THE UNTAMED

This is actually the second time I've watched this series because this is one of the first Chinese wuxia dramas from my early days of being a fan, when I was still not writing reviews yet. I could not remember anything from back then so it's like watching it for the first time. The hype is not without reason. The Untamed is really a work of art and despite the many insinuations of bromance, their relationship is truly beautiful. If you have one person like that in your life, then you are truly blessed.

Wang Yibo's character here is truly admirable- righteous but not hypocritical, a great brother and friend, elegant, intelligent and truly skilled in music and sword. Laudable acting- one of the best scenes for me was when he was drunk and still instinctively protective of his friend. Xiao Zhan, though highly talented and who truly gave justice as title holder "THE UNTAMED" for me could not outshine the former. His character is really dynamic though and he is the hero every girl dreamt of at certain points in our lives. Their relationship's dynamic is undoubtedly aspirable- loving, supportive and loyal to the core. It's the kind of relationship that defies convention and trust towards each other is unquestionable.

The character siblings Wen Qing and Wen Ning are the most poignant for me. Despite their lot in life, they managed to live with dignity, grace and gratitude. They love and support each other and did what needed to be done to the point of death. Wen Ning's confrontation with Jiang Cheng was a tear-jerker for me. Apologies for these spoilers but it turned out in the end that Jiang Cheng actually also made a great sacrifice for Wei Wuxian.

In the story, they repeatedly remind us of the importance of saying "I'm sorry and thank you". This may sound so simplistic but really for me, it is essential for a right closure of any relationship or stage in life. When done sincerely, it is the formula to finally move on with a light heart. It also signifies that there really was love at some point in that relationship or connection in life. It got me thinking of the Ho'oponopono prayer that was documented to be really effective in changing people's lives.

The presence of sibling love and beautiful friendships littered THE UNTAMED. It actually more than made up for all the bad choices and happenings in this story and it truly reflected man's reality. So it is really important to always look for the silver lining in life and to never take things at face value. People who seem nice do not necessarily mean he is the good guy and those who are naughty do not equal them being bad. Judgment is not for us to make. Rather, it is compassion and understanding that we should offer.