The Untamed (2019)

Comfort Show

the characters are just on point even when the casting director didn’t choose a list actors it really showed that there is still true skill out there that is still hidden it is one of my favourite shows and i have probably rewatched it five times not including watching the animated series and reading the books it’s sad how the actors aren’t allowed to be friends anymore bc of the rumpus that the fans made i think it’s really messed up but the show is still fantastic and it’s the first sore i would recommend to someone who is just starting out on watching historical dramas

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A masterpiece

As someone who can't watch a serie with a lot of episodes I want more of this , 50 episodes are not enough.
it's 4am and I just have finished this , and I'm writing this and crying at the same time . I can't stop thinking of the friendship between LWJ and WWC . I can't move on from the theme song going along with the ending scene and WWC laughter.
If I got the chance I'll rewatch this over and over again.
I'm not gonna talk about the acting skills of the actors (alllllll of them) they have played it soooo wellll, like I can't imagine something more real than this , they made me live with the story without thinking that this is not realllll.
I recommend it to everyone, show it much love plls🙏💙🖤

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I wouldnt say it is the best Chinese drama ever made since Chinese dramas esp the epic historical ones have always been A++ in term of script and production value but this drama definitely one of my very faves. I love the friendship and I esp loves the characters! Wuxian is definitely one of the best characters ever made tbh -- untamed, wild, brilliant, smart, powerful, gifted, lovable but the greatest things of all is that he has a heart of a gold and kindness that is so deep that you didnt know how selfless he is in everything.

I shed tears many times for which I didnt think is possible when I started this drama. I mean, its a fantasy drama with magic, flying and stuffs so to shed tears for this kind of stories is kind of impossible for me but it did and because of that, it deserved a special place in my heart. :D

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Fear not, Bromance is just a beard for BL in The Untamed - the romance is there!

I have watched so many dramas over the years but no matter how much I loved the stories and its characters, I have never felt compelled to write a review in hopes of trying to convince others to watch a show until now. If you are unsure whether you will enjoy watching The Untamed, please give it a chance. I was hesitant to watch this show at first because costume/historical dramas full of sword fighting are just not my cup of tea. I am a confirmed romance junkie that favors lighthearted rom com dramas but all the rave reviews I kept seeing for this show piqued my curiosity.

After reading that due to censorship there were only very subtle hints at a romance between the two main characters and a heavy reliance on symbolism to convey their love, I was worried that the show would be unable to convince me of their feelings for each other without offering up a single kiss or obvious show of skinship. My fears were proved wrong and as the show progressed, I became completely engrossed in their story.

The drama starts off slow but steady (albeit somewhat confusing at times - I had to read recaps off the internet after each of the earlier episodes to make sure I was following along correctly) with the introduction of numerous characters and events that are all necessary to piecing together and understanding the backstory leading up to the opening scene of episode 1. The pacing in the first half of the drama can drag a bit and feel somewhat uneven and uneventful but if you can stick it out, the second half more than makes up for it. By the time I reached the 16-year time skip, I was fully invested in the story and could not bear to tear my eyes away for the remainder of the show.

The story of The Untamed unfolds slowly across 50 episodes that span almost two decades but that time is used wisely to carefully craft the storyline of our two main characters, as well as to develop various arcs for the other characters whose own stories and fates sent me on an emotional roller coaster. Even now at the end of their journey, I find it hard to let go of this show that was so much more than just a love story. It is not a candy coated HEA fairy tale, but it is replete with self-discovery, personal growth, sacrifice and loss that will tug at your heartstrings.

The drama combines stellar acting by both protagonists and villains and pairs it together with an incredible OST that will immerse you in the world of clans and cultivation. The result is an epic tale that delivers to the viewer an equally extraordinary romance that manages to make other love stories pale by comparison. The Untamed is an unforgettable drama that I know I will revisit again and again, and I hope one day to find another show that will touch my heart like this one did.

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A must-watch for every drama watcher out there.

This drama is at first one of the most confusing dramas ever. Admittedly, at my first watch I was skipping around quite a bit. But funnily enough, the main charm about this drama is about its rewatch value. Every time you rewatch this drama you will discover a new hidden detail about something that you hadn't before, and you'll be drawn more and more into its intriguing and romantic storyline.

Storyline

Just by reading the synopsis, pretty much everyone can tell that this drama is stuffed with potential. The storyline is interesting and it hints at a slight romance/bromance that blossoms in the later episodes. What I do want to say about the storyline though, is that it's quite confusing at first. If you're like me, you'll probably be skipping parts at times kinda confused about what's happening. However, if you ever decide to rewatch the drama, then you'll understand how intricately and masterfully designed the plot truly was, you just gotta give it some time.

