Joy of Life Season 2

“You cannot do this alone”.

Con; A lot of talking, politics, might bore you to death if that’s not your cup of tea. Old men converse in riddles that you won't understand if you don't pay attention.

Pro; 1) Acting, production, story, intriguing if you like politics, deep scheming. 2) The twists are just so good, even if I had read the novel, the acting really played it all out for me. 3) Old men converse in riddles that when you pay attention, it rewards you with the wittiness of the conversations. It’s a great drama honestly. Even side characters had great performances. Other reviewers will have better adjectives than I do lol.

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I liked season 2, although it did contain much more politics than season 1. It would be the same versus the novel. They did change and modify some events and people, but I guess in the grand scheme of things, it made sense for the drama adaptation. Many viewers indicated that the new season is more like a detective/crime solving cases and corruptions, which they didn’t like. That part is correct. It seems like the drama combined some events here and there. In order for Fan Xian to consolidate his power, he uprooted all corruptions and went head to head with most officials in Jingdu, which made them either fear him or hate him. It follows the novel in this aspect. While doing so, he gained a lot of respect and allies, whom would then join his rank for the later part of the novel. These cases are important to build the story and allies, because they play a major role in the third season.

If season 1 was introducing us to Fan Xian and the story, then season 2 provide us with insights on how Fan Xian is establishing and consolidating his powers, all the while dealing with Palace politics and hidden enemies. Just like Chen Ping Ping said “You cannot do this alone”. Season 3 should be much darker, because there will be alot of killing involved, I hope that is one thing they do not change.

Some things I wish they kept throughout the drama; 1) the subtle darker tone from the novel. 2) Some of Fan Xian’s arrogance and ruthlessness. I think in the novel besides the Emperor, there aren't any enemies that Fan Xian wouldn’t dare beat the hell out of lol. He basically fought with everyone, physically or mentally to establish himself in Jingdu. 3) Fan Xian had operatives under him that were fearless and ruthless, abiding his commands and orders. They were especially scary during the night because you don’t know when they’ll come for you. It is the unknown fear that Jingdu is so afraid of Fan Xian, and afraid of the Bureau. I guess hiring a bunch of people dressed as assassins just to follow him around might be too much ($$) lol. But that's the beauty and fame of the Overwatch Council and how they operate, unpredictable, powerful, and inducting fear.

Several things I did like: 1) they made Yan Bingyun to have more character/flavor to him. The nature of Yan Bingyun is the same as the novel, unyielding, goes by the book and only for the goodness of the Qing empire. No one likes Qing more than Yan Bingyun. A true patriot. In the drama, they made him likable and had comedy bits. I like that change, it humanized him. 2) the drama does a good job at giving viewers subtle hints or foreshadows via character expression, POV frames, and etc. You really don’t get that perspective from reading novels unless it is specifically written out.

Example spoiler: Emperor having a conversation with Fan Jian and Chen Ping Ping about Fan Xian not registering his name within the Fan family, and he commented “Good, good, etc”. The camera then pans to Fan Jian and Chen Ping Ping expressions, which hide hints of mystery/slyness. It’s these little moments that the POV, Camera works, allow the audience to maybe speculate “Why is the Emperor saying that..?” and “what does the expression of those two really mean?” If viewers hadn’t read the novel and hadn’t read spoilers yet, it’s a great hint. There are many subtle hints and foreshadowing throughout the drama, Season1 as well as Season2.

And 3) the antics from the 2nd prince, crown prince, and Fan Xian were great. It is like they are acting out a play, very comedic. Other characters were great too.

If you don’t enjoy politics then I wouldn’t recommend this show for you. However, IMO even with the politics it was still entertaining. The Characters are sly and scheming, even with the ‘little’ (side characters) guy. So it made it that more interesting. For those novel readers out there, just remember that this should be an adaptation, so change is unavoidable. Enjoy the drama and acting!

I love Haitang in the novel, and fell in love with her again due to actress Xin Zhi Lei portrayal. Mao Ni isn’t good at romance, that is the only downside from his novels. Damn you Mao Ni!!!!

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Clever, cruel, and hilarious—Joy of Life is political drama done right

Joy of Life presents itself as a clever political drama wrapped in humor and time-travel intrigue — but beneath its sharp dialogue and playful protagonist lies a darker, more unsettling truth: life is terrifyingly cheap in this world. Especially for those without power.

What’s shocking — and oddly amusing— is how casually sons of noble families and princes treat human life. Staff, guards, even long-time allies can be discarded at a moment’s notice. "Kill him." "Take care of his family." These lines are uttered with the same ease one might order tea. If I had a dime for every time a noble gave that command, I’d have enough to fund a comfortable little estate of my own. And honestly, it makes you wonder — was there ever a budget set aside for compensating the families of the fallen? Or was that too much paperwork? Too much conscience?

