1As Kazakh person, this drama passed my vibe check:)
As a Kazakh, it was a must to watch this drama and I really enjoyed it. I’m also from a small village, but more modern / settled type, however some people from my village also go to summer ranches (zhailau/jailau) to herd their cattle. In my village there are many Kazakhs from China and Mongolia, so this drama really showed the vibe of jailau and life of people there. Especially, I was amazed with the actors play and how they delivered real life situations and conversations so naturally. I had a feeling as if I was living with them in that village and observing everything from outside. Also, respect to the male lead actor who is not Kazakh but was trying to pronounce some difficult words in Kazakh, yet other actors’ Kazakh language was authentic. There were many funny moments that maybe only Kazakh person(who speaks Kazakh) could understand, because of course as in any other languages there are some phrases or sayings that you can’t really translate without altering the meaning a bit. Overall, I enjoyed cinematography, music, acting, and plot as well. So, go watch it!!!Was this review helpful to you?
Here, "living" is the simplest thing.
Being The Winner of Magnolia Award Best TV series of 2024, & Having a Grand Rating of 8.9 in Douban, "我的阿勒泰" /My Altay/ "To The Wonder" is one of the finest & Sincere productions of China that came out in recent years. It's a cultural tourism work of Northern Xinjiang but the Cinematic quality is truly magnificent. A Storytelling like a roaming raconteur, Picturesque Cinematography, Excellent Camera work & Direction, Every shot is immersive, and Every Actor perfectly embodied their roles.At the age of 19, Li Wenxiu stood at a crossroads in her life and asked a writer she admired what to do during a lecture.The writer said, "Go love, go live, go get hurt". It felt like the original author Li Juan's self narration, this drama is adapted from her eponymous essay collections, the original work is a record of her own life experiences as an adolescent living in the Altay Mountains, living with her Mother & Elderly Grandmother alongside nomadic Kazakh herders for several years. They migrated & moved ranches with the herders, run a general store, worked as small tailors sewing clothes, picked wild mushrooms deep in the mountains, & experienced a close-up look of lives of this ethnic minority, Prolly the reason why this drama felt so Genuine. The best part of watching was the rawness of it, be it the characters or the landscapes, or the relationships & the conversations that came along with it...Customs, traditions & Cultural aspects of the ethnic minorities were interesting to watch, Zhang Fengxia's dynamic with her daughter & mother was chaotic, funny & heartwarming at the same time, the chemistry between Male & female lead was Calm, soothing & refreshing. Ba Tai & His family with other minor supporting roles & their journey with the Main characters created a blended experience of immersive storytelling.
Yu Shi is So Manly Handsome & a pleasant discovery of Acting Talent. Such a natural aura out there with bare minimum Makeup & styling. He is horse-riding, singing, playing musical instruments, doing archery, & speaking Kazakh half-fluently. His Ba Tai is Charming, youthful & gentle at heart. Zhou Yiran is such a pretty lady & she carried her role really well, watching them on screen have been an absolute pleasure.
This drama has a world of It's own, & it successfully made me appreciate that world of vast grasslands.In the remote northwest region of Altay, a land with Snow-capped mountains reaching into the clouds, dense forests, flocks of sheep, horses galloping freely, Kazakh boys on horseback, and Han girls in long skirts—the pure and bright vitality of life leaps off the screen. Everything is so picturesque, calm and natural, When things feel heavy in life, try this drama for a Scenic peace of mind.
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Highly recommended adaptation of essays with ethnic scope
I loved watching this miniseries, that features some well known actors and actresses (Ma Yili, Zhou Yiran, Yu Shi) together with a cast that skillfully portrays the balance between ethnic minorities in the remote northwestern corner of Xinjiang where vanishing lifestyle competes with the hopes and toils of younger generations.Rather than repeating myself, I will just refer to my Notes about the miniseries, that illustrate many of the thoughts that can be triggered by watching the series. The story can be watched with no prior knowledge, but raises questions that push to dig deeper. There are many nice touches and details, and the director herself did state that although humorous elements were added to the play, they were kept within a moderate range to prompt the audience to reflect. The balance is kept to avoid too much heaviness, and the pace is brisk, while the cinematography enhances the loveliness of nature, despite its sometimes harshness. Horse lovers will be drawn in by the horse raising culture of the herders, who also use camels, and breed fat sheep that can be milked and used to make medicinal soap! The togetherness and mutual support even by those who have a beef to chew against people who shoot their mouth too quickly, and offend them, introduces hope in human relations. Of course they are shielded by the remoteness, but Hotan jade is known, so poachers do come to threaten the peace.
