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Happy Ending!!
I’m so happy that they decided to end the story in a happy tone. Sorry for the spoilers but lie many of my fellow drama followers, a lot of Asian LGBTQ dramas end in a horrible way so when I was watching the show, I would take brakes so I can mentally and emotionally prepare myself for a horrible ending that, happily never came 😊.Please, if you are one of me that thought about it twice because of that particular problem, do yourself a favor, read this comment and fully enjoy (and sometimes cry your heart out) this wonderful drama.
The acting is superb, and the emotions are all over the place (for a good reason). I truly enjoyed this one and I hope they keep doing more (with a happy ending of course).
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"Family."
This drama is reigned by emotions rather than a story and it's no fantasy either. There was some reality in every single character portrayed and it should be the reason alone to give 'Unknown' a chance.It follows Wei Qian, the eldest brother who is forced to grow up and give up the frivolities of life in order to provide a safe space for his younger sibling, Wei Li, after his neglectful and abusive mother ruins their lives.
After taking up a shady job under a certain Lao Le’s gang, he stumbles across an abandoned, feral kid whom he then takes home. What follows next is a slice-of-life plot depicting how Qian finally gives up gang activities and grows up to become the ultimate ‘Da Ge’.
However, his little bubble, in which he is forever the parent to his siblings, is popped when Wei Zhi Yuan, the boy he had adopted, confesses his feelings.
Pretty sure that the title ‘Unknown’ is definitely meant for Wei Qian, the eponymous character of Da Ge by Priest from which this drama was adapted. He is the only one who doesn't know what exactly he was feeling until his younger brother took matters into his own hands. His own future is wholly dependent on making his loved one's be safe and happy.
The drama gave me all the warm fuzzies that I wanted and even moments of laughter at times - particularly with San Pang and the co-worker gang and Dr. Li. Also - when Zhi Yuan left Qian speechless with verbal/physical displays of affection. Though, in reality, I would've been the one to change countries had something like that happened to me.
The acting was top notch. Particularly, Wei Qian. I could understand his confusion the most and could literally feel his emotions and suffocation through the screen. Wei Zhi Yuan was not far behind – as someone who is poor in expressing emotions, this dude legit scared me with how open and honest he was.
San Pang, and the entire family together were wholesome and heartwarming to watch.
It's a well made story about a found family and everything that takes to hold them together.
The Soundtrack was beautiful. Particularly the opening song. There was nothing too much over-the-top about the production, either.
Pretty sure that I won't be rewatching this anytime, but it's definitely one of the more warm dramas out there.
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Sloooow Burn
First, if you don’t like the “brothers” falling for each other but seem okay with the sister getting on with the other brother. There is underlying hypocrisy in your thinking. Second, why are people upset with the age difference ter the brothers but are okay with the sister getting it on with the other much older brother.This is a heavy hearted series. The mother is a piece of shit. I am not sure if I am the only one but I get the implication that she also sexually advise Qian which is why he’s sexually traumatized and for the most part asexual until he got it on with Zi Yuan.
I did not see Lin with Le but it was a pleasant surprise to see Sam Lin back in a BL even if the relationship is ambiguous.
People had to wait for the cursed episode 11 to get their smexy scene. And boy did the series deliver on it.
I can see why so many people like it in a sea of bad BLs we had this year. But if you’re not into a good storytelling series. This isn’t for you.
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My soul was in shambles
I can’t believe I didn’t know about this show ‘til now ‘cause of a Pinterest edit 🤦🏽♀️ this show had me in shambles, it was so good I could NOT put my iPad down. The episode when Zhi Yuan is sent away, and Wei Qian didn’t send him off?! I bawled my eyes out; my chest felt like it caved in just imagining how I would have felt to be rejected by the person I wanted to love for the rest of my life, as if I was this disgusting being for having feelings? I could never be that strong. Anyway, 10/10 I would recommend, and I would watch it again. I probably will soon, to be honest, I am in love. Also, Chris Chiu?? I’m on the floor!! That man is so gorgeous, I could not get enough of him. Every time he was on the screen, I would melt and fangirl. He had me in his clutches deeply. I need him in another bl pronto 🫠Was this review helpful to you?
this series is the ache in my heart.
i watched every single moment with my heart aching. they made me feel every single emotion they felt in every single minute. i felt the hardship of everything they went through until the very end. yuan's words, "you shouldn't be afraid of cracks, because light can enter through them." were actually the summary of the entire series. it was the story of people who never gave up and eventually found happiness. though how can one call happiness the happiness that they struggled so hard to achieve and brought all their traumas with them? sometimes i cried but I felt both sadness and happiness until the very end. it was wonderful.Was this review helpful to you?
