Lalalandkiki
Lotus Pier
This drama is a precious gift that is going to be a timeless classic in future!
Adjectives like Enthralling, mesmerizing, captivating, intriguing , entertaining ,magnificent, lavish & utterly addictive can describe this gem of a drama. It is a precious gift that is going to be a timeless classic in future! This fifty-episode drama take us on a powerful path of complex storylines and heart-wrenching longing. It’s a story of self-sacrifice and betrayal, abandonment and retribution, guilt and forgiveness, and the acceptance of responsibility for actions. Choosing to stand together for love and for what is right no matter the consequences; living with regret, and living despite regret.
Story: Let me start out by saying initial few episodes might seem convoluted and confusing, but as you keep delving deeper into the drama, you will notice the fabulous story being unraveled & unfolded. It is an intricately woven tale of family, friendship, resurrection, retribution and everlasting love. The story is amazing! There is not one dull moment in the entire story. Overall, the story feels very compassionate. It wants you to love the majority of the characters and it sympathizes with the audience’s pain when those characters suffer. It rewards deeper thought. It rewards the viewer for caring about the characters, which is something I’ve really needed this year specifically, when it feels like so many shows have been punishing their audience for caring about the characters.
Characters: Each character and not just the two main ones, have been given so much care and you actually feel all of them experience growth from the events that transpire as the series progresses. Each characters are very complex and has so much depth, not to mention how emotional some scenes can be and yet, the actors managed to nail every single one of them. From Wei Ying with his dazzling smile and yet crushed with grief at his final moments, Lan Zhan with his poker face but softness and concern that you can see in the right moment, and even Meng Yao with his nuances.
Acting: Wei Ying and Lan Zhan is thoroughly justified –kudos to actors! Xiao Zhan really is the best Wei Ying and Wang Yibo the best Lan Zhan. They were born to play these characters. They are perfectly cast and do complete justice to their respective characters. Every emotion they portray is realistic. You laugh with them, you cry with them, you feel their pain, their vulnerability, most finely nuanced performances. The chemistry between them is so palpable that you forget they are just a couple of young Chinese actors. Xiao Zhan's acting is so versatile, he brings out the lead character's many many layers with such efficiency, it gives me goosebumps. Wang Yibo on the other hand is pure LOVE. His subtle expressions speak volumes for the character, making him irresistible. And the two of them get along so well, and their love just oozes out of every scene they share. It would be not fair if I don’t mention the contribution of all the supporting actors-who are all simply marvelous and are top quality assets to the whole plot! Alongside becoming completely invested in the two main characters, you start to love nearly the whole cast.
Costumes: When it comes to costumes and props, the producers aren’t here to play. Each character’s costumes have their own unique style, it depends on what state they are in the story. The costumes have around 5-6 major themes, each corresponding to the clan they belong in.
Cinematography: The breath-taking cinematography captured all its beauty, but still focused on the story. I just really love how they directed the cinematography, as it’s one of the elements that keeps the audience watching. The cinematographers took their time in making this element perfect.
Fighting scene: Fight scenes are common scenes throughout the drama and they happen to be some of the scenes I enjoy a lot. I have no exact word of explaining this, but gravity physics is different in this show. The fight scenes are not your typical sword-to-sword fight scene because there’s no fight scenes as graceful as the ones in The Untamed. No matter how gruesome it is, it will always be graceful, as if they’re dancing instead of fighting but somehow still give the vibes of suspense, aggress, and domination.
Music: The music for this drama is ridiculously beautiful. Each of the main characters have their own song. The composition of all the songs are amazing. The lyrics of all the songs tells you the stories of the characters. I love Wuji but to be honest, I love all of them. It’s hard to pick one over another, that’s how good they are. The background music is very melancholy (in a good way). One will want to keep going back to listen to them just to calm down or distress or even just to go down the memory lane of this beautiful drama. Every single one of them is strong enough to give different emotional vibes.
Finally the BL part of the show: The production team seems to have fought for the most romantic interpretation of the show it could get away with. They’re brilliant. Even without stating the relationship as explicitly romantic, this drama managed to show how pure the love between Wei Ying and Lan Zhan is. There are simply too many amazing scenes with them where their relationship transcends the limitations allowed in the script, as seen in the actor’s choices when delivering not only lines, but body language choices and implications behind movement in general. It shows that love can be shown and felt without saying the words “I love you,” and sometimes it’s trailing off sentences that imply more than they are able to say. The Untamed heightens every interaction between them, cementing the idea for me that this is one of the most epic love stories I have ever witnessed. It isn’t every day you see a slow burn like this, and I for one, cherished every moment of it.
