Roger That (收到) Shen Yixuan's ex-boyfriend Lu Junguang's best friend and rival in love (Deceased - 4 years ago by involved with a truck accident)
Darryl Yong	Li Hongxun (李宏讯)	Police Deputy Superintendent (NS) - Lee Hong Xun (Patrol) Roger That (收到), Lawyer Li (李律师) Lawyer Xu Longbin's best old-friend Yao Yixin's colleague In love with Shen Yixuan
Zheng Geping	Yang Yongzheng (杨勇正)	Air Force (Air) Teenage version portrayed by Li Bin (李彬) Lieutenant Colonel - Yeo Yongzheng Fighter SQN (Commanding Officer) Michael Yeo Tina's husband Lu Meiguang's ex-lover Lu Xianfeng's father Lu Junguang's brother-in-law Chen Jinbao's rival in love Shen Yiyun's boss Chen Weirong's previous employee
Hong Huifang	Zhu Cuihua (朱翠花)	Auntie Hua (花姐) Kopi Kia coffeehouse's lady boss Xu Longbin's lady-boss and god-mother Chen Weirong's wife Chen Jinbao's mother
Li Wenhai	Chen Weirong (陈伟荣)	Uncle Rong (荣叔) Kopi Kia coffeehouse's older boss Xu Longbin's boss Zhu Cuihua's husband Chen Jinbao's father Yang Yongzheng and Lu Meiguang's previous boss Suffered from heart attack

Guest appearances

Cast	Character	Description
Tommy Wong	Lu Jiading (陆家钉)	Lu Meiguang and Lu Junguang's father Lu Xianfeng's grandfather
Zack Lim	Fuji	Mount Fuji (富土山) Kopi Kia's employee Chen Weirong and Zhu Cuihua's employee and chef In love with Lu Meiguang
Caryn Cheng	Summer	Sweetheart (甜蜜) Chen Jinbao's ex-lover
Dylan Quek	Jeffery Poh	Navy (Sea) Jeff Xie Mingyao and Shen Yixuan's best friend
Gary Tan	Nick Goh	Navy (Sea) Shen Yixuan's cadet
Brian Ng	Roy Ho	Navy (Sea) Yao Weiguo's platoon mate Shen Yixuan's cadet
Benjamin Cheah		Part time Police Officer (NS) - (Patrol) Li Hongxun's colleague
Amy Cheng	Tina	Yang Zhongzheng's wife
Terence Tay	Captain Khoo	Air Force (Air) Yang Yongzheng's friend Lu Xianfeng's sir
Pornsak Prajakwit	Chong	Navy (Sea) Yao Weiguo's platoon mate Shen Yixuan's cadet

Accolades

Ceremony	Year	Category	Nominee(s)	Result	Ref.
Star Awards	2018	Best Director	Png Keh Hock	Nominated
		Best Director	Martin Chan	Won
		Best Screenplay	Seah Choon Guan & Tang Yeow	Nominated
		Best Actor	Desmond Tan	Won	^[2]
		Best Actor	Pierre Png	Nominated
		Best Supporting Actor	Shane Pow	Nominated
		Best Supporting Actress	Kym Ng	Won	^[2]
		Best Supporting Actress	Mei Xin	Nominated
		Best Newcomer	Richie Koh	Nominated
		Best Theme Song	"以刚克刚" by Desmond Ng and Kenny Khoo	Won	^[2]
		Best Drama Serial	N/a	Won	^[2]

Soundtrack

No.	Song title	Artist
1)	以刚克刚 (Main song for the series)	Desmond Ng Kenny Khoo
2)	以为的以为 (Song for Lu Junguang, Shen Yixuan, and Bai Jingyu)	Alfred Sim Tay Kewei
3)	一直都在 (Song for Xu Longbin and Yao Yixin)	Alfred Sim
4)	关怀新方式 (Song for Chen Jinbao and Lu Meiguang)	Desmond Tan Felicia Chin
5)	关怀方式 (Song for Chen Jinbao and Lu Meiguang)	Chen Hanwei
6)	关怀方式 (Unplugged Version) (Song for Chen Jinbao and Lu Meiguang)	Pierre Png
7)	I Just Wanna Be Loved (Song for Shen Yiyun, Yao Weiguo, and Lu Xianfeng)	Tim Ellis

Development and production

Filming began in February 2017 and was completed in May. The series was filmed in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and Ministry of Home Affairs (Home Team).^[3]

References

^ ""When Duty Calls" — Bringing NSmen's Lives to the Big Screen". Ministry of Home Affairs. 28 July 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Star Awards 2018 Winners". 8days. 22 April 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
^ "Those were _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ times". Ministry of Defence (Singapore). 1 July 2017.

Preceded by Hero 2016-17	Star Awards for Best Drama Serial When Duty Calls 2017-18	Succeeded by Blessings 2 2018-19

[1] ""When Duty Calls" — Bringing NSmen's Lives to the Big Screen". Ministry of Home Affairs. 28 July 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2017.

[:0-2] "Star Awards 2018 Winners". 8days. 22 April 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2025.

[3] "Those were _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ times". Ministry of Defence (Singapore). 1 July 2017.

[1]

[2]

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Star Awards for Best Drama Serial
1990s	The Unbeatables (season 1) (1994) Chronicle of Life (1995) Tofu Street (1996) The Price of Peace (1997) Stand by Me (1998) Stepping Out (1999)
2000s	Hainan Kopi Tales (2000) Three Women and A Half (2001) Beautiful Connection (2002) Holland V (2003) A Child's Hope II (2004) A New Life (2005) The Shining Star (2006) Metamorphosis (2007) The Little Nyonya (2009)
2010s	Together (2010) Breakout (2011) On the Fringe (2011) Pillow Talk (2013) The Dream Makers (season 1) (2014) The Journey: Tumultuous Times (2015) The Dream Makers (season 2) (2016) Hero (2017) When Duty Calls (2018) Blessings 2 (2019)
2020s	− ~~(2020)~~ A Quest to Heal (2021) My Star Bride (2022) Your World in Mine (2023) All That Glitters (2024) Unforgivable (2025)