Rocket Girls' bumpy ride on new show

Fellow cast member Lai Meiyun added: "At the fresh age of 20, I can enjoy the present with all my heart, no matter what it brings to me."

Whatever their thoughts, nobody can deny that they had an unforgettable experience during their four days and three nights in the dry, hot desert.

They could not use their cellphones because there was no signal and little electricity; they could not do their makeup in the harsh conditions; and gone were the cute outfits in lieu of functional, outdoor gear designed for tramping around the desert.

Moreover, the food was, according to their accounts, "terrible". For example, they initially hated the dry baguette, but after several days of thirst and hunger, they cried over how delicious they thought it was.

Many of them showed signs of depression, but they eventually got through the challenges together, and in the process, solidified their friendship.

Yang Chaoyue, 20, is seen in the final edit crying so often that it is unsurprising that it was she who provided the show's first "drama queen" moment.

After 16 hours of traveling from Beijing to Tunisia and spending time in the desert, Yang just could not take more Western food.

After having half a plate of grilled tuna, she started to pull her hair and twist her body, muttering, "I have to eat rice. I feel sick. I need chili sauce."

Her meltdown reached its pinnacle with her suddenly pounding the chair and bursting into tears. Her teammates, however, did not abandon her to her tantrums, but gathered around to comfort her.

The show's director Xie uses four words to describe the young women's mood swings during its filming-"excited, anxious, exhausted and relieved".

"How to define the age of 20-something? It's the once-in-a-lifetime experience," he says. "It might be a bit crazy and a bit aggressive, but it helps you to break through the barrier and outgrow yourself."

Being pop idols, singing and dancing on stage, members of the all-female group can easily get drowned in cheers and screams, and woo fans with their winks and smiles. Offstage, however, they are still just ordinary people with the same vulnerabilities as the rest of us, Xie says.

With the show, he says, the production team hopes to encourage more young Chinese to step out of their comfort zone. The show made them realize that many young people have the desire to take adventures but they are hesitant and scared to take the leap.

"These girls bear all the features of the younger generations of Chinese," Xie says, adding that he wishes to see more youngsters "communicate with constellations, and with oneself, to explore a wider world".

The show is being aired from Jan 13 through early March on a Tencent platform, with a new episode every Sunday.

Contact the writer at xuhaoyu@chinadaily.com.cn