A groundbreaking moment in Chinese television is set to unfold as “The Post-Journey to the West,” the nation’s first-ever long-form drama produced using Artificial Intelligence Generated Content (AIGC), is scheduled to premiere on August 31st. The mythical fantasy series will air on Hunan TV’s prime-time slot and will also be available on Mango TV.
A New Chapter for a Classic Tale
Produced by Mango TV’s AIGC Innovation Content Center and co-produced by Bojing Culture, the first season of “The Post-Journey to the West,” subtitled “Flower Fruit Mountain Chapter,” boasts 30 episodes, each running for 40 minutes. This highly anticipated series is an adaptation of the classic novel of the same name, penned by an anonymous author during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties.
The original novel, considered one of the three major sequels to the iconic “Journey to the West,” tells the story of a new generation of heroes who embark on a quest to retrieve the Buddhist scriptures due to widespread misinterpretations and misunderstandings in the mortal world. The drama intricately weaves the forty-chapter framework of the original novel with related foreshadowing and clues from the canonical “Journey to the West,” creating a comprehensive narrative for the “post-sequel” journey.
The Genesis of a New Legend
The narrative picks up 1,080 years after Sun Wukong achieved sainthood. The sacred scriptures brought back from the original journey have become incomplete and are subject to misreading. Simultaneously, a new stone monkey, Sun Xiaosheng, is born on the very immortal mountain that once gave birth to the Great Sage, Equal to Heaven. However, the ‘Ten Elders,’ whose names were once struck from the Book of Life and Death, mysteriously vanish during a grand ceremony, plunging Flower Fruit Mountain into a profound crisis.
These events force the new Monkey King, Sun Xiaosheng, to grow and awaken. He embarks on a quest to uncover the truth behind the ‘Book of Life and Death’s’ malfunction, facing trials in both the underworld and the celestial palace. Along his journey, he encounters new companions such as Tang Banji, Zhu Yijie, and Shami, embarking on a second pilgrimage to rectify the scriptures.
Innovative Production and Broadcast Model
Notably, “The Post-Journey to the West” is the first drama series to adopt a ‘simultaneous review and broadcast’ model following the release of the ’21 Articles’ by the National Radio and Television Administration. This innovative approach, which involves producing, reviewing, and broadcasting the content concurrently, significantly shortens the creation-to-broadcast cycle. It also allows the production team to dynamically optimize plot details based on review feedback and audience reactions.
Starting August 31st at 6:00 PM, the “Flower Fruit Mountain Chapter” will roll out with its first 5 episodes, each 40 minutes long. These episodes will be available on Mango TV, followed by their debut on Hunan TV’s prime-time drama slot at 8:00 PM on the same day. The series will also premiere in the ‘Ju Haokan’ big-screen on-demand section. For viewers eager to dive in, Mango TV SVIP members will get early access to 3 episodes, while VIP members can watch the first 2 episodes ahead of the general release.
