The Untamed (陈情令) Review: A Good Story Without Conventional Romance

⭐ Rating: 4/5 | Finished

Year: 2019 Episodes: 50 Genre: Xianxia, Historical Fantasy, Mystery, Adventure Main Leads: Xiao Zhan as Wei Wuxian and Wang Yibo as Lan Wangji Ending: Happy Ending (story-level) Romantic Status: No officially confirmed couple

❤️ Quick Answers: Does The Untamed Have a Happy Ending?

• Happy ending? Yes, for the main protagonists.
• Do Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji reunite? Yes, strongly implied in the finale.
• Are they officially a romantic couple? No explicit confirmation in the television adaptation.
• Breakup? No established romantic relationship to break up.
• Major separation? Yes, 16 years due to Wei Wuxian's death and later resurrection.
• First kiss? None between the two leads.
• Official confession? None explicitly romantic.
• Engagement or marriage? None.
• Final relationship status? Their bond remains intact, with a strongly implied reunion but no explicitly declared romance.

Should You Watch The Untamed?

Yes, if you enjoy fantasy stories with mystery, loyalty, sacrifice, and complicated character relationships.

The story is the main attraction. Just don't expect a conventional romance with kisses, dating, or marriage.

My Review: Sometimes a Good Story Is Enough 😂

I'm giving The Untamed a 4/5 because it has a good story.

It's not what I'd consider a conventional romance. There are no proper kissing scenes between the leads, no official relationship, and certainly no wedding bells.

Instead, the drama focuses on loyalty, sacrifice, betrayal, friendship, and the mysteries surrounding the cultivation world.

And you know what? Sometimes a good story is enough! 😂

The bond between Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji is central to the drama, but I'm judging this one primarily for its storytelling rather than romantic payoff.

What's The Untamed About?

Wei Wuxian is a talented cultivator whose unconventional methods and determination to protect others place him at odds with powerful cultivation clans.

After a tragic series of events leads to his death, he returns 16 years later through a supernatural resurrection ritual.

Together with Lan Wangji, a disciplined cultivator from the Gusu Lan clan, he investigates mysteries tied to the past and uncovers conspiracies within the cultivation world.

The story moves between past and present, gradually revealing the betrayals and tragedies that shaped the characters.

Is The Untamed a BL Romance?

The original novel, Mo Dao Zu Shi by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu, features an explicit romantic relationship between Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji.

However, the television adaptation removes the explicit romance and presents their relationship through devotion, loyalty, sacrifice, and emotional subtext.

Viewers familiar with the source material may recognize the romantic implications, but the series never formally establishes them as a romantic couple.

For my review, I'm treating The Untamed as a fantasy story with a deeply meaningful central relationship rather than a conventional on-screen romance.

Does The Untamed Have a Happy Ending? (Spoilers)

Yes. Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji both survive the final conflict.

Their story does include a devastating 16-year separation following Wei Wuxian's death, but his resurrection allows them to reunite.

In Episode 50, the two initially part ways.

Later, as Wei Wuxian plays his flute, he hears Lan Wangji call out to him. Wei Wuxian turns around and smiles.

The ending strongly suggests Lan Wangji has returned to him.

There is no wedding, kiss, or official romantic relationship declaration.

Final classification: Happy Ending for the protagonists, with romantic status unconfirmed.

❤️ Relationship Timeline

• Initial meeting: Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji meet during the Cloud Recesses storyline.
• Attraction: No explicit romantic attraction is formally confirmed in the series.
• Developing connection: Their mutual respect and loyalty deepen through shared experiences and danger.
• Major emotional moments: Their bond is tested by Wei Wuxian's controversial cultivation practices and the hostility surrounding him.
• Episode 33: Wei Wuxian falls to his death; the flashback concludes and the narrative returns to the period after his resurrection.
• 16-year separation: Caused by death, not a breakup.
• Reunion after resurrection: They reconnect and investigate the past together.
• First proper kiss: None.
• Explicit romantic confession: None.
• Official relationship: Never formally established.
• Engagement or marriage: None.
• Reconciliation: Their reunion is not reconciliation following a romantic breakup.
• Episode 50: Lan Wangji's return is strongly implied when Wei Wuxian hears his voice.
• Final status: Their connection remains intact; the television adaptation does not explicitly confirm them as romantic partners.

💗 Shen Zhiyi's Drama Reality Check

1. 💕 Romance: Romantic subtext, but no explicit on-screen relationship. 2. 🔥 Chemistry: Strong emotional connection between the leads, expressed through loyalty and contrasting personalities. 3. 💋 Kissing: No kisses between Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji. 4. 🤗 Skinship: Limited physical affection; most of their closeness is communicated through actions. 5. 🌶️ Spiciness / Adult Intimacy: None between the leads. 6. 🚩 ML Red Flag: Not applicable as a conventional romantic-lead assessment. The protagonists face complicated moral and personal conflicts. 7. 👑 Female Lead Competence: No central romantic female lead. Several important female supporting characters. 8. ⏱️ Romance Timing: No officially established romance at any point. 9. ❤️‍🔥 Relationship Payoff: Emotional loyalty and an implied reunion, without conventional romantic milestones. 10. 💔 Breakup: No formal romantic breakup. 11. ⏳ Separation / Conflict: Major 16-year death-related separation; later reunited through resurrection. 12. 💍 Final Relationship Status: Their reunion is strongly implied, but romantic status remains unconfirmed on-screen. 13. 📖 Plot: Good story, which is the main reason for my 4/5 rating. 14. 🐾 Animal Harm: A dog is threatened but escapes. A fantasy canine creature is mistreated. A fake-looking dead-cat prop appears. No confirmed dog death.

⚠️ Content & Victimization Warnings

• Violence and death: Frequent fighting, killings, corpses, and supernatural horror.
• Suicide/self-harm: A major character deliberately falls from a cliff. A supernatural body-sacrifice ritual also features in the story.
• Child abuse: Physical and emotional mistreatment.
• Torture: Captivity and serious physical punishment.
• Animal distress: A dog is threatened, a fantasy canine creature is mistreated and sedated, and a fake dead-cat prop appears.
• Animal deaths: Some hunting and off-screen animal deaths are referenced.
• Major separation: The central characters are separated for 16 years by death and resurrection.

Where to Watch The Untamed in the U.S.

Verified October 7, 2026

• Rakuten Viki: Available in the U.S. with English subtitles, including a free-with-ads option.
• WeTV: Official listing for all 50 episodes, with VIP access required for most episodes. U.S. playback accessibility requires confirmation.
• Audio: Mandarin-language audio. The lead actors' voices were dubbed by Mandarin voice actors in the production.

Streaming catalogs, payment requirements, and subtitles can change.

Final Verdict — 4/5 ⭐

The Untamed isn't a drama I'm rating for romance, kissing, or romantic relationship milestones.

It's a good story, and that's exactly why I'm giving it a 4/5.

No official couple? No proper kisses? No wedding? Fine. Sometimes the plot can earn the rating all by itself. 😂❤️