Cast

Ngl, at first I was hesitant with the idol-casting in this drama. As truthfully, they don't often happen to be great actors, especially in a complex drama like this. But truly, the main leads were so well picked. The actor for WWX portrayed his bubbly personality extremely well and the actor for LWJ did a great job for his character as well.

Rewatch Value

Like I've already talked about before, this drama is one of the best to rewatch out there. As for myself, I've already rewatched it 3 times and I'm seriously considering to rewatch it again after writing this review. In your first watch, you'll probably be so confused or immersed in the storyline that you may miss some hidden expression an actor made or some hidden meaning behind a line said. But rewatching will not only increase your understanding in this drama but your appreciation for it will grow as well.

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best show i've ever watched in my life

im now sobbing: not because the ending was particularly sad but because this is an absolutely beautiful masterpiece and i'm heartbroken it's over. the storytelling is the most magnificent i've ever seen and believe me, I've read hundreds of books. the utter depth and credibility given to the characters by the phenomenal prowess of the actors has me amazed. they couldn't have chosen a better cast - the characters really live and breathe out of the screen. this will definitely be a show im going to rewatch and rewatch and even read the book.

I hate to admit it, but the original reason I started this was for the infamous romance between the main leads that had me intrigued. but I never could have anticipated binge-watching this 50-episode show all in a week, not just because of the romance, but because I fell in love with the characters and story.

the acting is incredible and paired with the sheer depth that the author gave the many characters, it's truly beautiful to witness their stories. from wen ning, wen qing, xue yang, jiang cheng, yanli, meng yao, lan xichen, lan sizhuan/a-yuan (gosh that last episode when he remembers wei ying had me bawling, i love yuan and the familial love between him and wei ying and lan zhan!!!). all the characters had me utterly intrigued,with their complex moral dilemmas and the duplicitous traitors even more interesting to observe.

every relationship dynamic was so beautifully crafted and the sheer vast amount of characters had me rooting for all of them, but especially wei ying.

but of course, the relationship between wei ying and lan zhan had me swooning - no wonder the best romances come from stories which do not have "romance" as the main focus of genre. because their love was so organic and pure and built from friendship that I couldn't help but root for them. despite lan zhan having few lines, his ethereal presence and the way in which he says Wei Ying's name or the way in which he uses his eyes convey more than enough emotion. truly the actors are so skilled.

and the music!! the wangxian theme tune and all the scenes that go along with it, the stares full of longing, the sheer love that's blatantly clear through the screen - you'd have to be a blind and stubborn fool not to see it. because the best love stories are those where the characters show their love, not state it.

all in all, mzds will now become my entire personality and I strive to perhaps even read the book and the the author's other works and adaptations.

if there was one drama I would recommend anyone, it would be this. please, if you're reading this because you're unsure whether to watch the untamed, just watch it. although the prospect of 50 episodes may seem daunting at first, I assure you, I was utterly dejected when I was nearing the end. it didn't even feel like enough.

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I have not watched a REALLY good drama in FOREVER.

First off a few things:
* I'm not familiar with the cast, at all
* I've never watched similar dramas, in which there are two male "soulmates"
* I've never seen the anime, manga, or read the books.

I did enjoy this drama though, the plot was so intriguing. I loved the mystery behind the whole series. After the flashback scenes are over, I kind of guessed the villain at the end of this drama. However, we were still trying to figure out the motive. I thought the cast and acting was great. The cast did a great job, the interactions were great. I even liked the interactions with the 2nd generation of cultivators. As mentioned, I never read the novel but our two male leads kept me captivated. WWX was so funny, outgoing, arrogant and cocky, on the other hand LWJ is quiet, reserved and cool. They're like polar opposites, but somehow it works.

Although, I had the sound on mute most of the times (I was trying to watch at 2am while fiancee was sleeping lol), the score was beautiful from the times I had the sound on.

Overall, I really enjoyed the drama. If you're like me and stumbled across this drama, but saw this was "boy love" do not fear. Due to China being super "conservative" there are no intimate scenes between our male leads. If you watch this drama w/o reading about the whole sexuality thing, you would just think there's really strong bromances in this drama. Each group had their little pairings.

I would totally go for a sequel, or even spin-offs with the original cast making appearances.

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I am in love

I am speechless. I am a big fan of fantasy works and this is my first venture into chinese dramas and xianxia. My teenager fangirl that used to have issues letting go of The Lord of The Rings is suddenly re-awakened and I do not know how to express my excitement over this. Perhaps it is the needed escapism during the pandemic (at least where I am from it is still raging).

