Tato

Slow burn done right

While the premise of the story might seem very simple, and even overused or cliche, what makes it stand out is the execution of the story, the amazing chemistry between the actors the lovely characters and their electric dynamic that give you butterflies.

Both leads are interesting to watch and they also have their own distinctive personality that makes their relationship perfectly balanced. Jiang Tian, at first glance, might appear cold or distant, but in reality he has a heart of gold, he is very caring and considerate, but his guarded nature prevents him from openly expressing his emotions since he is afraid of letting others get too close, yet he seems to crave a profound bond. On the other hand, there is Shen Wang who seems to be more approachable and cheerful compared to Jiang Tian, but he also deals with his own emotions of sadness. At first they do not get along, but that is to be expected considering how their world is turned upside down due to their new family circumstances, yet they adjust quickly and they turn out to get along. Seeing their relationship, slowly but steadily, progress helps the viewer get immersed into the story and get attached to the characters. The gentle, quiet moments of connection makes their bond special and all the build up creates the expectation of leading to a very satisfying conclusion that we can get if season 2 is confirmed, nevertheless, the drama is still worth to watch, because even watching the build up itself unfold in front of your eyes creates all kind of emotions. The yearning in their eyes, the sparking tension, the unspoken feelings as their bond grows and gets deeper make for an excellent, sweet love story of two young kids who are discovering the world around them, while also learning more about themselves and growing as individuals.

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Heartbreakingly Beautiful

Have you ever seen a series that is so well praised, and it makes you think that it is most likely overrated, so you tend to ignore it, believing it to be overrated? This was me before getting sucked into the world of MDZ without return.

This review is for the user who is scrolling through every comment and review to find a reason to convince them that this drama is worth their time. If you're thinking to yourself ''is this really as good as people make it out to be?'' or ''what makes it so special?'' I will try to answer to these to the best of my ability.

Before I get to explain why this is worth one's time, I I am starting off by saying that the production quality is low, they were on a budget and it shows. The costumes and wigs felt like a cheap attempt at cosplaying, the CGI was bad ( we don't talk about the dog scene in prison, if you know you know) and that can interrupt with the watching experience, as it makes the setting less immersive. Nevertheless, being someone who grew up with shows like BBC Merlin, and Xena the warrior princess, I got used to the quality soon. Besides, the storytelling is so impactful that makes you overlook the production and see it as part of the overall experience.

Concerning the acting, it added to that feeling I mentioned above about the story's flow being interrupted due to the quality, since at first I found it weak and lacking, giving the impression that the actors struggled in certain scenes to convey the emotions those said scenes required them to.However, the acting significantly improved and now I can not imagine any character being portrayed by any other actor. They all eventually embraced fully their characters and brought them to life. Not to mention the amazing chemistry between the leads that made the overall watching experience even more exceptional. Maybe the initial problem with the acting is linked to the directing, as it felt awkward to me at moments, and as a result, it affected the acting in the first few episodes.

Now back to the questions. ''What makes this drama so good?'' I hear you ask.

The storytelling. The untamed/MDZ is a compelling story with an exciting setting, an engaging plot and memorable characters combined together in a tale that ties together mystery, romance, ,supernatural, fantasy and adventure, offering a perfectly balanced narrative that is hard not to get drawn to. A story can be considered good when it knows how to develop individually elements like the plot, the setting and the characters ,which when they are brought together they create what we call a masterpiece. A fantasy setting with nuanced and complex characters in a mystery plot are the recipe to a captivating story ,and this drama is perfectly good at capturing its audience. Its pacing allows the viewer to get immersed into the world of the characters, developing an emotional connection to them and digesting easily the information that is provided about the word-building.

The show masterfully blends together themes of loss, betrayal, war, grief, change and explores how different people are affected by certain circumstances they found themselves in, giving depth to the story which makes it leave a lasting impact. The untamed is in short a masterfully done story that it evokes strong emotions to which the performance and the chemistry of the actors contributes to, leaving a strong impression on the viewer. It has the ability to make you get lost in it, making you ask for more. I recommend this drama to anyone looking for a well balanced story which incorporates so many themes into one memorable epic tale.

Now you might be wondering why I gave it a 9 and not a rating of 10 if it is such a well made drama. My issues lie with the censorship that took away from an beautiful romance, yet the bond between the mcs is so strong that even censorship is not able erase it. Moreover, I am bitter that such an amazing story did not get the high quality production it deserved (the fighting scenes and those pirouettes in the air during battles made me lose focus). Overlooking these details, the drama is a masterpiece.

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''Su Yu is mine.'' Bromance my foot.

I wanna start this review by saying that I was hesitant to watch this series all these years because of the people who described it as bromance. After watching all 24 episodes, there is nothing platonic about the relationship between the two male leads. Wu Bi literally says that Su Yu belongs to him in an attempt to keep the girl who was his past love interest away. The lack of make out sessions on screen does not make it a bromance, this is clearly a romance between two boys who found a home in each other and it is a beautiful story.

I am going to be honest,I was not fan of the original series ''addicted''. I can not quite put my finger on the reason why I was not able to get into it,but after watching this adaptation things became more clear. My main issue was the pacing, the storyline unfolded in such a natural way in this drama that it gave the necessary time for the viewer to get attached to the characters and get immersed in their story. However, the pace of the original was too rushed for my taste, too many things happened I was not able to digest them or understand how we went from point A to point B. However, the chemistry of the actors in the original was amazing, I was afraid the actors in this would not be able to match it, but they proved me wrong. In the end, the chemistry of the actors is what made me fall in love with the characters of Wu Bi and Su Yu. It was so natural and magical, it is impossible not to fall in love with them.

I am aware this adaptation does not really follow closely the novel it was based off like the original series,but I am more than happy with the changes they made. Somehow it worked better for me,the trope of found family and two lonely souls coming together and providing a sanctuary to one another will forever be one of my most favorite tropes and this is exactly what Wu Bi and Su Yu's relationship feels like—a sanctuary where they can be themselves lost in a world with just the two of them. Wu Bi has become one of my most favorite characters, the actor did a great job at portraying the though guy who is actually a softy but very protective and possessive,while the actor of Su Yu did an amazing job at portraying a person who seems distant but is actually very loving and shows it through actions. Their bond is so strong and touching, the lengths they would go to for each other proves that one is unable to live without the other. Wu Bi's undying devotion for Su Yu and Su Yu's profound emotions towards Wu Bi have the power to move you deeply. I was blown away by the warmth this show brought me . It is a shame that season 2 will never see the light of the day,knowing that Wu Bi and Su Yu's story is far from other. Despite the series ending on a cliffhanger, I recommend it without a second thought. ''Stay with me'' will forever stay in my heart.

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