'Youth must bravely face trials on their journey of growth': 'Reborn' director Liu Zi Wei

As a long-standing and enduring theme in film and television, youth dramas often focus on journeys of growth, the pursuit of dreams, and friendship. In an era of rapidly evolving audience aesthetics, how can such dramas break through homogenization and win over young viewers with novel narratives? Reborn does exactly this.

The Chinese drama is adapted from Qiang Yu's novel of the same Chinese name and tells the story of 16-year-old transfer student Qiao Qing Yu, who investigates the cause of her sister's death, and gradually uncovers the truth behind how her sister was "murdered" by the entire village six years ago.

Zhang Jing Yi plays Qiao Qing Yu, Zhou Yi Ran plays Ming Sheng, Wu You plays Qiao Bai Yu, and Tim Huang plays Qiao Jin Rui.

Recently,  Variety China conducted an exclusive interview with director Liu Zi Wei. Here is its excerpt. 

You are directing a youth-themed work after almost 10 years. Why did you choose Reborn for your return to the genre?

Liu Zi Wei: Ten years ago, when I first entered the world of film and television, my youth-themed works mainly focused on the youth's journey of growth. The content was relatively simple, often just lightly portraying a young girl's feelings. But when I received the script for Reborn, I realized it wasn't a typical youth idol drama. Instead, it is a youth story that weaves together social issues and elements of suspense. The story is layered and complex, with a rich cast of characters. This unique complexity attracted me very much. Over time, audience tastes have certainly evolved, but in my process of making, I have always stayed anchored to the characters. With Qiao Qing Yu as the starting point, the narrative revolves around the experiences and [emotional] turmoil she goes through. That is the core of Reborn. 

From My Heart Leaps with Joy to Reborn, you seem to prefer a storytelling approach that blends realistic themes with the youth genre. 

Liu Zi Wei: The reason I choose this kind of combination is because it feels more real and grounded in reality. Whether you have already passed through youth or are still in that phase, you cannot escape the real social environment and the matters surrounding you. These are realities we all must face. Integrating real-world social issues into youth-themed storytelling can spark a strong sense of realism and a tangible texture of reality. 

How do you interpret real-world issues through the lens of youth? 

Liu Zi Wei: When young people confront real-world issues, their attitudes and ways of dealing with them manifest the intersection of youth and reality. More mature youths, having gained some experience, tend to face and approach problems with a relatively calm attitude. For teenagers and young adults in their early twenties encountering real-world challenges for the first time, their confusion, panic, and courage are especially precious and appealing. Approaching real issues from the perspective of a youth hinges on capturing these authentic reactions young people display when faced with reality. 

Uncovering the truth behind the sister's death is a key element in Reborn, which also adds suspense to the drama. How do you view the integration of youth themes with suspense elements? 

Liu Zi Wei: Youth theme and suspense make a great combination. [The years of] youth are inherently full of the unknown [uncertainty], and through the process of exploring these uncertainties, characters grow. This aligns perfectly with the theme of coming of age. Although the drama incorporates suspense elements, it does not deliberately aim to create an intense, suspenseful climate. The suspense and coming-of-age themes are closely intertwined, essentially revolving around the same core event. Through the storyline of youth growth, the audience is guided to gradually come to know the truth and learn to make peace with the past. 

What are the main challenges in character development? During filming, how do you guide the actors to shape their roles well? 

Liu Zi Wei: Before filming began, I emphasized to the actors that this drama must be rooted in reality. Every plot line in the story comes from subtle details of real life; it absolutely must not become a superficial youth drama detached from real life. The series portrays the naive, innocent stirrings of school life, but also the sharp stings of reality, and reveals the multifaceted nature of family life. Only when performances are grounded in real life can the brightness of youth, the cruelty of reality, and the bonds of family be conveyed well through the characters, allowing the audience to relate.

The drama constructs emotional reflections of youth growth through relationships between Qiao Qing Yu and her sister, Ming Sheng and Qiao Qing Yu, Qiao Qing Yu and her mother, and Ming Sheng and his father. What emotional themes are embedded in each of these relationships? 

