The Untamed

The Untamed: A Journey of Love, Loss, and Unbreakable Bonds

This review of "The Untamed" comes a bit late, but even after multiple rewatches, no series has managed to surpass it. From the very first scene, it captivates with striking visuals and raw emotion. The story opens on a battlefield, where soldiers fight over a sinister object that seems to bring destruction to whoever possesses it. Amidst the chaos, Wei Wuxian, dressed in black, stands at the edge of a cliff, his face marked by sorrow and resignation. Across from him, Lan Wangji, clothed in white, watches in despair, unable to stop what’s about to happen. Wei Wuxian leaps, but Lan Wangji catches him at the last second, unwilling to let go. Yet before he can pull him back, Jiang Cheng delivers what seems to be a fatal blow, and Wei Wuxian falls into the void. A tragic end—or so it seems.

This intense opening leaves the audience with questions—who are these characters, what led them here, and why did it end like this? Before any answers come, the story abruptly jumps 16 years forward. That’s why I always recommend watching at least the first two or three episodes. The narrative truly begins when Wei Wuxian wakes up in a world that has moved on without him, just as confused as the audience. As he rediscovers the people and places from his past, the story takes us back in time to where it all began—when he was still carefree, surrounded by friends, and unaware of the fate that awaited him. Relationships shift, political tensions rise, and the power struggles between clans begin to take shape, setting the stage for his eventual downfall and the reputation that will haunt him: the Yiling Patriarch.

Despite its limited budget, the production quality is impressive. The costumes, particularly for Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, evolve as their characters grow, reflecting their internal changes. The sets are immersive, from the breathtaking beauty of Lotus Pier, home of the Jiang clan, to the lively streets of bustling cities. Some locations, like the Wen clan’s fortress, feel less convincing, where budget constraints become apparent, but the world-building still succeeds in making this universe feel vast and alive. CGI is a mixed bag—Wei Wuxian’s demonic cultivation and Lan Wangji’s pure energy techniques are beautifully executed, but the monsters, unfortunately, don’t receive the same treatment. Still, the story more than makes up for it. Faithful to the novel (as much as censorship allows), it builds layered characters, not just among the leads but also within the supporting cast, who often steal the spotlight. What sets *The Untamed* apart from other BL-inspired dramas is that it isn’t just about relationships; the story itself is gripping, filled with mystery, political intrigue, and shifting alliances. Unlike many series that shine only because of their romance, this one excels in every aspect.

The heart of the show, however, lies in its characters. Every role is brought to life with depth, even the villains, some of whom elicit unexpected sympathy. Xiao Zhan delivers an outstanding performance as Wei Wuxian, balancing charm, mischief, and emotional complexity. He starts as carefree and playful, but as the story progresses, he undergoes a profound transformation, shaped by tragedy into someone much darker. Wang Yibo’s portrayal of Lan Wangji is equally compelling—initially distant and restrained, his carefully controlled emotions hint at something deeper beneath the surface. His journey is just as powerful, especially after Wei Wuxian’s apparent death, which leaves him burdened with guilt and regret, emotions that become more evident upon their reunion.

Their relationship is the soul of the series. Though censorship prevents explicit romance, their bond is undeniable. It’s a slow, natural evolution, from distant acquaintances to unwavering devotion, embodying the balance of Yin and Yang in both personality and presence. Their understanding of each other transcends words, and the chemistry is so palpable that no overt gestures are needed to convey the depth of their connection.

Beyond the romance, "The Untamed" is an exceptional wuxia drama that weaves action, politics, mystery, and deeply emotional storytelling into a mesmerizing experience. It proves that love doesn’t need grand declarations or explicit scenes to be powerful. Years later, it remains unmatched, setting a standard that no other series has yet managed to surpass.

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I absolutely loved this show.

So I've been avoiding The Untamed for a while even though it is top rated on MDL. I'm glad I picked it up because this was such a delight. I've seen a few wuxia shows, and this is my favourite. Although they didn't do anything pathbreaking, what they put together was absolutely amazing.

