This review may contain spoilers
The Untamed: Where the smallest details speak louder than words
The Gateway to a New WorldAs my first step into this genre, The Untamed proved that you don't need explicit scenes to tell a soul-stirring love story. Despite the censorship labeling it as "soul-mates" or "friendship," the depth of the bond between Wei Wuxian (WWX) and Lan Wangji (LWJ) is deeper than most romances. It’s a story about sacrifice, the gray areas of morality, and a loyalty that transcends death.
The Heart of the Yiling Patriarch
Wei Wuxian is a character that stays with you. He is the perfect example of the "smiling mask"—the one who laughs and makes everyone else happy while being the most broken inside. Despite the world turning its back on him, he remained kind.
The Trauma: His fear of dogs is a heartbreaking reminder of his childhood as a starving orphan, a small detail that makes his eventual power feel even more earned.
The Loyalty: The fact that Lan Wangji, who started as the cold, rule-following "Jade of Lan," was the only one to stand by him during his lowest moments is the ultimate redemption arc.
A Web of Complex Relationships
The strength of this drama lies in its supporting cast. No character is truly "one-dimensional":
The Trio: The bond between WWX, the "shouting but caring" Jiang Cheng, and their angelic sister Jiang Yanli provides the emotional high points of the series.
The "Villains": The Wen siblings (Wen Ning and Wen Qing) are standout characters—proof that there are good people even in "villainous" clans.
The Juniors: Seeing the new generation of kids from different clans being at ease around the "scary" Yiling Patriarch was so heartwarming; it showed that his soul was always pure.
The Hidden Villain & The Plot
I never expected the most "innocent" character to be the mastermind behind the curtains. The revenge plot was masterfully woven, proving that the most dangerous person is often the one no one suspects.
Symbolism & Sound
The production team used symbols like rabbits and the lotus pier to speak when the characters couldn't. And of course, the music is unforgettable. "Wuji" is more than just a song; it is the theme of their entire journey—a melody that brought them back to each other across lifetimes.
Final Verdict
The Untamed is a long journey (50 episodes!), but every second is worth it for the character growth. It teaches us that "right and wrong" aren't always black and white, and that having just one person believe in you is enough to change your world.
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This review may contain spoilers
--spoilers--So this is going to be a different kind of review. I'm going to put down all my notes that I wrote around episode 18 at which point I was not into this show at all. It was driving me crazy, so I wrote a bunch of notes down about what I hated. Then I will tell you that I am now completely obsessed with this show and have made my way quickly through the anime and now onto the novel.
---- Written up to ep 18---
I picked this up mainly because it was on Netflix, and because all of the fabulous reviews. It is the first Chinese drama I have ever watched ,so I guess bare that in mind, as some of the critique of the show might just be common place among other dramas.
Things I liked:
- The hair
- The costumes (how they stayed immaculate while wading through mud, fighting monsters, swimming in dirty ponds I will never know)
- The music (I'm a sucker for a nice erhu and flute)
- Xiao Zhan's face
Things that were so so:
- The plot: the plot was alright, nothing too special. It was pretty generic fantasy power struggle type stuff. It did have a kind of flavour of the week vibe with different monsters, threats that popped up but that was subservient to the main plot. You also already knew the main "plot twist" that Wei Wu Xian would become evil from the very first scene. One thing that really annoyed me was that they really didn't flesh out the power system in the world. Who was better than who? Why were they better? Did they ever do any training? Could you use the magic always or did it take energy from you? Half the time they would just uselessly use their swords when they could have used any number of other better magics.
I was taken aback that the clans could be defeated by the Wen so easily. Like they are obviously EVIL why didn't they band together, or have a plan, or do anything before they were wiped out. They knew what the Wen were doing the whole time, yet they were so unprepared!!!
Also they really walked everywhere, aren't they rich? Where are their horses? I did see a donkey and one horse. Why do they no all have horses? And they never packed anything except snacks when they went on trips, yet they magically have changes of clothes.
