Unchained Love Review

Unchained Love (浮图缘) is another drama starring the hugely popular Dylan Wang. I got onboard with a neutral mindset though despite the high ratings because the actor’s star power will inevitably attract eyeballs and influence the reviews given by his fans. This production has a historical setting in a time period where a eunuch commands great power. As I watched, there are times when I felt a waning interest in the story. My Unchained Love review below will tell you why as I elaborate on its good and bad points.

My rating: 7.5/10
Episodes: 36
Type: Historical Romance
Aired: December 2022
Images Credit: Douban Movie

The Cast Of Unchained Love

• Dylan Wang He Di as Xiao Duo
• Yukee Chen Yu Qi as Bu Yin Lou
• Peter Ho Yun Tung as Mu Rong Gao Gong / Fu Wang
• Zeng Li as Empress Rong An
• He Nan as Tong Yun
• Wang Li Xin as Cao Chun Ang / Eunuch Cao
• Guan Chang as Mu Rong Wan Wan / Princess He De
• Kang Kang as Yu Wen Liang Shi / Prince Nan Yuan
• Han Hao Tian as Yu Wen Liang Xu
• Zhang Zi Jian as Bu Yu Lu
• Xu Rong Zhen as Madame Bu
• Shi Yu as Sun Tai Qing / Eunuch Sun

Main Characters

Xiao Duo

Xiao Duo is a eunuch who heads the powerful Zhaoding Bureau. He is an arrogant man who appears as fierce and ruthless. His power and arrogance makes him feared and hated as he has stepped on too many toes. Xiao Duo is also astute and shrewd.

Bu Yin Lou

Yin Lou is one of many ladies in the royal harem. She is an optimistic and cunning woman whose only wish is to lead a carefree life. Yin Lou is smart but likes to pretend otherwise to escape from troubles. Her father is the Grand Tutor while her mother is a concubine. Her status as a concubine’s daughter means she has to suffer mistreatment at the hands of her father’s legitimate wife.

Supporting Characters

Mu Rong Gao Gong / Prince Fu

Mu Rong Gao Gong is also known as Prince Fu. He is the late Emperor’s brother and the only surviving adult male heir of the Mu Rong clan with clear legitimacy to inherit the throne. Mu Rong Gao Gong is an idle prince who spends his time making lanterns. He is timid and unambitious. He prefers to remain low key to stay out of trouble.

Empress Rong An

Empress Rong An is the late Emperor’s official wife. She has no heir and is a jealous and vengeful woman. Empress Rong An craves for power and Xiao Duo’s attention.

Tong Yun

Tong Yun is Yin Lou’s personal maid and confidant. They have a close relationship.

Cao Chun Ang / Eunuch Cao

Eunuch Cao is Xiao Duo’s personal aide. He also regards Xiao Duo as his godfather. Eunuch Cao knows Xiao Duo’s deepest secrets and is a loyal subordinate together with Yu Qi Lang.

Mu Rong Wan Wan / Princess He De

Wan Wan is also known as Princess He De. She is Mu Rong Gao Gong’s younger sister. Princess He De is a little willful with a smack of arrogance but not evil-hearted. She is friends with Xiao Duo.

Yu Wen Liang Shi / Prince Nan Yuan

Prince Nan Yuan is a royal with a strong base at West Shu. He is an ambitious man who is a great threat to the Mu Rong clan. He and Empress Rong An are partners in the quest to grab the throne.

Yu Wen Liang Xu

Yu Wen Liang Xu is Prince Nan Yuan’s younger brother. He is still a little immature and playful with a huge crush on Princess He De.

Bu Yu Lu

Bu Yu Lu is the Grand Tutor of the imperial family. He is also Yin Lou’s father. He is a selfish man who only considers his own benefit and would not hesitate to sacrifice his daughters if it suits his interest.

Madame Bu

Madame Bu is Bu Yu Lu’s official wife and Yin Lou’s stepmother. She has a daughter named Bu Yin Ge whom she dotes on. Madame Bu is a spiteful and selfish woman.

Sun Tai Qing / Eunuch Sun

Eunuch Sun is Mu Rong Gao Gong’s personal aide. He is a loyal subordinate who is always thinking of his master’s welfare and reminding him of the powers he could wield.

