*edit* Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25 (increased from 8.0)

I watched “Young Blood” season 1 during my obsessive C-drama watching year in 2021. I only vaguely remember the fun schooldays. I almost forgot that it ended on an unfinished note and was happy to hear season 2 is happening with almost the full cast back, especially for Steven Zhang and Zhou Yu Tong. But is season 2 just as enjoyable as season 1? After I read my notes on season 1, I am afraid it’s not as good.. It’s a decent sequel but the pacing is inconsistent and it did not hold my attention for the full 27 episodes.


What I Like:

Acting - The all around acting of the full cast is consistently great. The six main cast members did not disappoint, nor did they exceed my expectations. The drama also has a pretty good veteran supporting cast. Despite the change of actor for the role of Wei Ya Nei, it did not affect my viewing pleasure.

Individual character development - Although the three-year separation is a little weird for the overall plot, I am glad to see that it allows for each member of Section 7 to develop and grow. I am especially glad to see that innocent and sweet Pei Jing becomes more independent, and not just hide behind Wang Kuan. I am glad to see Yuan Zhong Xin and Zhao Jian continue to be the dynamic duo who understands each other and creates troubles together. I do wish to see more individual stories and the process of their individual growth and achievements.

Badass FL - Zhao Jian as the section leader was badass in season 1. I am glad she continues to be the calm and badass leader of the group. Oftentimes, this does not last for a full season, let alone two whole seasons. It’s so nice to not see a damsel in distress who needed to be saved by the male lead, or a female lead who loses her smarts when she’s in love.

Villain - I haven’t seen such an interesting villain in a while. Yuan Hao is not plain evil. Actually, aside from being an emperor in power and wanting to maintain his power, I don’t think the drama portrays him as a bloodthirsty evil person. He just wants what most emperors want. He’s looks menacing, is intelligent, sarcastic, funny and incredibly strong physically and mentally. Section 7 is full of smart team members, so it was nice to see how they try to outsmart Yuan Hao, and vice versa.

Section 8 - I assume they were introduced in season 1 but I had no recollection. But the small amount of screentime the three members of Section 8 have here impressed me. I actually want to know more of their history and stories. They were a surprising delight that stole the thunder from the main cast.

Costumes - I love all the costumes especially when the cast is in Xia traditional hairstyles and attires.


What I have mixed feelings about:

Romance - I love the more mature romances in season 2. Yuan Zhong Xin and Zhao Jian have a fun relationship as they have such similar personalities and are on the same wavelengths. The scene in prison where they pledged their love for each other in a unique way, is one of my favorite romantic scenes. Wang Kuan and Pei Jing continue their sweet love. It’s interesting to see them being the more lovey-dovey type and holding hands all the time. They are definitely not shy in showing some public display of affection. Wang Kuan is such a polite, mellow and gentle scholar that I would never have thought he could be a super protective and assertive boyfriend. Both couples understand and trust each other. However, despite liking how the romance is written, I think the chemistry is just decent. I wonder if it’s because the drama focuses too much on their mission, and the romantic moments are hard to come by. I feel that it’s such a waste as the romances and the four actors could have delivered so much more when given enough time.

Darker Tone/Comedy - I was a little taken back in the initial episodes as the drama started off with a more serious tone than I expected. It was quite political and comedic moments were lacking. But then, these comedic moments start to show up more, and unfortunately, I feel they were a little out-of-place. The comedy doesn’t seem to be as funny as before. Supporting character Yu Chi Yuan is the ‘clown’ of the drama. His dumb, comedic moments are fun for a while but then they happen way too often and I get annoyed.

Pacing - Personally, I feel that the middle of the drama dragged. The pace was great in the first ⅓ of the drama, then slowed down in the middle and picked back up in the last ⅓. Unfortunately, I lost my concentration during the slower episodes, and it fails to gain my full attention back even in the final episodes. Because the second season focuses on one main mission, there aren’t enough to keep me invested for 27 episodes. The pace would be better if this is a 24-ep drama, or if there are other smaller side missions that lead to the finale.

CGI/Action Scenes - If the drama spends money on costumes, it definitely saves money on CGI. We got some fake horseback riding going on here. Luckily, this is not a xianxia drama, so most of the fight scenes do not require CGI. Speaking of fight scenes, I was quite happy in the first couple episodes as we have some close combat fighting. But there aren’t enough throughout the drama and I do not enjoy the slow motion scenes they have in these fights. I was glad they did give us a final fight in the end and not just casually mention it.


Overall, I wish I had watched both seasons back-to-back as I might enjoy it better. I think if you want to skip season 1 and go straight to season 2, it’s possible as well. As I said, I forget almost everything in the first season. This is a decent sequel but not a must-watch. But if you like the cast and want to continue the journey with them, then it’s not bad.


Completed: 8/24/2023 - Review #343