The Untamed

If you told me that one of the most gloriously, unapologetically queer shows I’ve watched would come from Mainland China, I would have been . . . skeptical. But here we are, and The Untamed is a thing of beauty indeed. It’s a masterclass in how to tell the story you want to tell in the face of repressive censorship, and a breath of fresh air after years of watching Asian dramas where LGBTQ+ characters, if they exist at all, tend to be marginalized or pathologized. Better yet, the protagonist is presented as not only completely comfortable with his sexuality, but as explicitly rejecting the warrior codes that define manhood through ego, status, and how aggressively one waves one’s, uhm, sword around. Also, while there is a great deal of angst in the show, virtually none of it comes from the central relationship. Love in this drama is a source of strength, not shame – something to be embraced and defended, not cast aside as weakness. While the production team may not be able to show the physical progression of the romance, they lean into the emotional beats instead, understanding that “I love yous” shown through actions are more powerful than those expressed in words. The cast's acting levels vary, technical elements can be shaky at times, and, with one exception, the female characters are much less interesting in the guys, but these are minor issues. In a world of thousands of rules, the show suggests the only one that really matters is choosing people over power. It may not stop all loss and heartache, but you’ll have others there to catch you when you fall.

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My friend successfully pulled me into this series

I still remember clearly the day this series was airing. I saw so many best-cut moments posted on fan pages all over Facebook. At first, I ignored them because I assumed it was just a bromance-themed drama with no real romantic moments. Honestly, I almost skipped it entirely.

Then, one day, a friend of mine—who’s a huge fan of Chinese novels—recommended it to me. She didn’t say much, but somehow she piqued my curiosity. So I gave it a shot and watched the first episode. At first, it was a bit complex for me—the language, the terms they used, and the intricate relationships among the characters were hard to grasp.

But soon, I was completely hooked. I couldn’t skip a single moment. I started to understand the hidden meanings, the emotions, and the tragedies woven into the story. Every episode was meaningful and never felt like filler.

Like I said, the first episode was confusing at first. But once you finish the entire series and go back to rewatch that first episode, it hits completely differently. You’ll see everything in a new light.

I usually hate bromance stories—but this one? It’s the first and only one I truly love. And I absolutely recommend it to all of you.

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A unique and fantastic journey

This show was simply amazing. Everything from the story, to the acting, to the action and the music were top notch.

One of my favorite things about The Untamed was the unique choice of martial arts showcased, having the main characters not strictly using swords.


Spoilers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If I had to nitpick the only complaints I have out of the entire 50-episode show were the abrupt deaths of Yanli and Weng Qing (really heart breaking and not even on screen which I guess I am thankful for); as well as the lack of a satisfactory ending for the real main villain of the show.

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One word for this series MASTERPIECE PERFECTION (actually 2words)😅 i finished it in 5 days and at first i was like 50 eps that's a lot but now i can't get enough of them how the fuck am i supposed to go back to my normal boring life after spending my whole past week night and morning with them😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 my heart can't take it anymore
Now i believe the people that said one u watch this series you realize no other bl series can get to half performance of this peice of art
Im so sadd now what am i gonna do without them they really grow on me😭😭😭😭😭(sorry eng is not my first lg so there's a lot of mistakes)

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The Best, if not? THE BEST!!!

**Rating: 100%**

*The Untamed* is a masterpiece of production, delivering an impressive blend of high-quality visuals, music, and storytelling. The production value is undeniably one of the finest, with no shortcuts taken. The series captures the essence of nature and its importance to the overall narrative, beautifully reflecting its themes of harmony and balance. Each scene is meticulously crafted, showcasing the grandeur and subtle beauty of the natural world, which serves as a powerful backdrop to the events that unfold.

The storyline itself is nothing short of extraordinary. It weaves together elements of intrigue, power struggles, and deep emotional connections. Words such as "excellent," "magnificent," "powerful," and "intense" barely scratch the surface when describing the plot. Each episode pulls you deeper into a complex web of relationships and moral dilemmas. The narrative structure is intricately detailed, with each event contributing meaningfully to the overall arc. It's a story that offers profound realizations and valuable life lessons, resonating on both personal and philosophical levels.

One of the most impressive aspects of *The Untamed* is its cast. The actors deliver stellar performances, fully embodying their characters with nuance and depth. Each actor brings a unique presence to their role, making their characters not only memorable but also relatable, despite the fantastical elements of the story. The chemistry between the leads, in particular, is magnetic, elevating the emotional stakes of the series.

Visually, *The Untamed* is stunning. The special effects are top-tier, adding a layer of magic and wonder to the production without ever feeling excessive. The Visual FX enhances the already rich atmosphere, contributing to a sense of immersion that captivates the viewer. From the breathtaking fight sequences to the more subtle uses of magic and spiritual energy, the effects are seamlessly integrated, offering a fascinating and polished visual experience.