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"Brotherhood of Hearts: Realistic Romance and Waiting for Love."
Taiwan is doing crazy projects in bl's side like last year and this year with this gem. So, real friends turned into brothers in this series quite coincidence but there romance was top notch in this drama. There are too close to each other and comfortable shooting with the nude scenes as well as romance too! One of the best couple after love for love's sake(KBL series). Their scenes and story is too realistic there is no flaws in this series too. Their characters portray raw emotions which made me cry and laugh with them. I was so angry with san pang but the end he was one who said qian that he also loves yuan too! Qian is so tough character to play he is stubborn and homophobic too but the end of the day, he opened his heart to yuan which made me happy. Yuan was waiting for qian his whole life, i personally felt bad for our yuan till ep 6, everyone are treating him badly and pointing at him like he did something mistake to love qian! After ep 7 we can't handle our yuan's attitude changed and at last he pursue qian in another way to make him love yuan! i loved it personally. I need season 2 for this series or the couple should act in another series. There chemistry was unbeatable and hot too!!Was this review helpful to you?
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A Found Family That Grows Into Something More
“Unknown” has a premise that is easy to misread if it is reduced to labels like “adopted brothers” or “age-gap romance.” That is not really what this story is.Wei Qian is still a child when he is forced into an adult role. He is already responsible for his younger sister when Wei Zhiyuan, an abandoned boy only a few years younger than him, follows him home and becomes part of the family. Qian feeds them, protects them, gets Zhiyuan registered for school, works to support the three of them, and spends most of his youth doing the things a parent would normally do.
That history is exactly why the romance is complicated.
The story does not pretend that “they are not biologically related” solves everything. Qian helped raise Zhiyuan. He was his protector, provider, and primary caregiver. So when Zhiyuan grows up and realizes that his feelings for Qian are romantic, Qian’s resistance makes complete sense. He is not simply trying to get over the idea that they are brothers. He is trying to understand whether he can ever see someone he once raised as an adult romantic partner.
There is no grooming. Qian never encourages Zhiyuan to develop romantic or sexual feelings for him. For most of their lives, he does not even realize those feelings exist. When he finally does, he is horrified because he has been the parental figure, pulls away, and spends years struggling with what the relationship means. Zhiyuan’s feelings develop on his own, and when he eventually returns after four years abroad, he is no longer the child Qian once cared for. He is an independent adult with his own career, money, experiences, and choices.
That gradual shift is one of the strongest parts of the drama.
Zhiyuan’s devotion to Qian is established through countless small moments rather than one big declaration. He remembers everything about him, watches over his health, notices when he is tired or sick, cooks for him, cares for him, and wants above all else to remain beside him. But the story also allows him to grow into someone who can care for Qian in return.
That reversal matters because Qian has spent his entire life being the one who carries everyone else.
Lili and San Pang add another layer to the same theme. Some viewers may also be uncomfortable with their relationship because San Pang was a contemporary of Qian and knew Lili when she was very young. But the drama again presents a relationship that develops later, after they have grown up, within a tightly bonded family that has known one another for years.
And honestly, I found something beautiful about that.
These people grew up surviving together. They became one another’s family long before any romance entered the picture. They know one another’s history, trauma, habits, weaknesses, and loyalties in a way outsiders never could. As they become adults, some of those bonds remain sibling-like, while others change into something romantic. The family does not break apart because of that. It expands and changes shape.
Qian’s trauma and health storyline is just as important as the romance. He has spent his entire life believing that loving someone means protecting them, providing for them, and carrying every burden himself. He is very good at taking care of everyone except himself. One of the most moving parts of Unknown is watching him slowly understand that allowing someone else to care for him does not make him weak or burdensome.
By the end, what stayed with me most was not simply whether Qian and Zhiyuan would end up together. It was the fact that Qian began as a child trying desperately to keep a family alive, and ended with someone who was just as determined to take care of him.
Unknown is thoughtful, patient, emotionally complicated, and much more interested in how love changes over time than in giving easy answers.
