The Wolf Chinese Drama Review

The Wolf (狼殿下) is one of those Chinese historical dramas that talks of quiet sacrifice, deep misunderstandings, and hatred between the leads. It is not a breezy watch but one that gives you a heavy feeling as you follow the story. Hence, it is not something that will be able to entice everyone despite the presence of some of the more popular stars including Sean Xiao of The Untamed fame. So, should you still watch it? Well, The Wolf review below will give you some idea if this drama is for you or otherwise.

My rating: 7.5/10
Episodes: 49
Type: Romance, Historical
Aired: November 2020
Images Credit: Tencent

The Cast Of The Wolf

• Darren Wang Da Lu as Chu You Wen / Prince Bo
• Li Qin as Ma Zhai Xing
• Sean Xiao Zhan as Ji Chong / Li Ju Yao
• Xin Zhi Lei as Yao Ji
• Guo Shu Yao as Princess Bao Na
• Ding Yong Dai as Emperor Chu Kui
• Lin Yo Wei as Chu You Gui / Prince Yun / 2nd Prince
• Wang Jia Yi as Chu You Zhen / Prince Xun / 4th Prince
• Daniel Zhang Xin as Wen Yan
• Zhao Cui Wei as Hai Die
• Osborn Ma Dong Chen as Mo Xiao
• Yan Shi Kui as General Ma Ying
• Fu Lei as Ma Feng Cheng
• Zang Hong Na as Ma Jing
• Li Long as Ma Yi Han
• Shi Liang as Jin Emperor

Main Characters

Chu You Wen / Prince Bo

Prince Bo is the adopted son of Emperor Chu Kui of Yang Kingdom and leader of the Night Fury guards. He was saved by his adoptive father and became his most loyal and capable lieutenant in disposing off enemies. Prince Bo is strong with a wild streak. He is also cold and emotionless. He used to be Wolf Boy as he was raised by a pack of wolves in the mountain.

Ma Zhai Xing

Zhai Xing is the beloved daughter of General Ma Ying and his concubine. Her mother died when she was still a young girl. Zhai Xing is smart and caring but willful due to her father’s indulgence. She has a half-brother named Ma Jun and is good friends with Wolf Boy when she was young.

Ji Chong / Li Ju Yao

Ji Chong is a bounty hunter and wanderer. He works for money and has good martial arts skills. Ji Chong is also a smart and confident man with a seemingly carefree attitude. He uses his eagle as a scout.

Supporting Characters

Yao Ji

Yao Ji is Prince Bo’s rival. She is also Emperor Chu Kui’s tool to handle enemies. Yao Ji is skilled in medicine and a poison expert. She is a calm and cautious woman but dangerous in her schemes. Zi Shen is her loyal assistant.

Princess Bao Na

Princes Bao Na is a Khitan princess. She is a spoiled and tantrum-throwing young lady but generally harmless. She is obsessed with Prince Bo. Her father is the Khitan King who is later succeeded by her brother who also dotes on her.

Emperor Chu Kui

Emperor Chu Kui rules the Yang Kingdom. He is a ruthless and suspicious man who will manipulate and even kill others to achieve his aim. He has 4 sons with the eldest one having died in a battle. Xia Hou Yi is his sworn brother and Adjutant General of the army.

Chu You Gui / Prince Yun / 2nd Prince

2nd Prince of Yang Kingdom is Emperor Chu Kui’s second son. His mother was a concubine but rumored to have an affair with another man before marrying the Emperor. Hence, 2nd Prince’s paternity is a subject of gossip and threat to him. He is fearful but ambitious. His wife is Jing Chu Chu who is the daughter of Prime Minister Jing Xiang.

Chu You Zhen / Prince Xun / 4th Prince

4th Prince of Yang Kingdom is Emperor Chu Kui’s fourth son. His mother was the late Empress. He was held in Khitan as a political hostage and is released after an alliance is struck. 4th Prince hates Prince Bo. He is also temperamental and immature. He does not see eye-to-eye with Princess Bao Na.

Wen Yan, Hai Die & Mo Xiao

The 3 of them are Prince Bo’s loyal assistants and part of the Night Fury. They are emotionless killers who obey orders without question. Wen Yan is also a skilled physician.

