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.

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Angsty

Personally I am not a fan of these tropes with the step brother or adopted brother storyline but for some reason these same very ones keep putting me in a chokehold like Stay With Me *insert crying emoji*. The chemistry between the family dynamic feels so natural.
Trigger warning potentially for people who have experienced familial abuse.
Some people think the storyline moved a little too fast at the end but I think it’s rather the opposite. Our main leads finally let themselves feel their emotions without any restraints and the rest is history.
Definitely a good laugh cry type drama.
Absolutely stunning and timeless!
Probably one of the best if not the best Taiwan dramas I’ve watched with such natural acting and chemistry!!!!

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The real family is not only made up of blood relatives.

I didn't expect this series will get under my skin like this. It was full of tears, emotion, beauty, innocence, cheerfulness, but also pain, endless desire and patience (!), huge responsibility and the effort to achieve something good. The beginning of Qian and his sister's life was very bitter, painful and sad. And he also took home a boy from the street. I admire that he has grown into such a good and smart guy. The living conditions of all the children were terrible. Nevertheless, they grew up to be great people and a close-knit family together with their external brother San Pang 😂. Qian was incredibly selfless, caring and kind. He preferred his "siblings" to himself and they were his driving force. On the other hand, he suppressed a lot of emotions inside him, as if he thought he didn't deserve to be happy. And he was also afraid of his feelings. Apparently things didn't go the way he thought they should. And Yuan certainly did not help him in this. Nothing shook his feelings. He was solid as a rock. From the beginning when he was young, terrified and troubled, but after his return an incredible change. The calmness with which he talked about his feelings and how he treated his "brother"... It was fun to watch how their roles changed and Qian fight with himself. Excellent performances by both the main actors as well as the supporting ones. At the end of each episode, a beautiful reflection on family.

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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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An unknown person becoming one's everything

Didn't have any high hopes when I started this but damn this series took me on the best emotional roller-coaster ride and showed me a magnificent firework show of how love can be beautiful even if it's forbidden and doesn't fit into the accepted societal terms.

The story without any spoilers — The ML has had an abusive childhood and is struggling to raise himself and his sister. One day out of kindness he helps an 'unknown' boy and later adopts him as his brother. He is a smart person, who takes calculated risks at each step of his life because he doesn't want to drag down those who depend on him. When the adopted brother expresses his feelings for him, he reluctantly holds himself from letting himself venture into this 'unknown' relationship road.

The show shows the characters' journey from the struggle between not being able to control who they fall in love with, questioning what's wrong with oneself for falling in 'forbidden love', not being able to suppress it, coming to terms with it and acknowledging it, gathering up the courage to express it to the loved one, acting okay after getting rejected, trying to get over that person and miserably failing it, and settling to always love that person even if it was un-requited was incredible.

They beautifully portrayed that love isn't a feeling that can be erased nor should one be embarrassed of it. You can't force whom you love nor can you force someone to be with you.

Everything about this series was brilliant — the story, casting, acting, narration, dialogues, and ost. And a special mention to the cinematography of this series because it was top-notch. The use of lighting, mirrors, and frames to set up the background for each scene and thereby subtly conveying the atmosphere was fabulous.

I loved how they focused only on the main lead and that allowed them to show layers of their emotions and their personal battles which allowed them to face the situations maturely.

Honestly, as a BL fan, I rarely come across dramas that deal with complicated relationships and complex emotions. This drama clearly showed how the characters confront their feelings of 'dangerous brotherhood love'. Highly recommend everyone to watch it.

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A real masterpiece.

I just don't have enough words to express how good this series was, it wasn't just about the romance between Qian and Yuan, it's about surviving and figthing for a better life, finding a family when you least expect it, confronting your fears, getting to know yourself and your feelings.
My only complaint is that's already over.
Don't listen to those people who said the series got less interesting, they're those types of people who were mad about not getting a kiss or nc scene as soon as they wanted, give it a try and enjoy this masterpiece.
Chris and Kurt have all my admiration, they gave their best and gifted us one of the best perfomances ever in a series, I wish they get to work together again if the opportunity arise.

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Masterpiece: storytelling that took my breath away acting that stunned me

I am speechless. I thought it would be a bit boring, since it wasn’t that original and was kinda cliché, but boy was I wrong. This show absolutely took my breath away, and I cannot wrap my head around how much I miss the show already. The acting was supreme. I seriously don’t know what else can I say about the two main leads other than they were amazing. The same goes for the storytelling. Honestly, you could tell the whole plot ending from the beginning. But it doesn’t matter. It consumed me from the minute I started watching. The execution was just super perfect. I mean seriously I am at a loss of words. It was just perfect, the tension, how they captured their feelings, the acting was exceptional. I just wish I could forget it and watch it all over again.

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Love OF a brother or love FOR a brother?