It’s not cruelty — it’s logistics. Life and death are business transactions, collateral damage in the endless chess match of political survival. This ruthlessness isn’t hidden in shadows. It’s front and center, normalized to the point of absurdity. No one bats an eye when an entire household is wiped out to silence a rumor or protect a secret. The irony is thick: in a court so obsessed with appearances and rules, the easiest thing to get rid of is a human being.

And yet, what elevates Joy of Life beyond pure cynicism is the way it handles its characters. The cast is absolutely flawless. Their acting is superb. Everyone — from Fan Xian to the minor ministers lurking in the background — brings nuance and depth to roles that could have easily turned into caricatures. There are so many standout performances, but the one that intrigued me the most is Li Chengze, the Second Prince. He's one of, if not the most fascinating character, who embodies JOL's chilling duality to the fullest.

He’s a masterpiece of contradictions: eccentric, insolent and often barefoot, with a crooked smile that feels more like a warning than a welcome. Beneath his charm and the apparent indolent exterior is a mind that calculates swiftly and kills cleanly. There’s always an eerie calm about him, as if he’s ten steps ahead in a game only he fully understands. His unpredictability makes him terrifying — and unforgettable. You’re never sure whether he’s amused, offended, or quietly orchestrating someone’s execution. And when he says “take care of it” no one dares ask what that means.

Fan Xian, our modern-minded protagonist, walks this tightrope with a constant awareness of this world's cruelty. His charm, wit, and sarcasm are his shields — but he sees the rot. He’s surrounded by characters who are brilliant and monstrous in equal measure, and he’s all too aware that power doesn’t just corrupt — it kills. Sometimes with elegance. Sometimes with a smile.

What makes Joy of Life so gripping is that it doesn’t sensationalize these killings. It treats them as part of the world’s logic. That’s what’s truly haunting. There is no justice system in the way we expect it. There’s only survival, maneuvering, and choosing whether to kill or be killed.

And yet, Joy of Life isn’t devoid of emotion. That’s where it cuts the deepest. When someone does die, especially someone Fan Xian truly cares about, the grief feels suffocating. Not because the death is surprising — but because we always knew it was coming. This world doesn’t allow for mercy. Loyalty is a death sentence. Compassion is a liability.

It’s this emotional dissonance — this coexistence of amusement and horror — that makes Joy of Life so powerful. You laugh, then you flinch. You admire the strategy, then mourn the cost. It’s a reminder that in a world ruled by ruthless power and noble egos, a human life is worth less than a secret, a mistake, or a whisper.

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To be continued

While this is an entertaining follow up to season 1 of Joy of Life, the story and themes do not resonant as well this time around. There are simply too many threads and characters to follow that much of the season can feel like going from one plot point to another. The set up from the end of the first season is that the main antagonist for this season should be the Second Prince. And while the schemes and back and forth between Li Chengze and our lead Fan Xian can be interesting to watch, ultimately it all feels somewhat inconsequential since not enough time is spent on fleshing out our antagonist's character. He simply begins and ends this season the same person, and the audience does not learn any more about his motivations or see his struggles (if he has any). He, like the Eldest Princess, is simply crazy bad. Other characters are sorely underused such as Yan Bingyun or woefully underdeveloped (and unfortunately miscast) such as Ye Ling'er.

The more interesting character is that of the Emperor of Qing, Fan Xian's true biological father. I suspect (as I have never read the very lengthy novel) that he will be the main antagonist in the final chapter. Chen Daoming as usual gives a masterful performance of the very complex character who keeps his true intentions close to himself.

This is all not to say I did not enjoy season 2 - I certainly did. Some of my favorite episodes involve the Spring Exam and the downfall of Prime Minister Lin and the scenes Fan Xian shares with the emperor. The middle chapter of any story can be challenging to adapt. There is no real beginning or end, and I feel that lack of narrative focus when I watch this. Everything deeper was already said quite well in season 1, and I was hoping for its own story to tell in this season. I get the sense that this season is more of a set up for the final one to come, and hopefully we all get a satisfying conclusion.

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Let's continue the journey of Fan Xian...

This season is heavier than the last season. Fan Xian (FX) fall deeper into the Emperor's web of plan.... As usual really like Jeana & PeachBlossomGoddes writing. For deeper thoughts read their writing....

Now let just discuss what i like & don't like about this drama...

What I like:
+ All the important cast is back!!! Hope remain the same in the season 3
+ The beautiful growth in FX character. Really like what Jeana & PeachBlossomGoddes wrote. Yeah this season more focus how "FX embraces his mother's legacy with a sense of purpose and a clear vision of what he means to do with it. & how the way "his thirst for justice and fairness builds up in every episode."
+ The next level in FX & Lin Wan Er (WE) relationship. Let me be a shallow girl & be exciting about their new status....
+ Every character keep surprising me with their hidden layer... I feel I need to learn about them every time they plan / act something....
+ How FX brutally honest with WE. Even when she ask him about her brother.
+ The joke & all the question that's been ask by FX's teacher in real world. Haha... That's the exact question I want to ask the writer...

