Arguably the best BL to date?

I really enjoy the change from typical highschool/university BLs to a more realistic and heavy genre. Not Me touches on the hardships that may be faced by many people such as corruption, economic discrimination and sexual orientation discrimination. The acting is immaculate and to be honest, alot better to what I am used to when watching thai dramas. The small details within Not Me are really what ties this whole show together.

*Not only the chemistry between Gun/White was addictive to watch but I enjoyed the chemistry between Dan/Yok as well, although I did not care too much for the others. Gun's acting of the opposing personalities of Black and White was so unbelievably good and very convincing.
*I loved the slow progression of enemies to friends and confusion to lovers and how loyal the characters were towards each-other (well mostly...) but were able to experience many heartwarming moments afterwards.
*[SPOILER] Although a straight, cis person, I was hit deeply when White and Sean walked hand in hand underneath the pride flag and cried so much, it was simply so beautiful and a wonderful representation of the meaning of pride of your sexuality. A very memorable moment along with the trust fall and the braveness jump.
*I am desperately waiting for myself to slowly forget fragments of what happened in this drama so I can watch it again in which I can see myself doing many times.

Although I cruised through this drama in the first few episodes due to a busy schedule, I binge watched this show til extremely early hours of the morning when I had time. I have not watched a drama in so long that has left such a heavy impact in which I find myself thinking about nearly each day. I can't wait for more dramas with similar scenarios which are currently being aired or have already been released in which I am yet to watch, or any in the future, along with more Off/Gun to look forward to.

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Literally the best drama to-date

I can see The Untamed staying one of my favourite dramas for years, if not, forever. The costumes are stunning and memorable, the music is addicting and the episodes create endless anticipation to find out what happens next. I originally found this drama continuously having edits made of on DouYin back in 2020 and thought the chemistry was so cute so I had to watch it for myself, and still remains my number 1 Chinese drama. All 50 episodes are worth it.

Story 10/10 - The idea is so original and is filled with many plot-twists. The Untamed is one of those dramas which moves quickly but is slow enough to go into detail. I really enjoyed how each conflict was resolved quickly but all lead up to the resolution of the main conflict, being the yin iron collection and the tiger amulet. Every small detail must be remembered and observed closely as all may relate to the resolution, like easter eggs. The whole drama was a rollercoaster of emotions, filled with butterflies regarding the chemistry between the leads or tears and sorrow at respectful moments. Although I know it's not the author's fault, I do wish the censorship was less harsh as I would have loved to see an exact live action of what the novel which inspired the drama wanted to convey.

Acting/Cast 9.5/10 - I think the casting of all characters was perfect, especially the leads. They were able to play their characters well and I loved the correlation between the opposing personalities of the leads. Not only the flawless acting but I think the looks of both main leads suited their characters exactly as I would have imagined. I did think the acting of the zombie puppets in the first 2 episodes was cringe and overdone but it progressed as time went on.

Music 10/10 - I remember I was obsessed with the OST when I first heard it, it's a bit embarrassing to say but I had it on repeat on my Spotify playlist for months. I love how the OST was sung by the main lead actors Wang Yibo and Xiao Zhan as it feels more personal and close to home after having watched the drama. It is overall such a pretty song with deep lyrics and my eyes tear up nearly each time. All the other music played throughout the drama is also so fitting to each situation and so beautiful.

Rewatch Value 10/10 - I think I have watched The Untamed about 3-4 times, having shared it to my family and friends who I know have enjoyed and recommended to their relations as well. My mum to this day has DouYin edits playing on her phone whilst cooking dinner on repeat and sings the OST constantly, my friends who have no interest in dramas have watched both the drama and the animated version. I think rewatching the drama is vital as it inspires a deeper view of the drama as after having watched the resolution, rewatching moments you may have forgotten about will spark connections throughout the story you may have missed.

