In a year of major BL flops, Unknown is the saviour. Not only that, it's now in my top 5 BLs.
I was hesitant to check this series out because Taiwanese BLs have mostly been so-so imo since the earlier History series. However Unknown begged to differ! The acting is so incredibly well-done by every single cast, and the storyline is easy to understand without difficult plot holes. Lots of the emotions and feelings were appropriately expressed and I cried a lot (which I don't usually do). I found that there were no filler scenes and so it was worth every minute of my watch. Incredible OSTs too!Was this review helpful to you?
Wow just wow!
I think this is one of the best told stories I've seen in while! The storytelling was next level and I just can't describe how beautiful it was. It was heartwarming and heartbreaking. I'll admit I did question both romances at some points, but the performance of all the actors deserves 10 stars all on it's own. Every person from the children to the adults performed with such depth and understanding of their characters was truly amazing! I'm not even sure what to write, I've only just finished and I have been sobbing and laughing. I would recommend this series so highly for the amazing execution of this story.Was this review helpful to you?
Masterpiece
I have never written a review for any series before, but let this be my first. Unknown is a special gem and I promise there is nothing else like it out there. I loved every single second of this series and never wanted it to end. From the characters to the story and music, everything was perfect and it made me really care for this series. Unknown is one that I will not forget, and one that will be upon my favorites.Just outstanding!!!!
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This review may contain spoilers
Watchable but Don't Believe the Hype!
I was excited to see a new BL jump up to the top of the MDL BL rankings. This drama currently holds an 8.5 rating and is in the all-time top-ten of BL dramas. I think the problem may the growing popularity of BL dramas and viewers that may not have see many of the BL dramas from the past get excited overly excited about a new show, without the perspective of what some better dramas may be. So before I get into my review, I would ask viewers that love this show, if they really think it's better than other realism style dramas such as Like in the Movies, I Told Sunset about You, The Eighth Sense, Moonlight Chicken or even the unfairly low-rated Kimi no Koto Dake Mite Itai?[Spoiler's ahead!] The biggest problem isn't the tired trope of the step-brother's falling in love -- although if you want more of that, feel free to watch Stay with Me, Addicted, History 4: Close to You, Gray Shelter, History 2: Crossing the Line, History 1: Stay away from Me, My Bromance or Cherry Blossoms after winter. The biggest problem also isn't the glacial pacing of the series, with way too many dialogue-free montages of the past, or of a character "acting" to demonstrate their emotions. The biggest problem isn't the convoluted story of the gang - particularly when they come back towards the end of the series -- didn't Wei Qian already clear his debt in the the fighting matches years ago? The biggest problem isn't the stalker-ish behavior of the younger step-brother who won't take no for an answer -- over and over and over. The biggest problem isn't the absolutely terrible acting of the Xiao Yuan's teacher who visits Wei Qian (episode 2) who apparently learned that furrowing one's brow and repeating touching and taking on and off your glasses constitutes acting. And the biggest problem also wasn't the over-the-top melodrama of it all -- the trials and tribulations of this family could have been portrayed much more realistically if the director had just pulled back a little bit on a number of creative choices.
No, none of those. The biggest problem with this series is the music. Instead of working harder to find some more unobtrusive music cues to gently support and accentuate the drama that unfolds within this small family, the producers, director and editor chose to use a very limited number of songs over and over too many times throughout the series. The instrumental music with the piano and strings that they used multiple times in every episode got repetitive very quickly. It felt like the acting and the story wasn't creating the desired emotional weight that the producers wanted, so they thought that by playing swelling music that it would lift the scene, but it felt just the opposite like they were forcing the scene to have emotion, instead of just letting the story and actors propel the emotions. It felt overly-manipulated, instead of just supporting. However, the most distracting uses of music were the repeated vocal tracks that they would play under scenes of dialogue. The music was too loud and took me out of the scene every time. Maybe they could have used instrumental versions of the OST pop songs for the show or something. It might have helped, but the bottom line is whoever had the final say on music for this series, shouldn't be allowed to sign off on music in the future.
Now, just in case you think I hated this show, I didn't. I just don't think it deserves the score it currently has on MDL. There were a number of great things about this show. The main actors did a good job, the cinematography was better than many other BLs out there, the leads were quite attractive, and the sex scene, although not explicit, was quite hot. I just think as viewers we should turn the page on the step-brother trope (or at least find a more interesting way to present it), and I think the viewers should start being a little more discerning when it comes to things like logical plots, music aesthetics and melodrama.
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The Best series of 2024
I love everything about this series. The wait has been killing me, i wish all the episodes will just be released this week.Taiwan bl series has been great, i must say that i have watched if not all of their series and believe me, it was worth watching.
