First M’sian anti-scam film “White Horse Prince Oppa” highlights love scams
On March 29, 2023, the Anti-Scam Campaign Awareness Film “OPPA” officially began production. On April 4, 2023, filming officially began. Most of the movie’s shooting locations were in the Klang Valley, including well-known sites like Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, KLCC Twin Towers, Jalan Alor Food Street, Bukit Bintang, Chiao Nan Primary School, Sentul Police Station, and Bukit Aman Police Headquarters. The aim is to exhibit Kuala Lumpur’s timeless beauty to both domestic and overseas audiences.
This million-dollar Malaysian film, a collaboration between Dream Film and the Royal Malaysia Police Commercial Crime Investigation Department, is the country’s first 90-minute cinema film on scam awareness. Based on a true story, “OPPA” tells the tale of a primary school teacher yearning for love who meets her ideal white horse prince in the online world. They quickly fall in love, setting off an exotic love story. However, when everything seems perfect, a series of “accidents” occur, turning her life into a nightmare.
To ensure the film reflects real-life cases, the production team extensively researched past and present fraud cases in collaboration with the police. Film Director Denil Choong Lin Loong and the scriptwriting team made eight revisions to create a film that feels like a movie rather than a documentary about scams. The surprises that “OPPA” will bring to the audience before its release include:
The casting of South Korean actor Jang Tae Oh as the male lead OPPA. His outstanding looks and remarkable acting skills caught the director’s attention, resulting in more scenes for him.
In line with the “Malaysia Madani” campaign, “OPPA” features a diverse cast representing different ethnicities. The film includes dialogue in seven languages, including Malay, English, Mandarin, dialects, Korean, and Indian languages.
Attending Organisations: Royal Malaysia Police Commercial Crime Investigation Department, Dream Film Production Team, Filming Team, Post-production Team, Sponsors, Producers, Distributors, Actors, and Media.
The film features real police officers in various roles. The appearance of TikTok star and police ASP Rahmat Fitri shines on screen, presenting the real-life stories of scammer apprehension.
The lead actress is Malaysian internet celebrity Jacqueline Goh Wan Yi, who previously served as a primary school teacher for 14 years. With numerous collaborations with the director, their chemistry is evident. This role presented many firsts for her, including bold and intimate scenes with South Korean actor Jang Tae Oh. Additionally, due to the emotional nature of the script, she had to perform crying scenes, which made it challenging for her to detach from the character for a while.
The film cast several outstanding actors who auditioned in February, including Sadiq M. Jalil as the mastermind behind the scam group, Lee Qi as a third-party character that keeps the audience guessing until the last minute, and newcomer Amanda as the protagonist’s best friend. Ariel, an English teacher who plays the role of a principal, was also a victim of fraud in real life, left with only RM400 in her bank account. She feels honored to be part of the film, as it aligns with the film’s initial goal of helping the police reduce crime and increase public awareness of scam groups
The film features cameo appearances by famous DJ Rachel B, professional boxer Peter Davis, Malaysian TVB newcomer Nicholas, Sarawak TikTok star “Mr. Crocodile,” and TikTok star and police ASP Rahmat Fitri, providing surprises for the audience.
Award-winning director Denil Choong Lin Loong, known for his achievements in international microfilms, will submit this feature-length film to domestic and international film competitions and festivals. With a humble mindset, he hopes that more people can see the film’s message of saving lives and exposing the tactics of scam groups.
Filming concluded on 16/05/2023, and post-production is currently underway with the aim of completing all processes within July. Discussions with the Film Board and major distributors are already in progress, seeking the best release schedule for nationwide screening.
