I know that I already wrote a post touching on why you should choose Untouchable Lovers over The Flame’s Daughter a few weeks ago.  But 12 more episodes later I am impressed to write another post because this drama is so good that I just can’t stop watching.  So join me as I give you three more reasons you should be binge watching Untouchable Lovers ASAP.

#3 Layered characters

When I watch a drama with layered characters I get so excited! There is nothing worse than having to sit through sixty episodes where the character’s only defining trait is their love for so and so. Which means that the leads in UL are perfect. They all have reasons why they are the way they are…. whether it is loyalty to a foreign country, abandoned and raised by peasants during a famine, or the cutthroat cruelty of the royal court. I really appreciate that there is no one aspect that fuels our lead’s actions. It also manages to make the court plotting aspects not as boring and tedious.  Instead, it focuses on the various characters and not outside political forces trying to plot in hidden hallways.

#2 – Hong Yao as the muddled young emperor

Most of the actors are very satisfactory for their roles.  To be honest, I don’t expect as much on the acting front when I have a wonderfully written plot.  But one person stands out from the others and deserves his own mention.  Enter, relatively newbie actor Hong Yao as the muddled (it cracks me up that this is how they describe him rather than crazy serial killer nutjob) emperor Liu Ziye.  His ability to go from sweet adoring brother to deranged murderer is fascinating.  I highly enjoyed his performance and am saddened that he is not in the full 52 episodes.

#1 – Heartfelt and intricate plot

This kind of circles back to reason #3 but I felt that it deserves to be mentioned more than once.  Untouchable Lovers’ plot is so well done I want to weep for joy.  The characters are all smart and driven by actual reason and not just because we needed some angst for the romance. In fact, I would say the romance takes a back seat to the basic storytelling of everyone’s lives.  I have a feeling it might be ramped up in the later half of the drama but for now we are just watching intricate plots and stories come to fruition.

The fact that I have come close to tears multiple times as various characters pass away or hidden secrets are revealed tells you how well done the character development and the story writing is.  For this drama, it is the small moments that hold the power and not sweeping gestures of eternal love.  It is refreshing and different from what the Chinese dramas I have watched in the past year or so have provided.

So there you have it.  Three more reasons to jump up (or down onto your couch as the case may be) and binge watch Untouchable Lovers.  You can find it streaming on Viki and I look forward to your thoughts and comments.

Til next time,

Kmuse

Dramas With a Side of Kimchi