General Ma Ying

General Ma Ying is Zhai Xing’s father. He controls the powerful Ma Army and is also the chief of Kuizhou City. He is righteous and fair. His deputy is Ma Feng Cheng who is loyal to the Ma family.

Ma Jing

Ma Jing is Ma Feng Cheng’s younger sister. She is also Zhai Xing’s personal assistant. She is loyal and sincerely cares for Zhai Xing.

Ma Yi Han

Ma Yi Han is a loyal general of the Ma Army and reports to Ma Feng Cheng.

Jin Emperor

The Jin Emperor is a capable and visionary man who wants peace and prosperity for the people. His eldest son is Prince Li Ju Qi.

Synopsis

Wolf Boy was raised by a pack of wolves in the mountain following his mother’s death after childbirth. Hence, he has extraordinary skills and agility. More than 10 years later, he got to know a girl named Zhai Xing who bumped into him while picking flowers in the mountain. They became good friends and playmates. Wolf Boy trusted her completely and she introduced him to the world of humans.

Then, tragedy struck when Wolf Boy was mistakenly accused of murder. Zhai Xing had to be harsh to Wolf Boy to push him away from the mountain for his own safety. Wolf Boy thought Zhai Xing had betrayed him when he was attacked. He fell off a cliff while being pursued and could not be found.

8 years later, Zhai Xing is still feeling guilty and yearning for Wolf Boy who is now Prince Bo. Emperor Chu Kui had saved him following the fall and adopted him. As the Emperor covets the Ma Army to help him to win the war against the Jin Kingdom, he orders Zhai Xing’s family to be massacred including her father, General Ma Ying. The Jin Kingdom is then framed as the murderer to instigate the Ma Army to offer their full support to Emperor Chu Kui.

Zhai Xing’s life is spared as she is needed to rally the Ma Army. She will also be the hostage the Emperor needs to control the army if the situation calls for it. He then decrees a betrothal between Zhai Xing and Prince Bo to further strengthen his control over her. Prince Bo starts off hating Zhai Xing for her past betrayal but they gradually fall in love with each other. But their love is fraught with misunderstandings, deceptions, and betrayals arising from her family’s massacre.

The Wolf Ending (Spoilers Alert!)

The Wolf has a sad ending for the main couple. I guess it is a fitting ending given the tone and storyline. Zhai Xing dies when she pushes 4th Prince out of the way and gets stabbed instead when 2nd Prince lunges with his sword. She chooses to sacrifice herself by consuming a medicine that will give her extraordinary strength to save 4th Prince for Prince Bo. However, that medicine will poison her body and she will die within days.

In the end, she is killed during the final confrontation. Prince Bo carries her back to the mountain where they first met. There is a time lapse of 6 months thereafter with 4th Prince’s narrating that Prince Bo has not been seen since that day and he must be gone to be with his beloved Zhai Xing. For more details, you can check out The Wolf episode summary.

Zhai Xing And Prince Bo’s Relationship Timeline

Episode 1 to 3 lays the foundation of the relationship between Zhai Xing and Prince Bo. They meet again in Episode 4 and 5 after 8 years. While Prince Bo knows who she is, he denies his identity to her. They are decreed by Emperor Chu Kui to get betrothed in Episode 6 but Prince Bo hates her for her past betrayal. He finally finds out the truth that she didn’t betray him in Episode 8.

Zhai Xing finds out that Prince Bo is Wolf Boy in Episode 18 as his mannerisms give him away. She starts to hate him in Episode 26 when she learns that he was involved in her father’s murder. An impending war sees them on the opposite sides in Episode 36 while Prince Bo saves Zhai Xing during the battle in Episode 37. This causes a lot of rumors that affect the troops morale while pushes Zhai Xing to marry Ji Chong in Episode 40.

Ji Chong tells Zhai Xing the truth about Prince Bo’s sacrifices for her in Episode 45 which leads to a reconciliation in Episode 46. In Episode 49, Zhai Xing dies.

Is Zhai Xing A Princess?

Yes, Zhai Xing is a princess. Her mother is Princess Ping Yuan who was an emperor’s daughter. The dynasty crumbled after they lost the war to Emperor Chu Kui who ordered the imperial household to be massacred. A pregnant Princess Ping Yuan was saved by General Ma Ying although they were on opposing camps because he was indebted to her family. He took her in as a concubine and treated Zhai Xing as his own daughter.

