2016 Chinese film
So Young 2: Never Gone (simplified Chinese: 致青春：原来你还在这里; traditional Chinese: 致青春：原來你還在這裡), commonly known as Never Gone, is a 2016 Chinese romantic drama film based on the popular novel by Xin Yiwu. The film is directed by Zhou Tuoru, produced by Zhang Yibai and stars Kris Wu and Liu Yifei. Though the stories are unrelated, the film was promoted as the sequel to 2013 youth romance film So Young, and released in China on 8 July 2016.[3]
Plot
Su Yunjin (Liu Yifei) and Cheng Zheng (Kris Wu) meet in high school. Su Yunjin is a transfer student from a struggling family, while rich heir Cheng Zheng is the popular star student. Cheng Zheng falls in love with Su Yunjin and pursues her through college, even when they study and live in different cities. Su Yunjin is worried about the difference in their economic status, though this doesn't worry Cheng Zheng. She decides to give it a chance and the two move in together after graduation.
Two years pass in bliss; however, the issue of money drives a wedge between them, as Su Yunjin refuses to take Cheng Zheng's financial help for her mother's operation, and Cheng Zheng is angered when she goes instead to her close friend and former suitor Shen Ju An (Kimi Qiao) for help. The two break up, and Cheng Zheng moves to America to help with his family's company.
After some more time passes, Su Yunjin realizes she truly loves Cheng Zheng and surprisingly, for the first time, she is the one to seek out Cheng Zheng rather than the other way around.
Reception
The film topped the country's box office charts, raking in 70 million yuan (S$14.1 million) on the first day.[4] It grossed CN¥336.6 million in China[1] and US$50.2 million worldwide.[2]
It received negative reviews, particularly for its lack of substantial plot, poor characterization and the lead actors' performance. The Hollywood Reporter called the film a "clunky, retrograde imitation of that coming-of-age exploration of romance and the folly of youth".[5][6][7][8][9]
