Ranking All The ‘Emerald Hill’ Characters, From The Most To Least Evil

June 28, 2025

20 11 minutes read

Ranking All The ‘Emerald Hill’ Characters, From The Most To Least Evil — 8676435923ee7a62bac2ead490eefc2ae69aa51a6cafeb5c8a579614e95eef8a.jpeg

By Larissa Wong – published 9 Apr 2025

Emerald Hill: The Little Nyonya Story is the gift that keeps on giving. The Singaporean series has already etched itself into history as the first local series to debut on Netflix, and what’s more, it has held the top spot for TV shows in Singapore on the streaming site since its release. Featuring a dazzling cast of both OG Singaporean TV actors and promising newcomers, the show has captivated thousands of viewers with its gripping telling of the wealthy Zhang family in the 1950s to 1970s. The show not only captures the tumultuous dynamics within the Zhang household but is also is in-depth study of Peranakan culture, and its traditions and societal ideals during that period.

If you’ve been keeping up with the series, we are little more than halfway through and it has been dramatic, to say the least—with devastating deaths, shocking schemes and unexpected appearances. The show features many characters, most of whom are members of the Zhang clan, and with so many family members, there is bound to be a bad apple (or a few) somewhere in the mix. That being said, amid the never-ending drama of the Zhangs, which characters do we love, and love to hate?

From the kind-hearted protagonist Zhang Xin Niang to the vindictive Zhang Anna and gaslighter Zhang Jin Quan, here are our rankings for most to least evil so far, showcasing the intricate web of character dynamics.

Warning: spoilers ahead.

1. Zhang Anna

Photo: Courtesy of Mediacorp

Played by: Chantalle Ng

Score on the evil scale: 10/10

Zhang Anna is the show’s primary antagonist, playing opposite protagonist Xin Niang (Tasha Low). She is characterised by her jealous and vindictive character, especially towards Xin Niang, constantly trying to drive her out of the family. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, and she has grown up to be seemingly more evil than her parents Zhang Jin Quan and Kang Sili (we’ll get to them later).

Anna is an expert at manipulating situations, using lies and deceit to get what she wants to to wreak havoc in the household. Her actions are often driven by deep resentment towards Xin Niang, who threatens her status and attention within the Zhang family. Even as a child, it seems like there was something intrinsically evil about her. In one instance, she intentionally planted oil on the stairs, causing Li Shu Qin (Jesseca Liu) to slip and fall, which eventually led to the death of her unborn baby.

While it could be argued that her retaliation against certain family members is because she was sent away as an infant, and as a result probably suffers from trauma and abandonment issues, there’s no denying that most of her actions are spiteful and immoral.

2. Zhang Jin Quan

Played by: Romeo Tan

Score on the evil scale: 10/10

Zhang Jin Quan is the textbook definition of a gaslighter and a massive red flag. He is the third son of the Zhang family, husband of Kang Sili (Dawn Yeoh) and father to three children, including Zhang Anna (Chantalle Ng). So far, he is arguably the villain of Emerald Hill.

First, following the accidental shooting of his nephew Yao Ming, in which the perpetrator was his own son Yao Guang, Jin Quan proceeds to threaten the helper into lying for him, fires her anyway and concocts a plan to get rid of all the witnesses, including toddler Zhang Anya (Ferlyn G).

It can be said that Jin Quan is the reason for the family’s downfall, having organised Anya’s kidnapping to keep the truth from coming out. Not to mention, he had the audacity to pocket the majority of the ransom, which he gaslit his family into paying out instead of getting the police involved. Additionally, while his wife Kang Sili is no angel herself, he is especially hot-headed when dealing with her and blames her for practically everything. His character is exceptionally selfish and unwilling to admit to his wrongdoings.

3. Kang Sili

Played by: Dawn Yeoh

Score on the evil scale: 9/10

Kang Sili is Zhang Jin Quan’s wife and the drama queen of the Zhang household. As someone who married into the Zhang clan, Sili is deeply concerned with maintaining her social standing and prominence in the household, and will protect the family’s reputation at all costs. Cold and ruthless, Sili did not express any signs of remorse upon the passing of her nephew despite her son being the accidental perpetrator, and goes to great lengths to manipulate situations to ensure that she has the upper hand.

Despite her calculated schemes to drive Xin Niang (Tasha Low) out of the family, it could be argued that it is out of her devotion to her daughter Anna (Chantalle Ng) that blinds her to the damages she causes. Hence, while she is not necessarily outright evil, her selfish tendencies and lack of compassion make her one of the show’s more devious characters.