Well nothing I really don't like, so let me just add too in here... Haha... What I don't too like:
- Woman sometimes really can't lie about their face. Although we see almost no different in the man face, but the woman (WE & Fan Ruo Ruo) we can see their older. Haha... Especially Li Qin, make up can't hide this fact, or maybe the make up indeed a little bit different from season 1
- I don't like the changing in Yan Bing Yun (YBY) & Ye Ling Er (LE) cast. No i don't complain how they can't act. But I don’t think both actor/ess fit to play the role. Wu Xing Jian can't even come close to Xiao Zhan serious face when come to YBY character, his face is too cheerful maybe to play the serious face of YBY. And vice versa with Gina Jin as LE, her face is way too serious....
- This season a little bit too heavy for my plate. There's a time I kinda bored with all the scheme the emperor plot....
- I got more and more confused about the mysterious temple & FX's mother.
- The ending. Although not really a cliffhanger like season 1. This season still leave us hanging in the edge of the cliff...

Overall I quite happy this drama can have season 2. quite exciting for season 3. I really hope I don't need to wait too long like season 1 to 2 & all the important cast remain the same...

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Did not give me a full cup of tea!

So, I just finished season 2 and it did not give me a full cup of tea.
Keep in mind I have not read the novel so I my review is based on the Chinese drama only. To put this bluntly it did not flow for me. There are so many parts to this story that made me question the story the entire time I am watching it, and not in a good way. I just kept asking what is the point?

First. I still do not know where the plot came from. Is it a time travel they say no but clearly there are so many things that point to time travel. Is it based on some writing a novel? Well, this would make more sense and would explain the oddities of dancing, comedy and erroneous songs. Is it an alternate dimension? This would explain some of the obscure things such as: The city under the ice, the temple to nowhere and the high-powered gun. All in all I am still confused about the premise of how this story is supposed to make sense. I mean, I can go with any fantasy element but, please connect the dots. Not just who is the smartest in the room.

Second, the there are some editing issues and breaks in the story that left me dumb founded. I can only surmise that you would have to have read the novel to understand. If this is the case then the directing and editing should be slammed for not giving the audience clarity. I mean, it cut to Jianghan and the Ming family, but I don’t remember them giving us a lead into the Ming family and its characters which would have been nice. Also, it would have been nice if at some point they had given a spent time on the background on the Masters and their skills. Instead of the slow-paced long pauses between sentences for more airtime. Some of the dialog and political scheming was unnecessarily long.

Third, Fan Shian’s relationships with the female characters. I felt the story spent more time on his relationships with Lili and the maiden then he and Wanger. This was disappointing to say the least.

What I did like was the cinematography and depicting the massive set and era. Some of the images are breathtakingly beautiful. This made the production feel on point with the reviews. I liked the wuxia elements and fight scenes or lack of. The way they can make you feel like you have watched an intense battle when they only touched hands. The wardrobes are hit or miss, somewhere better in the first season and some where better in the second season.

I liked that the story does have potential. Also, I am a fan of the ML and FL who in the first season had electrifying chemistry.

In conclusion, I did not like the ending, but it was better than season one. I will continue to watch the until the end. Mainly because I want to see if they can finally put it all together for me to be satisfied.

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let me make a short review

Fan Xian, Emperor, and Chen Pingping: A Dynamic Triad
In the world of "Joy of Life," the interactions between Fan Xian, the Emperor, and Chen Pingping are some of the most captivating and complex elements of the narrative. These encounters are not just political or strategic meetings but are filled with emotional depth, hidden motives, and layers of intrigue. as for the emperor he really make this show so likeable his plots on different level { I should say he is a person on different level}.

Celebrating the Remaining Life
real name of the show.

and
If people want to know which season of "Joy of Life" is better, it's definitely Season 1. Season 2 is slower compared to Season 1 and lacks some major plot points. Moreover, many beloved characters from Season 1, such as Se Lili, Wuzhu, Haitang Duoduo, and Eunuch Hong, receive much less screen time or do not appear at all, like Hong and Se Lili.

As for my personal opinion, I like this show very much. All I'm saying is that Season 2, in my opinion, did not meet the expectations set by the five-year wait when compared to Season 1.

