Unknown (2024)

Heartwarming, Heartbreaking and a true portrayal of love

"Unknown" defies expectations and transcends clichés, delivering a drama experience that is both refreshingly simple and profoundly complex. In a landscape inundated with convoluted plots and gratuitous melodrama, this series stands out as a beacon of genuine emotion and raw authenticity.

At its core, "Unknown" is a story about found family and the transformative power of love. It eschews sensationalism in favor of exploring the intricate dynamics between two young men who, despite their tumultuous pasts, find solace and strength in each other's arms. This is not a tale of taboo romance or scandalous affairs; rather, it is a tender portrayal of two individuals navigating the complexities of their own identities and forging a bond that defies societal norms.

Central to the narrative is the journey of Yuan and Qian, whose evolving relationship serves as the emotional heartbeat of the series. Yuan's unwavering devotion to Qian, coupled with Qian's gradual realization of his own feelings, forms the crux of a narrative that is as heart-wrenching as it is heartwarming. Theirs is a love that transcends boundaries, defying the constraints of conventionality to embrace the pure essence of human connection.

What sets "Unknown" apart is its unflinching portrayal of the characters' inner turmoil and vulnerability. Through nuanced performances and poignant storytelling, the series delves deep into the psyche of its protagonists, laying bare their insecurities, fears, and ultimately, their capacity for growth and redemption. It is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of love in all its forms.

While "Unknown" may not boast the grandiose spectacle or high-stakes drama of its counterparts (and the editing in some parts may need a second look at), it more than compensates with its profound emotional depth and resonant themes. This is a series that invites viewers to embrace the beauty of simplicity and immerse themselves in the rich tapestry of human emotion. To those hesitant to embark on this journey, I implore you to set aside preconceptions and open your heart to the profound beauty of "Unknown".

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A well rounded, brilliant piece of art that definitely should NOT be missed!

From start to finish this series has served above and beyond. The story, acting, OST, cinematography, and overall production have been fantastic.
If you take the plot, they have created a unique and realistic story where you get two main leads who have been through a lot since their childhood and while coming into adulthood the trials they have to face from demons from the past, health, family, relationships and unhinged emotions. It's a slow burn and by no means do the producers rush to give the audience a forced relationship. They tackle everything at a very realistic pace and not a single episode is unrelated or a filler. All the pieces come together nicely in the end, you will find yourself transfixed and completely satisfied. Certainly, you will feel a void in you once it's over as the whole series is such a phenomenal cinematic masterpiece.
The acting was very raw and natural. The whole cast was brilliant. The main leads had one of the best chemistry I've seen on a BL pair. Their relationship by no means was an easy one, the whole connection was a turbulent navigation, and the way they depicted the complexity and the realism is applaudable. If you expect intimacy, their show of feelings wasn't physical, for a good part of the story it was character development, you will understand how they come to be at the same spot eventually, the main focus was building it to a point where everything came in full circle.
The OST is exceptional, with almost all songs on my favorite list, perfectly suited to the theme of the series.
2024 is the year for Taiwanese BLs. This is the best entry so far from them and the future will be great if this is the BL standard everyone's aiming for. Unknown from now on will forever be Known as one of the best dramas regardless of the genre cz this has the ability to break boundaries and become an all-time classic. 10/10. Hope this will bag all the awards!

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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'm sorry

I'm going to be the one making the rating go down lol, because I've been scrolling for a while and all I can see are 10-star reviews.

To start with what I liked:
- Acting? Good. It immerses you in the story, it doesn't feel forced, nor scripted, and the chemistry is there (for all the characters). I love Lili especially, she really gave off younger sister vibes.
- Cinematography is also clean and curated, good color grading, and generally visually appealing work. I liked that.
- I guess the main couple has a lot of cute moments, you can really see the affection and love they have for each other, the way they would die for each other if needed. Their bond was apparent and strong.

