JOL Season 2: casting, filming & broadcast/air dates discussion

 PamelaHannaEikleberry:

Doesn't seem like anyone is in any hurry to finish Season 2.  Really sad cause 1st season was really good!

A lot of the staff from the production team is based in Shanghai and COVID has gotten a lot more worse the last two weeks so I don’t think it is being delayed on purpose and no one wants to risk their health for this since that is not sustainable either. However once I hear of anything I will update you all. 

 absurd:

I'm not sure what show it was (some variety on IQYI) or who he was talking to, but I saw a clip on douyin where Zhang Ruoyun said that he will be filming this in September.  He was on the phone, btw, so it wasn't like "an announcement". Presumably he didn't even know that the person calling him was being filmed, but that's ... who knows, most of those shows are staged to a word.

Here is the direct link to the clip for those who understand Chinese: https://m.weibo.cn/status/4776366584893824

You are right…our ML said he can‘t take on another drama September and onwards because he is leaving that time for JOL2.  It was during a variety show when the actress who played Fan Ruo Ruo (Song Yi) pretended like she was Angel Wang (another actress who is friends with our ML) called him using Angel’s phone. During that the phone call she said she got another drama that she is going to be in (which begins filming in ”next month”) and wants to see if Ruoyun would be interested in. He asked where it would be shot it. She said it would be in Hengdian World Studios. He said filming in June…wouldn’t it be too hot? Then she said how about if it were to start in September. That’s when he said September and onwards would not work cause he is leaving that time for JOL. 

Although I know like you said most of these variety shows are staged and our ML can’t control when filming will begin (that is up to the production company to control and determine) it does dispel all those false rumors that Ruoyun is filming another drama or that JOL2 has been cancelled and will not be filmed. Also even if it was a variety show where it is staged…it does‘t mean what our ML shared will by default be wrong/inaccurate since if it was staged this information had to be thought about ahead of time (since he knows he is going to be filmed) and I don’t think our ML will lie to the audience. Equally if this phone call happen to not be staged…then what ML revealed is also not a lie cause there is no need to lie to his friend about this. Furthermore Ruoyun when asked about this could have given a vague answer but instead gave a definitive time frame (September and onwards) so there is hope JOL2 and 3 will start sometime in the 4th quarter (Sept through Dec 2022). 

So let’s stay optimistic and if there’s any other updates I’ll let you all know. 

"It was during a variety show when the actress who played Fan Ruo Ruo (Song Yi) pretended like she was Angel Wang (another actress who is friends with our ML) called him using Angel’s phone. During that the phone call she said she got another drama that she is going to be in (which begins filming in ”next month”) and wants to see if Ruoyun would be interested in. He asked where it would be shot it. She said it would be in Hengdian World Studios. He said filming in June…wouldn’t it be too hot? Then she said how about if it were to start in September. That’s when he said September and onwards would not work cause he is leaving that time for JOL." 

So when is Ruo Ruo going to start filming?! She's legit the best sister ever!! I now need to take a look at the cast update...

Here's for rooting for season 2 (and 3?) coming up as predicted.  JOL was the best series and that got me hooked in Chinese period dramas.   It was perfect and deserved a solid 10 rating.   Actors, direction, script and production were outstanding.   I just hope that they can bring the same actors of season 1 to the others.

 Gracious Ly:

Lin Wan'er's weakness is just her illness that affect her physical health.  Her gentleness and kind nature is her strength.    I have no problem with her character.  In fact, am glad she's not those spoilt princess with childish behaviour/thinking.  She was firm in her decision when it comes to love (for Fan Xian), even though her brother and mother tried to talk her out of it.  Fan Xian finds that she's the only one whom he felt most at ease with (other that Teng Zijeng)  and he went to her for emotional support when Teng Zijeng died.  I don't expect to see similarity in every character be it male or female as it will be boring.  JOY had got many interesting characters, each stands out of its own and that's what make this drama so interesting.   All the casts did an excellent job in portraying their roles.  I like Duo Duo too, but somehow I still prefer Lin Wan'er with Fan Xian.  

You NAILED it. I'm so glad I am not alone with this thinking. In the novel, the protagonist is a playboy BUT in the drama he is NOT. It is REITERATED over and over that he is loyal to his first love. 

The scriptwriter makes the protagonist more likeable by making him an ideal man for the MODERN TIMES, thus I doubt there will be another love interest other than LW.

 Anthony Stevens:

I just noticed that filming had yet to begin mid-January of this year. Though, I've also stumbled upon a source claiming that the release will be this month (July 2022 - myasianartist is the source) mydramalist doesn't seem to back up that claim, though. Could anyone confirm?

filming has not started yet and still no confirmed date.

It looks like we will be waiting for a bit longer for JOL2. Our ML Ruoyun just entered the set for another drama (Wu Long Shao Nian) about a week ago. There are photos of the filming opening event to confirm this (https://www.douban.com/group/topic/270600681/?_dtcc=1&_i=8077314GXadNKy) and Ruoyun confirmed this on his Weibo account. 

The bad news is we have to wait but the good news is this drama he is filming is only 30 episodes and is expected to finish in 3 months. Thus if all goes well he should be done by October which doesn’t go against what he said about him leaving Sept and onwards for JOL2. Although I am somewhat saddened the set he is in now is not JOL2, I am also happy he no longer is waiting for the production team. He is doing so well now and being in his early 30s and the talented actor that he is…I don’t like seeing his talents go to waste as he waits endlessly for something he has no control over. Instead…at least now he is maximizing the time he has doing what he loves  and still is leaving room for JOL2 so I hope the production team uses this time to get their stuff together. 

 Nemesis04:

I hate asian dramas for this reason only. They never clearly state what the end result is gonna be. Will they release the continuation seasons of the story or will they not? Like I'm stuck waiting for next season of The Dark lord and Joy Of Life.

 And mostly when they do release next season all cast gets changed and that's a huge throw off for me. I kinda develop a connection with original cast of series so when I see them switch the cast, whole drama loses the impact becoming burdensome to watch.  In this sense I like western dramas because if they are gonna remove the actor for whatever reason they simply kill the character itself  or they transfer the character like they do it in The good doctor with Dr. Neil Melendez killing him or Dr. Clair Brown transfering to another hospital.

That's why I try to avoid asian dramas which may have 2nd season to be released. 

If there is a 2nd season in the works, it'll get announced. Season 2 for JoL is confirmed, there's no question on it happening. It's just a matter of when. There's uncertainty even with American/Canadian tv shows. Latest example: The Orville. It's a sci-fi marvel and so good. But its fate is still being deliberated and we don't know if it'll get renewed for a 5th season. And when the 5th season will air.