After a five-year wait, "Joy of Life Season 2", a period drama beloved by audiences, has made its return. On its first day of simultaneous broadcast on CCTV Channel 8 and Tencent Video, the series quickly ascended to the "King of Dramas" throne. According to monitoring data, it became the first series to join Tencent Video's hit club on the day of its premiere, setting the record for the fastest entry into the club. Data from CCTV's drama channel shows that on the night of the premiere, the real-time live viewing peak of "Joy of Life 2" broke through the significant milestone of 2. A flurry of bullet comments and a slew of flying remarks revealed the enthusiasm of the audience, with some jokingly saying that the anticipation for this series is second only to the Paris Olympics. These phenomena have kept the topic "Joy of Life Drama King" fixed on the hot searches, and Tencent Video has officially recognized its status as the king of dramas.

However, behind the popularity, there is no shortage of controversy. Some controversies target the script itself. This series, adapted from the novel of the same name by the author Mao Ni, is a thrilling drama mainly aimed at a male audience, telling the story of the protagonist Fan Xian, played by Zhang Ruoyun, a man with modern memories, who accidentally falls into a country called Nan Qing, and faces numerous challenges including family feuds, martial underworld conflicts, and court intrigues. In the second season, Fan Xian evolves from a pawn to a player, symbolizing his self-awakening and growth. Despite this, some viewers have pointed out that the second season falls short of the first in terms of original adaptation, acting skills, and plot innovation, failing to meet their expectations.

Another part of the controversy concerns advertising issues. Thanks to the success of the first season, "Joy of Life 2" has attracted the attention of many advertisers. According to netizens’ statistics, an average of nine advertisements were inserted per episode, including not only the opening and ending, but also a large number of interstitial advertisements and in-plot product placements. Even the famous writer Fei Wo Si Cun commented on the excessive number of ads, complaining that even paying members have difficulty skipping them. While the number of advertisements often signifies the commercial value of a series, audiences generally believe that the inundation of ads disrupts the viewing experience, and the producers' and platform's choices become a test.

While "Joy of Life 2" remains popular, the controversies surrounding it also seem to grow. (The following content may contain minor spoilers) From the beginning of the series, the audience has been polarized. Some viewers say they love it, finding the series light-hearted and comfortable to watch. Others express disappointment, feeling that this season falls short compared to the first in pacing, character development, and adaptation quality. Xiao Gu, who prides herself as a "seasoned drama fan" of "Joy of Life 1", rates the first season very highly and was full of expectations for the second. Although she still enjoys it, she admits that some plots of this season seem to verge on farce. Kang Kang, a veteran in the industry and also a fan of the series, voiced his opinion, saying "Originally it was a strategic theme with a light comedy style, but this season deliberately pursued humor, severely impacting the pacing of the story, especially in the first four episodes." Xiao Ming, on the other hand, is a fan of the original novel, and finds the changes in character design in the series hard to accept, saying that he is "crying and fainting in the toilet." These reactions reflect the overzealous pursuit of light-hearted humor in the second season. Not only do various characters frequently deliver witty lines, but the show also incorporates an array of modern elements such as workplace and financial themes, and even puns couldn’t escape inclusion.

In popular dramas, there often emerge many vivid characters, such as a smart and adorable little girl, who has a rather interesting nickname—Ba Ba. A particularly eye-catching moment in the plot is the life-and-death scene of the protagonist Fan Xian. The drama cleverly created a national frenzy of engagement, with various Fan Xian-themed merchandise flooding the market, ranging from ancestral tablets for collecting incense money, to teas, fans, and even poisons all named after Fan Xian, reflecting the economic prosperity of the world in the drama. These plot designs continuously amuse the audience but also attract criticism for certain scenes being exaggerated and the storyline being dragged out. Some content creators are fixated on creating amusing memes, neglecting the authentic feel necessary for period dramas.

Industry experts believe that although the light-hearted and humorous adaptation can provide certain comedic effects, it could lead to an imbalance in the storyline and logic. For example, how Fan Xian cunningly fakes his death and performs an unprecedented "resurrection" is presented in a relatively lighthearted manner in the drama. However, such treatment might be deemed too frivolous within the realm of professional dramaturgy. The excessive efforts or lack of finesse of the scriptwriters and production team have also been pointed out by industry professionals.

Following the success of "Joy of Life 1", "Joy of Life 2" attempts to continue the original's humorous style, adding a large number of original jokes. The production company New Ray Media also uses these comedic elements to generate commercial revenue across multiple works. However, the series faced criticism for some actors' performance styles not being well-received by the audience, like the newly joined Wang Churan, accused of over-idolized acting. Lead actor Zhang Ruoyun also faces doubt from viewers regarding his sense of dramatic rhythm.

A comprehensive evaluation by some spectators and industry insiders suggests that the released episodes can be divided into phases: the first five episodes revolve around the "fake death" setup of the protagonist, appearing somewhat chaotic; the sixth and seventh episodes serve as a transition, with the plot gradually improving; with the introduction of new characters, the atmosphere beginning with the eighth episode starts to return to the style of the first season.