Very good drama, and one that became more moving the longer I watched it.
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ABSOLUTE MUSTWATCH! Staggeringly affecting and will leave a lasting impression!
Truly well-directed, well-acted, well-produced piece of cinema which moves even the last part of one's heart and soul.What a master script and story! The acting and the cast.. The young actors, the teenagers and the adult ones portrayed Yuan so well! Wow!
I am in awe! My heart is still beating fast after that intimate scene which was more a clip of all their thoughts abd moments..
The story was so well-crafted. I am moved to read Priest's actual novel on which this series is based.
Please watch it. Be patient. It is true korean cinema, with its own slow-burn and patient storytelling .
10 out of 10. Thank you to all the Unknown team for bringing this to us audience. Thank you!
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It’s a painfully beautiful love story worth watching over and over again
Unknown is a classic take on the “brotherly love” trope, but the Taiwanese BL industry elevates it—especially through its heartfelt storytelling and hauntingly beautiful music. At its heart, it’s unconditional love in its purest form: the sacrifice of an older brother for his family, and the deep, reciprocal affection of an adopted younger brother. I found myself completely pulled into their family dynamic—rooting for the younger brother’s growing feelings, yet understanding the elder’s struggle as he grapples with the unknown.The OST is among the best I’ve ever heard, with both leads lending their voices to songs that deepen the emotional impact of the story. Their acting is superb, making it impossible not to empathize with each character as their bond grows more intense. Watching them is like observing two opposing ions—destined to be drawn together despite the forces that push them apart.
Unknown will always sit in my top five BL dramas, competing closely for the number one spot alongside another Taiwanese masterpiece, Your Name Engraved Herein.
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Bl ye başlamak için haklı bir sebep
keşke 100 verebilsem..aşkını itiraf ederken ki o gözyaşları.. abinin kabul edişindeki o mücadele.. en sonunda onu almaya geldiğinde sağına soluna bakıp çok yakışıklısın deyip öpmesi..
muhteşemden daha iyi bir yasak aşk anlatımı. ilk sevişmelerinde abinin çok hızlı gitmiyor muyuz dediğinde ben bunu kaç gece hayal ettim demesi.. ah minel aşk
ey tayvan sineması beni hep mafediyosun
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It's giving
Another Taiwanese BL that did not disappoint.I have not read the novel so I don't know if it stayed true for the most part of the series but it was really great.
I especially loved how the actors acted. They felt really natural; the subtle movements, facial expressions, even their breathing looked natural. The comic elements did not feel forced.
Plot wise, there were parts that I was still confused about. There were scenes that I felt was unnecessary, parts where it could have been delved deeper. But hey, as I said, I have not read the story so I can't say much.
Overall, I can say I did not regret watching it and certainly I would watch it again and again.
Edit on April 26, 2024, 1 day after watching the series...
I finished reading the main story of Da ge and wow I could say that they did not stay true to the novel, like a good 80% is different. I especially dislike that they made Xiao Bao and San Pang a couple in the series. It's creepy, weird, and wrong like dude watched her grow up, even babysat her and they made them a couple?? Xiao Bao in the novel achieved her dreams of becoming a model and an actress, San Pang in the novel met another girl and had a family. I don't understand why they had to change the two's fate and created a weird relationship in the series.
Also, Xian in the novel at least in the beginning was far cold hearted than in the series. Yuan, on the other hand, well, still a loyal and obedient puppy.
And you know what, the relationship between Qian and Yuan, both the novel and the series had the same vague transition from being brothers to lovers. It just kind of happened. And yeah, in the novel, it was Qian who made the first move, while it was Yuan in the series.
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bom mas não me apeguei
é sempre interessante acompanhar obras que não seguem um plot convencional de romance pois sempre gera um questionamento nas pessoas que estão assistindo.sobre a obra em si eu não tenho muito o que falar, comecei a acompanhar os episódios semanalmente mas não me conectei com a história e vim terminar quando todos os episódios já haviam saído. eu reconheço que é uma boa história, que contém bons personagens, uma boa atuação e tem um ritmo bom mas realmente não consegui me apegar a história. apesar de ter algumas ressalvas com o romance que se desenvolve eu acredito que eles fizeram de uma forma que você consegue enxergar a relação que vai além de "irmãos". de um modo geral taiwan sabe muito bem fazer drama e dificilmente vai decepcionar.
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