The elephant in the room:
This is just plain incest. Let me compare it to Stay With Me, which also had some incest-y tones to it: there, the two guys meet as teenagers, not knowing they are related. They become friends, maybe something more, then find out they're stepbrothers. So technically they're related, but haven't grown up together, and don't see each other as brothers. Even though that's still a questionable premise, it isn't as scandalous as this one in Unknown. Yuan has been *raised* by Qian since he was a child, and sees him as a hero (and older brother). Qian acts like a brother and father figure to both Lili and Yuan as they're growing up. I could see Yuan maybe developing feelings for Qian as some sort of unhealthy coping mechanism, but in NO way would that make it acceptable for Qian to reciprocate those feelings. He is YEARS older than Yuan, has treated him like a sibling since childhood, has protected him from abuse and poverty. He should know better. He is an adult, his prefrontal cortex is fully developed, and he knows (should know) right from wrong.
The fact that they're not biologically related doesn't mean anything. That would make it okay for adopted siblings to engage in intimate relationships. They were raised as such, and therefore it's incest. Point blank. Yuan needs therapy and so does Qian - and maybe Yuan should have stayed in the US. Maybe some distance from Qian would have made him come to his senses. If they had been ANY other thing - neighbors, childhood friends, family friends, coworkers- I would have been okay with it. Hell, as I've said, even stepbrothers can get a pass if the series is good (and they didn't grow up together). But this is just not it. I'm surprised by the lack of shock they received from the people around them. What makes it worse is having seen Qian with Yuan and Lili as literal children, which makes me kind of queasy because they change their actors to younger ones but not Qian's. So I couldn't stop picturing that poor teenage boy falling in love with his adult sibling.
I say this as someone who has adopted cousins. Not biologically related is still related. That's all there is to it. There might be chemistry, there might be love, but it's still weird as fuck.

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Painful yet Beautiful

Yes we are talking about bl drama. Everybody can love whoever they want. but the problem arises when that person doesn't love you the way you want.
It is a beautiful story director by Ray Jiang, he directed some of my favourite dramas like my tooth for your love, we best love.
The main lead ( wei Xian) is both attractive and hardworking, who works day and night to feed him and his sister after his parents death ( I don't know about the death part , but anyways they have nobody to look after them.) He is also a kind hearted person, because of that he brings a boy (yuan) from the street to his home and since then he is taking care of yuan as his brother. But the boy(yuan) slowly develops feelings for his guardian angel Wei Xian. He doesn't even know when did he fall in love, but when he knew he was completely trapped. And ofcourse wei Xian who only considered yuan as his brother feel betrayed after knowing the truth and sends his brother away for his studies. can he ever fall in love with his brother...
After watching 2 episodes these were my thoughts-
It is ok from the perspective of wei yuan, because he never considered wei Xian as his brother from the start. but the difficulty is all with wei Xian because he only thought yuan as his brother. how can he fall in love with his brother. I am not saying that he can't, but it's surely going to be difficult. we are not living in a fairy tale world and the director is known for portraying real people.
I hope they give justice to the viewers in the end.
Till now I'm happy watching this drama.. This is beautiful at the same time heartbreaking. i rewatched it so many times already. If you don't watch this drama, you are going to miss a wonderful experience in your life. From acting, music, direction, story everything is on top. Get ready for an emotional rollercoaster.

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Even Though the Name is Unknown, the World Should Know About This Drama

I really don't know how to express it fully; this is my personal opinion and may differ for others. I want to talk about it non-stop now. For those who came to check the review before watching, I'll keep it short. These are the main points I want to discuss:

1. Never judge a book by its cover (brother tag).
2. You are going to get addicted to the characters.
3. Best Taiwanese BL to date.
4. Awesome cast, direction, cinematography, and story.
5. Excellent execution.
6. No boring stuff; all to the point and precise.
7. Rewatch worthy.
8. This is my fourth drama that I will give a 10/10 after watching thousands (very biased opinion).
9. It released on my birthday (so special).

I can go on talking. Initially, when I watched the trailer and read the synopsis, I was afraid of the forbidden relationship and thought of not watching. Once it was completely aired, there weren't many dramas that week, so I simply started watching because it was the only completed show on my watchlist. I thought if it wasn't worth it, I would stop. However, the first episode itself made me realize: never judge a book by its cover. That started my binge-watch. I completed it in one day and couldn't get enough of it. I need season 2 (there is scope). Now, I am recommending people to watch it. Yesterday, I rewatched it again and felt the same emotion the second time too. It's awesome, awesome, awesome. Well done, crew.