The soundtrack deserves special mention as well. The music is a fundamental component of the series, beautifully underscoring the emotional and dramatic moments. It does more than just complement the scenes—it elevates them. The compositions are perfectly suited to the tone and themes of the plot, making the series even more powerful. Music is woven into the fabric of the story, almost as if it’s another character, guiding the audience through the emotional highs and lows of the journey.

Overall, *The Untamed* stands as a truly exceptional piece of television. The combination of top-quality production, compelling performances, stunning visual effects, and an evocative soundtrack creates a captivating viewing experience. It is not only a visual and auditory feast but also a deeply meaningful story that leaves a lasting impression. The lessons it imparts, the emotions it evokes, and the world it builds all contribute to making *The Untamed* one of the best series in recent years. Simply put, it is remarkable in every aspect.

This is a show that sets the bar high for future productions, and it rightfully earns its place as a standout in the fantasy genre. It’s not just great—it’s the best!

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Exploring the themes of The Untamed (looking beyond the BL / Bromance)

This review is way overdue. I've just watched it the second time and appreciate it even more.

I'm not going to talk about the BL / Bromance aspects of it, not because I don't love it, but because I think it's already well covered by all the other reviews and comments. Instead, I would urge non-BL / Bromance fans to look past the production value and nominally BL / Bromance label of this drama and appreciate the well-crafted story that has intricately woven themes of morality, good vs. evil, and exploration of various human psyches. (NOTE: All quotes are paraphrased from memory because I'm lazy..)

Good vs. Evil - The oldest theme in human history, and as of late, we've certainly seen more explorations of dubious morality. Obviously the biggest representative of this is Wei Wuxian, our 'anti-villain' / 'hero.' From WWX stepping in to help various peers during the campaign against Wens, to when he saved the Wens, there's a constant question of what is good vs. evil. Sure, Wen Ruohan and Wen Chao are pretty standard 'bad guys', but they are not the primary plot point. Instead, the more important plot point was the treatment of the Wens after the fact. And subsequently, WWX himself. The drama / novel is constantly questioning what is right and what is wrong, and you can see the gradual descent into gray morality through the lens of the righteous Lan Zhan's interactions with WWX. The other aspect of this is that everything is always multifaceted. At the end of the day, no one is fully good or evil. A person can be good to one person, and evil to another. Jin Guangyao's speech at the end sheds a lot of light on this theme. He's done many terrible things, but the one thing he's never done is intentionally harm Lan Xichen, because he truly does love / respect him.

Righteousness - From the top of the hierarchy to the bottom, every single person beats their chests in righteousness. Obviously, the biggest commentary on this is that all these people scream righteousness when it's convenient for them. They leveraged WWX's abilities when it was in their favor, and screamed righteousness when it wasn't. But what I love more about this story is that *every* character has made mistakes over this, including WWX. The cultivation public screaming righteousness over killing WWX is ironic, but what's more subtle is the commentary on WWX's own mistakes in righteousness. Although it's certainly not his fault that the Wens decided to massacre his sect, and it's not his intent to have murdered Jin Zixuan, the fact is that he might have been a cause. This was mirrored in his remark to Wen Zhuliu, the core-shattering bodyguard of Wen Chao's, when he asked the latter, 'Why does your desire to repay kindness [to the Wens] require other innocents to pay?' Even though Wen Zhuliu stays by Wen Chao's side in a righteous desire to repay a kindness, his actions do bring harm to other innocents. Another foil to all of this is of course the story of Xiao Xingchen and Song Lan. They were the epitome of righteous and upstanding, and certainly no one (sane) can blame them for the tragedy that unfolded. Yet reality is a bitter world and this drama showcased very well that your intent to do good will not always be repaid in kindness.

Mob justice - The is extremely critical given China's cultural background. China, and other Asian countries, is a very community -oriented and also hierarchical culture. Deference is woven into the language itself, and so the impact of peer judgment, pressure, and the stakes of position in hierarchy are greatly heightened. Throughout the drama, you constantly see random side characters or strangers making comments. Part of it is to give way to narration and share information with the audience while keeping them fully immersed, but part of it is to illustrate the toxicity and lethality of the mob mentality. Wen Qing's farewell to him basically sum it up. "Whether or not you actually cast the curse is no longer important. They've already determined you to be the perpetrator. It doesn't matter if you even have evidence that you're *not* the perpetrator. They'll find an excuse anyway." The lesson here is that opinions, especially those of a mob, can have very real and very drastic consequences.