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Fantasy Political Nothing more Nothing less

So, disappointing season we have. Drama genres are Romance, Comedy, Fantasy, and Wuxia. But what it delivers is only fantasy politics that all. Don't expect more from it. We are here to watch more harem, wuxia, and adventures. But they deliver nothing. The acting is superb as always. Male eccentric drama . It always revolves around ML which is very good but this time they only serve some boring politics around him. The first season million times better than this season because of the wuxia, adventure and romance there. Before watching I want to give you a boring alert. Thanks.

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Season 2 is boring and stripped down to nothing but talking

What a BORING season 2. I loved Season 1 and was looking forward to this after years of waiting.

What a complete waste of time.

This is nothing like Season 1. It's like you are watching a completely different show. There is nothing that made Season 1 interesting in this Season 2. Gone are interesting characters and characters with special skills. His protector never again appears. There's no fighting or martial arts. This show is for old people who love palace gossip shows.

What the hell happened to the original team? What a disappointment and disservice to fans.

I watched up to episode 7 and found it so boring so I skipped ahead to 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22 just to watch some scenes and guess what, it's all just chatting and palace intrigue.

If you liked Season 1, it's best you just avoid this disastrous Season 2 and save yourself the heartache of watching a much inferior product. I would rate Season 1 a 9/10 and this is 3/10. That's how far the gap is.

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Not as good as S1 but still worth watching!

Epic continues 4.5 years later.... Everyone's been waiting and I am so happy most of the main and supportive cast returned. Must be a tremendous effort to coordinate all the schedules. However, having rewatched S1 to prepare for S2, the absence of Xiao Zhan was felt immediately. I get it, he's a big star now but sometimes a small part in an epic drama beats ML in a mediocre drama. Actor Wu Xing Jian did not deliver the intense stare Xiao Zhan had for Yan Bing Yun's character. Not that I expected him to, but I was hoping for more? The entire character felt flat.

Story started a bit slow with some OTP crying but by ep 4, the humor really kicked in when the faceoff between the Crown Prince, 2nd prince & Fan Xian happened. You know how great the acting is when they can deliver that micro expression.

Sure, there are lots of things I am not liking:
-Dubbing for Liu Ru Yu (Madam Fan) is different and not in a good way.
-The yodeler music for silly funny scenes is a bit overdone.
-Yan Bing Yun's character changing from sexy mysterious feel to blahhhhh
-YeLingER's character went from spunky hot head to serious bitter? No issues replacing the actress but common don't replace the personality.....
-Over heavy on political scheming. Ep 15 was hard to watch as it was way over done on the interrogation scene
-Zhang Ruo Yun (ML)'s weight loss? Questionable healthy
-Lack of Fan Si Zhe, Uncle Wu. These are awesome characters from S1 that worked, and they should've continued with more scenes not less

But there are also improvements:
-Lighting (S1 was olive... browns... yeah not flattering)
S2 lighting is better but still not great. No over skin smoothing, no heavy makeup, you can see people's skin textures
-Continued character development like the crown prince, 2nd prince
- Introduction of new interesting characters like the 1st prince & princess pairing (very cute), the little Eunuch that seems to know what to say at all times

A must watch for anyone who loves beyond idol dramas.

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It's like welcoming an old friend

Around 4 years later, since the I've watched the first season, I'm glad to be back again. Honestly, I've almost forgotten what happened and since the wait was quite long, I've almost forgot they were releasing another season (so the hype and the anticipation were a bit down from me) lol

So, I would say, when I've started, nostalgia brings me back, seeing again familiar faces, the settings, the vibe it's like returning to a home and welcoming or joining an old friend that I've not seen for years.

The complexity of this serie is, in my opinion, its charm and I'm going to be a bit contradictory but I think this is also why I'm not that hooked but I still watch it till the end and still enjoy it. Honestly, sometimes I couldn't follow or was a bit confused or maybe I was a bit struggling to follow... Maybe if there's a bit of action or maybe jokes (well, I know it could be worse since I'm not bilingual hence I won't really catch the pun) and poetry like in the first season I would like it more. However, at the same time, I also think it's a part of the development of the characters that it's more heavier and sometimes very emotional. But we do have some funny and even iconic moments (thanks god and for sure I'll rewatch some scenes in particular).

I still give it a high rating because it deserves it and it's also because I was also impressed by many elements such as the layered characters (omg I loved the acting, all the actors were great), the production (like I said the settings / the vibe), the costumes (I love traditional clothes,very pretty!!) and the OST (really beautiful and I even got goosebumps by listening to it).

So, yes this drama isn't easy to watch but we have to carefully enjoy it (like as we take a sip of some kind of tea, I don't know why I'm talking about tea lol) and it's an interesting journey to follow.

p-s: I'm sorry if my rant / my review seems a bit weird but I've tried my best to share my thoughts (especially that English isn't my mother tongue but I love using it haha) and I think I must forgot some others things but I'll keep it as it is for now.
And for sure, I'm going to be here for the third season haha, see you there!

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