Why you should watch:
1. Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji are the best soulmates ever and despite the censorship considerations you can absolutely feel their love. Also if you're not into BL or trying to avoid this because of the BL, please rest assured that this can be interpreted as a bromance.
2. Wei Wuxian (portrayed so well by Xiao Zhan) is a charming character whose choices are often different from the norm. You feel for him as he goes from being popular to becoming a public enemy. His friendship, loyalty and love for his clan members and others he meets along the journey was truly heartwarming.
3. Although the show toned down the controversial nature of Wei Wuxian and his path, its still a story about a man who strays from the norm and practices things which are considered 'evil' from the popular perspective. There are interesting questions about right and wrong, black and white.
4. The opposition to Wei Wuxian is also very interesting, in the beginning we only see pure evil being portrayed by the Wen clan leader, however once they are taken down you no longer get a clear view of what's on the good or bad side. There are questions about public perceptions and how strong they can get and how different it might be from reality.
5. All the cute boys! The whole cast is beautiful. Although none of them are experienced actors, they did a fairly good job and unless you're really picky you'll enjoy their performance.


What you may not like:
1. The production value isn't the highest so there are some issues. The costumes aren't the best, CGI isn't the best, editing isn't the best etc.
2. The opening two episodes are rather confusing because the timeline opens at the middle of the story and then theres a flashback to 16 years earlier.
3. If you want a romance between a man and a woman, none of it in this show.
4. The plot gets fairly heavy and heartbreaking in the middle, if you are looking for fluff this might be too much.

Overall I suggest everyone to watch this beautiful story with the cutest characters.

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I don't want to go really deep into the details so I'm gonna try to make this short. First of all, all I can say is - THIS IS BEAUTIFUL!!! The costumes, the hair, the people, the attitude, the acting and THE MUSIC OMG THE MUSIC was just beautiful and all I needed. At first I was not really sure if I want to watch it, cause I'm not the biggest fan of historical dramas but I saw A TON of really good feedback and decided to give it a chance, thinking that it only has 25 episodes (idk y I thought that) and I was really confused about what is happening the first 10 or so episodes and only by then I started to memorize all the names and what is happening and is whether the story is in the past or present. But oh bo was I hooked and when I saw that it actually has 50 episodes I was so damn exited. Binged until the 36th and then the wait for the new episodes started but it was worth it since they were uploading them frequently. The only reason why I didn't give this drama a 10 is because of the really cringey moments and bad/also cringey SGI. Yes, I know that SGI is not easy but some moments were just unbearable and I wanted to either cringe or laugh. All of this for me personally was saved by the great acting and of course the music. OMG, I can not stress enough how good the soundtrack is!!! I just love it so damn much!!! I have recently started to listen to a lot of Chinese songs and I find these so damn beautiful even though everyone around me thinks that it's weird.

Overall this is a must-watch for the acting, beauty and the music! Truly suggest!

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i really want to share my thought on this.
TT-TT I CAN'T REALLY HATE ANYONE IN HERE
i thought WWX, JGY, and XY kinda have almost the same background story.
all 3 of them have a very sad pass, WWX and XY barely survive as a kid, JGY cary all the anger and pain all by him self through his whole life. and in the end 3 of them have someone who trusted them with their whole heart. WWX have LWJ, JGY have LXC, even XY have XXC. but this what i think made their life turn out to be different in the end.
- WWX as a kid he lucky JFM got his back, he has JC and shijie too who love him so much and take care each other like real siblings do. he grow up having a family around him and someone who look for him for 13 years even after the whole world turn their back agains him. shijie and LWJ trusted him, while JC i really think he just angry about things he let happen to WWX. so lucky this one turn out to be the good one and it end well for WWX
- JGY no one look at him until his 2 sworn bother. he held to much hatred towards his own father and just his own life overall. everyone was like being nice to him just because the position he got and throw him under the bus when he's no longer useful. so he kinda need to secure the thrown he sat on bcs he don't want to be step by anyone again (he must be tired dealing with this through his whole life). i can't blame LXC to trust him that much in the end he is the only person that JGY don't wanna hurt. i mean look at LWJ, he also trust who all the people thought as a bad guy.
- XY.... this one just.. TT-TT he have no one.... NO ONE.. until a blind guy named XXC save him from dying. and this blind one end up trusting him and be on his side. so XY end up having someone who trust him but didn't know who he is, and XY know once XXC know, it will all be over. this XXC really did ignore all the sign a-qing ever said to him, just like LWJ and LXC ignore everything the world said about WWX and JGY. XXC really did trust XY, and he is the only one XY ever had (he knew a-qing only stick around for XXC and never trust him). and in the end after XXC knew it all, he back to the point he have no one. striking XXC with his words, he didn't want to physically hurt XXC, but he saying everything that could possibly hurt XXC because XXC no longer trust him and hurt him by words as well. he was taking revenge for that but he never thought his words really gonna drive XXC to his death.
...
this series really thought us how important human connection didn't it? how having someone who love you and you love could save your whole life. imagine WWX didn't have JFM who pick him up from the street. he gonna turn out to be like XY wouldn't he?
-WWX he never fool/fake anything towards him self, his fam, and LWJ, he always try to be true to him self, his act was sincere towards everyone as well, i think that's why LZ trust him as well.
-JGY fools everyone, putting a mask every time he face someone. but if it's true what he said, he never fake anything in front of LXC (he just didn't tell him things) his smile and feeling was sincere towards LXC, and that sincere feeling really did reach LXC that's why he trusted him till the very end.
-XY this one fool everyone and fool him self. he never know what is wrong or right, he only know what was agains is right for him. even after receiving kindness from XXC, he won't admit to him self that he was fond to it. what he knew is he need to use XXC. for XXC what they have are manipulative and it's purpose was to hurt him(XXC). he took all the trust he every given and kill him self, and it's backfire to XY who can only admit to him self after XXC really dead.
...
this i only realized after done watching the series, ready the novels, and watch/listen to all the OST from the drama. the lyrics contains each carachter's feelings and mind.
..
kudos to this drama. all the cast and people who work hard to finished this drama.
for real u guys who didn't see their official MV and songs, go search for it.
K im talking to much..go watch if you haven't... or go re-watch^^

