I just finished Joy of Life. Season 2 needs to come out Q4 2020 or Q1 2021.
10/10. Why?
1. A very good script. Makes you want to think about and discuss the events as they go. Intelligent dialogue. Generally good use of humor. Seriously, the writing is some of the best I’ve come across in a long time. Nothing really drags. So many twists and turns.
2. Along with script, I give a crap about many of the characters. I actually like Fan Si Zhe (Fan Xian’s brother) as well as so many other supporting characters.
3. The actors brought the script to life.
4. Generally good subs which makes it so much easier to understand what’s going on. I can’t tell you how many Chinese dramas are hard/difficult to follow because of crappy subs—or a combination of crappy subs and crappy script.
I’m also impressed with the script. 46 eps without any dragging parts is no easy feat. And the writer somehow able to write a very complicated and tight plot in a way that’s easy to understand.
As for the ending, I’m still reeling. I hope it’s just some sort of elaborate plan between Fan Xian and Yan Bingyun. But you’re right that it could be the writer wanting us to think about it that way. Anyway, if that turned out to be true, I’m holding out hope that Wang Qinian has some backup plan since he was absent from that last confrontation. Seriously though, I have severe trust issue despite caring about many of the characters here. (To think that I quite like the quirky 2nd prince before that jaw dropping revelation. Well played, show, well played.)
The show was very well done. It had a very well written and tight plot. All the revelations and twists were shocking but fit in with the overall plot (I’m not that surprised about the Emperor and Chen PingPing as they were shady from the beginning, but the 2nd prince surprised me). I also was super surprised that the plot had a heavy sci-fi element to it. I just expected a rebirth period drama, not a drama that takes place in the future with cryogenics.
I also love all the characters. They were all fun, likable, quirky and entertaining. The one I liked the least was Lin Wan’er and that was simply because she was boring compared to all the other characters in the drama. I wish he was marrying Hai Tang Duo Duo instead of Wan’er.
The actors also all did an excellent job. Zhang Ruo Yun was perfect as Fan Xian and I can’t see anyone else playing him. I really hope when they do the 2nd season they keep the same actors because that will be a tragedy if they don’t ☹️
Ok. I like to think of this drama as a story within a story within a story. Firstly, we have the author who is writing/telling the story. Then we have Fan Xian who wakes up in the body of a baby in what looks like the past and has retained memories of life in the 21st century. Then we are told that this is not the past, but the future. In a way it’s ridiculous, but it never actually feels all that ridiculous. It works. 🤯
I’ve grown attached to so many of the characters and the actors who play them. I actually remember at least two thirds of the characters–maybe not perfectly by name, but at least by nickname.
So I was thinking, this might most definitely be one of those cases where you end up marring someone you love even though someone else might have been a better fit. First of all, I love Duo Duo wayyy more than Wan’er. I didn’t really like her all that much at first, but when I saw her again in Northern Qi, she won me over. She looked so beautiful. She had so much personality. Watching her interactions with Fan was a delight. Then when I watched the drama intro (OP) again, I realized that it was she who was dancing with Fan Xian and not Wan’er. I mean, why include that scene in there, you know. The only two people who are in the same frame with Fan Xian in the intro are Uncle Wu Zhu and Duo Duo. I think that counts for something, especially given how much Fan Xian loves Uncle Wu, right? Plus, I don’t feel much for Wan’er. I hope they give her more screen time next season.
Well the original book had polygamy in it. So all the women he meets he hooks up with. But probably due to censors he thankfully is only devoted to Wan’er. Even though I would have preferred him with Duo Duo.
And Uncle Wu is the best 😍 Such a sweet boy that me and my brother thinks might be an android.
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하데스
January 26, 2020 at 4:29 PM
I just finished Joy of Life. Season 2 needs to come out Q4 2020 or Q1 2021.
10/10. Why?
1. A very good script. Makes you want to think about and discuss the events as they go. Intelligent dialogue. Generally good use of humor. Seriously, the writing is some of the best I’ve come across in a long time. Nothing really drags. So many twists and turns.
