OCTB Caught in Funding Troubles

Directed by Jones Soong (宋本中), the web drama OCTB <反黑> first aired in 2016 and was well-received by netizens. At the end of 2023it was announced that production for Season 2 had commenced with the episode count increased from the initially planned 32 to 60, and total investment exceeding HK$200 million.

Alleged Messy Accounting

However, reports of chaotic internal accounting emerged last year with news that the project was abruptly halted due to funding issues, leaving its production timeline uncertain. Director Jones Soong recently released a video appealing for crowdfunding to support OCTB 2 <反黑2>, where he detailed the reasons for the crowdfunding effort, claiming an investor from Macau had backed out at the last minute, leaving Shaw Brothers’ HK$10 million investment enough for only “a few days of filming”.

While he later halted the crowdfunding, Jones Soong said he had been constantly borrowing money in hopes of reviving the production and revealed that he is now on the verge of bankruptcy, hoping to raise over HK$4 million to salvage production .

Virginia Lok’s Earnest Response

On June 5, TVB executive Virginia Lok (樂易玲) was at TVB City for the global recruitment press conference of Miss Hong Kong Pageant 2025, when asked whether the HK$10 million Shaw Brothers invested into the drama had been “entrusted to the wrong person”. She responded “I know he’s crowdfunding. But honestly, whether it’s a TV drama or OCTB, it’s never easy to get a movie or TV show into production. If he’s putting in so much effort to keep it going, then whether it’s through crowdfunding or finding other investors, let him try.

On netizens’ speculation that he’s exaggerating, calling it a ‘scaffolding act’, she said, “I won’t comment on that. I haven’t been in contact with him either; on claims the HK$10 million from Shaw Brothers was used up in four days, Virginia responded, “He said that? Then you should ask him.”

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