Great acting and fantastic script.... Good job
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This review may contain spoilers
What a great start to this series
What a great start to this series❣️ This screams quality production, from the acting to the music, to the cinematography, to the storyline, etc. The writer and director spent no time telling us what this story is about. Btw both of them were involved in the We Best Love series, My Tooth Your Love series, and/or Stay By My Side series, so we know this is likely going to stay good. For me, these “bro” to lovers storylines are difficult to find the balance between endearing and crossing the line you maybe shouldn’t cross. I understand why Wei Quian would be hesitant to go from provider/ caretaker/ caregiver to lover and I also understand why it would be so easy for Zhi Yuan to fall in love completely given the circumstances and how they met. Learning their backstory puts everything into context. It broke my heart to see a young Zhi Yuan look like an abandoned stray cat or dog following its hopefully new owner home😭 Qian was truly Yuan’s ray of light among all the darkness around him💗 The gang part of the story – no surprises there, always taking advantage of the disadvantaged😔 Wei Quian is an exceptional person to have taken in someone when he himself needed help. He sacrificed for the one he loved and cared for not wanting Yuan to take the wrong paths in life, literally fighting – commendable among so much adversity. I’m already invested in these characters. This is how you start to tell a compelling story💖Was this review helpful to you?
One-sided love and the other’s feelings are unknown
It feels like some of Taiwan’s production teams in the entertainment industry are obsessed with incest-like romance. I know that China’s hit series, Addicted (Heroin), plays a big influence in the market but they need to stop since it wasn’t a good storyline to be used nowadays. Many people seem to love this and that’s okay since people have their subjective perspective on a show.Wei Zhi Yuan’s roots in romance were understandable since he felt the warmth from being accepted and sheltered in a family. But Wei Qian’s love was silly; he acquired romantic feelings for the man he treated his brother for a lifetime and I felt like it wasn’t authentic. In the same way, San Pang grows an intimate relationship with the MC’s sister, Wei Li Li. It is unnecessary to let everyone end up and be paired together, especially in a small cast of characters. I might be hated on this but I can’t push myself to like the show.
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I have finished watching till ep 6 and I've rewatched 2 times and still can't get over with it.
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Fabulous bl drama ever
Guys please do watch this drama it’s highly recommended I always like Korean and Chinese straight dramas and wonder if they make bl dramas like this without any cringe scenes or college love stories but Taiwan drama is a master piece awesome stories they make which feels like kdrama and Chinese drama this drama is a epic good story good actors and no cringe scenes where other male lead is in concert such things both actors have great personalities and sister love story is also so good all 4 actors played it well I enjoyed it and I think Taiwan dramas make good bl dramas I have started to watch other dramas also and this drama is too good you can find friendship , family, hardship of children and growing together to be a good family and his friend also we’re together with them too so soon it got ended I love this drama please make more such dramas moreWas this review helpful to you?
Unknown, a love so beautiful.
Unknown, is a beutiful story about a forbidden love. While watching this series I felt the love and hardships that they went through. The perfect production and acting made me fall in love with this series. As someone who has suffered in the past due to family issues I could relate a lot to some of the emotions shown. I've never proparly believed in love but because of these characters I think that love can exist and its very precious. I have officialy become a fan of xuan and chris, which isnt normal for me as I have never been a fan of anyone. Their acting is outstanding, they really show the emotions well, making my eyes sore from crying. Thank you chris and xuan for portraying this story in such a nice way.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Every year a top notch production from Taiwan
Last year Taiwans BL industry had "Kiseki Dear To Me" with the highest production value and this year it must be "Unknown". They also had a troubled background story with some mafia elements and general hardships for at least one character. While the story is not perfect the series conveys all the feelings very well. Chemestry between the leads was also top notch imho and they kept the intimate scenes to the story where it mattered. Only LiLi left something to be desired, not really grown up to the end.To read a review where I'm told I'm weired because of "incest" even it isn't "incest" was even more weired for me. Does incest even count between same sex? Incest is only not allowed because of gen deficits the children will get, see Europe and Habsburger :)
While not perfect this show transports all the feelings in an expectional way, with a top notch production value and cinematography. I can overlook all the the little story problems especially at the end. I would have prefered to see the surgery and not LiLis baby. Regardsless a show to recommand.
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This review may contain spoilers
A Love Story Full of Yearning & Longing
Sometimes beauty is born out of tragedy, out of a broken place that doesn’t seem capable of growing something beautiful.And yet, even roses have thorns.
The Taiwanese BL Unknown, adapted from the web novel Da Ge by Priest, is a stunning example of a relationship built from a broken place. Starring Chris Chiu (Wei Qian) and Kurt Huang (Wei Zhiyuan), it delves deeply into a story about two boys who don’t belong anywhere but whose hearts seek a home and family in each other’s brokenness.
And it succeeds.
From the moment a young Yuan follows Qian from the darkness surrounding him in the streets to the warmth of Qian’s home, Unknown becomes a story about finding light in a period of darkness. It’s a concept that threads well throughout the series; from youth to adulthood, strangers to brothers to lovers, light and darkness balance each other, intertwine, and then become one. It’s a transformative experience that grips the soul and doesn’t let go.
Read the complete article here-
https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/04/23/unknown-series-review-ep-3-to-12/
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