4. Zhang Jin Hai

Played by: Shaun Chen

Score on the evil scale: 8/10

Zhang Jin Hai is the oldest son of the Zhang family and the husband of Li Shu Yu (Jojo Goh). As the first-born, Jin Hai is expected to bear the burden of upholding the family’s legacy and keep the household in order after his father’s passing. However, due to Shu Yu’s part in his father’s death, Jin Hai’s responsibilities appear to have fallen on his younger brother Jin He (Hsiu Chieh Kai).

Outwardly, Jin Hai appears to be relatively composed and dutiful, but once you peel back the layers of the character, he is ruthless, prideful and power-hungry, which often leads him to clash with his brothers when dealing with business matters.

While he does not reveal his true colours till mid-season, his character slowly shows his obsession with power as the episodes progress, leading him to hurt those closest to him, especially his wife. Jin Hai is a morally corrupt character who is completely consumed by control and hierarchy.

5. Zhang Yin Niang

Played by: Sheila Sim

Score on the evil scale: 7/10

Zhang Yin Niang is the youngest and only daughter of the Zhang family. She is often treated as the baby of the family. Hence, she is easily influenced by older family members, such as her mother, Liu Xiu Niang (Zoe Tay) and aunt, Su Guifeng (Aileen Tan). This has made her seemingly naive and emotionally volatile.

Yin Niang craves the attention from the elders and feels threatened by newcomers like Xin Niang and Anya. Many of her passive-aggressive and cold actions stem from jealousy and insecurity from not receiving attention from the older family members that she has been used to getting. However, Yin Niang is one of the more outspoken women in the household, often calling her brothers out and clashing with them on various matters.

Coddled and sheltered by her family, Yin Niang is simply a product of her environment. While she does sometimes act out of spite to those who threaten her spotlight, she does not seem to be inherently cruel, but rather insecure and confused about her own identity and standing in the family.

6. Huang Zu Ye

Played by: Zhang Ze Tong

Score on the evil scale: 6/10

Huang Zu Ye is one of Xin Niang’s love interests and son of the original Little Nyona, Yamamoto Yue Niang (Jeanette Aw). Zu Ye is a fresh graduate and helps out at his mother’s farm in Melaka. He presents himself as charming, well-dressed, and well-mannered, a persona that resonates well with the older generations of the Zhang family. His apparent goal is to win the favour of the more influential members.

To Anna and Xin Niang, Zu Ye is a charismatic figure and a potential suitor. Though his interactions with the girls start off as innocent romantic interests, it seems as though he is more calculated and strategic than what he makes himself out to be. His true intentions, whether they are driven by a genuine romantic interest or a desire for the family’s legacy and connections, remain shrouded in mystery … for now.

7. Li Shu Yu

Played by: Jojo Goh

Score on the evil scale: 4/10

Li Shu Yu is a character you can’t help but feel sorry for. Yes, in the first episode, her tang yuan dish did indeed cause the choking and eventually the passing of family patriarch Zhang Qi Ye (Rayson Tan). This resulted in her being shunned by Liu Xiu Niang (Zoe Tay) and being relieved of her duties of managing the house as the first daughter-in-law of the Zhang family. However, it was obviously an accident, and Shu Yu is evidently remorseful and willing to stop at nothing to win back the approval of her mother-in-law.

While some unfortunate things did happen as a result of Shu Yu’s actions, she has not shown signs of ill intentions and handles the complex family dynamics with grace and resilience.

8. Bai A Li

Played by: Tyler Ten

Score on the evil scale: 3/10

Bai A Li is one of the male leads in the story and one of the few characters who offers a fresh take on what happens outside of the traditional Zhang household. He grew up on the streets alongside Xin Niang and is kind-hearted and empathetic despite having to be in fight-or-flight mode 24/7, dramatically contrasting with the harsh and prideful men in the Zhang household.

Bai A Li is a significant influence in Xin Niang’s life, serving as her pillar of support, offering advice and protection when Anna inevitably bullies her. It seems he would do anything for the affection of Xin Niang, even if it were morally ambiguous, such as capturing and risking the life of Hong Yu (the real Anya) to keep Xin Niang safe. While A Li’s actions are sometimes questionable, it seems he does not have malicious intent, and is blinded by his affection for Xin Niang.

9. Li Shu Qin

Played by: Jesseca Liu

Score on the evil scale: 2/10

Li Shu Qin is the wife of Zhang Jin He, an extremely reliable character who has suffered years of grief and emotional trauma, yet consistently puts on a strong front for the family. As the family matricarch Xiu Niang’s right-hand woman, Shu Qin is the most trusted figure in the household—she takes care of all the family matters and is extremely dedicated to the family.