- The pace: this is an interesting one, because while I think the pace of the overall show was fine, it was the pace of scenes that made it slow down. There were some senes with lingering shots that would go between different character reactions for ages even though it could have been done in a couple frames.
- The sets: Some of these were beautiful (lotus, and cloud) but others were not so great (Wen clan place)
- The acting: This was pretty good for the most part. I enjoyed Xiao Zhan's performance the most as it was the most dynamic. His character was also the most interesting by far. Wang Yi Bo was not that good. His face had one expression the majority of the show which was: "I am serious therefore I am going to look annoyed for the majority of the time and stare into the distance". The rest of the characters were pretty good though.
Things that were terrible:
- The sound mix/voice dub: This took the cake for me as thing that really took me out of emersion. I put this down to the fact I never watch Chinese dramas, and it is incredibly jarring to have a voice dub that is not the actor. To me, the voice is half of the acting! But I get it, it's cheaper and makes sense if everyone speaks different dialects. It just means that I can't enjoy Chinese dramas, and that's my burden to bare.
- The fight scenes: wow these were absolutely terrible. I am used to the defying gravity stuff in Chinese fight scenes but this was a whole other kettle of fish. There were scenes where characters were flailing vertically to the ground. THERE WAS SO MUCH USLESS SPINNING. The archery killed me, does not a single person on this production know how to draw back a bow?? Everything was also really slow and the timing was usually off in the choreography. When I watch a "historical drama" I really want my actions scenes to pay off, this did not.
- The FX makeup: I didn't realised we had forgotten how to mix fake blood. guess we will just pour a bunch of food colouring around. Also there was a hilarious part where Wei Wu Xian was burnt but instead of putting the FX makeup on his skin for the wound they put it on top of the clothes??? Most of the wounds/monster makeup was sub par. Contrasting to this, the regular makeup for the actors was quite good.
- The continuity: there was blood on his neck, now it has disappeared. Did he have a shower? Did he heal magically? His leg was broken, but he can walk fine the next day. How??
- the extras: So many times in this show stupid things that extras were doing, I should be rowing the boat but I am barely going to move my paddle. I'm a zombie so I better imitate a windmill with my arms.
- the villains: The motivation of the villains was so unclear. Very generic, we are evil for no specific reason, we want power, blah blah blah. 1 dimensional.
- The CGI: Mostly terrible, especially the monsters. Though I was a fan of the smoke effects and of course they nailed the hair CG (why you need to CGI the hair I don't know, but I appreciated)
- The war strategy: So, I know this was a BL novel so I guess it's not focused on war strategy. However, I think there could have been at least some incorporated into the show. The whole plot was one clan takes over another's territory and kills everyone then the other clans get annoyed and take back control of the territory and kills everyone. There are never any guards at the gate, they always seem to be taken unawares even thought they always should know they are in danger of being attacked, and they have no over all strategy except lets go from one to another territories and take them over. With so much of the show being about this I think it really could have been fleshed out, especially with the 50 ep run time.
----FINAL REVEIW-----
I have to take back most of what I wrote above because as the story started to take over in force, all my gripes disappeared and I was completely absorbed. It's not to say that the problems weren't still there, it was that they didn't matter because I NEEDED to find out what happened in this story. Wei Wu Xian is such a great character and I needed for him to be vindicated. Everything that confused and annoyed me about the plot in the beginning made sense and was tied back in nicely.
The end was a bit of a disappointment with the extreme amount of lead up, but even that couldn't ruin my rapture with this show.
This is a must watch for anyone who likes supernatural historical dramas. LOVED IT.