Zhai Xing is not told of her identity to keep her safe. She only found out about her background in Episode 33.

Did Prince Bo Die?

Although it is not shown what happens to him, the 4th Prince’s narration points to his death. The 6 months lapse also coincides with the time period that Prince Bo is expected to live. His body has been consumed by poison from the medicine fed by Emperor Chu Kui and 2nd Prince’s poisoned arrow.

Who Is Ji Chong?

Ji Chong is actually Prince Li Ju Yao or Prince Chuan of the Jin Kingdom. He was an army commander who deserted the state after a dispute with his father 7 years ago. He had a good relationship with his assistant generals who sent him off to see his sick mother without getting prior permission. His father executed his subordinates for breaking military rule to make him learn that he has to be stern as a leader. Ji Chong got angry with his father and chose to escape the pain and responsibility by becoming a wanderer. He also supported the dead soldiers’ families by being a bounty hunter.

What Happens To Ji Chong?

Ji Chong ends up with Princess Bao Na as his traveling companion 6 months after Zhai Xing’s death. The princess has become interested in him as she thinks he is cool with the way he handled his breakup with Zhai Xing. Ji Chong loved Zhai Xing but he knew the only person who could give her true happiness is Prince Bo. The marriage was like a cage for Zhai Xing who sees it as her duty. Although she cares for Ji Chong, she was never really into him as a romantic partner.

Does Yao Ji Love Prince Bo?

Yes, she does. But she didn’t confess her feelings because of pride and because she knows he only loves Zhai Xing. They have always been rivals since they were taken in by Emperor Chu Kui and made to compete with each other to be the leader of Night Fury. Yao Ji only got so far as admitting that he is like family to her.

However, Zhai Xing knew about her feelings for Prince Bo. They ended up supporting each other because of Prince Bo’s failing health towards the end.

The Fate Of The Other Characters

• Yao Ji – She becomes a physician and medicine maker.
• 4th Prince – He succeeded his father but steps down after 6 months to hand over control to the Jin Emperor to ensure peace and stability.
• Emperor Chu Kui – He was killed by 2nd Prince who rebelled. By then, he was an ailing man with no one at his side.
• 2nd Prince – He was killed by Prince Bo when he tried a sneak attack after Zhai Xing killed all his soldiers.
• Wen Yan – He died after being made a human sacrifice in a ritual to boost Emperor Chu Kui’s luck.
• Hai Die and Mo Xiao – They settle in Wen Yan’s hometown and take care of orphans.
• Ma Feng Cheng – He was weakened by miasma poisoning and died of distress when he found out he had been wrong in trusting Emperor Chu Kui.
• Mr. Fang and Hong’er – They were killed by Yao Ji to protect Prince Bo.

The Wolf Review – It’ll Be Harsh For Some

I think I should start by mentioning why The Wolf may be repulsive to some. The lead couple’s relationship is a roller-coaster ride of ups and downs with a repetitive cycle of sweet moments and harsh rebukes especially in the first half of the drama. The male lead blows hot and cold. He can be very loving one minute and completely cold and cruel the next. This is due to circumstances beyond his control. But you can say that this drama is full of the I’m-cruel-to-you-because-I-love-you trope. The cruelty will border on the abusive for some. Hence, if you cannot accept the way Zhai Xing is treated by Prince Bo, The Wolf will become loathsome to watch.

On top of that, there is no honesty in their relationship. Instead, Prince Bo has to continually deceive Zhai Xing because of his indirect involvement in her family’s massacre. He also has to be harsh to protect her from the Emperor’s schemings. Thus, this is a story that is also heavy on misunderstandings that drag on and on which result in a lot of angst. If you want to watch The Wolf, you will have to be prepared for the negative emotions that it will evoke.

So, should you still watch this drama? Well, my opinion is yes if you don’t mind heavier dramas such as Royal Nirvana and Go Ahead that will make you feel apprehensive and anguished.

A Good Plot

The basic story is a good one although one could argue about its presentation. Most of the complaints center on the cruelty in the main couple’s relationship. If you ignore that and just gauge the plot itself, it is unique and interesting. The transformation of Prince Bo from a kind Wolf Boy to a cold and emotionless man is understandable. The aura of a doomed relationship sets the tone of the drama. The schemings and political maneuverings give us the required anxiety as they have an effect on Prince Bo’s actions and the romance.

