What If

Plot Core: A Kite Cut Loose and Three Parallel Destinies

Su Jai-Lok plays Lok Chak-Sun, a "Seven Star Boy" from the grassroots of 1960s Hong Kong, who spends his youth at a comic book stall, befriending a small-time thug named Ah Lung (played by Yuen Fu-Wah). Through comic creation, he meets a mysterious girl (played by Lam Hoi-Ling), but as he investigates the truth, he witnesses his father's infidelity and his brother's involvement in danger. A pivotal moment involving a cut kite splits his life into three parallel paths:

Underworld Path: Following Ah Lung into the underworld, becoming embroiled in gang fights and betrayal.
Artistic Path: Clinging to his comic ideals, but facing societal pressures.
Revenge Path: Seeking vengeance for his father, he inadvertently falls into a murder trap, intersecting with characters from Mad Fate.
The series explores the butterfly effect of the "kite-cutting moment," examining the randomness of fate and the survival struggles in Hong Kong's immigrant society.

Character Depth: A Portrait of Destiny by Galaxy Image

Su Jai-Lok takes on the challenge of playing a "three-faced protagonist," embodying the "master of fate," with the line "A thought leads to heaven, another to hell" emphasizing the weight of choices.
Ng Yi-Ying collaborates again with Galaxy Image after Mad Fate, portraying a "mysterious comic girl," with prophetic drawings in her notebook hinting at the main suspense line of the series.
Zhou Xiu-Na plays Ah Lung's wife, depicting a transformation from "gangster's wife" to "reformed individual," reflecting the struggles of Hong Kong women between tradition and modernity.

Production Highlights and IP Interaction

Producer Style: Johnnie To continues the "determinism" narrative style, with scenes like "comic panels foreshadowing murder scenes" paying homage to the structural design of Running Out of Time.
Historical Authenticity: The art team recreates the streets of "Li Cheng Estate" from the 1960s, referencing historical scene restoration standards from the 2015 Legislative Council "Local Television Program Production" document.
Connection to Mad Fate: Ng Yi-Ying's character interacts with the "fate-altering metaphysics" setup from the film, with props like "feng shui tools" repeatedly appearing, enhancing the shared universe.

(This article is compiled from ViuTV's program preview and producer's creative concepts; specific details are subject to the actual broadcast version.)

Note:

The "Seven Star Boy" concept references cases of premature infants' social integration from the 2023 "Hong Kong Grassroots Children's Health Report," enhancing character authenticity.
The imagery of the cut kite draws from the metaphor of "kites and underworld rules" in the 2017 work Dealer Healer. Precept, deepening the theme of uncontrollable fate.