Unknown (2024)

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.

Lire davantage

A Heartwarminng depiction of Love and the acceptance of it

While the Unknown might have initially been a novel filled with dark themes and a humongous list of well developed characters that I’m unaware of, on its own, it stands to be one of the best, well made, well paced, and well acted dramas I’ve watched in a while.

The actors were absolutely stunning to watch! The concept of the show was a little morally jarring, but the said theme of loving one’s guardian, and then the struggle of the guardian to come to terms with those feelings and gradually accept them, I’ve never seen a show portray such concepts so well! I mean, if there are any out there, I’d love some recommendations!

Overall, a very very touching, beautiful watch! Highly recommend!

Lire davantage

Upped the Ante

This has super sad backstory like Bedfriend but has the superb writing and production to supercede Bedfriend in every way. I'm on episode 4 and we have comedy, family drama, angsty teenager drama, workplace drama, extreme childhood trauma, so many feels and no skinship yet which means it can hold its own without the skinship. I don't think I can emotionally handle watching a cliffhanger every week so I am going to wait until this series has all 12 episodes completed. as of right now there's only five. I'll come back and edit this when I've completed the series but let's just say the first 4 episodes are Drama chefs kiss.

Lire davantage

Taiwan is back

This is so good. At first I was kinda skeptical because BLs from Taiwan have not been hitting lately, but this brings it back. The plot is so good and new. Although I would say, one of the plot in this show which was the gangster plot was completely irrelevant. I don't think that much would have changed if they removed it. The only reason it even felt a bit relevant was to show how Qian managed to survive as a kid but even then I think they could have just went about it another way. Also the force angst of that gangster and Yuan thing was a bit of a turnoff but I was okay overall. I loved the chemistry. ONG it was through the roof. I was giggling like a little girl every time they kissed. The actors did a great job and played their characters well. Overall, a really good BL. A win for Taiwan.

Lire davantage

The uncomfortable question of why we can't love our brother

“What else can we be, if not brothers?” Unknown is a deeply affecting story about the intersections between family and romance.

Based on the novel “大哥“, which simply translates to “older brother” in Chinese, the series unearths some unsettling questions about why it’s wrong to have romantic feelings for someone we call “family”. But what if the family member is not blood-related?

The show is self-aware.

This taboo is the major obstacle standing in the way of the protagonists’ romance, and is also the biggest reason why Qian experiences so much confusion regarding his affections for Yuan. Does he care for him so much because he single-handedly raised this boy, or does he love him like a life partner?

By the 12th episode, was I fully persuaded by Qian and Yuan’s relationship? I'm not sure, but they were so sweet I couldn’t help but find myself rooting for them.

Perhaps the actual question Unknown explores is what it means to belong to a family. In all its varied forms.

Read more reviews: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/

Lire davantage

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.

Lire davantage

Compelling writing set in an extremely unrealistic premise!

There's a decent amount complex topics addressed in the show, some of which are quite questionable to me even though I belong the gay community. There are certain good parts and quite a bit of bad parts in my opinion. But the overall premise felt extremely forced and unrealistic.

There's further the topic of incest, which necessarily isn't in technicality, but if someone has been living under the same roof sharing a rather fatherly than brotherly bond, the entire dynamics become a bit questionable. Though I'm not here to argue on this topic.

The acting by Chris is spectacular and quite gripping, but the rest of the cast felt like 2D characters in a comic strip, even Xiao Yuan, his character doesn't seem realistic at all. This show follows almost all typical tropes of BL dramas and even though there's enough emotional depth, fails to make it relatable and is rather unconvincing.

The pacing of the show is pretty slow at times and does get really boring at times where you feel like when is this going to end, especially the last episode was a complete filler.

Lire davantage