I'm gonna be honest, when I first started this, I wasn't quite with the idea. I haven't seen much of the "forbidden love" type drama (from the tags), but I was worried I'd end up dropping it. But in the end, I absolutely LOVED IT. I found myself wishing away my days just for the next episodes to come out, and here we are.

STORY:
Wei Qian took has been taking care of his sister, Wei Li Li, ever since the loss of their parents. After meeting Wei Zhiyuan, he took him in after some time since he seemed to be an orphan. Qian works alongside a gang to help provide for his family but once they all begin to grow up, he quits. Zhiyuan, whose had a long time crush on Qian, makes a move and results in angering Wei Qian. Yuan gets sent abroad for his actions, but did it really make things better, or did it make things worse?

What can I say about this other than it was a masterpiece? At first I was concerned for the whole brother thing, but over time it grew on me. "Unknown" is something you can easily get attached to with all the characters and the interesting story. I must say, I think I cried a little bit when the gun scene came around, as well as the nc scene. I had been waiting EPISODES for that scene ever since I found out about it and I think I cried for the fact I was like "FINALLY."

LIKED:
-The character development of both Qian and Yuan.
-The story overall
-Sam Lin🙏🏽
-The love for one another (the caring that each character had for each other)
-Flash backs
-No genuine love rival
-Confidence of Yuan a lil over halfway through the series

DISLIKES:

. . .


OVERALL:

Unknown is just a great series and deserves a lot of recognition for its cinematography, story, and actors. I loved the development through the episodes as it went on and the chemistry between the two actors. If I could watch this for the first time again, I would.

"People come and go in life. Being fortunate enough to have someone who stays by your side through thick and thin is a blessing. I've lost. I've found. I've found a home, a family, and a person I want to love for the rest of my life. You taught me that I should learn to carry the burdens of my own actions, just as you carried Lili and me, and kept the path to home, open. And I'll follow you down this road I chose, no matter how difficult it may be, life or death, no regrets. No matter who you are to me, from now on, no matter what happens, till death do us part. " -Wei Zhiyuan

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Hero worshipping to love?

And again, the hype got to me and I watched this drama. And, again, because of the hype, I was more attentive to details. And because I paid attention to details, I did not like this very much. And what I did not like the most is the character of Wei Zhi Yuen: what a manipulative little cocky jerk of a person!

Here starts the rant:

Wei Qian, a lonely orphaned boy, taking care of his sister while working for the local mob, takes in a stray boy he keeps seeing sleeping in the street. He adopts him and gives him a name. Few years later, that boy, now adult, first comes out to WQ (so he is gay but the only man he was ever attracted to is WQ?!?!) and then professes his love to WQ (apparently he has been in love with him ever since he met him as a child?!?!?OK...), who shocked, sends him to school abroad. WZY comes back four years later, changed, matured but still in love with WQ and keeps attacking him until WQ surrenders.

WZY has basically two personalities: before and after going abroad. Before, he is hero worshipping WQ who saved him, gave him home and future. He imagines himself being in love. He is stubborn, has one track mind and does not take NO for an answer. When he comes back, older and wiser he manages to get what he wants by smartly manipulating WQ.

WQ has always been more of a father than a brother to his younger sister Lili and to WZY. He has a physical aversion towards women due to his mother's abuse: he gets literally sick when a women reminds him of her. So he has never been in a relationship: between trying to survive, working hard and looking after his siblings, being in a relationship was the last of his worries. He has never had any romantic feelings or even an idea of love (except as a family member) towards WZY. So when WZY comes back, WQis happy to have his brother back, he is family and he loves his family but he caves under WZY relentless bullying. Is he really in love with WZY? Allow me to doubt! They do end up happily ever after but..... During the first half of the series, WQ is the man in the house. But when WZY comes back, suddenly WQ loses all strength and every brain cell and turns from the ML into the FL while WZY takes the initiative....The change of relationship pace comes with WZY's maturity which catches an exhausted WQ off guard. WQ eventually just gives in and 5min later they are heavily breathing on the bed!

This whole love story failed to convince me.

The story about WQ's struggles to take care of his family while being a child himself was inspiring. The child actors were extraordinary. The whole cast was at the top of their game especially the main pair. The problem is the writing and messy storytelling and the editing with too many flashbacks. But this is a BL so what do we expect.? It is a romance which wants to look like real world but we all know it does not! Maudlin music, nice sets and average cinematography completes the unremarkable production values. One more thing I noticed: why did the costume designer make WQ wear those granpa jumpers in the second half: to make him look older, more experienced, wiser?

There are two exactly the same love stories developed here though the other one should have been fleshed out more. It is a parallel story between Lily, WQ's little sister and San Pang his best friend. The older boys knew them (Lili & WZY) when they were kids, so they treated them as siblings. Now adults, those siblings do not want to be considered siblings any more but lovers. The major difference between these stories is that SP did not save Lili's life, he was just a helpful big brother's friend.