The miniseries grows on the audience, while details raise questions. Love, pain, discoveries and healing are there. The impressive Douban rating of 8.5 (then, now risen to 9.4!) is totally justified.
More in my Notes : https://mydramalist.com/discussions/my-aletai/125351-to-the-wonder-notes-about-the-slice-of-life-tv-series
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1“I see you clearly”, and I saw it all very clearly.
“I see you clearly”, and as I sat down and started watching this show, I saw it all very clearly.I saw the beauty of nature, the breathtaking environment, the cultural heritage of the herders, the kind and warm-hearted Kazakh people and the ever changing times.
It’s a simple plot, but it’s beautifully told, with sympathetic depictions of the common minority folk and richly nostalgic evocations of rural life.
What a wonderful slow, character-driven story with its dreamlike quality, yet so detailed and personal that it captures and connects stunningly with so many lives.
I still have the lingering feeling of being intimately acquainted with the people living in the isolated yet beautiful landscapes of Altay.
The music score was just perfect and poignant; on more than one occasion I found myself shedding tears for the beauty of it.
I highly recommend this, and I am extremely grateful to the person who suggested it to me, as it is deserving of recognition and praise.
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Live, love and lost under the Big Sky
This is an adaptation of a book of prose by Li Juan. Changes were made to make it more suitable for live action. Read into that what you will.This series has received some well-deserved attentions and solid ratings. I think it is largely due to its unique setting and a simple and honest storytelling amongst the sea of samey idol dramas.
The story is a mashup of the classic When Worlds Collide and Fish Out of Water tropes. They are oldies but goodies. In this case, our FL finds herself in a remote part of the Xinjiang autonomous region which is the definition of remoteness itself. So, you can imagine her culture shock.
BTW, the show was set over 20 years ago, so things are simpler back then, but changes are coming, just like winter. The straightforward plot largely centred on the lives of one Kazakh village, their friends and their interactions with FL's small family.
Historically, the Kazakh are nomads herders and each summer, the families would move with their herds to their summer pastures in the Altai mountains. In that sense, I prefer the Chinese title of My Altai which is more meaningful.
As the show opens, we find the older generation confused about the changes and "nonsensical" rules from people they can't relate to. While the younger generation is squeezed between two conflicting cultures. It is this tug-of-war that is the foundation of much of the drama in this series.
It is obvious that this show doesn’t have a big budget and can be a bit rough around the edges. Nevertheless, it is made with heart and a focus on authenticity. Local "actors" are used extensively. I won't go as far as saying they discovered new talents, but they managed to grab You Shi before he gained fame with his recent movie roles. He is all singing and all dancing here. He made the effort to learn the local dialect. While not 100% fluent, it is impressive, nevertheless. He also did all the horse riding stunts, and he sang in the local dialect. Kudos to him.
As I mentioned before, the show is like a breath of fresh air (or is that mountain air?), and you quickly become enmeshed in the village life. Their lives are ruled by the seasons and daily chores. It is a harsh but fulfilling life. You know life is tough when luxury is a dry bed.
They only break from the daily grind during festivals and celebrations like weddings. They certainly let their hair down during those rare occasions. Friendship is renewed and romance blossom. This is also an area where the generation gap rears it head. Some of the older generations are still engaging in matchmaking while the younger generations are doing their own thing. In a way, the show used the various romances to spice up the plot but it is a bit distracting when the landscape is such a magnificent stage and yet we are stuck in a yurt, watching the elders negotiate again and again.
I’m not sure these complications is the production trying to inject some relatable plots and angst for contemporary viewers. What is obvious is their influence on the last ep. It really was drama for drama’s sake and feels rushed. I’m not sure if it is necessary but it ended things with a bang. The last scene was a bit of a tease for us who are shipping the OTP. Will they? Won’t they? Maybe a second season will give us the answer. ;)
Regardless, this is a good show. It deserves all the kudos for doing something different. I appreciate the efforts the production invested to make it authentic and sincere. With such a short run-time, it is an easy binge. Give it a go, you might be pleasantly surprised.