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Is it really unknown?

This is a really interesting slice of life found family drama, with pretty decent acting and interesting characters who seem to be able to survive more or less anything... So I am not really sure about how realistic this portrayal is but it does manage to convey hardship, growth and bonds beyond... anything.

I am not really sure how I feel a bout the romances in this, while they where very predictable and do a really good job portraying the development and events leading to the romances... I can not help but wonder if the story would have been better if the relationships stayed platonic.

But then again we would not have gotten to see Xiao Yuans fantasyes which would have been a shame as those where the cherry on top of this drama.

A good story, well portrayed but with enough iffy elamnts to keep me from giving it a higher score.

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One for the guilty pleasure list

I am very conflicted because a huge part of me didn't want to enjoy this. However, did I end up getting excited and counting down the minutes every week? Yes, I did.

Let me start by saying that I don't get the draw in BL for all these brothers falling in love types of stories. I know they never technically cross the line of incest, but if you need to add 'technically' before a word like 'incest', it's definitely too close to that line for my comfort. Which is why I was pretty certain I wouldn't be enjoying this series at all. So, what happened?

Good acting, phenomenal chemistry, and emotional storytelling happened, I suppose. This is one of the best acted shows I've seen. Chris is outstanding in the role of Qian. While he's portraying a pretty stoic character, he doesn't fall into the same issue of coming across comical or uncharismatic that most other actors fall into. He plays the role with nuance and behind his eyes, the emotion is always clear to see. Truly a wonderful job and other actors refusing to move any facial muscles when portraying similar characters should take note. Kurt was great as Yuan as well, and the two had impeccable chemistry. The acting of the side characters was all great too. There wasn't one weak link in this, at least not as far as I noticed. I wish other shows put that much emphasis on acting and chemistry, instead of just hitting us over the head with the same couples who struggle to get emotion across or have the chemistry of two dead fish kissing.

The storytelling was mostly well done too. There were some hiccups, like the gang storyline coming back for no reason other than a bit of drama. But all in all, it had deep emotions, actual characters instead of just stereotypes, and interesting dynamics. So it was easy to look past the imperfections.

The editing however... Boy oh boy. Whoever edited this thing really did the acting and the emotional beats dirty. Chris and Kurt are perfectly capable of carrying an emotional scene. There is no need to stuff in as many flashbacks as you can. It doesn't add emotion, it just takes away from it. The worst editing mistake was adding flashbacks of Yuan as A CHILD during their sex scene. Like please... I do not want to see the face of a child between scenes of them kissing and taking each others clothes off. Who's idea was that???? They honestly need to go to jail. This was supposed to be the emotional climax of the story. Yuan has literally been pining over Qian for soooo many years, and Qian has been trying to restrain himself for a long time. Now, they finally let go of everything and just give in to each other. It's beautiful, it's raw, it's emotion-- BOOM, HAVE A FLASHBACK TO YUAN AS A CHILD!! It was jarring. The scene of them waking up together in bed the next morning, cuddling and kissing, actually felt more emotional than the whole kissing scene did. Because it was just them with their great acting and great chemistry, not interrupted by weird scene cuts, flashbacks, or the overuse of the (admittedly beautiful) OST.

The childhood flashbacks between kissing and touching are part of an even bigger problem for me. I don't actually know how far apart in age the characters are supposed to be, but the way the story portrayed it, it seems like quite a bit of an age gap to me. On top of that, Qian basically raised Yuan. Sure, they didn't know each other since birth. But Qian took a parental role in Yuan's life from a childhood age. Which made my alarms go off because if someone told me this story, I'd definitely feel like there's a grooming issue. I know that Yuan fell for Qian without Qian having any intention of making that happen. But still, there's just something about the age difference and the raising him that doesn't sit right with me. I took a bigger issue with that than the actual "and they were brothers!" thing. Which is a whole other thing to unpack, but I don't really feel like doing that. Because the more I think about it all, the more it makes me feel iffy. If this were an actual real life situation, I'd definitely be very concerned about it. Luckily, it's just fiction though, so I can push down those thoughts with all the positives mentioned above. But it still makes me feel sort of weird about liking the whole thing as much as I did...

