After the success of part one, "Tang Hai Truyen" continues to become the focus of attention when the producer confirmed that part 2 is being deployed. Immediately after the announcement, social networks immediately exploded with debate about whether the old cast would continue to return or not, especially the male lead played by Xiao Zhan.
In the audience's memory, "Tang Hai's Story" once left a strong impression with many emotional scenes, notably the snowy night scene at Hengdian. The image of Tang Hai standing in the snow, wearing a red coffin, tearful eyes has become one of the moments widely shared on social networks, and many viewers call it the "symbolic scene" of the film.
On May 11, the film crew posted a poster of "Tang Hai Truyen 2" (without images of Tieu Chien) with words suggesting the new journey of the character Tang Hai, immediately pushing the related topic to the top of searches. Most comments expressed the desire to keep the original cast, in which the phrase "without Tieu Chien, there is no Tang Hai" appeared with high frequency.
After this wave, director Truong Hieu Long gave a frank response in an interview. He said that the role of Tang Hai is closely associated with Tieu Chien's acting, to the point that if actors are changed, the character will become a completely different image. Therefore, if Tieu Chien does not play the male lead, the "Tang Hai Legend 2" project may not be implemented.
According to him, this is the result of the character building process in part one, not just an emotional evaluation.
However, the director also emphasized that "Tang Hai Truyen 2" is still in the script development stage. Maintaining or changing the cast will depend on the level of suitability with the new story, instead of just relying on fame or market effects.
In the first part, Tieu Chien's role of Tang Hai is considered a character with complex psychological depth. The character carries family tragedy, and must also hide his identity throughout the long journey. Therefore, the acting style leaning towards the inner self, emotional restraint is chosen to suit the character structure.
Many notable scenes such as discovering family upheavals or facing enemies all leave a strong impression on the audience. Small details such as fluctuating eyes, changing breathing or light body reactions are considered factors contributing to the characteristics of the film.
Despite receiving many compliments, Tieu Chien's acting has also caused controversy. A part of the audience believes that the restrained style sometimes suppresses emotions, while others assess this as a suitable choice for a character who always lives in a state of concealment and prolonged psychological pressure.
In terms of achievements, "Tang Hai Truyen" achieved high popularity on online platforms, and created a strong discussion effect on social networks. The work is also noticed as it has the potential to expand to the international market through content distribution platforms, contributing to raising the awareness of Chinese historical dramas.
Currently, "Tang Hai Truyen 2" has not yet set an official broadcast time. Whether Tieu Chien will return or not is still a big question mark, especially in the context that his schedule is said to be full until the end of 2026.
