TVB 'Medical Heroes' Achieves High Ratings, Ding Zi Long's Villainous Performance Praised

Hong Kong TVB's hit drama series 'Medical Heroes' features the strongly promoted new-generation actor, 28-year-old Ding Zi Long, taking on his first villainous role. With an intense performance, he left viewers gritting their teeth, and he openly stated he doesn't mind playing villains again.
Since its premiere, 'Medical Heroes' has enjoyed strong viewership ratings and a good reputation. According to TVB's latest ratings for last week (15th to 21st), 'Medical Heroes' peaked at 20.6 points (1.33 million viewers), second only to 'Scoop' (21.6 points), firmly securing the runner-up spot; since its debut, not only has the show attained high ratings, but both its storyline and cast performances have also been praised by viewers. In particular, Ding Zi Long's first ever villainous performance in episode 16, aired on Monday (September 22), where he attempts to rape Cheung Hei Man, made viewers gnash their teeth and wish to drag him out for a beating.

Multiple NGs in Assault Scene, Feels "Indebted" to Cheung Hei Man
Regarding this rape scene, Ding Zi Long said during an interview that it was the scene with the most NGs (no-goods/outtakes) in his career. "There were over 10 NGs in total, making me doubt whether I'm suitable as an actor. I just couldn't meet the director's standards, and I also had to play such a psychotic person. Luckily, the director was understanding and gave me many chances, allowing me time to adjust. The end result actually turned out well."
However, he said he felt a sense of "indebtedness" toward Cheung Hei Man. "Because I kept NG-ing, we had to restart the scene over and over, and Cheung Hei Man had to wear stockings for me to tear apart multiple times."
Speaking of his first villainous role in 'Medical Heroes,' he said the character is ruthless and evil to the core, so much so that he admired the screenwriter's boldness. He revealed that the character Deng Shikang was not originally written for him; after several changes, it ended up in his hands. He said he was grateful to Chan Ho, who plays his cousin on the show, and Cheng Zi Sing, who plays his father, for helping him understand the character's psychology. "They are masters at playing villains. They taught me to imagine myself as a beast when acting. Without them, I wouldn't have been able to portray such a twisted character."
Mentioning his intimate scenes with Lau Pui Yuet, Ding Zi Long said there was no awkwardness at all, as they were already very familiar and had great chemistry. As for working with Chan Ho, he was very grateful for Chan Ho's constant guidance, such as advising which lines should be delivered slowly or quickly, and in what scenes he should slam the table to assert his presence.
When the reporter asked for his own assessment of his performance, Ding Zi Long replied he was very satisfied, "When I watched myself, I saw that I was indeed very scheming and devious in the show, quite different from the real me. Even my mother, after watching, said I was so evil. It was pretty funny."

Previously Criticized for Playing a Jerk
This time, Ding Zi Long received rave reviews for playing a villain in 'Medical Heroes', which surprised even himself. He recalled how in 'Beautiful Battlefield', when he played a jerk, his acting drew harsh criticism from netizens; so he thought it would be the same this time, but was unexpectedly praised for his breakthrough performance. It was, as he put it, "an unplanned happy accident."
He also joked that he wouldn't mind playing more villains. "Being recognized feels great. It's my first time receiving so much positive feedback, which makes me really happy. I hope I can play different types of roles and gain the audience's approval."

First Mainland Drama Receives Acclaim
Before 'Medical Heroes', Ding Zi Long co-starred with Bosco Wong and Wallace Huo in the Chinese mainland suspense series 'Remembrance', which also received excellent feedback. This was also his first time filming a drama in mainland China.
Mentioning the praise for this show, Ding Zi Long said he hopes to work on various types of series in both Hong Kong and the mainland in the future. As for breaking out in mainland productions, he believes it always comes down to acting skills. After all, there are many different types of dramas in China. If he can handle each one well and develop a solid reputation, production teams will naturally invite him for roles. Therefore, he hopes to keep improving his acting to win more opportunities.
'Medical Heroes' airs on TVB Jade (StarHub Entertainment Channel 838, Singtel TV Channel 511) Monday to Friday at 8:30pm. It is also available on Hub Drama First (StarHub Entertainment Channel 860), Starter+, and the TVBAnywhere+ app.