Finally, the elephant in the room. The treatment of ethnic minorities and the flood of Han people into those remote regions is a sensitive topic. Several plots gave us a hint of what’s to come. The show's portrayal is restrained for obvious reasons. Enough said.
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1"Look at the trees and grass on the grassland…
They are called useful if people eat and use them. But if no one uses them, it's perfectly fine for them to simply exist in the grassland. They are free, aren't they?"To the Wonder is the type of drama that will not really leave you with many thoughts, but rather many feelings. There is no deep and complex plot that will mess up your brain as you try to figure it out. There are no intense conflicts that will make your blood boil. It’s just life - with ups and downs, but steadily flowing no matter what, like a river stream.
What amazes me the most is how even the supporting characters that showed up for a few minutes here and there felt like real people. While the synopsis highlights the romance between Wen Xiu and Batay, the actual story is far more equal in representation of different arcs. Rather than a love story, it’s a community journey that also includes a love story. But it’s so much more.
It’s a story of learning how to move on from loss, how to take risks in starting anew and accept if we make a mistake. A story of finding new ways to chase your dreams, to experience life and understand that there is a beauty in the simplicity of existence. We get to witness the fear of losing what you found to be the comforting lifestyle, the anger that comes with it and the slow acceptance of change. We experience the clash of old and new traditions. We get to know people who understand how to appreciate what they have, and those who are never satisfied.
As a person who loves the comforts the city life gives, even I was moved by the stunning scenery shown in To the Wonder. It evokes in me this want to explore, to experience and to appreciate nature, the harmony in which some communities live with it. Just 8 episodes and yet over 500 screenshots in my folder. Every second was visually breathtaking. The vibrant colors of nature and the cultural heritage.
Then we have the performances. There was one scene in the last episode that especially emotionally touched me (everyone who saw the show knows exactly what scene I am talking about) - the emotions were just so real and raw. But the whole drama was filled with moving dialogues, subtle expressions of rich emotions, variety of personalities and motivations delivered by a skilled cast.
Overall, it’s a small story that feels larger than life, because it encapsulates all that’s important in human existence. It shows that keeping the community requires work and care, but it’s worth the effort you put in. It teaches you how to balance individualistic motivations and needs, while respecting the traditions and understanding the hopes of the community. I was getting more and more frustrated as I watched the episodes, because I did not want it to end.
This is one of the dramas I could write a review for a week, tweak it, rewrite it and I will not be happy with it because it's impossible to describe the beauty of this show, you just gotta experience it.
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1Welcome to Atlay where home is found in people, not places!
Some dramas are to be reviewed. This, 'To the wonder' needs to be experienced!On paper, the plot is surprisingly simple involving a young woman who returns home, a community goes about its daily rhythms , a soft romance that unfolds gently and subtly. That’s about it.
But what sets it apart despite its rudimentary premise is the way it captures the lives of each character living in Altay. From grasslands to shifting season, somehow nature was the backdrop and the main character. Mind you this isn't just a tourist brochure but every episode and everyone living in it felt like a living reality.
What impressed me the most after visuals was how humane everyone was. Everyone grieved in their own ways, hesitated, resisted change and made very questionable choices holding down their traditions in a world that refuses to stand still. I liked how the generational tension and cultural aspect around it was portrayed without making anyone a villain.
I also enjoyed the romance between Web Xiu and Ba Tai. It was soft, romantic without overpowering the actual theme. A near perfect in my books!
My only small complaint was the tone of the finale. It felt out of theme. After 7 episodes of grounded storytelling, the last one felt dramatized excessively. It felt more like drama for drama sake. Don't get me wrong,it isn't terrible. Oh far from it, just not what I was expecting in the finale.
Acting wise, I have no complaints. I felt everyone played their parts really well. And props to the casting director because every single person on screen feels perfectly chosen for their role.
Production and cinematography was exceptional, I mean really exceptional. It just elevated my whole viewing experience. I liked how grand it looked but there were so many little details and intimacy with soft expressions captured to the point. I liked the costumes too.
Overall, I loved it. This is one of the dramas where everyone has a story going on and it came out cohesively and beautifully at the end. In a limited runtime, it managed to capture the essence of living, adapting, learning and loving and it was told in the most heartwarming way.
