The show has received solid ratings—good enough that The CW decided to pick up a second season of the show. Here’s everything we know so far about Kung Fu season 2.
What is The CW’s Kung Fu about?
The CW’s Kung Fu follows Nicky Shen (Olivia Liang), a young college student who finds herself at a crossroads in life. Instead of finishing college, she decides to join a female Shaolin monastery while visiting China. After her mentor is murdered, she returns home to San Francisco only to find crime and corruption has run rampant in her neighborhood. She decides to use her newfound martial arts prowess to protect the city while she juggles searching for her mentor’s killer and dealing with the aftermath of abandoning her family and life for the past three years.
When does season 2 of Kung Fu premiere?
Season 2 of Kung Fu premiered on Wednesday, March 9 at 9 p.m. ET on The CW.
When is the Kung Fu season 2 finale?
The season finale for season 2 of Kung Fu will air Wednesday, June 15 at 9 p.m. ET on The CW.
Is Kung Fu based on other material?
Kung Fu is based on the 1970s series of the same name. The original series starred David Carradine as Kwai Chang Caine, a Shaolin monk traveling through the Old West. It has long been rumored that the show was based on a story concept Bruce Lee had for a series which Warner Bros. then stole and developed into Kung Fu. Lee’s vision finally came to fruition in the Cinemax series, Warrior, which is produced by Lee’s daughter, Shannon Lee. The first season of Warrior can be streamed on HBO Max.
Who is in the Kung Fu cast?
Olivia Liang (Nicky Shen)
Nicky leaves her tour group in China and ultimately drops out of college to remain there to train at a monastery. After her mentor is murdered, Nicky returns home, determined to find her killer but is troubled when she finds her neighborhood is awash in crime and corruption. Liang had no formal martial arts training before she accepted the role as Nicky Shen on Kung Fu. But she sure looks like a pro on screen! Prior to being cast, Liang was working as a substitute teacher, barista and spin instructor. Follow Liang on Twitter @olivialiang_ and on Instagram @itsmeolive.
Eddie Liu (Henry Yan)
Henry is a martial arts instructor and a Chinese art history buff who shares an instant attraction with Nicky. Liu’s first television gig was a recurring role on HBO’s Silicon Valley but he is probably most recognized from his role on Netflix’s Never Have I Ever. He has trained in multiple variations of martial arts including Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Shaolin Kung Fu. Follow Liu on Twitter @eddieliuwho. Where you might have seen him:Liu played Steve on Netflix‘s Never Have I Ever.
Tzi Ma (Jin Shen)
Jin is Nicky’s father. He and his wife own Harmony Dumplings, a small restaurant in Chinatown but with all the crime and corruption in the area, they are struggling to remain open at the end of the first season. Ma is probably the most recognizable of the cast of Kung Fu. Hailing from Hong Kong, Ma has been acting since the late ’70s. Whenever a role calls for an Asian father or grandfather figure it seems Ma is at the top of the list. He starred in Disney’s live action version of Mulan and Netflix’s Tigertail. His surname literally means “horse”. Follow Ma on Twitter @tzima8.
Yvonne Chapman (Zhilan Zhang)
With mysterious ties to the monastery where Nicky trained, Zhilan murders Pei-Ling, Nicky’s mentor, in her quest for power. We later learn that Zhilan is Pei-Ling’s younger sister. Along with Kung Fu, Chapman has a recurring role on the Canadian series, Family Law starring Victor Garber and Jewel Staite. Chapman will play Kyoshi in the upcoming Netflix series, Avatar: The Last Airbender alongside such notable Asian actors as Tamlyn Tomita, Daniel Dae Kim, Ken Leung and Paul Sun-Hyung Lee. Follow her on Instagram @ypchapman and on Twitter @yvonne__chapman.
Shannon Dang (Althea Shen)
Althea is Nicky’s sister, who has both beauty and brains. She is engaged to Dennis (Tony Chung), the nerdy math-lete from high school who has shed his nerd status. Prior to joining Kung Fu, Dang was a professional dancer and danced for professional sports teams like the LA Clippers and Rams. Follow her on Twitter @ShannonNikkiD.
Kheng Hua Tan (Mei-Li Shen)
Mei-Li is Nicky’s mom, who is still upset with her daughter for joining a Shaolin monastery instead of finishing college and settling down to start a family. With the family business struggling, the Shen matriarch takes matters into her own hands with dire consequences. Hua took acting as an elective during college and was hooked. After graduating with a degree in Public and Environmental Affairs, the Singapore native returned home and took a job in public affairs and acted in her spare time. She is best known for her role as Constance Wu’s mother in Crazy Rich Asians. Follow Hua on Twitter @tankhenghua.