Like I said, it's a guilty pleasure. I'm aware of the issues, and I think if you are too, there's nothing wrong with enjoying this. As long as we view things critically and understand that in real life, things might need to be handled differently, it's perfectly fine to aww at this story. It had character and raw emotion and was so well acted. So, would I recommend this to anyone? I'd say give it a try, and if you feel too uncomfortable, just toss it aside. But I do think it's worth a chance, even if you - like me - suspect this isn't your cup of tea. If you turn off the critical side of your brain, you might just end up enjoying this as much as I did.

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'unknown' helped to know the unknown.one of the best bl of all time

I don't remember (it's been really long time)when I last saw a wholesome bl..stay with me was super but the ending was not perfect..kiseki had some flaws though just a little amount..but this is the bl we call wholesome from head(da ge) to toe(unknown)..every single emotions were worthy ...actors stood strongly beyond hope but not the production(they successfully ruined actors hardwork in that cheap editing).. they actors brought novel to life..to sum up this is the wholesome masterpiece ...novel and show is not focused on nc scene ..it's based on real emotion -slow burn struggle mixed with enjoyment , concerning about every step carefully, heartwarming and heart tightening phases,forced to control tears, development with time just beyond perfection... the realistic guarantee of lifelong stay..actors were truly amazing. I was never bored ..rewatched every single episode that I lost count.. definitely one of the my most favourite gem..

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i'm surprised that not many people are talking about how wi qian & xiao yuan's relationship is literal incest. it doesn't matter if they aren't biologically related, they still saw each other as BROTHERS. even after they started dating, xiao yaun asked wi qian if he was hugging him as a brother or boyfriend LIKE C'MON NOW. and not only are they brothers, they have a weird age gap too. wi qian literally raised him and watched him grow. i'm sorry i just can't get past that. AND ALSO xiao bao and san pang's relationship?? as if having one incest age gap relationship wasn't enough they just HAD to have xiao bao and san pang date. when xiao yaun told xiao bao that san pang CHANGED HER DIAPERS i wanted to throw up. also i'm not sure if their relationship is incest but san pang would call xiao yaun his brother so i'm leaning towards yes it is. something else i want to mention is wi qian's coworkers.
LIKE WHY ARE U GUYS ASKING ABOUT HIS SEX LIFE. that pissed me the fuck off. i hate it when BLs have random ass woman obsessing about the main couple's relationship and asking who's top or bottom ITS WEIRDDD. something that is good about this BL though is the acting. the desperation in xiao yuan’s eyes, the chemistry between the two mcs, I FELT IT ALL which is why i continued watching. how i wish that they weren’t brothers because they would have been such a good couple. (I KNOW THATS A WEIRD SENTENCE BUT I MEAN I WISH THEY MADE THEM CHILDHOOD FRIENDS OR SOMETHING INSTEAD OF ADOPTED BROTHERS)

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Well-acted with Great leads Chemistry and a beautiful OST but not without flaws.

Taiwan really produces high quality BL dramas and is not afraid to show intimacy and not in a porn-like way. I believe the challenge for some viewers would be to go over that ‘hump’ and maybe the ‘ick’ factor of romances between individuals who have siblings-like relationships. I am mostly fine with the romance between Qian and Yuan. But for the other romance, I have my reservations. That one seems a little more extreme especially when I can’t see how the romance is developed. It’s a hard sell for me.

Nevertheless, “Unknown” is a well-acted drama with great chemistry between the leads. I actually think the drama has a slow start but things kick up a notch when all hell breaks loose in episode 6. I do think Qian’s actions were cowardly in that episode and just avoided the issue. Four years is a very long time to have limited communication with your loved one. The second half is also when I am more invested in the drama. I enjoyed following Yuan’s transformation from a smitten, clingy, lovesick puppy, to becoming a mature, flirty and quite sensual adult. Yuan’s love for Qian never changes, but it’s how his way of thinking changes and matures that encourages Qian to slowly open up to his affection. I love the scenes when Yuan would subtly tease and flirt with Qian, and Qian is all shy and not sure how to respond. Flirty Yuan is a lot more attractive and I love how touchy-feely he is unconsciously/consciously. I actually would have loved to see them get together an episode sooner, and give me more dating and sweet scenes.

