Joy of Life S2 | Open Thread

A man finds his father(s) without looking for his father.

Notable Actors/Actresses

Zhang Ruo Yun: Fan Xian

Director

Sun Hao

Scriptwriter:

Wang Juan (Author: Mao Ni)

Chinese Title

慶餘年

Celebrating Life

Genres: Period, Slight Romance, Palace

Network: Tencent Video

Year: 2024
Episodes: 36

Jump to Remarks | Recs | Comments

Season 1

Cast

ML & FL

(Family and friends)

Zhang Ruo Yun: Fan Xian	Li Qin: Lin Wan'er
Guo Qi Lin: Fan Si Zhe	Song Yi: Fan Ruo Ruo
Gao Shi Guang: Fan Jian	Zhao Ke: Lin Ru Yu
Yu Yang Lin Ruo Fu (Prime Minister / FL's Dad)	Jin Chen: Ye Ling'er (FL's friend)
Dong Ke Fei: Lin Da Bao (PM's son)	Tong Meng Shi: Wu Zhu

Royals

Chen Dao Ming: Emperor of Qing	Li Xiao Ran: Grand Princess Li Yun Rui
Yu Fei Hong: Empress	Fu Xin Bo: 1st Prince (Birth Order = 1)
Mao Xiao Tong: Princess of Bei Qi	Liu Duan Duan: 2nd Prince  Li Cheng Ze (Birth Order = 2)
Zhang Hao Wei: Crown Prince Li Cheng Qian (Birth Order = 3)	Guo Zi Fan: 3rd Prince (Birth Order = 4)
Sui Jun Bo: Consort Yi	Wang Tian Cheng: Li Hong Cheng
Cui Zhi Gang: Eunuch Hou	Wang Cheng Yang: Hong Zhu

"Friends"

Wu Gang: Chen Ping Ping	Tian Yu: Wang Qi Nian
Gao Lu:  Madam Wang	Yu Ai Lei: Deng Zi Yue
Bi Yan Jun: Lai Ming Cheng	Luo Er Yang: Yuan Hong Dao
Wu Xing Jian: Yan Bing Yun	Xuan Yan: He Zong Wei
Xu Zhi Sheng: Xu Shu Shi	Chuan Jia: Xin Qi Wu
Wang Tong Hui: Guo Zheng	Li Luo Xiao: Wang Ba
Li Qiang: Yan Ruo Hai (Yan Bing Yun's father)

(High) Officials

Xin Zhi Lei: Haitang Duo Duo	Ning Li: Ming Qing Da
Wang Chu Ran: Sang Wen	Wang Xiao Chen: Yuan Meng
Gui Ya Lei: Grand Elderly Ming	Feng Bing: Fan Wu Jiu
Zhao Zhen Ting: Xie Bi'an	Jia Jing Hui: Guo Bao Kun
Zhang Chi: Jing Ge	Zuo Ling Feng: Shi Chan Shu
Liu Tong: Yang Wan Li	Zhang Wei Yi: Hou Ji Chang

Remarks

[Drama Info]

• First season was in 2019. That's at least 4 years. People can graduate from university. 
• Actors who are replaced: Wu Xing Jian as Yan Bing Yun; Jin Chen as Ye Ling'er; Wang Tian Cheng as Li Hong Cheng. 

[Ending] Not a cliffhanger. Pending S3. 

Reviews

Submit Your Review | Rating Guide

Five (5/5)

Four (4/5)

Three (3/5)

Reviewer: Loving CDrama

Date: June 2024

After a much anticipated return, Joy of Life was an enjoyable drama. We get to see our old friends from Season 1 and were introduced to some new friends in Season 2.

The story continues from the cliffhanger of season 1. As we all knew, Fan Xian wouldn’t have died so easily and so early lol If that were to happen then there wouldn’t have been a trilogy. But how and why were not explained until this season. We got to see why they faked the stabbing and death. We saw how it was done, and of course we get to see the antics of Fan Xian.

Once that storyline ended, the audience got introduced to new plots and continuation of Fan Xian’s adventures. In Season 1, Fan Xian was willing to live his life and tried to NOT get involved in politics. This season, we saw him taking offense in the politicking. We saw him making deals with the Crown Prince, and other courtiers. But underlining everything he did is his sense of justice for the common people. He tries to better the average person, and try as he may, it is a tough battle as no one likes changes. As Fan Xian is trying to navigate his new roles (head of the 1st Bureau of the Overwatcher Imperial Inspectorate and Incoming Head of the Nei Ku aka Imperial Treasury), 2nd Prince is still plotting to kill him and the Emperor is trying to utilize Fan Xian to get rid of certain politicians.

In Season 2, we got to hear more about the past, understand a bit more of the relationships between the Emperor, Empress and Elder Princess as well as how they interacted with Fan Xian’s mom. We see Fan Xian’s charisma as he gets more trusted and loyal people. There were great scenes of the Fan Family and Lin Family. We got to see their wedding!

The acting. The acting. I love the acting of everyone on this drama. They know their characters and kept the essence of each character’s personality. Were there some left field emotions? Maybe that is unless you realized that they were playacting in Season 1 (Crown Prince, for example IMO he was restrained but once Elder Princess was banished, he could finally show more of himself).

I love the Fan Family, and how Concubine Liu embraced Fan Xian as her nephew even though she is related to the stepmom. I love the Lin Family and really enjoyed the scene where Fan Xian and Wan’er talked about her 2nd brother.

I got tired of the Emperor always a step ahead and his machinations. Like does he want Fan Xian to be his son, or does he want to kill Fan Xian because of his mom?

I do enjoy the 3 fathers' discussions and their relationships.

There were way too many characters and we got glimpses of their lives but then it felt like they dropped from the face of the earth. But of course it's because their stories don't involve Fan Xian anymore (1st Prince and Bei Qi Elder Princess was a sweet story that I would love to have seen more but it doesn't add anything to Fan Xian's adventures) so they aren't shown. The viewers got faked out by the big names playing these very very supporting (aka bit parts) characters.

There will be a Season 3. However, this time around, they set up the ending to be a good ending if the third season doesn’t get made: 

Fan Xian gains back his qi, got his Workshops back thus he will succeed as the head of Imperial Treasury, go married, and life goes on

Overall the drama is enjoyable if and probably only if you loved Season 1 and felt emotionally connected to the characters. Otherwise, the second season may feel like a chore to watch. At times it did feel like Season 2 was trying a bit too hard to follow the lowbrow comedy of the first season. I give it a 3 out of 5.

Two (2/5)

One (1/5)

Recommendations

Genre List:

Scheming / Palace Romances

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