After taking in Xin Niang, she devotes all her energy into treating her as her own daughter. But when her biological daughter Anya returns, Shu Qin is thrown into emotional chaos as she is unable to connect with her own child after having eventually come to terms with the loss of Anya, whom she thought would never return. As a result, her heartbreak has caused her to lash out at her husband and children.

Ultimately, Shu Qin is a character broken by loss and while she may sometimes appear unfair and unreasonable, many of her actions are driven by deep unresolved grief.

10. Ah Zhu

Played by: Chen Li Ping

Score on the evil scale: 1/10

Cai Zhu Niang, also known as Ah Zhu, is one of the most compassionate yet tragic characters in the show. She is the foster mother of Xin Niang and was the one who raised her on the streets before she was taken in by the Zhang family. While she known as an infamous scammer in the community, she simply does what is necessary to make ends meet and to provide for Xin Niang.

Ah Zhu is a tragic maternal figure, who, for the sake of Xin Niang, brings her to the Zhang family to be cared for, despite loving her as her own daughter. This character embodies sacrifice, selflessness and unconditional love.

11. Zhang Anya / Zhou Hongyu

Played by: Ferlyn G

Score on the evil scale: 0/10

Zhang Anya is the biological daughter of Zhang Jin He and Li Shu Qin, who was kidnapped as a baby. Years later, she returns only to find out Xin Niang has been raised in her place.

Anya is one of the most tragic characters in the show, having witnessed death as a toddler, being kidnapped, living on the streets and being forced to work in a brothel. Her devastating backstory when living under the name Zhou Hong Yu, has made her independent, strong-willed and emotionally guarded, meaning that she is not quick to trust and she is more assertive than the women in the Zhang household, which causes her to clash with other members of the family.

Her unexpected return triggers a chain of emotional and moral reckonings in the household, disputing the already present turmoil within the family. Anya represents the life that could have been for Xin Niang if she had not been taken in by the family, a life of constant hardship.

Despite being the true long-lost daughter, she returns to a world that does not feel anything like home, and is never able to let her guard down. Anya is not evil; rather, the circumstances have been cruel to her.

12. Liu Xiu Niang

Played by: Zoe Tay

Score on the evil scale: 0/10

Liu Xiu Niang is the powerful matriarch of the Zhang family, who is scarred by tragic losses. As expected of a traditional Peranakan family household, Xiu Niang is seen as the figure of authority.

Despite the devastating death of patriarch and husband Zhang Qi Ye, she remains deeply involved in family affairs and her children work tirelessly to ensure she is unaware of turbulent house matters. Ultimately, Liu Xiu Niang is a wise and devoted mother who just wants the best for her family.

13. Zhang Jin He

Played by: Hsiu Chieh Kai

Score on the evil scale: 0/10

Zhang Jin He is the second son of the Zhang family, the husband of Li Shi Qin (Jesseca Liu) and a character who has suffered many losses. Despite the loss of his son and the kidnapping of his daughter Zhang Anya, Jin He is by far the most level-headed and responsible of the Zhang brothers; he often acts as a buffer in the turbulent household and tries to act with empathy rather than anger.

Jin He is a layered character who is deeply emotional and conflicted due to his love for his biological daughter, Zhang Anya and adoptive daughter Xin Niang; he also juggles a lot and appears to be the moral and emotional backbone of the entire Zhang clan.

14. Yamamoto Yue Niang

Played by: Jeanette Aw

Score on the evil scale: 0/10

Yamamoto Yue Niang, played by the original Little Nyonya Jeanette Aw, makes a short and sweet return to Emerald Hill as a legacy character. She is the adoptive mother of Huang Zu Ye and is seen as an aspirational figure to the younger generation of women in the Zhang family, namely Xin Niang and Anna, who both battle for her affection and approval.

Despite her status as a highly regarded figure in the community, Yue Niang remains down-to-earth and humble. A true icon indeed.

15. Zhang Xin Niang

Played by: Tasha Low

Score on the evil scale: 0/10

Zhang Xin Niang, the central character of Emerald Hill, is multi-faceted and one of the most emotionally resonant figures on the show. Her journey begins as a street urchin, before she is taken in by the Zhangs under the false belief that she is the long-lost Zhang Anya, daughter of Jin He and Shu Qin.

Despite the couple’s knowledge that she is not their kidnapped daughter, they raise her as their own, keeping her true identity a secret from the rest of the family. However, when the real Anya returns, her identity and position in the family is called into question.

Despite suffering social isolation and spiteful attacks from people like Anna, as well as resentment from Shu Qin once Anya returns, Xin Niang continues to respond with empathy and kindness. Xin Niang is a character caught in a cruel twist of fate, due to no action of her own—she suffers much animosity from members of the family, but her journey does not seem to be one of revenge but of discovery of her true identity.

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June 28, 2025

20 11 minutes read