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A Legendary Masterpiece: Why This Story Lives Rent-Free in My Heart Forever
Sitting proudly as my number two favorite drama of all time right behind The Spirealm, The Untamed is an absolute cultural phenomenon. It is a timeless masterpiece that I constantly find myself rewatching just to visit my favorite characters again. The deep, soulful connection between the leads is everything to me—Lan Zhan is truly the steadfast, loyal rock that someone with a free spirit like Wei Wuxian needs in their life.Why It Is an Eternal FavoriteThe Ultimate Dynamic: The bond between Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji is unmatched. Their unwavering loyalty, deep mutual understanding, and the contrast between their personalities create the most beautiful connection on screen.Addictive Rewatch Value: No matter how many times you watch it, the emotional impact never fades. The world-building, the music, and the growth of the characters pull you back in every single time.Deep Emotional Resonance: It is more than just a drama; it is a story about justice, sacrifice, and finding that one person who will stand by you against the entire world.The Heartbreak of the FandomA Toxic Legacy: While the drama itself is flawless, it is deeply heartbreaking how toxic fan behavior and the infamous "227 Incident" damaged the real-life dynamic and the ship. It is tragic that such a beautiful masterpiece will always carry the bittersweet shadow of real-world controversy.Overall ThoughtsThe Untamed is a masterpiece that transcends the screen. Despite the real-world heartbreaks caused by the fandom, the story itself remains pure, powerful, and deeply comfort-inducing. If you want a drama that will completely consume your heart and soul, this 11/10 gem is mandatory.Was this review helpful to you?
Started good and some parts could be better
LIKELoved from the start all the way until Wu Xian became Wei Ying - after that just pretty annoying especially with the villian being exposed
Respect the loyal Wen Zhu Liu
Madam Yu when she punished Wen Chao's lover - though I didn't like Madam Yu but she was good
When everyone thought Jiang Cheng was ambitious, selfish and did not understand the motto of Yun Meng - but he was as good as Wu Xian
If Jiang Cheng did not make that decision that day, there would not be subsequent of Wu Xian mastering a new skill
DISLIKE
Where was the Bao Shan family/sect?? - I was looking forward to them
MUSIC - personal fav
Wu Ji 无羁 - 周笔畅 Zhou Bi Chang
意难平 Yi Nan Ping - 银临 Yin Lin
孤城 Gu Cheng - 孙伯纶 Chen Bo Lun (feat. 陈卓璇 Chen Zhuo Xuan)
REWATCH VALUE
Five for now
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This review may contain spoilers
First of all let's clapped for the live action~~They can air this despite the tight new rules Chinese censorship....
Story:
You cant expect the same essence as the novel because not only they are gore but the homosexual content strictly banned. The epic battle that I wish to see between Nie MingJue vs Wen Ning they just pass it. Well they 80% follow the novel, in my opinion.
Acting:
For the first 10 episode they cant entice me, the main leads acting not consistent and the chemistry none but when it come to 11 until the end they build it up but somehow they still cant do a detail acting in some scenes. Luckily the teacher who play Jin Guanyao aka A-Yao portray him perfectly his mannerism, face details. He could bring almost all of us despise him and the actor who portray my baby Huaisang too. Good Job Guys
Music and Costume:
I love all the bgm and ost when I see the anime, flute music to summon dark energy still eerie. The ost sang by most of the main cast. The costume are okay it just what the H with the headband~~~
PS: I just realize the main bad guys in here Xue Yang and A-Yao so beautiful. Both have full eyebrows and long and pretty eyelashes plus their eyes too beautiful, damn~~ As a women I feel threaten teacher Zhu Zanjin and Wang Haoxuan beautiful face could ruin a kingdom, kkkkkk
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The Untamed — A Story That Never Leaves Your Heart
Some dramas entertain you for a while. The Untamed stays with you forever.It is a story that found its way into my heart and never left. Every smile, every sacrifice, every unspoken word carried a depth of emotion that is impossible to forget. Wei Wuxian taught me courage in the face of loneliness, while Lan Wangji showed me what unwavering love and loyalty truly look like.
This drama made me laugh, cry, and feel emotions I didn't know a story could awaken. It reminded me that even when the whole world misunderstands you, there can still be someone who believes in you without hesitation.