There is even a mafia story somewhere in there (blink and you miss it!) and the inkling of a possible love story between the doctor and the mob boss. Now, that is the drama I would like to see: those two characters practically stole the show and they were in this 10min max!

Some people said there is incest and grooming. No not really! They are not blood relatives so no incest and when they eventually get together they are full grown independent adults. Grooming? Absolutely not! The older brother was never attracted to the younger one. it is the younger brother who relentlessly pursues the older one.

The drama is relationship trope filled: from sponge baths, feeding porridge, fastening seatbelt....think of it, it's in there! The music is all the time on: the songs end up being extremely annoying since they translated the lyrics. Every song explains the emotions felt by the main characters: loneliness ("I am lonely...."says the song), missing someone ("I miss you, I want to see you..."says the song ), flashbacks ("We met in the past, you helped me..."says the song), kissing ("I love you, I want to be with you forever..." says the song)). They are probably not exact lyrics but thereabouts, as if we could not understand what the characters are feeling. Better safe than sorry, the producers must have said. Last but not least, there seemed to be an issue with editing in episode 11: I actually quite liked it. It gave us the flashbacks of their every important moment edited with their lovemaking!

I liked these quotes at the end of every episode which correspond to events taking place:
The first-ever family that will never abandon you.
The second kind of family always leaves the light on for you
The third kind of family is the kind that always makes you want to stay
The fourth type of family member is someone who is always there for you
The fifth kind of family is too good to let go
The sixth kind of family pretends to be strong and doesn't say goodbye
The seventh kind of family is always waiting in the distance
The eighth kind of family shows care in his own way
The ninth kind of family is always there to protect you when the end comes
The tenth kind of family loves you so much that they want to leave you.
The eleventh kind of family indulges you unconditionally because they love you so much.
The twelfth kind of family stays together for life.

In conclusion, I am probably not the target audience since these kinds of dramas, half serious half fluff and nothing whole, are really tiring me.

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Great acting, mediocre everything else. Awful editing.

I feel like this series isn't aimed at me, because I didn't think it was all that. The acting is wonderful, and the characters well-drawn. Even the minor roles are really well-acted.

The story, however, is pedestrian, melodramatic, and stuffed with cliches. The ganster angle was fine in the beginning, because we see what Qian had to do for his family - but when it comes back later, it's just unnecessary drama that drops out of the sky, and ruined the organic progression of the main relationship. It should have ben Yuan's absence abroad that made Qian confront his feelings, and it seemed like it was written that way - but for some reason the author didn't trust us to buy it and threw in a ridiculous plot thread where Yuan had to behave uncharacteristically idiotic (what on earth was his plan?). And the endless time-jumping - the first refuge of an author that can't imagine a coherent plot.

As for cliches, it's got it all, from suggestive seatbelting to hair blowdrying. At least the obligatory 30-year old with a critical illness cliche was written in a way that made sense, and they didn't overdo it.

The editing is just terrible, and nearly ruined the series. By Ep 9 I didn't care about the series anymore and stopped craving it like I had for the first 8 - there is not one emotionally important scene that isn't mutilated by an endless series of flashbacks played to the maudlin theme song, which is good. Occasssionally. Not stuffed in every conceivable moment and far beyond.

There's a very, very important scene in Ep 11 that shocked me how badly it was ruined, and I was thinking "this is just me, and I'm sure everyone else loved it", but I discovered in the forum that my opinion was almost universally held, which was a nice surprise - I'd hate to think I'm alone in the world.

This could have been an 11/10 with less indulgent writing and a good editor. As it was, the actors managed to carry it - Qian was stoic, but not cartoonishly so (except when played for humor, which was effectively done), the Lili is not OTT silly and wasa a surprisingly nuanced character, which I attribute to the actress, the gangster leader was clearly a man who pretends to be more insane than he is for stragtegic reasons, again ably acted, and the actors playing the younger versions of the characters were first-rate as well, which was wonderful - I even felt a little cheated at first when the younger Yuan's time was up.

I would recommend this, and I think the majority of fans will give this a 9.5 or a 10, but it's an 8 for me. A 9.5 for the acting, a five for everthing else, and a 2 for the editing.

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This might be the highest-rated Taiwanese BL for me besides We Best Love. The acting is spot-on, and the cinematography and music are really great. I even prefer the cut version over the uncut one—it feels more artistic and cinematic. I love how Qian is made more realistic, especially with him being so protective of his younger sibling that he’d die for them. Yuan’s character also matures after coming back from America, which I really liked.
However, Bao and Sanpang, the side characters, don’t get much screen time. Also, some scenes, like the Russian roulette with the thugs, seem unnecessary if the goal is just to show Yuan’s willingness to die for Qian.

I forgot to note when I watched this, though, because it’s only available on Youku, and I had to subscribe just to see it.
Overall, I highly recommend it and hope to binge-watch it once all the episodes are out. I can’t imagine how tough it would be to watch it week by week

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