I didn’t go into this with any prior knowledge of the culture, so I can’t really comment on how accurate the portrayal is. But I can say this I definitely walked away having learned something.
Will I recommend it ? You bet, I will. Do yourself a favor and watch this. And the cherry on the cake is it is 8 episodes and a perfect binge worthy drama!
Favorite Quote -
🌸 Look at the trees and grass on the grassland. They are called useful if people eat and use them. But if no one uses them, it's perfectly fine for them to simply exist in the grassland. They are free, aren't they.
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A drama with mind-changing power about life and love
This drama makes me worry in its every episode that tragedy would be fallen to all characters. That shows how do I care so much about them. Every character is important and has meaningful story to tell. This drama is not afraid of showing human fragility and that everyone is prone to make mistake. When the finale gives a happy and touching ending, my heart is very satisfied. This drama tells a story about life, love, and how to go through after getting hurt, making mistakes, and experiencing lost of loved one. It teaches me a lot of things.I am surprised that the story is actually so simple, but executed extremely well. The setting and its details on physical as well as cultural environment are so rich. The plot and plot-twist are engaging. And the conflict and its resolution are flawless. This drama should set new direction and trend for Chinese future drama that we can create a unique and refreshingly new story by paying attention to our reality and daily life. It brings up the romance of living in countryside and maintaining cultural tradition, as family values, and righteousness. You don't necessarily have to be rich to be happy or prestigious job and live in the city to have a decent satisfying life. Being anti-mainstream is all right. The most essential thing is how to learn to accept reality and flow flexibly with the river of life.
As a muslim viewer, I think this drama also do some justice. Muslim group as represented by Kazakh people in this drama is well depicted as part of bigger Chinese community, living together peacefully with other ethnicities like Han and Mongolian. Watching this drama is the first time I see Xinjiang and its beautiful natural features. It makes me eager to watch other series with similar genres, portraying different side of China. I recommend you to watch this. May this drama gain much recognition it deserves and much much more national and international viewers.
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1"Even if life is bumpy, you must live vibrantly!"
I love these kinds of dramas and films set in extraordinarily beautiful and remote places where people have lived to their own rhythm and nature’s for generations. To the Wonder did an excellent job of showcasing the scenery and people as they moved from their winter homes to summer ranches.What I liked:
The different people with different languages and religions communicating, negotiating, and also showing great hospitality. Separate cultures bonding through marriage and friendship.
Respect for nature.
The stunning vistas and grass ranges.
The sharing of games and celebrations.
The burgeoning writer element.
The love for horses.
Ba Tai didn’t have much character development, but he was pretty to look at.
What didn’t work as well for me:
Going to be an unpopular opinion, Li Wen Xiu felt like a character copied and pasted from a high school or college romcom Cdrama. My least favorite Cdrama FL stereotype---described as clumsy, stupid, bad at math, lazy with homework, but creative. Apparently, it is not possible to be competent and creative. How many times could she be covered in poop or water? She was also emotionally rash which resulted in dire consequences.
To the Wonder brought forth the age-old dilemma regarding changing times, as the older generations lamented their ways of life disappearing, the younger generation had to determine what was right for them. What to keep, what is lost, what is gained? I honestly could have done without the “fish out of water” character that became an avatar for more urban viewers and just reveled in the mountains, fields, and herds as the families navigated the land and changing social and political environment.
9 April 2026
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This review may contain spoilers
A Beautiful Misunderstanding
To the Wonder feels less like a drama and more like a season of life that you happen to inhabit for a while. In an era where most stories are propelled by urgency, whether through career ambitions, romantic endgames, or carefully engineered conflicts, this series moves at the pace of wind crossing a grassland. It is interested not in what happens next, but in what it means to pay attention. Nothing dramatic appears to be happening, and yet everything is. Dreams, ambitions, loss, longing, belonging, and difficult choices unfold not through spectacle but through observation. The result is an immersive viewing experience that quietly settles into your emotions and stays there long after the credits roll.Adapted from Li Juan's celebrated prose, the drama follows Li Wen Xiu, a young Han Chinese woman who returns to her hometown in Altay after professional setbacks derail her literary aspirations. On paper, the premise sounds deceptively simple. In practice, it unfolds with the depth and patience of a literary novel. Rather than rushing viewers from one plot point to another, the series invites us into a state of heightened perception. Faces, silences, weather, animals, and landscapes all become part of the storytelling. It asks us to linger, observe, and gradually learn to see the world as Wen Xiu herself begins to see it.
