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To the Wonder chinese drama review
Completed
To the Wonder
10 people found this review helpful
by Kate Flower Award2 Big Brain Award1
28 days ago
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 3
Overall 10
Story 10.0
Acting/Cast 10.0
Music 10.0
Rewatch Value 10.0

"Look at the trees and grass on the grassland…

They are called useful if people eat and use them. But if no one uses them, it's perfectly fine for them to simply exist in the grassland. They are free, aren't they?"

To the Wonder is the type of drama that will not really leave you with many thoughts, but rather many feelings. There is no deep and complex plot that will mess up your brain as you try to figure it out. There are no intense conflicts that will make your blood boil. It’s just life - with ups and downs, but steadily flowing no matter what, like a river stream.

What amazes me the most, is how even the supportive characters that showed up for a few minutes here and there felt like real people. While the synopsis highlights the romance between Wen Xiu and Batay, the actual story is far more equal in representation of different arcs. Rather than a love story, it’s a community journey that also includes a love story. But it’s so much more.

It’s a story of learning how to move on from loss, how to take risks in starting anew and accept if we make a mistake. A story of finding new ways to chase your dreams, to experience life and understand that there is a beauty in the simplicity of existence. We get to witness the fear of losing what you found to be the comforting lifestyle, the anger that comes with it and the slow acceptance of change. We experience the clash of old and new traditions. We get to know people who understand how to appreciate what they have, and those who are never satisfied.

As a person who loves the comforts the city life gives, even I was moved by the stunning scenery shown in To the Wonder. It evokes in me this want to explore, to experience and to appreciate nature, the harmony in which some communities live with it. Just 8 episodes and yet over 500 screenshots in my folder. Every second was visually breathtaking. The vibrant colors of nature and the cultural heritage.

Then we have the performances. There was one scene in the last episode that especially emotionally touched me (everyone who saw the show knows exactly what scene I am talking about) - the emotions were just so real and raw. But the whole drama was filled with moving dialogues, subtle expressions of rich emotions, variety of personalities and motivations delivered by a skilled cast.

Overall, it’s a small story that feels larger than life, because it encapsulates all that’s important in human existence. It shows that keeping the community requires work and care, but it’s worth the effort you put in. It teaches you how to balance individualistic motivations and needs, while respecting the traditions and understanding the hopes of the community. I was getting more and more frustrated as I watched the episodes, because I did not want it to end.

This is one of the dramas I could write a review for a week, tweak it, rewrite it and I will not be happy with it because it's impossible to describe the beauty of this show, you just gotta experience it.
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