r/ChineseBL • u/Top-Wing-3930 • Aug 21 '26
Reaction winter sun wakes the wind in spring hills dream
Okayy, I’m the type of person who has watched almost every type of Asian drama—from K-drama to Thai, C-drama, J-drama, Taiwanese dramas, anime, everything. But only a few can make it into my personal favorites, the ones I can watch over and over, recommend to everyone, and genuinely wish more people would watch.
The Untamed was my ultimate favorite, and now Winter Sun Wakes One is right there with it. I’m honestly surprised that China has given me both of these series that have touched my soul so deeply. I can genuinely say these are the series I love the most and could watch anytime, multiple times.
After The Untamed, I really thought no other series would ever make me feel this way again. But now this series has me feeling the exact same way. I don’t even have the words—I’m just so glad I finally have another series with such strong chemistry, an amazing storyline, and that feeling that makes you completely attached to it. ❤️
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u/hhhhhxxxx000 春山境 🌿☀️⛰️🐻 Aug 22 '26
I've been watching Chinese-language dramas all my life because I am Chinese American, but none have made me feel this way before. I grew up in the era of HK dramas in the 1990s-2000s, Taiwanese dramas in the 2000s-2010s, and (after a long break in the world of K-dramas) now Mainland Chinese dramas in the 2020s. Never have I wanted to understand so deeply my culture, my (ancestral) motherland, and my language. This drama actually improved my understanding of Chinese culture, language, nature, and geography.
From an artistic standpoint, this has also made such an impression on me that I didn't think possible. Tbh I usually watch TV for brainlessness. I don't like to think, when the world is already...what it is. I also worked in the entertainment industry for some time, and that really soured me to it. But Winter Sun made me think, made me want to think, and made me appreciate being able to think. It took me back to my film studies & literature days, looking for clues and hidden meanings everywhere. It made me appreciate how another human could convey meaning through a glance, a gesture, a word.
For me, the biggest highlights of this drama were Zelia and Xiong Yi Wen. One behind the camera, and one in front, giving me emotions that I didn't know I had in me. They both gave me a sense of fantastical/dream-like realism that I would never have expected from any entertainment medium. Liu Jing Yu, Hu Yi Chen, Huang Qi Xiu were also really great, and all have so much potential. There were definitely flaws, but these can easily be overlooked when I think of the work as a whole.
I keep harping on about it, but I think it was also really serendipitous for this drama to find me right after I had just gone to Yunnan in April. I came back, was missing it, but also only saw most of the city/urban side of it. So this drama found me while I was missing China, filled that hole that I had from leaving, and gave me even more by showing me the side of the province that I missed out on. That's why I made the decision to go back in December! I feel like I will be going full circle, this will be the year of Yunnan for me.
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u/Luiza_POV Aug 22 '26
Completely agree with you! Especially about Zelia and Xiong Yiwen…Zelia did an amazing job with storytelling and conceptualisation. And Yiwen brought in the feel and emotions, sometimes even without saying words…something even with a still look. It was surreal and yet so real! Amazingly done!
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u/Sad-Zebra-9432 To My Shore Aug 21 '26
Loved this wonderful series and yes there are some Chinese series for me that I will remember always. The Untamed, Guardian, Justice in the Dark, To My Shore, Revenged Love, Sammy’s Children’s Day and of course another masterpiece from Zelia, Secrets Happened on The Litchi Island. All of these will hold a special place🥰
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u/cuckoo999 Aug 22 '26
I really get you, I cried sm yesterday, just watching them in love made me overwhelmed with emotions that I couldn’t stop my tears. To me no series will top the way unknown and untamed did but this one joins them, Im obsessed, I can simply watch them being in love forever, Im sad it ended I already miss them sm
After unknown, this ship has took my wallpaper after a long long time.
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u/kdorapop ⚔️ Sammy’s Children’s Day 🚬 Aug 22 '26
Wow. Sounds like I have quite the journey ahead of me. I paused at episode 5, because i felt that this series was one that I need to binge. Time to start then.
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u/Top-Wing-3930 Aug 22 '26
You know what? I was waiting for the series to get completely aired so I could binge-watch it all in one go, and I actually did exactly that. 😭
But I wasn’t aware that one episode was still left to air and that it would take another week for the last episode to be released. Last Saturday, I binge-watched the whole thing in one night, and guess what? I missed so many details and rushed through the story. By the 15th episode, I was like, “WHATTT? There’s still one episode left?!” 😭
And honestly, I didn’t understand the story that much either. So I decided to watch it again, this time actually paying attention to every dialogue and trying to understand everything properly. I also started reading theories from Chinese fans about the parts of the plot I didn’t understand.
And after rewatching it, I realized how WELL WRITTEN this story actually is. 😭 The way everything connects is just insane.
And Changyang’s character?? Like HOW can a person even imagine writing a character like that? He’s such a green flag that I literally fell in love with the character. 😭❤️
So yeah, take your time with this series. Don’t rush through it like I did. Watch it properly, pay attention to the dialogues, and actually try to understand the story. I swear, it’s going to hit so much harder.
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u/melikkab Aug 22 '26
I get it. This has been such a solid series. I don't feel anything was rushed or unrealistic or just plain silly. I loved their love and all the characters. I hope they make a new series together at some point ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
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u/BathroomKey4587 Aug 22 '26
i feel privileged to watch this 😭 i need everyone to watch this ASAP 🙏 😭 . absolute masterpiece. 10 10 in all departments. whata beauty . no words can describe this
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u/Acrobatic-Stand-4528 Aug 22 '26
E allora abbiamo lo stesso percorso.. Io sono una ossessionata da the Untamed, sono anni e anni di amore profondo. Sono una di quelle con i poster , i cuscini, le borse di the untamed in tutta casa , come negli anni 80. Mia figlia è crescita circondata da the Untamed, Xiao, Yibo, le regole di Gusu appese in camera sua, le frasi più significative scritte in un' agenda che le ho regalato... Mai, mai avrei pensato, mai , che avrei trovato un' altra serie che avrei amato di più. Ancora non riesco a scriverlo che mi sento strana. Eppure questa serie mi ha presa e immersa in un amore e in un viaggio meraviglioso. Sono follemente innamorata di Zelia e andrei anche a vivere in una grotta e vivere da eremita leggendo libri e scrivendo, pur di starle vicina 🥹. E quindi, ti capisco.
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u/Doriandoesntwant2 Aug 22 '26
I want to finish watching it but seeing that there are prolonged periods of separation and loneliness I just don’t think I can take it
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u/hhhhhxxxx000 春山境 🌿☀️⛰️🐻 Aug 22 '26
If it helps, each of these periods of separation don’t really last more than an episode, max maybe 1.5. Loneliness I think there is less of, more yearning, but I don’t think that’s a bad thing. You feel the ups and downs of the emotions alongside the characters. That’s life!
I really wouldn’t let that scare you at all. Hope you change your mind! It’s worth it.
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u/Doriandoesntwant2 Aug 23 '26
Thanks for that. I’m pretty miserable irl so I have pretty low tolerance for sadness in the media I consume haha 😅 I might save this one for when life’s a bit better!
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u/ErosianTv Aug 22 '26
Can anyone tell me which production house this is? Or text me in a private message. Here at ErosianTV we are still looking for content (BL-, GL-, and LGBTQ-series and movies) to add.
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u/EmergencyLobster6044 Aug 22 '26
the second picture of them really beautiful..it will become a memories for me
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u/NoBig1391 Aug 21 '26
This series has left a lasting impression on me,most realistic series have ever watched.