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Probably its the first time am writing a review. I accidentally read the name of this series in one of the YouTube comments and I think I cant' thank the enough the person who wrote the comment which made me watch this series. I haven't read the novel since I do not understand Chinese and i couldn't find any english translation but oh my God...if the series was this good I can't imagine how good the book would be..Dear directors, actors, scriptwriters please take a bow for this one. This is indeed a MUST WATCH!!You won't find the usual BL scenes as many have put it already, but trust me its not required at all. The relationship shown in here is so pure, I have cried with them, I have laughed with them, I have felt their pain. Each actor has done a wonderful job no matter how small their role is. Oh by the way, am yet to see such beautiful and handsome men (Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo). Last but not the least, thanks to the novelist, i hope some day I can read the original. Guys don't miss this one!!

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not for me

I knew this is not for me the moment i saw men flying on their swords, or spewing fire through the fingertips, and stone statues angrily walking around... I think you gotta be a certain age to fully enjoy this fantasy world - wuxia i think they call it.
These being said, i totally understand the hype around this drama: its strongest point is undoubtedly the acting. All actors/ actresses are young and handsome, the plot is there, some inspirational moments happen too...
The special effects are top notch! In fact, the entire production is fantabulous!
Still, my fav dramas have to lie to me more convincingly.

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Brotherhood, Loyalty, and a Story That Stays With You

📝 Review
(WARNING: Potential Spoilers — I’m Not Saving You from Any Emotional Damage)

The Untamed broke me—but in the best possible way.

This wasn’t just a drama; it was an experience. Every arc had purpose. Every storyline fed into the larger narrative. Nothing felt wasted. The structure—moving between timelines, revealing truths piece by piece—kept the mystery unfolding without ever losing momentum.

And no, there isn’t traditional romance. It doesn’t need it.
The bond between Wei Wu Xian and Lan Wang Ji—the loyalty, the restraint, the silent understanding—was more powerful than any overt love story could have been. The camaraderie within the cultivation world, the brotherhood, the shifting alliances… that emotional weight carried everything.

Xiao Zhan as Wei Wu Xian was magnetic. He brought humor, warmth, mischief, and heartbreak into the same character without it ever feeling inconsistent. He made you smile, then hurt you five minutes later, and somehow you thanked him for it.

And Wang Yi Bo as Lan Wang Ji? The control. The restraint. The sheer discipline in that performance. Maintaining that stoic exterior while communicating entire emotional monologues through the smallest shifts in expression is not easy. It’s subtle acting at its finest. I genuinely don’t know how many takes it took to keep a straight face opposite some of Wei Wu Xian’s chaos—but the composure alone deserves respect.

I figured out the master villain early on, but it didn’t matter. Watching the story unfold, seeing the motivations unravel, and witnessing how everything connected was satisfying regardless. The mystery wasn’t diminished by knowing—it was enhanced by seeing how it all came together.

Honestly, I can’t think of a single element that pulled me out of the experience. The world-building, the characters, the emotional arcs—it all worked.

💭 Final Mood
“Devastating, beautiful, unforgettable.”

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