Netflix has acquired rights to Mediacorp's premium Chinese drama "Emerald Hill" (小娘惹之翡翠山) in the first-ever pre-sale deal the Singapore programmer has signed for its Chinese dramas.

The acquisition was announced in Singapore this afternoon on opening day of this year's ATF market. 

"Emerald Hill" will debut simultaneously on Netflix in Southeast Asia and Prime subscribers on Mediacorp's streaming platform, mewatch  – another first for Mediacorp's Chinese drama – on 10 March 2025, followed by a premiere on Mediacorp's free-to-air Channel 8 on 19 March 2025. 

The 30-episode series is a follow-up to Mediacorp's 2008 blockbuster series, "The Little Nyonya", which drew unprecedented interest in Peranakan culture.

“This isn’t just a drama – it’s a cultural phenomenon,” Virginia Lim, Mediacorp chief content officer, said this afternoon. 

"The Little Nyonya stole hearts and shattered barriers worldwide, breaking viewership records, inspiring local adaptations, and cementing itself as a proud milestone for Singapore storytelling," she said, adding that "Emerald Hill" took "this legacy to new heights".  

The series was announced in January this year. 

Although the budget hasn’t been disclosed, the prime-time drama could be one of the biggest productions out of Mediacorp, Singapore’s largest media platform with growing regional ambitions.

Zoe Tay (“Dark Angel") stars as Zhang family matriarch Liu Xin Niang, with Tasha Low as homeless child, Xin Niang, who roams the streets with her gambling addicted foster mother Zhu (played by Chen Liping). The other two Nyonyas in “Emerald Hill” are played by rising Singapore actresses, Chantele Ng and Ferlyn G.

Xin Niang does what she needs to to survive but never targets the old, disabled or disenfranchised. Her circumstances change dramatically when she emerges as the long-lost daughter of a wealthy family. But her new life is filled with different challenges, including secrets, deception and malicious family members.

“The Little Nyonya” star, Jeannette Aw, appears in "Emerald Hill" as Yue Niang, the lead character in “The Little Nyonya” season one.

“Emerald Hill”, produced by Mediacorp Studios, is helmed by executive producer Loh Woon Woon (罗温温) and story planner Ang Eng Tee (洪荣狄).