Jessica

Thank you! Agree so much!! I think people are too hung up on whether this is BL or not. I watch a lot of BL and would definitely not put The Untamed in that genre (which typically follow very specific tropes and character types). Just because a drama has two male leads who have a relationship (romantic or otherwise) that supersedes mere friendship doesn’t mean it’s BL. I hate that some people reduce this to whether it’s BL or not, because it offers so, so much more than that.

I wouldn’t label this BL. As someone who watches a lot from that genre, I think of those dramas as following a very specific plot line and utilizes very specific tropes. The Untamed is a fantastic, wonderfully written epic that offers so much more than your typical BL. Is there love and endearment between the leads? Yes. But it’s very subtle (it is China after all), and pure and genuine that I think it can be interpreted as a friendship marked by deep devotion and strong allegiance—brothers in arms—but can also be interpreted as romantic love by viewers who wish to see it as such. If you’re not a fan of BL, I wouldn’t worry about that much with this drama. If you like fantasies, the supernatural, period pieces, and political conflict, then I think you’ll enjoy this just fine. :)

Yeah, agree with your criticisms. I get frustrate by that too. I don't even think of BL as part of the LGBT category--it's so specific, typically follows the same pattern, and almost always has those same tropes/problems you mentioned that I just put it in a category of its own lol

I mean...just because people voice criticisms and say it's overhyped doesn't mean they don't like BL (or even this show). Maybe they're disappointed in other aspects of the show, like the writing, character development, plot, etc. Don't mean to be rude--just wanted to point out that people can like BL as a whole while also stating what they feel are shortcomings of the genre and any particular show.

Agree about the sister. Also, it's just weird to me in general that she's shipping her brother with someone in a way that a sister probably shouldn't lol, like going beyond mere support (pretty sure in ep. 2 they alluded to her writing an explicit scene between her brother and SaiFah).

I also think it's problematic that these uni students are doing the same thing to such a public extent. I cringed so hard when the two girls wanted to take a picture of Zon and Saifah and said they were voting for them to be the school's imaginary couple. I mean, I'd be lying if I said I didn't ship people myself, but that's on a more lowkey level haha. The way it's portrayed here and in other BLs, comes across as disrespectful to people's privacy and boundaries and is overall not a good look.

Yes so good!!

Kingdom is amazing!! Blew me away.

Ahhh maybe I should have put coming “soon” then lol Hopefully we don’t have to wait too much longer

Ohmygosh I’ve only ever seen Jo Seung Woo act in roles where he’s suited up and has a serious demeanor. I almost didn’t recognize him at first in this drama. Makes me love him even more <3

Aww thank you, you too! ^^ Goad I could help—if you do end up watching it, I hope you like it!

It was Ryoo. Secondary male lead but it was surprising!

Coming soon to Viki! :)

It’s coming soon to Viki if that helps. Should have subs there :)

Coming to Viki! :)

So I just finished and it’s kind of hard to say haha. One of the four people dies, so that couple ends up together mentally but not physically. For the other couple, it’s kind of vague and open-ended, but I think it implies that they end up together. I guess because it’s not really a romance, the love stories aren’t defined as much as in other dramas. Also, I didn’t ow how much of a spoiler you wanted so I didn’t list names, but let me know if you want specifics :)

Lazy Subber just posted on Facebook that New will be directing all 3 seasons, which special episodes in between. Woohoo! He’s taking over the Thai BL world haha

I’ve got about three more episodes before I finish lol but it looks like Mi Joo and Ryoo will end up together. It’s hard to say with Tae Ho and Na Ra because they don’t get enough screen time together, but I’m hoping they do! I can update you when I’m finished if you like :)

Of course! There are two romance storylines. One is between Na Ra and Tae Ho. The other is between Mi Joo and Ryoo. (I would say Na Ra is supporting and the rest are leads, which is why I broke it up like that lol). Ryoo and Mi Joo’s story has a bigger presence in the drama, which is a little sad to me because I think Tae Ho and Na Ra are cuter and sweeter haha.

But, I wouldn’t classify as a romance so if you’re really into those, you may find the love stories here disappointing. Still a good drama though, especially if you enjoy action/political/crime dramas (with a tiny sprinkling of romance). ^^

A tiny bit—very light but very sweet. More of an action-based drama though.

Of course! ^^ The English title is “The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window.” Sublime Manga publishes it in the US (they might have international shipping if you’re outside the U.S., but they sell a digital version on their website and they also sell on Amazon).

I’m not sure if there are any scanlations, but you could maybe try MangaRock? They have a lot of titles so it may be on there. There’s several volumes. :)