2. Along with script, I give a crap about many of the characters. I actually like Fan Si Zhe (Fan Xian’s brother) as well as so many other supporting characters.
3. The actors brought the script to life.
4. Generally good subs which makes it so much easier to understand what’s going on. I can’t tell you how many Chinese dramas are hard/difficult to follow because of crappy subs—or a combination of crappy subs and crappy script.
AVENUEX sums it up pretty well.
gadis
January 26, 2020 at 8:02 PM
I’m also impressed with the script. 46 eps without any dragging parts is no easy feat. And the writer somehow able to write a very complicated and tight plot in a way that’s easy to understand.
As for the ending, I’m still reeling. I hope it’s just some sort of elaborate plan between Fan Xian and Yan Bingyun. But you’re right that it could be the writer wanting us to think about it that way. Anyway, if that turned out to be true, I’m holding out hope that Wang Qinian has some backup plan since he was absent from that last confrontation. Seriously though, I have severe trust issue despite caring about many of the characters here. (To think that I quite like the quirky 2nd prince before that jaw dropping revelation. Well played, show, well played.)
Trinity 🍆
January 27, 2020 at 8:34 AM
This is from the director of JoL speaking about Yang Bing Yun and the ending. Definitely makes me think they are conspiring together.
https://ohsehuns.tumblr.com/post/189871406894/joy-of-life-writer-have-spoken-up-about-yang
Trinity 🍆
January 27, 2020 at 8:46 AM
The show was very well done. It had a very well written and tight plot. All the revelations and twists were shocking but fit in with the overall plot (I’m not that surprised about the Emperor and Chen PingPing as they were shady from the beginning, but the 2nd prince surprised me). I also was super surprised that the plot had a heavy sci-fi element to it. I just expected a rebirth period drama, not a drama that takes place in the future with cryogenics.
I also love all the characters. They were all fun, likable, quirky and entertaining. The one I liked the least was Lin Wan’er and that was simply because she was boring compared to all the other characters in the drama. I wish he was marrying Hai Tang Duo Duo instead of Wan’er.
The actors also all did an excellent job. Zhang Ruo Yun was perfect as Fan Xian and I can’t see anyone else playing him. I really hope when they do the 2nd season they keep the same actors because that will be a tragedy if they don’t ☹️
하데스
January 27, 2020 at 3:11 PM
Ok. I like to think of this drama as a story within a story within a story. Firstly, we have the author who is writing/telling the story. Then we have Fan Xian who wakes up in the body of a baby in what looks like the past and has retained memories of life in the 21st century. Then we are told that this is not the past, but the future. In a way it’s ridiculous, but it never actually feels all that ridiculous. It works. 🤯
I’ve grown attached to so many of the characters and the actors who play them. I actually remember at least two thirds of the characters–maybe not perfectly by name, but at least by nickname.
So I was thinking, this might most definitely be one of those cases where you end up marring someone you love even though someone else might have been a better fit. First of all, I love Duo Duo wayyy more than Wan’er. I didn’t really like her all that much at first, but when I saw her again in Northern Qi, she won me over. She looked so beautiful. She had so much personality. Watching her interactions with Fan was a delight. Then when I watched the drama intro (OP) again, I realized that it was she who was dancing with Fan Xian and not Wan’er. I mean, why include that scene in there, you know. The only two people who are in the same frame with Fan Xian in the intro are Uncle Wu Zhu and Duo Duo. I think that counts for something, especially given how much Fan Xian loves Uncle Wu, right? Plus, I don’t feel much for Wan’er. I hope they give her more screen time next season.
Trinity 🍆
January 27, 2020 at 4:55 PM
Well the original book had polygamy in it. So all the women he meets he hooks up with. But probably due to censors he thankfully is only devoted to Wan’er. Even though I would have preferred him with Duo Duo.
And Uncle Wu is the best 😍 Such a sweet boy that me and my brother thinks might be an android.