Yes, the harshness, misunderstandings, and quiet sacrifices are integral to the plot. These are the ingredients that drive the emotions in this drama. To me, it is just a matter whether they are overdone and different viewers will definitely have different opinions. I’m neutral on Prince Bo’s “abusive” attitude towards Zhai Xing as it fits his character and the story but I’m not too gung-ho on Zhai Xing’s reaction to his bullying which brings up the following point.

Not The Smartest Female Character

Zhai Xing’s character seems a little inconsistent to me. She displays flashes of brilliance at times as seen by her solving of an official’s murder in the early parts of the drama. But she seems totally clueless and naive when it comes to Prince Bo’s deception. She keeps wanting his love despite his harsh rejections. Perhaps this could be explained by the saying love is blind. If you buy that, then her character may not be annoying to you. Otherwise, you could be tempted to drop this drama especially when their on-and-off again relationship seems to be going nowhere.

The Ending (Spoilers Alert!)

Not many people like sad endings. In fact, it is normal for some viewers to want to know the ending before they start watching a drama. So, if you can’t stand tragic endings, The Wolf should not be on your watch list.

Nonetheless, it is an ending that fits the overall feel of the drama. You kind of expect it given how Prince Bo and Zhai Xing’s relationship develops. I think if they try to project a happily ever after ending instead, it will feel forced and not so realistic. Therefore, my suggestion is not to let the sad ending scares you off. At least, it is not ambiguous or vague like the conclusions in Love Of Thousand Years and Dance Of The Phoenix which is even worse.

Furthermore, I don’t feel that the ending is an extremely sad one. Yes, you might shed some tears but the narration will make you imagine that they are together in another world. That will take away some of the blues which makes it not so bad overall.

Acting

I know many people watch this drama because of Sean Xiao. But you will have to get used to the fact that he is only the second male lead here. He is good as Ji Chong with an air of nonchalance about him which suits this character. But I think he is overshadowed by Darren Wang’s Prince Bo in this drama. Darren Wang nailed this role with his smirks and cold stares. He has the build and face of a fearless and mysterious man which personifies the animal characteristics of the character. The only question that I have is why the need to make his face so tan. It looks weird at times when the skin color of his hands does not match his face!

I also have no complaints about Li Qin’s acting. There is no over-exaggeration is her expressions which helps to make the character watchable to me since Zhai Xing can be naive and desperate when it comes to love which is annoying in itself. Paired together with Darren Wang, they make a compatible couple on-screen although their kisses are not the best in dramaland.

My Verdict – Good Enough To Watch

I feel that The Wolf is bit like Legend Of Fei – they are not superb epics like Ten Miles Of Peach Blossoms but still good enough to give them a go. The harshness of the main couple’s relationship is what will drive away a section of the viewers as not everyone will be able to accept such cruel treatment. But the irony is that the exact situation will also attract another group of fans because of the strong emotions it evokes. What one sees as abuse, another will see as a painful sacrifice for the woman he loves. So, that is why it is hard for The Wolf to resonate with most unlike epics with a more straightforward romance like Ashes Of Love and Eternal Love Of Dream.

My recommendation for readers to give it a go is because I wouldn’t know which side of the fence you will fall on. But I can tell you that if you identify with Prince Bo’s actions, The Wolf will become a compelling story to follow. Maybe there are some boring stretches when the relationship seems to be going back and forth between sweetness and cruelty, but the pacing improves in the second half of the drama. The events become more exciting and the chase factor goes up a notch. The cinematography is also excellent and provides great visuals to increase the watchability value.

Not Your Typical Romance Drama

For this The Wolf review, I will give it a rating of 7.5/10. Where it falls short for me is the lack of explanation on certain events such as the eldest prince’s death. If there is just a bit more details for a few of the sub-plots, the overall story will be more complete. Moreover, the rap background music for some of the scenes also doesn’t fit the historical nature of the drama although this is merely my own personal preference.

One final word for The Wolf is that this is not your typical romance drama with sweetness and fluff like General’s Lady. It is more to the dark and savage side of things where the love has to be cloaked in a layer of cruelty. But don’t let it deter you from giving it a try as this is precisely what could move you to root for the couple. At the very least, watch it for Darren Wang’s portrayal of Prince Bo. You might just fall in love with this dark prince!

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