Yes it sucks that China has censorship, but I guess all of us went into it knowing what we were going to get and the fact thatthe leads have such chesmistry, their long gazes, the longing and love for my is quite clear and beautiful and I find it sooo hard to understand someone who watches this and thinks Lan Zhan and Wei Ying are just friends. The love is there. <3

The story is great and any flaws be it technical or in script become irrelevant because of how captivating these characters are. It was a hell of a ride. I admit the 'outside world' influenced me a bit because as I went into my usual research about the actors I ran into the events of Xiao Zhan being cancelled and it made me sad for him.

One of the things I love about dramas be it from Korea or China is the amount of behind the scenes content we are given and I am a sucker for honest friendships formed during these productions. Being part of something that was as massive as The Untamed and changed careers and create a whole trend of so many BL novels being adapted now...would probably forge the type of friendship I remember The Fellowship of The Ring developing and it makes me (silly) sad to think a misguided situation may have affected these actors in such a way.

However sticking to the Fantasy part of it, there is no heartache to be had, no bitterseet feelings, just love.

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BAWLING WTF

I have never, in my ENTIRE life, sobbed over a show or movie. I’m currently writing this after finishing the final episode and I am BAWLING my eyes out. Heart thumping, nose so congested I can’t breathe, tears endlessly falling … like wtf, this isn’t normal. The last few minutes just made me realize all of a sudden that this was the END end of this story and I couldn’t take it. I am so overwhelmed. I was so genuinely distraught for a few minutes that LWJ and WWX would go their separate ways and that would be that. That’s when I started crying. Like, that’s it? They’re gonna do this to us after LWJ basically devoted his entire life to WWX the last however many episodes??? After he came to terms with his own morality and beliefs to therefore take WWX’s side through and through? And why would WWX not just stay with him??? BRO I STARTED CRYINGGG. Then LWJ heard the bamboo flute and came back, saying, “Wei Ying,” and they don’t show his face but we see WWX’s smile and UGHHH I began BAWLINGGGG WTFFFFF. Can’t do this. This is the most beautifully written and showcased relationship I have ever seen be portrayed between two people in any medium. The fact that it’s all without any physicality, but so much heartfelt trust, support, care, etc. is what makes it work in that if they did show any physicality, it would seem cheap. I don’t need that. I don’t want it. Their looks at each other are enough. I know everyone says this but I didn’t get it until I saw it myself. I can’t even put this into words. The censorship of this show is why I never wanted to watch it because I never saw the point, but now I blame people who made me think this show was a BL. It’s not. It’s a love story about family, friends, and even more, but the love is so unadulterated and pure. It’s a story about right and wrong, class structure, family dynamics, turning a good person into a villain (except not really), and so many other deep, thoughtful themes. Calling it a BL is limiting. It’s a drama, a mystery, an action story, a love story, etc. And at the end of the day, it’s truly the relationship between WWX and LWJ that makes this show, and I have to give it up to the actors, because they breathe the life into these characters and their scenes together. No one else could have done it. Their understanding of these characters, their portrayal in every possible way—it’s outstanding. I am so utterly impressed and enchanted with their performances. Everything about these two leads makes me gloss over the entire Coffin Town episodes (lmao, it was bad, it was the first time I sped up the scenes for this entire show). I don’t know how I will ever recover from this. I didn’t think I’d like this show because I’ve tried wuxias before and it never worked out. But this is the exception. I’m kicking myself for not watching this when it originally aired, but I’m so glad I watched it now. I’m already reading the book and honestly? I’m very glad I watched the show first. I already love the changes the show chose to take. Again, I think the innocent yet intense beauty of the subliminal (though, not really) love between WWX and LWJ in the show is doubled in power because they rely on facial expressions, voice tones, character conversations and motives in order to display their relationship, which they do so so so beautifully. I never thought I’d prefer it, but here we are. Everything about this show is gorgeous, my goodness. Don’t even get me started on the music. Even the sound editing is flawless.

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This one is pure Magic

Fair warning if you are here for just a wuxia drama, then you may not like it but if you are here for BL, this is the one.

I watched this around the time it officially released but wanted to write a review after watching other Chinese bl drama adaptations. This won't be a professional review because a lot of people have already done that.

Most people might have seen others gushing about this drama and honestly if I am allowed to, I will definitely rant for hours about this as well. It is not without reason. It has been two years and of all the bl adapted dramas there is, CQL is still the best yet. I lost count on how many times I've re-watched it.

