[Mainland Chinese Drama 2019] The Untamed 陈情令

[GiaGia]

This drama really tugs at your heart !!! Sad and then happy for the OTP.  The ending song by the ML is so nice!! This drama is amazing!!

edit: I'm now on ep 31!!! So far, it is so heartbroken to watched the characters fall into their misery, and circumstances. I love the Wen siblings, Wen Qing and Wen Ning; they are so kind, pure and innocence. Wen Ning is so sweet and kind, full of innocence and can do no wrong. It pains my heart how much Wen Ning have suffered so far~ The Jiang siblings really makes you want to cry for their circumstances, so far this drama have remind me that there is no black and white. There is sometimes a gray area, and sometimes nothing is justify, even though it may be seen as inappropriate, or not according to social structure. WWX is really amazing and just^^!!! 

Edit 11/18/2019: I have read most of the comments, and gone through all of the pages :)!!! I wish I was here with you guys when the drama was airing, and this thread was created :)!!!! Love reading all the reviews, see the pictures, and basically sharing everything we love and adore about this fantastic drama!!! Xiao Zian and Yibo are really good actors for their role :). They have chemistry, with their longing gaze, eyes and interactions :)!! No one watching cannot deny their chemistry and love for each other :)!

[CQL]

 

[eerylin-heaven]

 EP 19 - 20 :   I'm confused, Wei ying

Spoiler

became a cultivator of the demonic Arts when he was thrown to the Burial Mounds by Wen Chao but how and why? What is the voice and this sword, why not use it, why use a flute. Why this repulsion to swords afterwards and why did the flute become so important? How did he manage to escape de Yiling and Why is there no way back when he returns to his family? Why is he continuing with the demonic arts while it's a path that hurts the heart and the soul ? For revenge and power only ? 

 

 

[AnniaD]

1 minute ago, eerylin-heaven said:

 EP 19 - 20 :   I'm confused, Wei ying

  Hide contents

became a cultivator of the demonic Arts when he was thrown to the Burial Mounds by Wen Chao but how and why? What is the voice and this sword, why not use it, why use a flute. Why this repulsion to swords afterwards and why did the flute become so important? How did he manage to escape de Yiling and Why is there no way back when he returns to his family? Why is he continuing with the demonic arts while it's a path that hurts the heart and the soul ? For revenge and power only ? 

 

 

 

I don't have the answer for everything and I don't remember if at this point a major detail was already revealed and I'm afraid to spoil you if that detail was just revealed afterwards but..

 

Spoiler

he basically can't go back to the previous path of cultivation because of that detail I don't remember if it was already revealed or not. The thing with swords is that those swords are spiritual weapons and without spiritual energy a person can barely use them. Hence why he now uses the flute to control the ghosts, because he can't use the sword to fight. Basically ghosts are his weapon with the use of the flute to control them.

 

We don't see much but I think that he learned demonic cultivation by himself (he's very smart) by being surrounded with all those resentful spirits at burial mounds, but I honestly didn't understand very well the details of his transformation. I think he entered that path because it was the only way of surviving at that time.

 

He can't go back because as I said he lacks what's needed to properly cultivate and he continues to use this power to protect the people he loves and defend what he believes is right. He never used these new powers for power or self gain. He had no choice than to choose the demonic cultivation path and to continue use it to protect those who need. His heart is still in the right place, despite his methods being considered "dark".

 

 

[GiaGia]

On 8/15/2019 at 10:49 AM, BreezeC said:

Thoughts on Jiang Cheng (Spoiler ahead):

 

 

The Untamed ended and based on what I expressed in my earlier post, I am happy with the ending...However, there is this one unresolved business that keeping coming up in my mind...instead of business...I can simply say a person...

 

Before I started this drama, I always feel conflicted on this character...Is he weak? Yes and No, even though he never live up to his father expectation and always under WWX's shadow (Come on! This is unfair, no one can outshine WWX's personality lol) He is not useless and he did build up Yunmeng Jiang Sect again. Is he wrong? He have every right to blame and hate WWX and he knows it is not WWX's intention but all those tragedies of his life is linked to WWX directly or indirectly. Is he mean and disliking? Yes and no, 99% of the time the word coming out of his mouth is mean and harsh but 95% of the time, he doesn't really mean what he is say... I can't decide if I like this character or dislike this character but he had a very conflicted place in my mind....

 

Until this drama...or more accurately, the last few episodes in this drama. Jiang Cheng...Jiang Cheng...I don't even know where to begin with you but I will have to start with his mother's personality. He inherited 100% of his mother's personality. Putting up a mean and harsh front to cover up all his actual feeling and emotion. Similar to how his mother's personality created the barriers in her marriage to the man that she love and love her back, it is almost the same situation with Jiang Cheng and WWX in which they both care and love each other like brothers but because of all that happened and mainly Jiang Cheng's personality, they can't reconcile as brothers anymore. 