What makes The Untamed beautiful is not only its plot, but the feelings it leaves behind. The music still echoes in my heart, the characters still feel like old friends, and the memories remain as vivid as the first time I watched it.
Years may pass, new dramas may come and go, but The Untamed will always be the story I return to when I need comfort. It is not just a drama—it is a piece of my heart, a cherished memory, and a home I can revisit whenever I miss it.
Some stories end with the final episode. The Untamed begins there, living on in the hearts of those who loved it. :::
Featuring unforgettable performances by Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo in The Untamed
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C-drama Masterpiece you're wrong, this is a worldwide Masterpiece
This story was the whole package, the actors were phenomenal in delivering the emotions and complexity of their characters, the cinematography and scenery was amazing (makes you wanna live in Gusu forever, well maybe not forever cuz of their bland food, or maybe Lotus Pier's calm lakes is far more appealing, IDK it's a rabbit hole you guys LOL). Now the plot was plotting you'll not get bored for a second, the story will make you dive in the depths of family drama, true friendship, brotherhood, teenage love, rivalry, betrayal, revenge, power, nighthunts and of course the "bromance".This was the definition of perfection no need to elaborate.
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Everything about this has A Class Of It's Own!
the music the scenery the acting the cast..Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo did a splendid job.. my goodness.. what a rollercoaster ride was this drama!
can't express my emotions.. perfect acting for the perfect characters.. I loved Wei Ying's laugh and lan Zhan's smile.. aaaaa~~~
this series should have been longer 😭😭😭 can't get enough of it!!
Wen Qing, Yanli both beautiful characters.. and so many different and complicated characters.. you wouldn't even know how to judge everyone for what they're doing because of how complex it is.. every character's story and choices are complex and it makes you seriously do some thinking..
but I wish Jiang Cheng had more expressing and explaining and umm how can I say it without spoiling... more from him during the last episodes. yeah.
Definitely in my Top three.
I have a feeling that imma rewatch it again and again for the rest of my life.. like The long ballad and The Immortal Samsara..
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When I knew that it would be adapted into a TV drama at a time when rules banned homesexual scenes on screen (indeed there was an amazing show, Addicted Heroin, in 2016, which depicted the main characters as a couple. Since then the romantic love in BL novels has to be transformed into friendship to pass the unreasonable censorship), I was appointed. Besides, as many other fans of the novel, I was worried that maybe this would be another show that aimed to make money in this crazy IP trend in China's drama industry.
On June 27, I was trapped in military training and was not quite eager to watch the show. One of my friends did and teased about it. After finishing the semester around July 11, I started to watch the up-to-date episode about the destroy of Lian Hua Wu. I finshed watching the final episode of Chernobyl and finally got to watch The Untamed.
I think, this drama has done its best to portray love, WangXian. Many scenes, such as that trick in Cang Shu Ge and the conversation in Bai Feng Shan. My favourite one is that adventure where WWX and LWJ killed the giant evil turtle. How cute WWX appeared to invoke LWJ's congestion and the song of WangXian or the untamed whatever555 It truly brings the novel to life.
For a longt time I couldn't understand why WX is a heaven-made love! But this drama has enable me to do so!
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this show is MASTERPIECE
utang ng Pilipinas/10I'm one of those viewers who heard about The Untamed years ago but just recently watched it. All I can say is I should have watch it sooner. I love this show so much, this is now my number one, the top of the list.
The story, the actors, the songs, the YEARN! arghhh
#yizhan
promise promise promise ang ganda ng The Untamed, naiiyak ako. ague I finished watching this around 8PM and until 11PM I'm still crying. I'm listening WUJI while riding the bus, ano to ang pumapatak? ayyy luha ko lang pala.
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The ost are amazing. They got me crying all the time. The lyrics are so touching.
I don't think I'll ever get over this drama. The best Chinese drama ever! Truly a masterpiece :’)
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