The best thing about this is that the plot and romance go hand in hand. Even if not seen on the BL point of view the plot is still good. If you are new to this the first few episodes will probably confuse you very much, it was for me so I dropped it ( a decision I still regret) and picked it up again.
One of those better budgeted productions, so looks decent. It's not technically amazing or anything but it doesn't matter because you wouldn't be looking at anything else other than the main CP. They are my favorite couple and the ML is one of my most favourite characters. They are just perfect, casting wise and acting wise. They make everything worth it and more.
There is no other annoying, unwanted hetero romantic subplots for the sake of censorship (I am eternally grateful to the makers for that). You can feel exactly what the two leads relationship actually is even if a lot toned down. The other characters are also done well.
The story is almost (95%) similar to the og novel and did complete justice to it. The ending is open and ambiguous, again for censorship sake but not very disappointing.
This was a game changer because it successfully adapted a danmei without loosing its core elements even through censorship.

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Oh... Oh this is actually happening. You're here too?! I don't think a person on this planet hasn't heard or seen something about this show. Whether you know it or not... Well... here goes nothing.


I wasn't ready!!!! I WASN'T FUCKING READY!!!! "Oh you came out the gate with profanity...." You're damn right I did!! What? .... What.....?!?! WHHHHHAAAATTTTTT DO I DO WITH MY LIFE NOW?!?!?! How can you.... I just.... *deep breath*

Okay let's start from the beginning.... I, (LIKE MANY OTHERS!!!!) saw this show and our first words were "There is no way this show is 50 episodes good"

Bro... (I call everyone this, chill) ------ I hate it here. The first 3 to 4 episodes, I had to get my roommate to take the remote from me because it was awful. I'm sorry. I spent roughly a month and a half trying to make it but always cut it off from episode 1 or 2. But, with the promise of MULTIPLE PEOPLE, "it gets soooo much better!!" These bitches.... knew my life was going to change looooong before I did. Because once I got past the cringe parts of the first few episodes, I wanted to fist fight time and sleep. I didn't want to stop. There are soooo many people who I relate to and they relate to me when we all agree this seems to be how everyone starts out with this show. "There's no way this can be 50 episodes good".... by episode 5, without even knowing the rest of the show we all say "well never mind" cuz it proved up HELLA wrong!

"I lost 50 pounds using Jenny Craig"
Biiiiiiitch I gained 200 pounds stress eating watching The Untamed and it was worth every moment. Lol

Okay that was dramatic but I swear if you see this show or have seen it, you know EXACTLY what I'm talking about.

Y'all, this isn't even my kind of show. If you've known me long enough, I do NOT like historical dramas, movies, books, etc. Especially fantasy ones. They just... were never my thing. I could never get into them and they annoyed me because they all felt like cardboard cutouts. Always the same.
The Untamed called me by my full name and said "BET"

While it starts off extremely confusing, it does make sense later. It's the one thing I couldn't get passed and why other's needed to tell me to hang in there. I hate slow starts, I hate cringe, and I being confused more than any thing and how it starts off was all of those, so you can't blame me for shutting it off so many times.
Can we just talk about Jiang Cheng (Jiang Wanyin) for a second though? This show is not short on villains at all. Every episode is a hell of a ride but this fucker... From episode 1 we see the kind of person he is. Even with all the bad guys, I still think I hate him the most. Yep Yep Yep -_-


Now can we talk about the loves of my life now? Because I can talk ALL DAY on these men!! They are *chef's kiss* THE FUCKING LOYALTY!!!!

If you don't love me like Lan Zhan loves Wei Wuxian, you don't love me at all. I want someone who looks at me like Lan Zhan looks at Wei Wuxian.

I said what I said and I'll say it again, WITH MY WHOLE CHEST!! While I know this story is *their* story, I really feel like the actors made it more powerful. I feel like if they had set anyone else in these characters, it wouldn't be nearly as powerful as it is with Sean Xiao and Wang Yi Bo. I won't apologize for feeling this way either. Their chemistry MADE this show what it is. No one can take their places. Lol I will scream this from the rooftops and can go on and on about them and how much Lan Zhan did for Wuxian (can't tell me that man doesn't love TF outta him).
Moving on!

Y'all... I'ma tell you my all time favorite characters. Wen Ning (Paul Yu) and Ah Qing (Chen Zhuo Xuan) -- they were clearly sie characters but they fully stole the show. Their parts no matter how small, they dominated the show.

I think I would actually fight someone for Wen Ning, and I'm not even kidding. The man is so adorable and pure. He just wanted to help. He didn't deserve all the bullshit he was put through. He didn't deserve to be left alone and on the outside all the time. Like, I get they were trying to "protect" him most of the time, but I personally would have kept him by me all the time and fought anyone that messed with him. Lol He is a soft badass marshmallow who should be protected at all costs. Lol

Now about A-Qing, her part was so freaking small but she stole the show hands down.

