Return to Joy: Sequel to highly acclaimed epic drama series slated for release

The second season of "Joy of Life" ("Qing Yu Nian") is slated for release on China Central Television Channel 8 and Tencent Video on May 16.

The highly anticipated sequel to the 2019 acclaimed epic drama series of the same name is expected to be a phenomenal hit series this year.

On May 9, the series’ actors Zhang Ruoyun and Tian Yu talked about the growth and changes of the characters, and shared interesting stories of what happened during filming with local fans.

The story of "Joy of Life" is based on Mao Ni’s popular online novel. When the first season was introduced to overseas audience in multiple language versions through YouTube and Rakuten Viki, it was highly popular and received high scores from foreign viewers for its artistry and plot.

To date, 14 million netizens on Tencent Video have registered their interest to watch the sequel and will receive notification as soon as it is released.

It took award-winning scriptwriter Wang Juan five years to write the script for the sequel.

In the sequel, the mysterious young man Fan Xian undergoes various tests and trials to embark on a new journey in life. He uncovers some secrets in the world of tactics and martial arts.

“After learning the truth, Fan bravely chooses to move toward the idealistic world depicted by his mother,” said leading actor Zhang. “His relationship with his father — Emperor Qing — in the sequel will be at daggers drawn.”

In addition to intricate intellectual battles and vivid group portraits, the sequel also focuses on the softness of human nature, depicting different aspects of family, friendship, and love in ancient China in classical narratives to resonate with the audience.