Cycle of power, corruption of power - Although the first half of the drama consists of the battle agains the Wens, who are your typical bad, the more important conflict is what follows. And I love that they portray the multiple cycles of power here, and show that it isn't just one person, or one clan, but the position that ultimately 'corrupts'. And they showcase this not just through the 'viillain's like Wen family and Jin Guangyao, but a little bit through WWX himself. Although WWX's intentions were always pretty good and certainly more fair than the other two's, the fact is that he also grew too confident in his ability to control a situation.

Self-serving bias and hypocrisy - This is laughably apparent in all the mob justice mentality. And WWX of course directly pointed all of this out in his monologue atop the roofs of Nightless City. When someone used underhanded tactics to surprise attack him, and then he in return killed the person, the mob once again cried injustice. And he remarks through angry tears, "Why do you not ask who instigated this?" and goes on to finally remark, "Oh I understand now. If you attack me, it's justice. If I in return defend myself by attacking back, it's a crime." Some more subtle moments reflecting this theme, are when Jin Guangshan makes up excuses to retain Xue Yang's life. "Who personally saw him commit these crimes, hm?" which is a stark contrast to when they were persecuting the remnants of the Wen clan, and said "Just because no one saw them commit the crimes, doesn't mean they didn't!" And of course reiterated in WWX's monologue where he snubbed to an outspoken bystander, "Well if you're claiming I can't prove I'm not the perpetrator, what about you? What evidence do you have that you're not the perpetrator?"

Difference in human psyches - What I love most about the drama / story is how well fleshed out all the characters are. WWX's character is most obvious to us, given he's the main. However, Lan Zhan's gradual development of his morals through his understanding of and interactions with WWX is brilliantly gradual. Given his personality, you can fully see how his mind works. And this isn't limited to the 'good' guys. Both Jin Guangyao and Xue Yang, although they can be considered villains, are disturbingly real in their motivations and way of thinking. Both of them clearly lack a form of empathy and value their own well-being entirely over those of others. While they are irrational, we can see how they formed their logical basis for making all the decisions they did.

Privilege - Privilege is also a huge theme here, as highlighted by Jin Guangyao's speech at the end. Both him and Su She were not born to privilege, and so way people treated them from the get go were different. For Jin Guangyao, even though he shares the same father as Jin Zixuan, one son was favored and the other was kicked down the stairs. Even if this doesn't excuse any of them of their crimes, the fact remains that they had to endure more hardships than people like Jin Zixuan and the Lan brothers. Any respect, they had to claw to keep. And of course, a bit more subtle relation here is WWX's usage of the demonic arts. Ultimately, the theme here is, if people have the ability to choose, who wouldn't choose the 'proper' path? Who in their right mind would intentionally choose the criminal path?

Satisfaction with the unknown - Finally, there is a lesson in letting go of the need to know everything. You're never going to find all the answers in life, and a lot of times, you're not going to know a person completely.

Honestly, there are so many good lessons and examples here, but I'm trying not to write an analysis essay here. While I *love* the romance and relationship development between Lan Zhan and Wei Wuxian, I think focusing on just that is grossly undervaluing the drama. I've not really seen another drama with such a good balance of characters, story plotline, and story themes.

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Wei Wuxian's Smile Haunts Me

The Untamed isn't just another drama I binged on a whim. It burrowed under my skin and stayed there, lingering like the echoes of Wei Wuxian's carefree laugh. This Chinese fantasy series, based on the novel Mo Dao Zu Shi, completely captivated me with its blend of action, romance, and the fight against societal expectations.

Wei Wuxian, the sunshine incarnate with a mischievous streak, stole my heart from the get-go. His unorthodox methods clashed beautifully with Lan Wangji's stoic righteousness, yet somehow, their bond deepened with each episode. Let me tell you, the actors portraying these two deserve awards for their ability to convey volumes with a single glance or a brush of their hands. Forget cheesy confessions, their love story unfolded in a symphony of unspoken emotions.

But The Untamed isn't just about the leads. The supporting characters, from the Jiang siblings to the tragic duo of Xiao Xingchen and Song Lan, added layers of complexity to the narrative. The story delved into themes of forgiveness, the emptiness of vengeance, and the courage it takes to be yourself in a judgmental world. It made me laugh, cry, and rage alongside the characters, completely invested in their fates.

Admittedly, the first few episodes felt like climbing a small mountain, but trust me, the view from the top is breathtaking. Once the story kicks in, it's a whirlwind of political intrigue, fantastical creatures, and fight scenes that left me breathless. The soundtrack deserves a standing ovation too, each piece perfectly complementing the emotional weight of the scene.

Sure, with 50 episodes, there were moments where the pacing lulled. But those moments were easily overshadowed by the emotional core of the story and the beauty of the world they created.

