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| OCTB Season 2 Faces Funding Challenges Amid Production Delays |
If you’ve been hyped for OCTB <反黑> Season 2, here’s a bit of drama behind the scenes that’s got fans buzzing — but not for the usual reasons. The cult favourite web drama, which first hit screens in 2016 and quickly became a fan fave, was supposed to come back bigger and better. The second season had plans to nearly double the episodes — from 32 to 60 — with a whopping budget north of HK$200 million. Big moves, right?
But turns out, all that glitters ain’t gold. Last year, whispers started swirling about messy accounting and funding chaos, which abruptly threw a spanner in the works. Production screeched to a halt, leaving everyone scratching their heads on when filming might pick back up.
Director Jones Soong, the man steering the ship, recently dropped a video to clear the air and ask for crowdfunding help. He revealed the main investor from Macau pulled out last minute, leaving just Shaw Brothers’ HK$10 million — which apparently barely covered a few days of shooting. Ouch. Talk about a blow.
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Even more raw, Jones opened up about the struggle, saying he’s been borrowing left and right, trying desperately to keep the project afloat. He’s now close to bankruptcy and is aiming to raise over HK$4 million to save the show. The passion is real, but the stakes are sky-high.
Enter Virginia Lok (樂易玲), TVB exec and the voice of reason. When asked about the drama’s financial mess at the Miss Hong Kong Pageant 2025 global recruitment press conference, she kept it professional but supportive.
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She admitted getting a big production off the ground isn’t a walk in the park — “whether it’s a TV drama or OCTB” — and encouraged Soong to keep hustling, whether through crowdfunding or hunting down investors.
As for netizens throwing shade, calling the crowdfunding plea a ‘scaffolding act’ (basically, a showy stunt), Virginia stayed neutral. She hasn’t been in touch with Jones, so she dodged the drama. On the claim the Shaw Brothers cash was burned in just four days? “He said that? Then you should ask him,” she said with a shrug.
So there you have it — behind the gritty crime drama is a real-life thriller of funding struggles and last-minute saves. Will OCTB 2 make it back to our screens? Fans are holding their breath, hoping this rollercoaster has a happy ending.