Wild And Sensational Romance: 6 Reasons To Binge-Watch C-Drama “The Wolf”

Dec 17, 2020

“The Wolf” is a costume and romance drama starring Li Qin as Ma Zhai Xing, a government official’s daughter who befriends a wolf-raised boy (Darren Wang) in her teenage years and is forced to quit contact with him due to a political conspiracy. Eight years later, she meets the boy again, but only to find that he has become Prince Bo, the royal prince working for the King. Their love-hate relationship is intensified by the appearance of bounty hunter Ji Chong (Xiao Zhan). Struggling between self-consciousness, power, and loyalty, the two are inevitably involved into a battle to defend their deep-rooted love.

“The Wolf” has attracted wide interest and discussion since its premiere. Here are a few reasons why.

A perfectly chosen male lead

The first male lead—the wolf boy and later Prince Bo—is played by Darren Wang. He’s a very dynamic character who grows through interactions with the human world and an exploration of his inner self. Although it’s Darren Wang’s first costume role, he has done an incredibly good job, especially in acting out the two very different personalities of the innocent wolf boy and the ruthless Prince Bo. In showing the mixed images of wildness and tender human touch, Darren Wang is arguably the best choice!

A charismatic female lead

Clever, brave, and caring, the female lead Ma Zhai Xing is the kind of girl we can easily warm up to. As a teenager, she believes in the wolf boy’s natural kindness and potential to be a good person. It would have been a little flat to have a female lead who’s only cute and smart throughout the show like in many other dramas. Thankfully, her layered charm begins to shine through as the story unfolds. Driven by a sense of justice and responsibility, Ma Zhai Xing grows into an independent woman who’s not afraid to speak up for herself and fight for what is right, which is a respectable trait.

Li Qin, who plays this role, draws the audience closer to the character with extraordinary acting. There are many scenes where every emotion she’s executing can be felt and related to. Her phenomenal acting can also be found in costume dramas “The Song of Glory” and “Joy of Life.”

An attention-grabbing second male lead

Xiao Zhan in this drama brings us lots of surprises. Ji Chong, the role he played, is a bounty hunter with a free and righteous soul. His romantic affection towards Ma Zhai Xing is very obvious, and he is constantly and unrequitedly in want of confirmation from his beloved. This character requires enormous emotional input from the actor, and Xiao Zhan delivered. The actor’s distinctive charms also stand out in his more masculine looks—different from his image in “The Untamed,” but equally eye-catching and enjoyable. His potential in playing villain-like characters is a real bonus for fans of old and new.

“Wild boys” tamed for love

Romance that blooms from human girls taming wild-raised boys is becoming a classic sub-genre with works like “A Werewolf Boy” having us rethinking the power of love and humanity. “The Wolf” adds another breathtaking story to this collection and keeps the audience wondering whether this wolf boy, after being tamed as human, will be finally tamed to give and receive love.

In addition to the wolf boy, this drama has one more “wild boy” that captures our attention—Ji Chong. His transformation after meeting Ma Zhai Xing can be explained by nothing but his deepened emotional bond with her.

Refreshing OST

The soundtrack contained in this drama is another point worth mentioning. The drama was filmed three years ago, but the songs feel refreshing and totally in pace with the times. Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai, also known as the “Queen of C-pop,” sings three songs, including the opening theme “Who Am I”. The melodious singing keeps bringing back precious moments of the ill-fated couple.

Gorgeous scenery

The only element that may distract you from the storyline is probably the scenery. The astounding plateau landscape is not made from special effects. It was shot at Shangri-La City in Yunnan, China even though it’s pretty rare for drama production teams to do so due to issues with cost and time.

When they filmed there, the actors and the production team were challenged by the harsh natural conditions, but with dedication, they were finally able to present us with this visual feast that goes far beyond expectations.

With a classic setting plus good acting, a captivating plot, and high-quality production, this show will definitely give you all the feels you need!

Go to Viki.com and get the earliest access to “The Wolf” overseas with subtitles in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and 18 more languages! Viki Pass Standard & Viki Pass Plus users can enjoy 2 new episodes every Monday to Friday PST, and new episodes are updated every Thursday to Saturday PST for non Viki Pass users. Check out the calendar for the exact dates.