 

Jiang Cheng had become my third favorite character in his novel. I have a lot of favorites but if I have to rank them, JC will be third after WWX and LWJ.  Why? While WWX is perceived as an antihero who did what he consider right and LWX who is perceived as a righteous deity, JC main priority is always his family and his sect. He doesn't have freedom, or more accurately, his personality and responsibility doesn't allow him to have a choice to stand by WWX or do what is 'right'. He watched as WWX walked further and further away from the 'normal' path and although he understand WWX's personality and doing, he don't agree because he knows the consequences. If he had to chose between WWX or his family/sect, he chose the latter but that doesn't mean he didn't struggle with his decision, he tried to convince WWX. Sometime I felt JC is more sensitive and rational than he appears because he know and warn WWX of his actions. He see that his sister like Jin Zixuan unlike WWX who always think his sister can find someone better. While WWX and LWX is the gem we all admire, I felt JC is more relate-able in terms of reality...

 

I love their conversation in the temple, JC said a bunch of stuff... Should I be grateful to you? You are always the one shining? You own us so much? My parent, my sister, etc blah blah blah You said you will never betray us? blah blah blah Why shouldn't I hate you? blah blah blah To me, JC said a bunch of stuff under anger but what break my heart and what truly matters the most is when he asked..."Why you didn't tell me?... You promise to stay by my side forever and never betray us...you said it..." He repeated it twice. At the end of the day, JC want to bring himself to hate WWX, he needs an outlet for his angry but at the bottom of his heart, the one thing he care about the most and was hurt the most is that WWX abandon him. He thought WWX will always be there for him but he is left alone to face everything. When WWX wipe his tear and ask him to forget but know he won't, JC stared at WWX like a lost puppy, looking up to his older brother for guidance. No matter how much he pretend to be mean and tough, I see a sensitive and lost man who desperately want to go back to the past where he have his family and his brother who he can bicker with and also walk side by side together. Yet, he can't go back to the past and his path ahead is lonely and sad because he can't let go of that beautiful past...

 

Does he hate WWX? No because if he does, he won't sacrifice his life to distract the soldiers from capturing WWX, planning to die from it when he said he blame WWX for his parent's death. No, because he didn't blame WWX for losing his golden core or even plan to tell him. No because when his sister die and he blamed WWX, he still didn't let his sword touch WWX. No because for 16 years, he is searching for him, saying he plan to find him and kill him, but kept his flute by his side with him for 16 years...

 

At the end, they know each other are well and have their own path to continue on... Maybe in many years to come, they will meet again and talk and see each other once in awhile but they can never return to their youthful years...or the brothers they once was...

 

PS: To lighten up the mood, I saw someone comment in Weibo that the drama started off with WWX's first word as "Lan Zhan"...realizing that everyone wanted him dead except for Lan Zhan... and the drama ended with LWJ calling out "Wei Ying", expressing that he will always be by his side. Awwwww...that is so meaningful and sweet (Sorry, Jiang Cheng, I didn't mean to rub it in your face lol)

 

 

 

 

JC is my least favorite character. I understand his POV towards WWX, but I just feel like he cannot see things from WWX's POV or another person's (ex: his father). Moreover, I feel like he didn't feel any gratitude towards Wen Ning and Wen Qing for saving him; and throughout the first half of the drama, he's still the same from the beginning? But, everything you say here make sense of JC's characteristics, and I can sympathize with him on these points.

 

Question: Why are some fans complaining about Wen Qing's character in the drama? How is the character in the book? EX: Saying she have too much screen time?

[Miya Kenko]

I love this drama so much. I've never read/watched/listened to the original novel or any other versions of CQL and I'm also not a fan of BL but I do like bromance. I'm glad I watched this series and still can't get over it. I really enjoyed the stories/plots and I love all actors' performance. I think they did their job well in portraying their characters. I watched the movie Living Dead too coz I like Wen Ning and Sizhui and now becoming Wangxian/Yizhan's shipper lol. This series is definitely one of the best series I've watched this year.

[bluehibiscus]

2 hours ago, rosierosie said:

 

JC is my least favorite character. I understand his POV towards WWX, but I just feel like he cannot see things from WWX's POV or another person's (ex: his father). Moreover, I feel like he didn't feel any gratitude towards Wen Ning and Wen Qing for saving him; and throughout the first half of the drama, he's still the same from the beginning? But, everything you say here make sense of JC's characteristics, and I can sympathize with him on these points.