Although I find the sister adorable, I also think her subplots are a little underwhelming without enough time to flush out the stories. The gangster subplot is a little over-the-top for me. I cannot believe a more mature Yuan would do something so stupid to challenge people where he has no winning chance. On the other hand, I was pleasantly surprised to see Prince Chiu guest stars as the awkward teacher. I guess he was in the same boy group with Chris Chiu. Sam Lin also has a small supporting role as Dr. Lin. This role is quite different from what I’ve seen him in before.

If you are a BL fan, I definitely would recommend this drama. It’s well-acted, Chris Chiu and Kurt Huang have great chemistry, no annoying characters, and has an awesome OST. I’ve added most of the songs to my Spotify playlist. Although I have my criticisms, I also had a great time watching it. From an enjoyable point of view, this drama is worth an 8.5. If I were to rate this more objectively, it’ll be an 8.0. I wish the drama was longer to better tell everyone’s stories.



Completed: 5/22/2024 - Review #443

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A Little Unrealistic, but Good!

I have tons of thoughts when it comes to my feelings about this series. When I initially tried watching this series, it was really hard for me to get through. I ended up putting it on hold for a few months, and now I've decided to give it another chance. It's easy to see why this series is so loved, but I cannot fathom the idea of this unrealistic lifestyle receiving little to zero backlash from the other characters about their relationship.

Let's Dive In.

Again, I'll reiterate that it took me a while to get through the series. During my initial watch, I realized the kind of relationship Qian and Yuan had and were going to end up having. This is also coming from someone who enjoys forbidden romances and age gaps, btw, but still, something about this steered me the wrong way. But, I went back to watch it, and I ended up really liking it.

The only reason this relationship can make sense is because of the delicacy and intricateness that the writers had for Yuan's character. His development is probably some of the best I've seen in a BL this year. He goes from being this overly-obsessive, slightly conniving, extremely immature high schooler to then becoming more firm and direct and evolved after college (still has some weird habits, but still better than before). I think had Qian been okay with Yuan's feelings before Yuan's growth, this series wouldn't have nearly received as much love and attention as it did. But I think Qian at that time, sat in his grief about Yuan being gone and realized that he meant something more, although not quite ready to rip the bandaid off. I was 100 percent against their getting together during the first half of this cause it was too much of a power imbalance, and the writers did a fantastic job of waiting until we saw that growth and development in Yuan before even allowing Qian to contemplate his feelings.

Now, the only part that is disbelieving is the people around them being okay with their new relationship. You're telling me that they were completely okay with Qian calling Yuan his "brother" to one day calling him his "boyfriend"...? Yeah, no. I wanted a lot more backlash and repercussions from those around them, and we simply don't get that. If anything, San Pang is against it in the beginning, but starts to understand in the end, which is okay considering he's also seeing Yuan's growth and has been there with the family since forever. However, the writers completely disregard this ginormous, glaring problem, and it's way too unrealistic.

In the end, their relationship is a little more justifiable, but still, I kind of wished they didn't end up together. It's a sticky type of relationship, one that I hate people are justifying because they aren't "blood-related" even though a familial relationship like theirs is a lot more complicated than that. I think Qian being there to help Yuan get over his crush would've been better than him just allowing it to happen.

On the other hand, I liked the other characters a lot, especially the sister, she was adorable. I like her relationship with Qian and Yuan, and I like that she had her own story on the side.

Ratings:

Story: 8/10 - Complex, flowed easily, super engaging. However, some of it is unrealistic, but it does so well at character development that I'm (almost) okay with giving the score a high rating.

Acting: 8.5/10 - Acting was good! But Yuan stayed in most of a stoic type of behavior (other than one or two scenes), but. Qian does great as the stubborn yet caring older brother. All the supporting actors did well too.

Music: 6/10 - Didn't pay it any attention.

Recommendation Value: 7/10 - Not necessarily for everyone, and I mostly liked the storytelling than the actual BL aspect. But both leads have abs and big arms that you see throughout the series, so honestly, go for it!

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