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A rare Chinese drama to feature a queer-coded relationship, The Untamed, is worth taking a look. But The Untamed is that rare boundary-breaker. However, the same can not be said for the TV show, as its inclusion of real actors instead of just purely fictional characters made it much more strictly monitored than the novel. 
How Chinese series The Untamed captures the lives of queer
My intention with making them watch "The Untamed" was that I knew that it wasn't gay enough to be completely called a "romantic gay drama", but it was beautifully written and gay enough to ultimately make you root for them as the story progressed. The live-action television series produced by Tencent Penguin Pictures NSMG, The Untamed , is one such example, focusing on the emotionally complex relationship between two cultivators practitioners of martial or mystical arts , Wei Wuxian played by Xiao Zhan and Lan Wangji played by Wang Yibo , and their adventures unraveling the dark past that changed both their lives forever. Stumbling across his old classmate Lan Wangji, an esteemed and stoic cultivator of the Lan clan, Wei Wuxian finds himself embroiled in a deep mystery marked by murders, tragedies, and betrayals.
Boys’ love brings edgy drama to China, and a backlash
It contributes to the normalization of favoring straight couples over gay couples, and it often makes it seem as though people who are gay can just make the decision to be straight instead. Which is absolutely ridiculous. Did the writers intend for Wangji and Wuxian to look like a couple? Yes. Absolutely. So why isn’t this considered. Welcome to the Wednesday newsletter! Remember: Your subscription fee helps me pay these freelancers for their efforts! 
I watched The Untamed with my conservative parents
FAQ Is The Untamed a Yaoi/Boys' Love series? The answer it both yes and no. Officially, it is not Yaoi/BL due to China's film censorship of LGBT+ characters. However, unlike most Chinese BL-based dramas that shift to bromance, The Untamed provides many subtexts that hint the homoerotic relationship between the two main characters. On the episode that aired last week, Castiel finally confessed his feelings to Dean. Then he promptly died in a scene that was more problematic than it was heartwarming.
'The Untamed' and complicated relationships
‘The Untamed’ and complicated relationships: The essence of love Adapting the hit Chinese drama The Untamed brought with it concern from fans who had come to love the story from its original novel Mo Dao Zu Shi or The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation. The romantic subplot focused on a queer relationship and fans were anxious that the censorship laws would ruin the story. The Untamed was. Published daily by the Lowy Institute. For years, Chinese television dramas were the poor cousins of Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese soap operas. 
Why You Should Watch The Untamed – The Devil's Advocate
The Untamed features a compelling cast of characters, including its two male leads: Wei Wuxian, a precocious young cultivator (or, a magic user in xianxia) who enjoys flouting the rules, and Lan Wangji, his stoic and strait-laced peer. Hot and cold, the two obviously clash at first as rivals, then bond quickly over their shared values of justice. .
'The Untamed' Builds a Queer Relationship Despite Chinese
The Untamed is thoroughly addictive, creating a world filled with gorgeous sets and costumes where women are largely absent, and nearly all the characters can be read as gay men. If Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan aren’t your cup of tea, there are other couples to choose from. Heterosexual relations, where they appear, are doomed, nasty or perfunctory. . Toying with Taboo
But The Untamed is that rare boundary-breaker. Released in , the TV show stars Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo respectively as Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, who are gay characters, despite China’s strict bans on any LGBTQ+ content [2]. Of course, China’s bans interfered heavily with the show. .