 

Question: Why are some fans complaining about Wen Qing's character in the drama? How is the character in the book? EX: Saying she have too much screen time?

 

JC does care deeply for WWX. The extent of it won’t be revealed till the end.

 

The role of WQ was expanded for the actress. The plot was drastically changed to a conventional love triangle with WWX and LZ liking WQ. When news of this leaked, it created a strong backlash from the fans of the novel for the drama and the actress. Eventually Tencent took back the editing rights and reshoots were done so that it was more faithful to the novel. 

[bluehibiscus]

9 hours ago, AnniaD said:

 

I don't have the answer for everything and I don't remember if at this point a major detail was already revealed and I'm afraid to spoil you if that detail was just revealed afterwards but..

 

Before WWX was caught and taken to the Burial Mounds, the viewers already knew what he lost.

[AnniaD]

1 minute ago, bluehibiscus said:

 

JC does care deeply for WWX. The extent of it won’t be revealed till the end.

 

The role of WQ was expanded for the actress. The plot was drastically changed to a conventional love triangle with WWX and LZ liking WQ. When news of this leaked, it created a strong backlash from the fans of the novel for the drama and the actress. Eventually Tencent took back the editing rights and reshoots were done so that it was more faithful to the novel. 

 

Thanks god... I wouldn't be so invested in this show if it was just the typical love triangle, I'm happy they listened to the fans and erased all that. How much of the love triangle was already recorded? Did they have to delete a lot? I already thought there were some scenes where WQ was simply there that just didn't fit. I wish she'd have been in less scenes but shown more as the powerful woman she was in the novel and have more relevant lines in the scenes she was in,

[AnniaD]

1 minute ago, bluehibiscus said:

Before WWX was caught and taken to the Burial Mound, the viewers already knew what happened.

 

Ok, I didn't remember the order of the revelations so I was afraid I would be spoiling the OP. 

 

Spoiler

So yeah, he can't go back to the normal cultivation path nor fight with a sword because he has no golden core anymore.

 

[bluehibiscus]

20 minutes ago, AnniaD said:

 

Thanks god... I wouldn't be so invested in this show if it was just the typical love triangle, I'm happy they listened to the fans and erased all that. How much of the love triangle was already recorded? Did they have to delete a lot? I already thought there were some scenes where WQ was simply there that just didn't fit. I wish she'd have been in less scenes but shown more as the powerful woman she was in the novel and have more relevant lines in the scenes she was in,

 

No idea how much was filmed and cut but I saw a video that was secretly taken while WWX and WQ were filming and it looked like he saved her in the cave scene. Anyway there was no official admission from the producers about all these. I read what I wrote from other non-official sources.

[GiaGia]

Just saw ep 39! I really like the friendship between Xingchen and Song Lan, their side story was short; but still very memorable to me. I wish we can see their back story----I feel like these two characters still have a lot to untold. I love their friendship; respect and kindness towards one another :). Question, at the end, did XingChen walked along with Song Lan; or was that just an illusion??? 

 

Side note: Xue Yang is really evil, conniving, and awful! Seeing his flashback; I feel sorry for him. He grew up as an orphan, with no role model and no kindness shown towards him. One can only imagined for him, to turn out good or evil. Lol, seeing the BTS and Bazaar interview was so funny. The casts seems to get along, and just hilarious. The actors on this drama is cute, and are like pretty handsome typed. They are all so pretty!!!!! 

[eerylin-heaven]

 

 

Thank you so much AnniaD !

 

Spoiler

(about the sword okkkk, now I understand !!)

 

And about spoilers sincerely I much prefer understand the motives, the situation, the relations between the characters, spoilers do not bother me at all, especially that in this drama, we know the end or at least the end of the beginning if you see what I want to say lol.
 

Spoiler

 

Quote

AnniaD said: "He can't go back because as I said he lacks what's needed to properly cultivate".

   

 

Is it about his golden core ? Is it that Wuxian offer up his own golden core to Jiang Cheng ?  is it the reason that Wuxian is so unwell seven days after ? 

 

 

EDIT : 

 

I just find new subtitles on Avistaz and rewatch all the episodes and now I understand ^^. When you don't understand Chinese et barely English it's not so easy ^^Anyway thank you very much AnniaD   

Edited November 18, 2019 by eerylin-heaven

[AnniaD]

28 minutes ago, eerylin-heaven said:

 

 

Thank you so much AnniaD !

 

  Hide contents

(about the sword okkkk, now I understand !!)

 

And about spoilers sincerely I much prefer understand the motives, the situation, the relations between the characters, spoilers do not bother me at all, especially that in this drama, we know the end or at least the end of the beginning if you see what I want to say lol.
 