She was so damn precious!!! I wanted more screen time for her. Lol She was one of those rare characters that even though they were annoying af, you can't help but to love them to death. Chen Zhuo Xuan played her in such a way that years from now on your deathbed, I'm sure you'll remember her..... or maybe that's just me. But she will stick even harder after you find out her story. Bruh, I fucking cried. That's the one spoiler I will give. I fucking cried.

Now there were many other characters I loved and disliked but I realize this is turning into it's own mini book and if you have stuck around this long, I thank you. If you haven't seen this -- please give it a shot. It really is amazing. Everything is amazing. The characters, actors, music, settings, just. roguherguherouhbgeriuhbirluevhieruhguer UGHHHH I LOVE IT!!!! lol
If you have seen this.... please fangirl with me.

That being said though, fuck you Xue Yang!! I hate you! You psychotic dick! Even if you ARE hot...

Also before I go I want to talk about that ending. I can't NOT talk about it. Bruh... what the fuck happened in that temple? The "bad guy" can go fucking ROT somewhere, I don't give a damn about his history or anything when he tried the "sympathy" card (as he did through the whole show) -- he can eat shit. but at the very end the "WATCH OUT!!!" from that unexpected character... left me confused af. Was he not the coward everyone was? I loved him all through the show up till that point. Like... It totally left me mind blown and confused. It never gave us a clear answer either!!! So I'm just left looking at the screen like "holy shit, what just happened!?" and also left me wondering so much more. Like I feel like everything is a lie. Lol This is why I have trust issues!!!

Also sick of seeing Lan Zhan and Wei Wuxia parting ways, gosh damn it, if they don't just sit the fuck down and raise that kid, I'ma scream my head off.
Now I'm emotional all over again. I really will wrap this up now. Lol I'm sorry this is so long. I just have a ton of feelings. I'm sobbing that this is actually over. I wish it could go on forever lol. Like I'm glad but I miss them already. I want to forget it all and watch it again.... but I'll just remember and watch it again and again.... and again.... and again. Lol

How did this show make YOU feel?

(( Also side note: I included a lot of gifs to go with this review but MDL doesn't support gifs in reviews. If you'd like to see, you can check out my review on my blog ^_^))

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Deserves the praise but definitely has room to improve

Note: I watched this back in early 2020 but am only writing the review now. Excuse me for any mistakes I might make about story elements as I might have remembered incorrectly.

The Untamed is one of the more ambitious Chinese dramas I've watched. It pushes the boundaries of what is accepted in broadcast and, I think, does it in a way that has broken barriers for dramas coming after it. For that alone it deserves high praises, but I will talk a bit about what I think makes The Untamed fall short from being one of the best dramas I've seen.

Story:
It's strong and character-driven, and explores a lot of interesting themes such as the distinction between good and evil, personal responsiblity, and self-sacrifice, in considerable depth. A qualm I had with it, though, would be its pacing. Certain scenes lasted entirely too long, and things only pick up at around episode 20. For an already 50 epsiode-long drama, a slow start could turn away a lot of audiences.

Acting/Cast:
I would have been harsher here if not for the fact that most of the cast were rookies, and for their experience did relatively well. The performances that stood out most to me were Xiao Zhan as Wei Wuxian (of course) and Song Jiyang as Xiao Xingchen. They both have a lot of potential and I'm looking forward to their upcoming works (hoping Song Jiyang gets a lead role someday)! Wang Yibo's performance sort of fluctuated but there is definitely significant improvement towards the end. Wang Zhuocheng and Wang Haoxuan's scenes were difficult to watch... which is a little bit painful considering Jiang Cheng is my favourite character, but again, they're rookies, so I'll cut them some slack.

The casting was done fairly well. I can't speak for the novel fanbase who have their own opinions but I do think Xiao Zhan as Wei Wuxian and Wang Yibo as Lan Wangji had a solid amount of chemistry and fit their roles fairly well. I appreciate that they cast rookies, too, as rocky as some scenes were.

Music:
I didn't pay too much attention to the music but it's definitely memorable. I can hear the main soundtracks in my head on cue, so I suppose they've done their job there. It set the mood fairly well, and considering both leads play instruments it's probably more important than I've given it credit for.

Overall, The Untamed is worth a watch but definitely not perfect. There's some slowness, amateur acting, and low-budget CGI you'd have to sit through, but the story is rich and the characters sympathetic, so ultimately I would say it's worth a try!

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