I cannot stress this enough: the efforts put into this show is amazingly huge and well thought over. It’s not that type of fantasy drama where they’re just in one studio and overuses greenscreen. The Untamed really went on their way filming on different settings, making well-designed costumes, composing music, and making fiction feel real to make the fantasy its best version. This is one of the many reasons why CQL/The Untamed is one of the best dramas ever. It’s because the efforts of the producers, cast, and anyone who contributed to this drama is impossible to disregard.
Story: Let me start out by saying initial few episodes might seem convoluted and confusing, but as you keep delving deeper into the drama, you will notice the fabulous story being unraveled & unfolded. It is an intricately woven tale of family, friendship, resurrection, retribution and everlasting love. The story is amazing! There is not one dull moment in the entire story. Overall, the story feels very compassionate. It wants you to love the majority of the characters and it sympathizes with the audience’s pain when those characters suffer. It rewards deeper thought. It rewards the viewer for caring about the characters, which is something I’ve really needed this year specifically, when it feels like so many shows have been punishing their audience for caring about the characters.
Characters: Each character and not just the two main ones, have been given so much care and you actually feel all of them experience growth from the events that transpire as the series progresses. Each characters are very complex and has so much depth, not to mention how emotional some scenes can be and yet, the actors managed to nail every single one of them. From Wei Ying with his dazzling smile and yet crushed with grief at his final moments, Lan Zhan with his poker face but softness and concern that you can see in the right moment, and even Meng Yao with his nuances.
Acting: Wei Ying and Lan Zhan is thoroughly justified –kudos to actors! Xiao Zhan really is the best Wei Ying and Wang Yibo the best Lan Zhan. They were born to play these characters. They are perfectly cast and do complete justice to their respective characters. Every emotion they portray is realistic. You laugh with them, you cry with them, you feel their pain, their vulnerability, most finely nuanced performances. The chemistry between them is so palpable that you forget they are just a couple of young Chinese actors. Xiao Zhan's acting is so versatile, he brings out the lead character's many many layers with such efficiency, it gives me goosebumps. Wang Yibo on the other hand is pure LOVE. His subtle expressions speak volumes for the character, making him irresistible. And the two of them get along so well, and their love just oozes out of every scene they share. It would be not fair if I don’t mention the contribution of all the supporting actors-who are all simply marvelous and are top quality assets to the whole plot! Alongside becoming completely invested in the two main characters, you start to love nearly the whole cast.
Costumes: When it comes to costumes and props, the producers aren’t here to play. Each character’s costumes have their own unique style, it depends on what state they are in the story. The costumes have around 5-6 major themes, each corresponding to the clan they belong in.
Cinematography: The breath-taking cinematography captured all its beauty, but still focused on the story. I just really love how they directed the cinematography, as it’s one of the elements that keeps the audience watching. The cinematographers took their time in making this element perfect.
Fighting scene: Fight scenes are common scenes throughout the drama and they happen to be some of the scenes I enjoy a lot. I have no exact word of explaining this, but gravity physics is different in this show. The fight scenes are not your typical sword-to-sword fight scene because there’s no fight scenes as graceful as the ones in The Untamed. No matter how gruesome it is, it will always be graceful, as if they’re dancing instead of fighting but somehow still give the vibes of suspense, aggress, and domination.
Music: The music for this drama is ridiculously beautiful. Each of the main characters have their own song. The composition of all the songs are amazing. The lyrics of all the songs tells you the stories of the characters. I love Wuji but to be honest, I love all of them. It’s hard to pick one over another, that’s how good they are. The background music is very melancholy (in a good way). One will want to keep going back to listen to them just to calm down or distress or even just to go down the memory lane of this beautiful drama. Every single one of them is strong enough to give different emotional vibes.
Finally the BL part of the show: The production team seems to have fought for the most romantic interpretation of the show it could get away with. They’re brilliant. Even without stating the relationship as explicitly romantic, this drama managed to show how pure the love between Wei Ying and Lan Zhan is. There are simply too many amazing scenes with them where their relationship transcends the limitations allowed in the script, as seen in the actor’s choices when delivering not only lines, but body language choices and implications behind movement in general. It shows that love can be shown and felt without saying the words “I love you,” and sometimes it’s trailing off sentences that imply more than they are able to say. The Untamed heightens every interaction between them, cementing the idea for me that this is one of the most epic love stories I have ever witnessed. It isn’t every day you see a slow burn like this, and I for one, cherished every moment of it.
I cannot stress this enough: the efforts put into this show is amazingly huge and well thought over. It’s not that type of fantasy drama where they’re just in one studio and overuses greenscreen. The Untamed really went on their way filming on different settings, making well-designed costumes, composing music, and making fiction feel real to make the fantasy its best version. This is one of the many reasons why CQL/The Untamed is one of the best dramas ever. It’s because the efforts of the producers, cast, and anyone who contributed to this drama is impossible to disregard.
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