Just a foreword, the actor for Wei Ya Nei is different but is still spot-on with the original's mannerisms and expressions, so I don't mind it. Also, a possible reason why they changed it was the love interest, which seems weird if it was done with the original since she is clearly a lot younger. With the new actor, I feel like the students are actually supposed to be teens and not adults lol. Also if you're watching on yt the eng dub isn't amazing and the subs stop starting at the 15th ep but reappear and disappear sporadically. I've posted my side-rant in the comments; the spoiler is at the very end.

TLDR; There is a definite budget increase, which is evident based on the music and the backgrounds/more CGI and green screen backdrops. Story is a bit better in part because they make some bold choices, and although the acting of the main characters is similar to the original, the supporting characters make it more interesting. Music is a definite upgrade from the original. It's a lot shorter than the original, but honestly I don't know if I want to watch it again because there are some heartbreaking moments I don't want to relive. I'm probably going to go into Yuan Hao's character in another post.

Story: It's a bit more convoluted than S1 imo. I think the main reason for the lower ratings on S2 is that there are a lot of references to Chinese mythology/folklore that I'm not familiar with and that could also be lost in translation. I'm rolling with the punches like Wei Ya Nei fr. Even though the comedy in the original is well executed, I think they improve it esp when they stop the music right before it swells to climax to deliver the bit; I love it when shows do that 😆. Can I just say though, Yuan Hao is such a good villain. They make some bold choices that compensate for the lack of good eng subs.

Acting/Cast: Honestly I don't think much has changed and the acting is still the same to me. I think most people feel that it has improved just because there's more opportunity for them to act more emotional moments. I will say the new characters are amazing.

Music: A definite improvement to S1, especially with the orchestral renditions of the originals. I love it when games/shows slightly change the main theme based on the mood. Of course, they also use the original music, which is refreshing. Honestly, I could listen to the whole track multiple times and not get bored of it.

Rewatch value: Although it's shorter, I don't think I could meet new characters with hindsight, but that's just me. Also, the eng subs aren't great, esp near the end.