Wen Xiu is one of the most quietly compelling protagonists I have watched. At the beginning, she measures her worth through the unforgiving standards of urban success. She is awkward, insecure, and uncertain of where she belongs. Returning home initially feels like a retreat, but it slowly becomes an opportunity. Through her spirited mother, her growing connection with the Kazakh herder Batay, and her immersion in nomadic life, she transforms from someone desperately trying to write about life into someone learning how to live it. Her journey is not about becoming extraordinary. It is about becoming present.
The drama is also a subtle reflection on creativity itself. Wen Xiu dreams of becoming a writer, but the series never treats writing as a matter of talent alone. Instead, it suggests that writing begins with attention. Before one can tell stories, one must learn how to see. The grasslands become Wen Xiu's greatest teacher, and her artistic growth becomes inseparable from her personal growth. She becomes a writer not by escaping life, but by witnessing it more fully.
Many viewers approach To the Wonder expecting a romance, and certainly the relationship between Wen Xiu and Batay provides some of the drama's most luminous moments. Yet this is far more than a simple love story. The deeper romance is between Wen Xiu and existence itself. One line from the drama stayed with me: "Men seni zhaksy koremin, I see you clearly." The locals believe that love and friendship begin with being seen, and that idea quietly becomes the emotional foundation of the entire series. Batay is not merely a love interest. He is a doorway into another way of being. He moves through life with an ease that seems inseparable from the grasslands themselves. Wen Xiu's attraction to him is intertwined with her fascination with the world he represents. At times, he almost feels allegorical, as though the landscape itself had taken human form.
Some of my favorite moments come from their conversations. When Wen Xiu looks at a horse skull hanging from a tree and remarks that it resembles witchcraft, Batay gently corrects her: "There's no witchcraft, only nostalgia." He explains that horses are companions, and when one dies, its memory remains in places people frequently pass. It is such a simple explanation, yet it reveals an entire philosophy toward grief. Loss is not hidden away. It becomes part of the landscape. In another scene, Batay explains that Saykhan means "splendid" in Mongolian, while in Mandarin it sounds like "rainbow." He then smiles and calls it "a beautiful misunderstanding." That line perfectly captures their relationship. They come from different worlds, yet beauty often emerges through those differences.
Their romance is tender, playful, and refreshingly sincere. The teasing, the small nudges behind her grandmother's back, Batay's nervous hesitation before trying to kiss her, and the vulnerability hidden beneath his confidence make their connection feel achingly real. One moment that particularly stayed with me was when Batay, caught between family expectations and his own desires, quietly asks Wen Xiu, "Will you still like me?" The uncertainty in his voice could disarm even the most committed anti-romantic. Yet what makes To the Wonder remarkable is that it never reduces itself to whether these two people end up together. Instead, it consistently returns to a larger and more profound idea: the freedom of accepting our own smallness.
Contemporary culture constantly insists that we must become exceptional, visible, and unforgettable. To the Wonder proposes something quieter. When Wen Xiu asks her mother, "Although I'm clumsy, I'm still useful, right?" Her mother replies, "What do you mean by useful? Did I give birth to you so you can serve others? Look at the trees and grass on the grassland. They are useful if people eat and use them. But if no one uses them, it's perfectly fine for them to simply exist. They are free, aren't they?" There is something deeply comforting in that philosophy.
While Wen Xiu searches for meaning, her mother already possesses an intimate understanding of life's unpredictability. She knows that plans fail, money disappears, and people disappoint, yet she continues forward with humor, resilience, and grace. In many ways, she embodies the drama's central belief that life does not need to be perfect to be beautiful. Compared to city life, where achievement often becomes a measure of worth, Altay offers a radically different proposition. The mountains do not care about your résumé. Horses do not ask for credentials. The wind grants no awards. Nature's indifference becomes a source of comfort. Freed from the exhausting need to prove herself, Wen Xiu gradually discovers a more durable sense of belonging.