Synopsis

Yin Lou has just entered the palace as part of the royal harem when the Emperor dies. She is selected to be one of the tribute ladies to be buried with the late Emperor. However, the late Emperor’s brother, Mu Rong Gao Gong, has deep feelings for Yin Lou. Being a timid and powerless man, he seeks Xiao Duo’s help to save her. Xiao Duo is a powerful eunuch who has his own personal agenda to avenge his brother’s death.

After saving Yin Lou, Xiao Duo keeps her close as he surmises that he could use her to pressure Mu Rong Gao Gong to cooperate with him in the power tussle with Empress Rong An. As Yin Lou and Xiao Duo spend more and more time together, they begin to fall in love with each other. But Mu Rong Gao Gong also unexpectedly ends up as the new Emperor by accident. As Mu Rong Gao Gong gets used to the power of the throne, he starts to exert his authority and wants Yin Lou to be his consort while keeping Xiao Duo’s powers in check.

Will Yin Lou and Xiao Duo be able to get out of Mu Rong Gao Gong’s grasp to be with each other? Can Xiao Duo find his brother’s killer and avenge his death?

Unchained Love Ending And Recap (Spoilers Alert!)

Unchained Love has a happy ending. Xiao Duo and Yin Lou manage to escape from the imperial city. After Mu Rong Gao Gong forced Yin Lou to be his empress, she pretends to be possessed. Hence, she ends up being confined to a pagoda room. With Princess He De’s help, Xiao Duo could enter the palace grounds to get Yin Lou out. They burn down the room before getting away.

Mu Rong Gao Gong’s chief imperial guard actually sees them escaping but chooses to turn a blind eye. He reports to Mu Rong Gao Gong that Yin Lou perished in the fire. The drama ends with Mu Rong Gao Gong collapsing after hearing the news. After all, he gave the orders to seal Yin Lou in just before the fire occurred.

When Did They Get Together?

Xiao Duo starts to develop feelings for Yin Lou around Episode 7 and 8 as they spend more time together. She suspects that he covets her in Episode 12 and knows that he really likes her in Episode 14. But Xiao Duo brushes it off when Yin Lou asks him about it in Episode 15 to her disappointment. When he shields her from an arrow and falls into the river, she jumps in after him. After getting out of danger, he kisses her when she has gotten drowsy.

In Episode 16, Yin Lou kisses Xiao Duo and they spend the night sleeping next to each other which more or less confirms their relationship. But Xiao Duo becomes worried that their relationship could get exposed which will put Yin Lou is danger. Hence, he tries to avoid her and the arrival of his supposed ex-lover further complicates matter.

However, their relationship strengthens after Yin Lou drank a poisoned dessert which exposes Xiao Duo’s deep feelings for her which can’t be hidden in Episode 19. He proposes to her in Episode 20 and they take each other as husband and wife with a simple prayer.

Is There Any Love Triangle And Breakup?

Yin Lou and Xiao Duo only have feelings for each other although Mu Rong Goa Gong would use his powers as Emperor to pressure Yin Lou to be his consort. This is how the love triangle is played out in Unchained Love.

In Episode 21, Yin Lou agrees with Xiao Duo to elope after Mu Rong Gao Gong insists that Yin Lou returns to the palace with him. However, Yin Lou backs out at the last minute when she discovers that Mu Rong Gao Gong has got his men in place to capture anyone who tries to help her escape. In order to protect Xiao Duo, she didn’t get down from the royal carriage at the agreed location and proceeds with the journey back to the imperial city. Xiao Duo misunderstands her intention when he hears that Yin Lou has served Mu Rong Gao Gong and promoted to consort in the palace in Episode 22 but still hangs on to the hope that she still loves him.

In Episode 23, Yin Lou purposely tells Xiao Duo that she has just been making used of him to get what she wants. Yin Lou does so in order to get him to leave her as their relationship could cause him his life. They reconcile in Episode 25 after Xiao Duo confirms with Tong Yun that the breakup is Yin Lou’s way to protect him and investigate his brother’s death.

When Did Xiao Duo’s Secret Get Exposed?

Xiao Duo reveals his true identity to Yin Lou in Episode 19 when their relationship deepens after an incident. By then, Yin Lou could already guessed Xiao Duo is not who he claims to be. He took on his brother identity as a eunuch after the latter was murdered and worked his way up in order to avenge his death.

