The story of Madam White Snake sees an online version as many younger viewers appreciate its timeless appeal, Wang Kaihao reports.

Remaking a classic TV series requires courage, determination, an understanding of culture and ingenuity. The challenge is to reflect changing tastes while keeping true to the original.

The fans who gathered in Beijing in their hundreds last week for the premiere of web drama The Legend of White Snake, the most recent adaptation of a TV classic from 1992, would suggest that the team behind the remake have cast a new spell on audiences.

Many of those attending were not yet born when the original 50-episode historical fantasy TV series, produced in Taiwan, was first broadcast and followed by cross-Straits audiences in the early 1990s.

But youth is no burden to appreciation. On douban.com, a major Chinese entertainment review website, the 1992 version-officially titled New Legend of Madame White Snake-registered 9 out of a total 10 points, implying that the passing of time has not diminished its popularity.

Madame White Snake is one of four major love stories from ancient folklore. With centuries' history, it tells of the romance between Xu Xian and Bai Suzhen, a white snake that transformed into a woman, and is set in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). However, their cross-species love is suppressed by Fahai, an orthodox monk who tries to drive them apart by using magic.

When streaming platform iQiyi chose to remake the series it knew it had to make it appeal to a different audience. The Legend of White Snake was piloted through iQiyi on April 3.

"When I mentioned we planned to remake New Legend of Madame White Snake at a conference in front of hundreds of people in our company, everyone cried out: 'What?!'" says Dai Ying, executive producer of the new series. "Sure there was excitement, but also many had doubts if we could pull it off.

"However, Bai Suzhen, a figure who deliberately pursued her own love rather than being passive in a relationship, is an exceptional heroine in ancient Chinese mythology," she says. "And the story can be naturally accepted by people today."

Still, as Dai knew clearly, changes had to be made to meet modern tastes.

Casting was critical. Actress Ju Jingyi, 25, and actor Yu Menglong, 31, who are both steeped in the traditions of historical dramas, were the final choice after a three-month process.

"The 1992 version still reflects the morals of the ancient times, and some may seem out-of-date," says Zhi Lei, the remake's director. "We have to add new values."

In the original series, facing pressure from orthodox values, Xu Xian chooses to escape from the relationship. Zhi reveals that the ending of the new series will be changed to better echo young people's views today.

And when the heroine transforms from a snake to a human in the 1992 version, she turns into a sophisticated woman. However, in the remake, she is young and innocent as her role evolves in front of the viewers.

"The core value of the story, namely eternal love, will never change," director Zhi adds.

For the crew handling such an old folk tale, which may have influenced generations of Chinese people's ideas on how to select spouses, telling the tale of the new version posed difficulties.

Yang Tao, one of the screenwriters for the new series, explains the rules she wants to tell today's young people regarding relationships: "Fidelity, faith, continuous desire to know each other, and compromise, when necessary."

It took more than two years to prepare the script.

"There are legacies in the remake," she says. "But we need to surprise as well."

The production team borrowed widely-acclaimed elements from the 1992's edition.

For example, some original songs from the old series can probably be heard at almost every Chinese karaoke party. These classic melodies are also used in the remake.

Cecilia Yip, the Hong Kong actress who offered her cross-gender performance 27 years ago for the role of Xu Xian, also gets a role in this web drama, playing Xu's mother. Maggie Chan, another Hong Kong actress who plays Xiao Qing, a green serpent transformed into a woman in the old series, acts in the remake as Xiao Qing's mother.

However, the adaptation did not please all. A netizen on Douban says: "How could this series make so many changes using the name of such a classic?" The comment has got most "thumbs-up" so far. Another netizen jokes: "With the special effects, the new drama is like an online video game."

"Everyone in the crew told me about the pressure due to our previous version. People who watched it will surely judge this new series." Yip says. "However, new generations of audiences will come under its spell. I told the crew: Be yourself. It's unnecessary to try to find favor with everybody."

Wang Xiaohui, chief supervisor of original content at iQiyi, says The Legend of White Snake pays homage not only to a classic drama, but also to cultural traditions.

"We've seen so many typical figures reflecting Chinese traditions in the story," Wang says. "That urged us to look for more inspirations from the treasure trove of ancient Chinese culture."

He points out Chinese mythology on screen still lacks "a universe", which is often seen in Western counterparts.

"We see many individual characters," he says. "However, when making this project, we're wondering whether we can establish a universe of Chinese mythology, which advocates Eastern aesthetics."

Dai says a sequel and a prequel are being developed. "We also find the possibilities mixing in more elements of traditional Chinese culture," she says. "So, we're mapping out how to connect main characters in Chinese mythology together."