Overall 10/10 - The story is so touching and I love dramas that make me cry as it leaves me emotionally attached. Although even as a mandarin speaker, I had to constantly search up which name of the characters referred to. I love the mix of hinted romance, comedy, mystery, thriller, superficial, martial arts and historical, all of my favourite genres combined in one. All side stories were equally as interesting and touching and I would have loved to have gotten to know each of their stories better, thankfully there being a movie regarding some of the side characters (I have yet to watch). You will not be able to get over this drama for a long, long time after watching.

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So Addictive

My feel-good drama, a heartwarming drama with a never-ending suspense. So underrated, although reviews are high, I never really see many people referring to this drama on online forums and comments sections which is so surprising. I have grown up watching Chinese dramas with my family and this drama turned over a new leaf and inspired me to enjoy dramas alone as well.

Story 10/10 - This drama is so original although having used the common historical detective trope. With a mix of slow-burn romance and mystery/suspense, this story was addictive and I never wanted it to end. The drama is set out in a very light-hearted way, perfect for those who may be new to C-dramas or look for something light but meaning-full and worth watching.

Acting/Cast 10/10 - Perfect acting, roles played as well as i could have imagined, especially the memorable acting of the ML. I loved the interactions between many of the characters and their different personalities which I found very entertaining. It is interesting to see the main leads be casted in many different dramas following Under the Power due to their flawless acting.

Music 9.5/10 - Any music sung by Zhou Shen ensures the music is beautiful which was wonderfully presented in the Main OST. I appreciate how one of the OSTs of this series are sung by Ren Jia Lun, the ML as he is not only well known for his brilliant acting, but his music career as well.

Rewatch Value 10/10 - When i was watching with my family, 1 episode each day, as I got past the halfway mark I could not contain myself and watched the drama beginning to end alone. I have watched Under the Power 5 times all throughout 2019 and could see myself watching it again if i were to run out of new dramas to watch.

Overall - 9.5/10 - A must watch for all C-drama fans, especially new watchers who enjoy detailed but light hearted stories. The storyline was fast paced but detailed and I can see myself watching this drama more times in the future

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Love and Redemption remains one of my favourite Chinese dramas to the date. I enjoy how the story progresses slowly but steady but fast enough to keep the story going. Although this drama reminds me of one of the public's favourite dramas The Untamed due to the involvement of clans and how the main leads meet and their personalities, it is also original and sparks so much emotion.

Story 9.5/10 - Original and steady paced, I loved how each situation related to the main conflict and ever episode was so detailed. I do however tend to dislike overly cutesy acting by female leads which may be seen as childish or overdramatic but it was relevant to the story as the FL went through character development. I also thought that the ML was attacked so many times but never died whereas many other characters faced small one-shot deaths which i thought was kind of funny and questionable.

Acting/Cast 10/10 - All characters were played perfectly by their actors and each one was unique with their own touching back stories and journeys. I love how although stunning visuals, the actors/actresses were clearly casted due to acting abilities and not just a pretty face.

Music 9/10 - Although i enjoyed the OST and used to listen to it on repeat in my free time, I don't see it too fitting to the story but it is still a beautiful song. All other music in the drama was perfectly matched to situations and nothing felt out of place.

Rewatch value 10/10 - I have watched this drama 2 times, also recommended to friends and family in which they also enjoyed. After rewatching, all emotions I felt prior were still present and nothing gets old. As the entire series is 59 episodes, rewatching the drama after a few months with a refreshed pallete will continue to be entertaining and you may find details you may have missed the first time.

Overall 9.5/10 - What a beautiful drama with great graphics and an addictive storyline. Costume choices at the beginning of the drama were kind of off-putting as the characters were 'kids' and the ML's bark mask was grotesque-looking but it all got better as the drama progressed. I loved all the plot twists and both the heart breaking and heart warming parts which leaves the audience with an emotional attachment to the story. As mentioned prior, if a fan of The Untamed, would love Love and Redemption.

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