I know the ending has divided viewers, but I find myself among those who appreciate it. My initial reaction mirrored many others. The tonal shift felt abrupt. However, the more I sat with it, the more essential it became. Until that point, viewers can still lean into a somewhat romanticized vision of the grasslands. The landscape is beautiful. The people are resilient. Batay is charismatic. Even hardship arrives wrapped in poetry. Then Snowshoe's death shatters that illusion. Altay ceases to be a pastoral fantasy and becomes something more honest. Nature is beautiful, but it is also indifferent. Love exists, but so do consequences.
Batay's impossible split-second decision is not a choice between love and companionship. It is a choice to do what is right in a terrible circumstance. Snowshoe is not merely a horse. He is a companion, partner, and extension of Batay's life. The drama spends enough time establishing that bond that the tragedy lands with devastating force. What struck me most was not only the loss itself, but the immediacy of Batay's response as he ends Snowshoe's suffering in front of everyone, including Wen Xiu. From that moment onward, nothing can return to what it was before.
The hardest part is that nobody is truly at fault. Wen Xiu never intended harm. Batay never wanted to lose Snowshoe. Snowshoe did nothing wrong. Yet tragedy happens anyway. In a more conventional drama, there would be a villain to blame. To the Wonder is interested in something less comforting but more truthful: sometimes lives change because people are imperfect, distracted, inexperienced, or simply unlucky.
What makes the ending so impactful is the aftermath. Snowshoe's death is not merely an accident. It is a sacrifice. The question is not whether Wen Xiu is guilty, but whether she can live with the knowledge that her actions contributed to a loss she never intended. Whether Batay blames her or not becomes almost irrelevant. Grief settles between them like an unspoken presence. What remains is not resentment, but irreversibility. Some experiences cannot be undone. No apology can bring Snowshoe back. No explanation can restore the innocence that existed before. Their relationship now contains a ghost. Not a ghost of blame, but a ghost of memory. Every glance carries the knowledge of what happened. Every interaction carries the absence of what was lost.
For me, this becomes a catalyst for Wen Xiu's growth. She learns that you can love someone and still hurt them. You can mean well and still cause damage. One small mistake can alter another person's life forever. Snowshoe's death shatters her romantic idealization of the grasslands and transforms her from a visitor into someone emotionally entangled with this place and its people. The cost of loving something is that its suffering eventually becomes part of your own story. That is why the ending feels mature rather than tragic. It understands that some wounds do not heal cleanly. They become part of who we are, like scars. It also understands that the purpose of love is not always permanence.
While some viewers wanted more romance, more happiness, or a cleaner resolution, I think the ending beautifully dismantles the fantasy of closure. After everything that happens, the story focuses on what truly matters: Wen Xiu's ability to appreciate, witness, and be present. Batay is never reduced to a romantic reward waiting at the end of her journey. He remains fully himself, with a life that extends beyond the heroine's narrative. The tragedy is not that Wen Xiu loses him. The tragedy is realizing that some beautiful things cannot be kept without destroying the very qualities that made them beautiful in the first place. This is why I do not consider the ending sad, even though it carries melancholy. Sadness wants reality to be different. Melancholy accepts reality while grieving its beauty. The Portuguese word saudade comes to mind: a longing for something precious that is absent, accompanied by gratitude that it existed at all. The ending exists in that emotional space.
The visuals deserve special praise. The landscapes are breathtaking, but the cinematography never treats them as postcards. The camera understands that beauty is not something to admire from a distance but something to live within. You can almost feel the chill of the morning air, hear livestock moving across the plains, and sense the immense silence stretching beyond the horizon. Even the controversial sequence in the final episode impressed me. The shift in color, atmosphere, and expression creates an emotional weight that lingers long after it ends.
The casting is equally outstanding. Every actor feels completely at home in this world. Yu Shi, in particular, disappears into Batay. His dedication is visible in everything from his command of the local language and dialect to the physical demands of the role. The horseback riding, dancing, singing, and stunts never feel performative. They feel lived in. What I loved most, however, were the tiny details: the awkward laughs, the soft chuckles, the thoughtful hums. Those small moments make Batay feel like a real person rather than a character. The local actors are equally memorable, bringing a lived-in realism that grounds the entire drama.