  Hide contents

 

   

 

Is it about his golden core ? Is it that Wuxian offer up his own golden core to Jiang Cheng ?  is it the reason that Wuxian is so unwell seven days after ? 

 

 

EDIT : 

 

I just find new subtitles on Avistaz and rewatch all the episodes and now I understand ^^. When you don't understand Chinese et barely English it's not so easy ^^Anyway thank you very much AnniaD   

 

You're welcome. I took some time to understand several things too. 

 

That's exactly why he can't cultivate like before, yes. Demonic cultivation has bad consequences to the body and temperament, but it's a sacrifice he's willing to do to protect the ones he loves and the weak. If he doesn't do it then he has no useful powers anymore.

 

There are some things that might not be so well explained in the drama that are maybe a bit more explained on the novel but the drama has the advantage that all the flashbacks are put together and in chronological order, so we can understand a bit better the characters and how they are now in the present days. I also recommend if you're interested the audiodrama. It's very close to the novel and mostly not censored like the live action drama and the anime and it has all the wangxian feelings. It is subtitled in English by fans though.

[eerylin-heaven]

 

14 minutes ago, AnniaD said:

 

You're welcome. I took some time to understand several things too. 

 

That's exactly why he can't cultivate like before, yes. Demonic cultivation has bad consequences to the body and temperament, but it's a sacrifice he's willing to do to protect the ones he loves and the weak. If he doesn't do it then he has no useful powers anymore.

 

There are some things that might not be so well explained in the drama that are maybe a bit more explained on the novel but the drama has the advantage that all the flashbacks are put together and in chronological order, so we can understand a bit better the characters and how they are now in the present days. I also recommend if you're interested the audiodrama. It's very close to the novel and mostly not censored like the live action drama and the anime and it has all the wangxian feelings. It is subtitled in English by fans though.

 

  absolutely ! Do you know where I can find this audio drama ?

[AnniaD]

3 hours ago, eerylin-heaven said:

 

 

  absolutely ! Do you know where I can find this audio drama ?

 

 

You can find S1, S2 and incomplete S3 here:

 

https://suibiansubs.tumblr.com/mdzsAD_season1

https://suibiansubs.tumblr.com/mdzsAD_season2

https://suibiansubs.tumblr.com/mdzsAD_season3

 

To get the rest of S3 you need to get it on discord following the link  on this post and their tutorial for which there's also a link on that post:

 

https://suibiansubs.tumblr.com/post/188985247001/s3e13-available-in-english

[eerylin-heaven]

Woah trop bien, j'adore MERCI beaucoup 

 

Thank you so much AnniaD ! I love you 

[GiaGia]

Aww ep 46 was bittersweet!! JC finally knows the truth!!! I like how everything is slowly coming into place towards the end, tying loose end here and there. LZ really loves WWX :)!!! They are so compatible and cute together! Weng Ning is super awesome too; I feel like he and his sis; Weng Qing have many hardships; but they always help people and puts other first. 

 

Edit:I finished it :)!!!! It was so great!!!!! Everyone should watched this drama, so good!!

For me at the end, WWX and WJ said their goodbyes; and then meet up after awhile :)!!! An  open-ending, but still a positive one. Love the osts, costumes, designs, cinematography, acting----everything was fantastic!!! I'm going to miss my WWX/WJ couple!

 

Question: Did Lan Zan become Excellency of his Lan branch, or the head of everyone's branch? I wasn't sure???

 

[AnniaD]

I'm interested in many of the other characters too and I'm curious about the film that will have NHS and JGY, but I think that Wangxian was one of the things that contributed to the magic of The Untamed and given that it's unlikely that they'll do cameos on the next films nor there will be a post canon film that mentions how they are "now", I'm curious to see what's going to come out of there and how it'll captivate the audiences. I know this is a franchise at this point and it's a good move to monetize on huge success of the show but at the same time there's not much more they can do at this point in my opinion.

[Bea]

48 minutes ago, AnniaD said:

I'm interested in many of the other characters too and I'm curious about the film that will have NHS and JGY, but I think that Wangxian was one of the things that contributed to the magic of The Untamed and given that it's unlikely that they'll do cameos on the next films nor there will be a post canon film that mentions how they are "now", I'm curious to see what's going to come out of there and how it'll captivate the audiences. I know this is a franchise at this point and it's a good move to monetize on huge success of the show but at the same time there's not much more they can do at this point in my opinion.

Yeah adding to the fact that both Wang Yibo and Xiao Zhan are crazy busy with future projects, it's unlikely they'll come back for the other movies. Although there's one movie that doesn't have a premise or hasn't started filming yet so who knows.