Love, sex and marriage in Singapore investigated in new TV series

The different ways intimate relationships have changed over the past century in Singapore are being highlighted by a new three-part TV docudrama written and researched by Dr Mark Frost from the Department of History at Essex.

Love in a Time of Change premiered on Channel News Asia this week. Dr Frost worked as Associate Producer on the three-part series and played a key role in developing the content and script.

Dr Frost said: “The series explores changing attitudes to love, sex and marriage in Southeast Asia during the 20th century, by focusing in on three historically significant relationships.”

Each episode focuses on a couple whose relationship crossed boundaries and changed history. These stories are told through a mixture of dramatic re-enactment, period footage and images, and expert interviews.

Dr Frost’s research explores imperialism and liberation in 20th century Asia and how they continue to shape national identities in the region and he played an integral part in the production of the series.

Other recent work includes the documentary film I Remember the Fall of Singapore in 2017 and he is Principal Investigator on the War Memoryscapes in Asia Project (WARMAP), an interdisciplinary research network explores Asia's conflict heritage in a globalized world.

Previously Dr Frost lived in Singapore for seven years as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Asia Research Institute and was Senior Historical Consultant for the award-winning revamp of the National Museum of Singapore’s History Gallery in 2006. He returned to full-time academia in 2009 as Research Assistant Professor at the University of Hong Kong before joining Essex in 2011.

The Perfect Partnership, the first episode of Love in a Time of Change is available to watch online at Channel News Asia.