Ode to Joy

Synopsis

"Ode to Joy" is a 2016 urban women's drama produced by Daylight Entertainment, directed by Kong Sheng and Jian Chuanhe, starring Liu Tao, Jiang Xin, Wang Ziwen, Yang Zi, and Qiao Xin. Adapted from A Nai's novel of the same name, it tells the story of five girls with distinct personalities living on the 22nd floor of the Ode to Joy residential complex in Shanghai, who support each other and grow together in their careers, love lives, and daily lives. With a Douban rating of 7.5, it was a phenomenal urban drama of 2016.

Overview

"Ode to Joy" is a 2016 urban drama focusing on women's lives, produced by Daylight Entertainment and Shandong Film & Television Media Group. Adapted from A Nai's novel of the same name, it was directed by Kong Sheng and Jian Chuanhe, with Yuan Zidan as the screenwriter. The series stars Liu Tao, Jiang Xin, Wang Ziwen, Yang Zi, and Qiao Xin, with supporting roles by Zu Feng, Wang Kai, Jin Dong, and others. The 42-episode series premiered on Dragon TV and Zhejiang TV on April 17, 2016, and holds a 7.5 rating on Douban.

This drama was one of the most talked-about urban series of 2016. Centered on five women with vastly different personalities and backgrounds, it realistically portrays the survival states of contemporary urban women under multiple pressures from career, relationships, and family. Social issues explored in the series, such as class disparity, family of origin, and unspoken workplace rules, sparked widespread discussion.

Plot

The story is set in Shanghai, in a mid-range residential community named "Ode to Joy." Five young women of similar age but different origins and experiences live on the 22nd floor.

Andy (played by Liu Tao) is a financial executive who recently returned from the United States. She possesses extremely high intelligence but lacks social skills. Her childhood spent in an American orphanage left her fearful of intimate relationships. Her calm rationality and professional competence are admirable, yet the loneliness and vulnerability deep within her are rarely known.

Fan Shengmei (played by Jiang Xin) is a senior HR manager at a foreign company. Outwardly glamorous, she is actually trapped in the quagmire of her family of origin. Her parents favor her brother over her, and her brother's family constantly makes demands on her, forcing her to bear heavy financial and emotional burdens behind her respectable job. She longs to change her fate by marrying into a wealthy family but repeatedly faces setbacks in reality.

Qu Xiaoxiao (played by Wang Ziwen) is a quirky and unconventional "rich second generation." Although from a wealthy family, she is not a spoiled heiress. She is passionate, decisive, and hates injustice. While her actions often offend others, her heart is kind and just. Her sweet and lighthearted love story with Dr. Zhao (played by Wang Kai) made them one of the most beloved couples in the series.

Qiu Yingying (played by Yang Zi) is a newcomer to the workplace from a small city. She is simple, straightforward, and even somewhat reckless, often making wrong decisions impulsively. However, her sincerity and optimism influence those around her, and she gradually matures after a series of setbacks.

Guan Ju'er (played by Qiao Xin) is the typical "good girl"—gentle, reserved, well-educated, and well-mannered, raised under her parents' strict discipline. She yearns to break free from constraints and be her true self but struggles repeatedly between traditional expectations and personal pursuits.

From initial mutual wariness and misunderstandings, the five girls gradually open up to and accept each other, helping one another through their respective life predicaments and growing together.

Cast

Cultural Impact

"Ode to Joy" is one of the most socially influential urban dramas focusing on a female ensemble in recent years. The five female characters represent different classes and types of women in contemporary China. Their stories sparked nationwide heated discussions on social issues like class solidification, trauma from family of origin, and female independence.

Fan Shengmei's family-of-origin困境 particularly resonated widely. Many viewers saw themselves or people around them in Fan Shengmei. Her plight of being constantly exploited by a family that favors sons over daughters made the topic of family of origin a focal point of national discussion for the first time.

The success of the series also spawned multiple sequels and derivative works. The second season aired in 2017, continuing the story from the first. Daylight Entertainment is renowned for its high production quality, and this series demonstrated high standards in costumes, props, and set design, setting a new benchmark for urban-themed dramas.

References

1. Douban Movie: https://movie.douban.com/subject/26311886/
2. Baidu Baike: https://baike.baidu.com/item/欢乐颂/16954232
3. Wikipedia: https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-cn/欢乐颂_(电视剧)