In the end, To the Wonder is a poetic, introspective, and deeply immersive experience. It shifts one's perspective from the relentless pursuit of achievement toward gratitude for life, presence, and even smallness. It encourages us to see clearly, to pay attention, and to appreciate what is right in front of us. I came for the romance and the beautiful scenery, but I left with something much harder to articulate. After watching it, the world feels a little larger, a little quieter, and infinitely more worth noticing.
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To see the Altai clearly
To the Wonder, or My Altai, is a breathtaking cinematic treasure that takes the viewer to lush scenery of the Altai region in China's Northwest Xinjiang, predominantly inhabited by pastoral Kazakh herders. Each frame is aesthetically pleasing and invokes the pristine expansiveness of the region and a simple lifestyle that's rooted in the land and tradition. The actors deliver documentary-like performances where the Kazakh language is widely used. The well-known actors such as Ma Yili, Yu Shi, and Jiang Qiming were all quite impressive. Just as terrific were the ethnic Kazakh actors that embodied their roles with casual aplomb.At just 8 episodes, the show journeys through the landscape at an idyllic pace, always moving, but at a deliberate enough pace to enjoy the beauty of the land and people. The show explores the tension between traditional and modernity, between a semi-nomadic pastoral lifestyle and greater opportunities in the cities, between the older and younger generation. In many ways, despite the radical difference in landscape, these themes are also ever-present throughout China, as over a billion people grappled with breakneck transformation whether they are in the cities, villages, or remote mountains. And here, the director does a tremendous job in depiction that these themes feel as if they are a part of the land, like a galloping horse pack or a winding stream. The show is clearly a work of respect and love for the region in how everything was depicted with care.
Everyone should check out this show, if for nothing else just to experience the type of serenity and peace that's becoming ever rarer in the world today.
‒Criticisms: You Don't Belong Here‒
The drama is so beautiful and soothing that I almost feel guilty giving criticisms. It's as if I'm deviating from the impeccable tranquility to deliberately miss the forest for the trees. It's as if I'm leaving a piece of plastic garbage that doesn't belong to the Altai. So stop reading if you want a unmarred viewing experience, as this is an exceptional 10/10 show for many people. In fact, I strongly recommend you to watch first, then read my critique later. As even delving into my issues with the show and expounding on them sullied my impression quite a bit. For some shows, it's important to know about issues ahead of time. But for this one, it's unnecessary and going in with an inspector's glass will only degrade the experience. Anyways...
My biggest issue is that the female lead also doesn't seem to belong here, in the Altai and in the show. I'm perfectly fine with the setup of a younger girl that grew up far more in the nearby city than in the pristine Altai. After all, the show is based on essays of the author reflecting on her own experience. My issue is that Li Wenxiu as portrayed by Zhou Yiran even stretches the believability of her character setup as a talented writer of that time period. It's as if LWX is from Shanghai, 20 years in the future. Indeed, her character is portrayed in very similar mannerism and disposition in Song of Life, where she plays a hipsterish, somewhat spoiled and dramatic young girl in Shanghai. That worked well then, but feels very out of place here. I found it very difficult to understand how she can grow up so sheltered and airheaded when her mother ZFX has such no-nonsense rustic personality. Such behavior would be rare in most places in 2000s China, much less given her background.
Moreover, most talented writers are observant, pensive, and reflective. LWX exhibited few of those qualities or the intellectual depths that can uphold her writer characterization. Instead, she spent a lot more time pouting, giving unsolicited advice, being lovestruck, and getting herself into trouble. Maybe the script is partly responsible, but I suspect a big part of the responsibility goes to ZYR's acting, where she's channeling too much of a modern girl than someone of her ostensible background. Moreover, she starts out like she didn't belong, which is forgivable and expected. But she finishes the show mostly the same, still looking out of place. Hell, she's more believable as a BL fanfic writer on MDL, sorry to 85% of you. I like the fact that she's an average and natural looking actress that CDramas desperately need more of, but I suspect there are many under-the-radar actresses who could have done a better job. And as one of the leads, she became a plastic garbage bag constantly floating in view, too unsightly to be ignored.
My second biggest issue is that I'd like even greater focus on the local herdsmen, their struggles, and perspectives. The drama does a commendable job for respectfully presenting their experiences, but I'd have preferred the whole show to be about them, as that was the most interesting part. Perhaps with LWX out of the way, that would be possible. On a lot of the themes, we only scratched the surface of tensions caused by change in the Altai. I wanted deeper reflections and more substantial resolutions.