Jon Prasida (Ryan Shen)
Ryan is Nicky’s medical student brother. He’s quick with the wit and is soon in awe of his sister after he sees her martial arts prowess. The Australian native has had guest starring roles on a variety of Australian television series including Harrow, Reckoning and The Warriors. Follow him on Twitter @jonprasida.
Vanessa Kai (Pei-Ling Zheng)
Pei-Ling is Nicky’s Sifu, or mentor, at the monastery where she first seeks refuge. She’s a skilled fighter and spiritual guide. After she is killed, she appears to Nicky during times of reflection and trouble to offer her guidance and remind her of her teachings at the monastery. Kai has an extensive theater background but has also appeared on screen on New Amsterdam, Orange is the New Black and Gotham. Follow Kai on Twitter @vanessakai.
Gavin Stenhouse (Evan Hartley)
Gavin is an Assistant District Attorney and Nicky’s ex-boyfriend. The British-born Stenhouse has guest starred on 9-1-1 and Black Mirror and was a series regular on Allegiance. Follow Stenhouse on Twitter @gavinstenhouse.
Tony Chung (Dennis Soong)
Dennis comes from a wealthy family and is Althea’s fiance. Chung studied electrical engineering in college on a full scholarship and worked for Cisco Systems for a couple years before leaving to pursue a career in music. He toured as a musician in Asia and released two albums there. Follow Chung on Twitter @chonytung.
Kee Chan (Russell Tan)
Tan is a wealthy and powerful businessman who seeks power that goes beyond a boardroom. Introduced in the last few episodes in season 1, look for the character to play a more prominent role in season 2. Born in Singapore and based in the US, Chan has made appearances in Mission: Impossible II,Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith and in the television mini-series, Moby Dick, opposite Sir Patrick Stewart. More recently he appeared in the 2018 sci-fi film, Mortal Engines.
Is anyone new joining the cast of Kung Fu in season 2?
Yes! We’ve recently learned several actors will be joining the cast in recurring roles in the second season.
Vanessa Yao (Mia)
Mia is Nicky’s cousin, the daughter of her deceased Aunt Mei-Xue. As the daughter of a Guardian and s Warrior, Mia has incredible strength and fast reflexes. Resentful of her isolated upbringing, Mia ran away at an early age and has been living on her own for years. Will she be a friend or foe to Nicky? Yao has acted in mostly Asian-based films including Soul Breaker, Into the Darkness and the award winning Father and Hero. Follow her on Instagram @vanessayaooo.
Annie Q (Juliette Tan)
Juliette is Russell’s daughter and hopes to take the reins from her father one day and run the family empire but when his dealing take a dark and supernatural turn, she must decide if taking over the family business is worth it. Born in Brooklyn but raised in Beijing and New York, Q graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. She also graduated from LaGuardia High School which is best known as being the school Fame was based on. Follow her on Instagram @annie.q.riegel.
JB Tadena (Sebastian)
As charming as he is handsome, the new chef of Harmony Dumplings has caught at least one Shen’s eye - Ryan’s. Whether the attraction is mutual is yet to be seen. Tadena has appeared on NCIS, WestWorld, Grey’s Anatomy, and Hawaii Five-O. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @JayBeeTadena.
What happened in the first season of Kung Fu?
Nicky met Henry and the two worked together to find her mentor’s killer. The two share a mutual attraction and both fall for the other. Jin and Mei-Li struggle to keep their restaurant open and thriving while their neighborhood is quickly degrading with crime and the Triad’s influence. Zhilan is determined to find all eight enchanted weapons. The mythical weapons will supposedly give the owner ultimate power. Once Nicky learns this, she is determined to stop Zhilan from collecting all eight magical armaments.
What can we expect in season 2 of Kung Fu?
Expect to see Harmony Dumplings back in the black as the business is now thriving, especially with its new chef, Sebastian. Nicky and Henry are in the honeymoon phase of their relationship but don’t expect everything to go smoothly for any of the Shens. Zhilan and Russell Tan will cause problems for Nicky and we’ll be introduced to a few new characters.
Where do they film Kung Fu?
Kung Fu is filmed in and around Vancouver, Canada. Some of the scenes that take place at the monastery are filmed at the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden in Vancouver’s Chinatown district.
What day does Kung Fu air?
Kung Fu airs on Wednesdays.
What channel is Kung Fu on?
You can watch Kung Fu on The CW.
How can I watch season 1 of Kung Fu?
You can stream the first season of Kung Fu for free on The CW’s website at cwtv.com. You can also watch Kung Fu on Hulu and HBO Max with your subscription.
Is there a trailer for the new season of Kung Fu?
The CW just dropped a new trailer for season 2 of Kung Fu. Check it out below. Next, American Ninja Warrior competitor (and school teacher) Jen Burdis makes exercise approachable.
