Desconhecido (2024)

'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..

Leia Mais

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

Leia Mais

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!

Leia Mais

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.

Leia Mais

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!!!!

Leia Mais

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.

Leia Mais

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.

Leia Mais

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.

Leia Mais

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.

Leia Mais

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.

Leia Mais