If you're searching for a drama that breaks the romance mold, throws in a healthy dose of fantasy, and delivers a powerful message, then The Untamed is for you. Just be prepared to fall in love with Wei Wuxian's smile, even as it breaks your heart a little.

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Little predictable but has an effect to suck us into it

I started watching this show because my friend's circle hyped it up, they even mentioned about novel and bl aspect of the show. i had though time watching ep 1- 20 episodes, i pushed myself to not skip few episodes; once it past ep 20 i started to enjoy the show and looking forward for next one.

Cons:
1) CGI and lighting issues; even if your casual viewer, u will definitely notice the issues in scenes.
2) Music instruments syn, u can easily notice hand moments are not in syn with music playing in background.
3) Too much focus on some storylines than others. I personally didn't like the way they tried to white wash wei wuxian compare to novel/ anime.

Pros:
1) Plot : For 50 episodes series it really surprised me how their no one episode which felt like filler, every episode had its' purpose to add character development or story progression. It's thought provocative, how everything should not be taken at it's face value.
2) Acting by both leads, it took time for me to settle like 10 episodes but once i did, i was able to connect to their character. Even supporting characters like ghost general, Jin Guangyao really did well; few of them are lacking but we can see their effort.
3)Music, it soothing esp main ost as well entire album.
4) Main leads chemistry and relationship in series. Both production and acting teams had done extraordinary job in whatever extent they can within their set of boundaries to deliver romance part of the relationship and at times they walked on thin line.

At the end of day, i would recommend this series for others and even re-watch if time permits.

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A drama that will remain in your heart

I chanced upon this drama by pure luck (came across a post on my ig explore page when I don't even watch dramas). As a fan of BL and childhood love for wuxia, I decided to give it a go. It did not hurt one bit that the actors and actresses were all so gorgeous (the main actors, ofc, but I was also a little in love with Xue Yang). I started with minimal interest, confusion, and wondering, "wHeN kIsS?" as I had no idea about censorship then.

Then it transformed into something I did not expect. We open the scene with Wei Ying's death sixteen years ago, and then his confusing interactions with Jiang Cheng and Lan Zhan (and other 'minor' characters) sixteen years later where he wakes up in another person's body. The 16-year flashback introduces these characters and lays out the plot. It was very intriguing and I was curious to know what led to the death of his shijie whom he loves very much. I wanted to know what led to such a strained hateful relationship between Wei Ying and Jiang Cheng. I wanted to know how this kid became the grandmaster of demonic cultivation. This is why I continued on with the drama. Watching their familial love and the development of Wei Ying's relationship with Lan Zhan, the story takes a turn for the worse. I do not want to spoil the story so all I will say is that I bawled my eyes out throughout the rest of the flashback, and some more after.

I might receive flak for this, but I actually do not mind that they remove the very explicit scenes from the novel (although against their will hahah). In the novel, I feel like the relationship between Wei Ying and Lan Zhan turn explicit or physical relatively fast (the licking scene felt rushed and awkward in my opinion). The slow realisation of Lan Zhan's love for Wei Ying was more realistic. That being said, I'd have paid to see these men hug, hold hands, or something more physical than eye contact (which I loved but come on). I had to cling on to every fainting episode and that ONE piggyback scene to see ANY physical contact.

When it comes to acting, I can't see anyone else other than Sean Xiao playing Wei Ying. His smile is what does it for me. It just has that natural playfulness that the character embodies. Wang Yibo plays a decent Lan Zhan. He does not have many lines but manages to pull us all in with his eyes. Notable mentions: Zhang Jing Tong (Madam Yu), Wang Haoxuan (Xue Yang), Zhu Zan Jin (Jin Guangy Yao).

I never expected to fall in love with this drama, but I fell hard. I completed this drama last week within 5-6 days, and I still watch some scenes. The drama portrays each significant character and their background perfectly. You are privy to their intimate moments and thoughts. The drama builds these up right up to the devastating death scenes. Putting aside the BL, the plot of this story is great enough for any wuxia lovers to watch. It's 2021, tbh. The love between Wei Ying and Lan Zhan is pure and beautiful. If you are tolerant, the hints of BL should not be an issue.

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THE BEST DRAMA IN CHINESE DRAMALAND

THIS IS THE BEST DRAMA I EVER WATCH. PLEASE GO WATCH IT!
This drama has the best castings, ost and plot. Everything about this drama is so gooood. I rewatch 3 times and cry like a baby everytimes. And censorship who??? they obviously can't censor the way the characters look at each other. WY and LZ look at each other with so much love that I can't comprehend how is the actings so good. You know how you watch a drama and you know the actors are acting right? BUT for The Untamed, XZ and WYB bring these characters to life. I never once view all these as ACTING. Watching The Untamed make me realize you don't need romantic scene or anything to be a good drama (I'm usually a romance drama watcher).

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