AIGC Drama 'Post-Journey to the West' Premieres New Season
China's AIGC drama 'Post-Journey to the West' launched its 'Battle in Heaven' season on October 4th via Hunan TV and Mango TV. The series is based on a classic Chinese novel.
Chinese tech publication IT Home reports that the AIGC (Artificial Intelligence Generated Content) drama series 'Post-Journey to the West' (后西游记) has released a new season. The first season, titled 'Battle in Heaven' (战天宫篇), began airing on October 4th on Hunan TV and Mango TV. The series is noted as China's first long-form AIGC drama.
'Post-Journey to the West' is adapted from a classic Chinese mythological novel of the same name, considered one of the sequels to 'Journey to the West'. The first season comprises 30 episodes, each 40 minutes long. The original narrative follows a second generation of characters embarking on a new pilgrimage after the scriptures they possess become misunderstood by the world.
The drama's plot unfolds a thousand years after Sun Wukong's deification, as the sacred scriptures he brought back begin to disappear and become misinterpreted. A new stone monkey emerges on Flower Fruit Mountain, reminiscent of the Great Sage. When ten 'elders' vanish during a celebration, a crisis ensues, forcing the young Monkey King, Sun Xiaosheng, to investigate the truth behind the scriptures' disappearance.
The series' preceding installment, 'Huaguo Mountain' (花果山篇), aired on August 31st on Mango TV and Hunan TV, achieving the top viewership rating among provincial satellite channels for its timeslot. Notably, 'Post-Journey to the West' is the first series to adopt a "边审边播" (edge review, edge broadcast) model, following new regulations from China's radio and television administration. This allows for simultaneous production, review, and broadcasting, shortening the production cycle and enabling dynamic plot adjustments based on feedback.