The Untamed (2019)

oVERVIEW

Originally a web novel by Mo Xiang Tong Xu, Mo Dao Zu Shi 魔道祖师 aka the Grandmaster of Demon Cultivation has been adapted into a manga, anime, and now finally a live-action TV show by the name of The Untamed (Chinese title Cheng Qing Ling 陈情令). Our main characters are cultivators, human beings who possess a Golden Core that allows them to harness spiritual energy and use it as magical power. The story follows Wei Wuxian (Xiao Zhan), whose cheeky and carefree behaviour clashes with the stoic and duty-focused nature of our second lead Lan Wangji (Wang Yibo). Despite a rocky start, the two become friends in their youth based on their mutual goal to serve justice while living with no regrets. However, a series of evil machinations and misunderstandings lead to Wei Wuxian’s death and leaves his reputation as a vicious practitioner of the dark arts. 16 years later, he is mysteriously resurrected and reunites with Lan Wangji in order to find out the true culprit behind the events that led to his demise and the deaths of those around them.

One thing I’d like to point out is that the original web novel was in the BL (boy love) genre and featured multiple sexually explicit scenes between our leads. Due to China’s media censorship and the fact that homosexuality is still illegal, this relationship was largely watered down in the show to be one of pure friendship. However, there are still quite a few lingering looks and moments of tension in the show that indirectly imply a deeper relationship between not just our leads but a few side characters as well. Airing on Tencent Video in the summer of 2019, the show was a smash hit and made quite a few year-end lists of the biggest shows in China that year. Check out the trailer in the video below (warning: some spoilers!):

Comments and Thoughts

To be honest I had some misgivings about this show when I first heard about it, one being the large cast of idol-actors (which in my experience, often sacrificed quality acting for visuals) and the other being the BL genre (which again, in my (albeit limited) experience, often sacrificed plot for fangirl-worthy moments). However, the fact that it was so easily accessible on Netflix and had so many rave reviews finally made it impossible for me to ignore. And oh boy, am I glad I jumped the gun and watched it. Xiao Zhan’s acting in particular impressed me with his ability to show Wei Wuxian’s various sides ranging from mischievous to devastating. Each side character also got their moment to shine despite the ensemble cast, and each served their purpose in the plot. And although there was no outright romance, I did see the term “soulmates” being used in one version of the subs and I can’t think of a more perfect way to describe the bond between some of these characters.