"Bling Empire" Has Officially Been Renewed for a Second Season
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Bling Empire is a Netflix reality show that follows a group of wealthy Angelenos of Asian descent.
The series was renewed for a second season in March 2021, per Deadline.
Speaking to OprahMag.com, the show's cast and creators share their predictions for Bling Empire's second season.
Bling Empire's eventful eight-episode first season proves there are as many potential season 2 storylines as zeroes in Anna Shay's bank account. Luckily, Bling Empire was officially renewed for a second season by Netflix in March of 2021.
And beyond that, creator and series EP Jeff Jenkins sees no sign of stopping Bling Empire. "The cast is hilarious, sexy, funny, dramatic, and conniving. All of us would love to continue on this journey with them for as many years as viewers are interested," Jenkins, who produced Keeping Up With the Kardashians for a decade, tells OprahMag.com.
Bling Empire was born in a movie theater screening of Crazy Rich Asians, a glossy film about Singapore's uber rich based on Kevin Kwan's trilogy. "When I saw that movie I, like every other reality television producer in town, thought, "This would be a great reality show,'" Jenkins says.
Showrunner Brandon Panaligan had a similar reaction upon seeing the box office smash. "I wanted to be involved in a show that would put people who look like my family on the air and give them a chance," he says.
Here's what we know about the future of the opulent reality series.
Bling Empire was renewed for season 2 in 2021.
We're thrilled by the renewal—but we're not surprised. Bling Empire is just the latest in a series of Netflix reality TV shows set in opulent circles. A few shows within the Bling Empire nesting doll include Selling Sunset, which follows a group of luxury real estate agents in L.A.; Made in Mexico, set among a friend group in Mexico City; and Indian Matchmaking, focused on the matchmaking efforts among India's elite.
Don't hold your breath for a season 2 release date.
Bling Empire was filmed in a world that no longer exists. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, many of the show's hallmarks—lavish parties and casual hangouts—aren't exactly advisable.
Essentially, it's impossible to predict when season 2 of Selling Sunset will commence filming—but the casts' luxurious lifestyles continue.
Speaking to OprahMag.com, Christine Chiu recalled some of the COVID-safe parties she threw over quarantine. For her birthday, Christine sent themed baking kits to friends and had a professional chef teach them virtually. For her wedding anniversary, Christine flew out a chef from the East Coast so he could cook out of an Airstream trailer. "I always find a way to celebrate. I think that's a very important part of life and keeping a positive outlook," she says.
Chances are, season 2 will feature the same cast.
Bling Empire is set among a loose friend group in Los Angeles. "We brought our cameras into a world that was already there, with rivalries, friendships, and loyalties preexisting," showrunner Panaligan says.
The series's multigenerational cast includes individuals from a variety of backgrounds. On one extreme of the spectrum is Jamie Xie, the 21-year-0ld influencer daughter of a tech billionaire who complained that Eve Jobs bought the ranch she wanted in Bling Empire's first episode. On the other is the previously un-Googleable Anna Shay, heiress to a long-established fortune in defense contracting. The show also features superstar DJ Kim Lee; former actress Cherie Chan; plastic surgery mogul Christine Chiu; entrepreneur Kelly Mi Li; hairdresser Guy Tang; and Singapore native Kane Lim.
Kevin Kreider, a model and recent L.A. transplant, is set apart for not being from extreme wealth. "Kevin is the everyman who came to this group last. He was a new friend of Kelly's and did not know the rest of the cast," Jenkins says.
For Panaligan, that diversity—especially in terms of age—is what sets Bling Empire apart. "Oftentimes [with reality TV], you're limited to a family. Here, you have a group of friends that works as three generations," Panaligan says. "Seeing how they navigate their fortunes across generations and how that changes their lives is interesting."
Christine Chiu teased what her second season might entail.
Speaking to OprahMag.com, Chiu says that she already has a plan for the show's second season. "If you thought I dropped a big bomb in season 1, then you have no idea," she says. While she didn't share specifics, Chiu guaranteed her revelation would be "timely in our climate" and "touch many people."
The show's love triangle isn't over.
Bling Empire features a love triangle between Kelly and two suitors: Kevin and Andrew Gray, her then-boyfriend—they split in March 2021, per Instagram. In the finale, friends Kelly and Kevin share a flirtatious exchange.
According to the show's EP, the love triangle isn't over. "Kevin isn't a fan of the Kelly/Drew relationship and would like to supplant Drew, but I don't know if he's ever going to succeed. God willing, we'll get to continue telling the stories of these people and we'll all find out because I'm just as interested as the next person to find out how it ends," Jenkins says.
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