Empress Rong An discovers Xiao Duo’s secret in Episode 27 after she investigates his old records in the palace. She uses the information to blackmail him into killing Yin Lou and returning to serve her. Xiao Duo plays along and takes the opportunity to set her up instead until her crimes get exposed and she is sentenced to death.

Mu Rong Gao Gong learns that Xiao Duo and Yin Lou are in a relationship and that he is a fake eunuch in Episode 32. He finds that out when he pays a sudden visit to Yin Lou but she isn’t in her room. He then discovers the secret tunnel linking Yin Lou’s room to Xiao Duo’s property next door and chances upon their rendezvous.

Who Killed Xiao Duo’s Brother?

The person who killed Xiao Duo’s brother is Bu Yu Lu. This is revealed in Episode 28. Xiao Duo finds out about it from Empress Rong An while Yin Lou figures it out through the pendant left behind by the victim.

Bu Yu Lu and Empress Rong An were colluding with Prince Nan Yuan who always has plans to rebel. On that night, the 3 of them were having a secret meeting. When Bu Yu Lu and Empress Rong An left the meeting at a teahouse, Xiao Duo’s brother accidentally bumped into them. As Xiao Duo’s brother is a eunuch at the palace, he could recognize Empress Rong An. Bu Yu Lu killed him to avoid trouble. Then, they left in Prince Nan Yuan’s carriage to avoid being seen.

Bu Yu Lu is captured in Episode 31 and awaits execution after the rebellion with Prince Nan Yuan is foiled by Xiao Duo.

What Happened To Empress Rong An?

Empress Rong An dies in Episode 28. Out of jealousy, she tried to frame Yin Lou for practicing witchcraft but was set up by Xiao Duo instead to expose her crimes. Mu Rong Gao Gong sentenced her to die as a result. Xiao Duo served her the poisoned wine. Before she drinks it, Xiao Duo asked her about his brother’s death. Empress Rong An pointed out that the killer is Yin Lou’s father. When Xiao Duo didn’t seem to believe her, she stabbed herself instead to prove her innocence and died.

Mu Rong Gao Gong’s Fate

Mu Rong Gao Gong starts off as a timid and unambitious prince and goes on to be a hesitant Emperor before finally ending up as a crazy tyrant. After becoming the Emperor, Mu Rong Gao Gong gradually learns the value of his power. He becomes more shrewd and starts to indulge in ruthlessness around Episode 13. He is obsessed with Yin Lou and thinks that she will appreciate him more if he is a powerful ruler. But along the way, he uses his powers to try to own her instead.

Mu Rong Gao Gong also feels threatened by Xiao Duo’s great influence. Hence, he promotes Bu Yu Lu to suppress Xiao Duo’s power which opens up the opportunity for Prince Nan Yuan to rebel in Episode 30. While trying to escape from the rebellion, Mu Rong Gao Gong is injured and becomes infertile. This causes him to be mentally unstable. He becomes more and more unhinged after discovering Yin Lou and Xiao Duo’s illicit relationship. He also becomes addicted to tonics which makes his condition worse.

Mu Rong Gao Gong kills Eunuch Sun in Episode 35 when the latter tries to advice him not to be a tyrant. He is an unpopular Emperor due to his tyranny and rumors circulate that he is infertile and that he killed his nephew to usurp the throne. He ends up disillusioned, demotivated, and lonely before collapsing after being told that Yin Lou has died in a fire.

Unchained Love Review – Great If You Are A Fan

Personally, I’m not sure if the high ratings for Unchained Love on some drama sites is because of the actor’s star power or the story itself. To me, it is not a bad drama but neither is it anything great to deserve full marks. I found the first half to be filled with boring stretches that I nearly dropped it after 10 episodes or so. It was hard to sustain my interest because the story was going in circles.

It has an interesting start but after the first few episodes, the plot keeps focusing on the couple’s interactions and the various schemes to ensure the female lead can avoid going back to the palace to be the Emperor’s consort. This part of the story ding-dongs for more than 10 episodes. I guess it is needed to give time for the couple’s relationship to develop. The plot only gets more exciting in the last third when the villain really makes his presence felt in the overall scheme of things.