Another factor that has sparked discussion about the drama is the extensive product placement. According to statistics, "Joy of Life 2" announced 26 collaborating brands, averaging nine ads per episode, showcasing its commercial value. However, the excessive frequency of advertising has led to audience dissatisfaction, preventing many from remaining immersed in the drama itself. For instance, the abrupt manner in which a certain brand's yogurt ad appears has directly impacted the viewing experience, with many complaining in comments about the excessive advertising, feeling as if they are watching ads instead of the actual show, which ultimately affects the overall audience perception of the drama.

Membership benefits have triggered widespread controversy, particularly in terms of advertising and episode updates. Notably, even when users upgrade to VIP or SVIP membership, they are still unable to automatically skip mid-episode ads and story ads. These inherent ads in the video source can only be avoided by manually fast-forwarding.

Regarding updates of the series, it is now necessary not just to become a VIP member but also to pay an additional fee to upgrade to SVIP to access more content. Taking the popular series "Joy of Life 2" as an example, regular users can watch one episode per day, while VIP members can watch two episodes on weekdays from Monday to Friday, maintaining a rate of one episode per day on weekends. Furthermore, SVIP members not only enjoy the privilege of Aurora TV on television but can also unlock new episodes earlier than VIP members.

Specifically, if VIP users want to catch up with the latest content of "Joy of Life 2," they have to pay an additional 35 yuan/month on top of the membership fee of 30 yuan/month to upgrade to SVIP. Although ordinary users can directly purchase SVIP, the monthly fee is equally high at 50 yuan, not to mention other potential paid content like a grand finale preview event.

Regarding this marketing model, some netizens recalled the previously canceled "advanced on-demand" service. Comparing the two methods, advanced on-demand required an additional payment of about 3 yuan per episode on top of the VIP membership, while the cost of SVIP seems lower, for instance, around 1 yuan/episode for "Joy of Life 2." However, advanced on-demand usually starts after more than half of the drama episodes have aired, while SVIP privileges kick in earlier, making the overall cost of both methods not significantly different.

The main sources of income for video platforms are membership fees and advertising. Although there is nothing inherently wrong with this business model, if ads severely hinder the user experience, the platform should seriously consider seeking a balance between content and commerce.

As for member rights, lawyer Qu Hongtan points out that the membership contract is a standard form contract. Video platforms adjust service content and update service models based on user demand, commercial revenue, and technological development, which is a necessary practice in the industry. Although there is no legal or ethical problem with the "SVIP" business model, the key is whether the platform unfairly reduces the rights originally agreed upon by VIP members.

Regarding commercial breaks, under the "Regulations on the Management of Advertising Broadcast by Radio and Television," no form of advertising may be inserted in each episode of a TV series (taking 45 minutes as a unit). The television broadcast of "Joy of Ample Year 2" should comply with this regulation, and video platforms should also follow suit.

With the emergence of pirated resources, relevant parties may incur civil liabilities for violating the right to information network dissemination or other copyright laws, or may be involved in criminal offenses such as copyright crimes.

Beyond regulation, audience recognition of content is also a topic that cannot be ignored. As a sequel, "Joy of Life" season two, which premiered in 2019, has won over audiences with its satirical adaptation, rich plots, and impressive ensemble, and is considered an excellent IP adaptation drama. It not only satisfies fans of the original work but also attracts many drama enthusiasts.

In the current entertainment market, "Joy of Life 2" continues to capture high attention from the audience, maintaining a high Douban score of 7.9. The show's creative team is well aware of its success; they believe that while retaining comedic elements, the second season achieves a more perfect balance between drama and comedy, and introduces rich ensemble scenes and engaging classic moments, especially the commendable performances in the imperial court scenes. However, although the second season has not yet opened for public rating, many low reviews ranging from one to two stars have already emerged.

Despite these controversies, "Joy of Life 2" has shown its commercial success. The drama has driven the profit growth of Tencent Video and China Literature Ltd, as seen in the rise of Tencent Video's paid membership numbers to 106 million in 2019, and China Literature's revenue reaching 8.348 billion yuan, a 65.69% increase year-on-year. Moreover, the drama has promoted Tencent's systematic development of IP, combining novels, films, games to maximize the commercial potential of IP, while also strengthening the collaborative development of Tencent's content production, including cooperation among China Literature's film and television sector, New Classics Media, and Tencent Pictures.

The airing of "Joy of Life Season 2" once again broke records on Tencent Video, and according to the 2023 report by China Literature, the show is regarded as a potential hit for 2024. On its premiere day, the share price of China Literature Group even surged by nearly 3%. In terms of commercial development, the drama has launched many co-branded products and has engaged in in-depth partnerships with advertisers. Data released by JD Supermarket reveals that after pre-sales began on May 10th, sales of related IP products soared by over 70%, with pre-sales exceeding 3 million yuan. In addition, there are several exclusive IP derivatives listed on JD Supermarket.

Not only that, but derivative short dramas and mini-games themed around "Joy of Life" such as "The Young and Restless of Joy of Life" are currently in development. The leading actor, Zhang Ruoyun, has also seen an increase in his personal market value with the drama's popularity, having added 9 new brand endorsements this year, surpassing many top-tier celebrities. Although in recent years Tencent has rarely discussed its "triple carriage" strategy for its film and TV business, and Tencent Pictures shifted focus in 2022 to more contemporary works to take on social responsibility, the successful broadcast of "Joy of Life Season 2" has proven the significant impact of the producers' and platform's strategy.