‘Nothing But Thirty’ Sequel in Works at Mediacorp, Linmon

Singapore’s Mediacorp has partnered with Chinese production house Linmon Media to produce “Only Thirty-Five,” the sequel to acclaimed contemporary drama “Nothing But Thirty.”

The collaboration was formalized at the Asia TV Forum and Market, with support from Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority. The project builds on a memorandum of understanding the companies signed at last year’s ATF.

The sequel follows protagonist Gu Jia as she relocates to start fresh after turning 35. She partners with Jiang Lili, a business leader recovering from personal setbacks, to launch a domestic services company. The narrative explores themes of trust, renewal and second chances as the women rebuild their lives.

Production is slated to begin in 2026, with filming in both China and Singapore. The series will feature talent from both countries.

The original “Nothing But Thirty” became a cultural phenomenon, accumulating over 5.5 billion views on Tencent Video and holding the platform’s top position for 21 consecutive days. The property has spawned adaptations in Thailand, Vietnam, Japan and South Korea.

“Partnering with Linmon Media brings together complementary creative strengths to shape a sequel that remains authentic and relevant,” said Mediacorp chief content officer Virginia Lim. “The first series achieved enormous success, and the sequel continues that momentum with production taking place in both China and Singapore.”

Linmon Media chair and founder Su Xiao emphasized the strategic importance of the Singapore market. “In Linmon Media’s overseas journey, Singapore has become one of our most valued markets due to its hub status and advantages across Southeast Asia and the wider international market,” Su said.

The executive outlined a reciprocal creative approach: “We export China’s mature creative concepts and industry standards to Singapore and other regions to help enhance their film and television industry capabilities; on the other hand, we draw creative inspiration through overseas remakes to inform our domestic IP development.”

Linmon also used its ATF showcase to unveil a wide-ranging 2026 slate spanning fantasy, romance, medical drama and large-scale costume storytelling. The upcoming titles include “Infinite 10 Days” (fantasy), “Huo Wang” (drama/fantasy/adventure), “Light Through the Eternal Storm” (costume/legend), “Sunshine Through the Rain” (romance/srama), “The Heart” Season 2 (medical/drama), “In the Moonlight” (costume/romance), and “Love Between Lines” (romance/comedy). The presentation also featured an on-stage conversation with Bao Shang’en and Wang Hongyi, the stars of “In the Moonlight,” who appeared at the event to discuss their roles.