Liu Zi Wei: Although Qiao Qing Yu and her sister Qiao Bei Yu seem to have little interaction, their relationship forms an important emotional thread throughout the drama. The sister's death is not only the suspenseful starting point of the plot but also serves as a mirror for Qiao Qing Yu's journey of self-discovery. The drama uses flashbacks and letters to portray the elder sister's rebellion against fate within the family, as well as her protection and love for her younger sister. This sense of an "absent presence" fills Qiao Qing Yu's path of growth with a strong feeling of destiny. At first, Qiao Qing Yu harbored resentment toward her sister, but as she gets closer to uncovering the truth, she gradually comes to understand her sister and even feels compassion. As a result, the sisters' hearts drew closer and closer.

Qiao Qing Yu and Ming Sheng do not fit the traditional mold of "knight in shining armor" and "damsel in distress". Instead, they illuminate each other, embodying the true meaning of growth: maturity and growth are not about relying on others to rescue you, but about learning to reconcile with others and oneself after going through experiences that break you.

Qiao Qing Yu's mother, Li Fang Hao, is overprotective of her daughter due to her own unhealed trauma and fear of loss. Both generations are trapped in the shackles of "love," yet their poor communication causes them to hurt each other.

Between Ming Sheng and his father, the father hides his past through avoidance, while Ming Sheng wraps his inner wounds with rebellion. They are both the source of each other's pain and the key to each other's path toward reconciliation.

Among these four sets of relationships, what aspects do you think resonate most strongly with the audience? 

Liu Zi Wei: The key to these four relationships resonating with the audience lies in the subtle way emotions are expressed in Chinese culture. Whether it's between parents and children, among classmates, in tentative affection, or between siblings, this characteristic exists.  

The closer the person is to you, the more difficult it is to express emotions. And you may even try to deliberately avoid them. Such feelings can't be simply conveyed through dialogue; instead, they are often shown through subtle behaviors like evasion and avoidance.

This requires nuanced performances by the actors and precise capturing by the camera to deeply explore the characters' true thoughts, thereby revealing the emotional "gaps" and [unspoken] absences in their expression.

The growth of female characters and female solidarity are also deeply moving. How do you view the [portrayal of] female characters in the drama?

Liu Zi Wei: In the drama, the different female characters each face their own unique set of challenges in their journey of growth. Qiao Qing Yu transforms from a girl trapped in a whirlpool of rumors into an independent woman who bravely confronts the truth and fights for both her sister and herself. Her transformation highlights the courage women have to break free from constraints and pursue selfhood amidst adversity.

Qiao Bei Yu, though her fate was tragic, stands as a metaphor for female awakening through her spirit of resistance, embodying the unyielding strength of women.

Qiao Qing Yu's mother, Li Fang Hao, protects the family in her own way but is at a distance with her daughter due to misguided methods. This complexity makes her a multi-dimensional, vivid, realistic female character, showing the difficult choices women face between family and self under tradition.

By portraying their transformations — from confusion to determination, from dependence to independence — viewers can clearly see the growth trajectories women experience when facing challenges.

Regarding the depiction of female solidarity, we focus on how characters engage in mutual help based on emotional resonance and common goals. For example, the mutual support and trust between Qiao Qing Yu and her friend Wang Mu Mu not only drive the plot forward but also embody the warmth and strength of female solidarity.

What are the core values conveyed by the drama? And what kind of strength and inspiration do you hope young people can draw from it? 

Liu Zi Wei: In the years of youth, young people will encounter all kinds of people and situations. When facing these, they should confront them bravely, even if they face setbacks, disappointments, or even mess things up along the way. Through this journey, they will also gain warmth and be deeply moved. These experiences leave indelible marks on their journey of growth — they are an essential part of growing up. I hope this drama inspires courage in young people and encourages them to bravely face all kinds of challenges that come with growing up. 

Source: Variety China