A Rom-Com But Not A Rom-Com

Unchained Love is a forbidden love story in essence with a fake eunuch falling for the Emperor’s woman. All the necessary ingredients are there for a painful and heart-wrenching drama. But somehow, it has a rom-com feel at times that the serious nature of the romance loses its effect. There is nothing wrong to set this up as a rom-com but there are also moments of darkness and seriousness in the plot execution as well.

Hence, I get the feeling that the drama is stuck somewhere in the middle. It is not suited as a rom-com and yet, it is lacking as a serious romance. Consequently, I don’t find the comedic parts to be funny unlike New Life Begins where it is very clear that it is a lighthearted drama. My take is Unchained Love tries too hard to straddle rom-com and serious romance that it fails to do justice to both.

Revenge Plot Takes A Backseat

The male protagonist in Unchained Love starts off as someone very determined to avenge his twin brother’s death. Viewers are told that the only reason he stays as a eunuch in the palace is to get justice for his brother. But this storyline then takes a backseat to the romance. The male lead is then reduced to a lovestruck eunuch who is even willing to forego his revenge to be with his lady love along the way. Thus, the inconsistency in the male lead’s character becomes noticeable to me. The soul of the character is lacking compared to say, the male lead in Love Like The Galaxy.

I suppose if you like the romance and the couple’s interactions, then the drama will seem romantic without the need to delve too much into the revenge angle. But if you prefer more intrigue and substance to the plot, then the revenge storyline could have been better handled. It leaves a cold trail after the beginning before it is picked up again much later for a couple of episodes.

In fact, what has better character and story development in the drama is not the protagonists but the villain. There is a step-by-step progress to the villain’s change of character here. To me, his story overshadows that of the protagonists although his character is a hateful one.

Acting And Chemistry

What strikes me each time I watch Chen Yu Qi in her drama roles is her big eyes. In Unchained Love, her character is smart and cunning but likes to pretend otherwise to fool others. She is a quick thinker with a calculative mind. Hence, her eye movement reflect that when her mind is at work. But apart from her eyes, there is nothing else that strikes me as memorable in her role as Bu Yin Lou. Chen Yu Qi has a guest role in Song Of The Moon and I also caught her in Memory Of Encaustic Tile. So, she is a seasoned actress but I don’t think she has any breakthrough roles lately to make her really stand out.

As for Dylan Wang, his popularity increased after the success of Love Between Fairy And Devil. I think he did better in that drama than in Unchained Love. While he fits the role of Xiao Duo with his stares and impassive face as a powerful eunuch, the character lacks a soul to me. Perhaps it has nothing to do with the acting but the way the story is told which doesn’t lay a strong foundation for character growth. But overall, Dylan Wang is cool and has the charisma for the role.

The chemistry between these 2 partners is only okay to me. Some may find them to be perfect lovers but I can’t feel anything special between them. They are flirty with quite a few sweet scenes together. But they failed to raise the bar to make their pairing a truly unforgettable one.

My Verdict – Story Picks Up In Later Half

Much of the angst and happenings in Unchained Love occur in the second half of the drama. Therefore, if you are not a big fan of the leads and are merely looking forward to a good story, it does take a bit of patience to sit through the boring patches in the first half. I guess if you really like the couple’s romance, then the boredom may not be an issue. But if you prefer more detailed investigation and excitement for the revenge part, then this would fall short of expectations.

Furthermore, the romance is marred by censorship cuts. This shows up in the poor editing in a few intimate scenes. So, you won’t get really passionate kisses in this drama although the couple is pretty flirty and playful. The forbidden love should have heightened the lovers’ desire for each other but you don’t get that feeling in the plot execution. Instead, the unhealthy obsession of the villain towards the female lead overshadows the romance in the second half of the drama to me.

For this Unchained Love review, I would rate it 7.5/10. It should be a really great drama if you are a fan of Dylan Wang due to his charisma which suits the role well. The story itself is not too bad overall but don’t expect it to be emotionally moving despite the forbidden love theme. The more substantive second half makes up for the boring stretches in the first. There will be angst then and it can be infuriating watching the protagonists having to dance around the powerful villain. Personally, this leaves a deeper impression on me than the romance after the drama ends.