Overall, I rate it 7.6 (initial impression before writing review was closer to 8) ‒> MDL 8.5. The visuals were easily a 9. And without the aforementioned issues, the show could have been 8 or 8.5 for me.
‒Category Ratings‒
- Overall - 7.6
- Plot - 7.5
- Theme / Concept / Impact - 8
- Acting - 8.5 (9 without ZYR)
- Visuals - 9
- Audio / Music - 8
- Rewatch - 7.5
- Accessibility - 8
- Subtitle quality - 8
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MASTERPIECE
I have so much to say, so bullets --1. Although 8 episodes, that means it's really only 6 hours. Think of this is a crazy long quality movie.
2. I would bet everything I own on one hunch: this writer/director loves TCM (classic American cinema) and has decided to make a brand new DAYS OF HEAVEN, with dashes of LOCAL HERO and THE BIG COUNTRY. That means beautifully shot character studies of small communities. If you loved WONDER but have never seen any of these films -- HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you! Stop reading this and rent all three movies. Or just buy them because like WONDER you'll rewatch them again and again and again.
LOCAL HERO fans will recognize the town party where everyone dances and the glance now and again to the sky. BIG COUNTRY fans will notice the long pointless fistfight that's shown from a discreet distance as well as the horse that's tricky to ride. But DAYS OF HEAVEN fans will see all sorts of similarities, from the photography to the Ennio Morricone like music cues -- and the final chase sequence -- which is as sudden and devastating here as it is in DAYS. Oh, and our female lead is sort of a combination of the leads in DAYS.
Please understand none of this is sleazy thievery. It's instead a grand tribute to a kind of cinema that's gone. I feel lucky to have found a film worthy of being compared to DAYS OF HEAVEN and LOCAL HERO. I had almost given up looking, and that search took decades.
UPDATE: Because of a snide comment I got elsewhere on this site, I guess I must share that these references I make could all just be coincidences. But I profoundly doubt it. It's just hard to believe that this brilliant a DP has never seen those three American films which are some of our best examples of photography. And don't get me started on the mountain scenes of A SOUND OF MUSIC...
3. The cast is great. You'll presume some of the leads are actual rural people turned into actors... and be wrong every time. You'll love the characters so much you could watch hundreds of hours with them as easily as this 6 -- which is why this piece has an insanely high rewatch value. Even though I haven't done it I promise the 2nd viewing will be rewarding.
4. Younger viewers will say, "Nothing happens." You can thank decades of crappy films and TIK TOK for eliminating your attention span. Plenty happens in this series, every second. But you're not watching plot. You're enjoying nuance. Subtle running jokes like the Grandma and potatoes, which is a nod to the dry humor of LOCAL HERO. The lead girl's YELPS. All destined to become classic moments.
There's a moment where the male romantic lead stumbles. In typical films this would never be shown, because why would the strong handsome male lead be shown as anything but his usual graceful self? The magic of WONDER is that his awkwardness is showcased. Movies are not about plot: they are human adventures.
So if you're a young person that's game to give this a try, turn off your phone while watching this, ask everyone in the room to be quiet, and ENJOY. Allow yourself to be absorbed into the proceedings.
5. I am as critical as people get, and so just because this piece strikes a chord with cinema from my youth doesn't mean I'm a pushover. There were two story moments that left me rather confused and I suspect during a rewatch it will be clearer. But in case that's not the case, let me share two moments that will help first time viewers.
The first is that this is a fish out of water story. The problem is we become confused at why our female lead isn't already familiar with rural living. We are told she was from a village, moved to the city , and now she's moved into the country. Something about how you're told this doesn't quite work. You feel like she's already lived this way before until you realize, no, I guess she hasn't. Both my wife and I were confused which informs they fumbled this critical setup detail.
The second is at the end. I won't spoil it. It could be a translation issue, but it's such an important line of dialog I suspect it's not that. Let me put it this way. In the final episode let's pretend our female lead wrote into her journal, "And I never saw New York City again." But then, at story's end, we're in NYC again. What the Huh?
What's being done here is weird. She is documenting that she never went to NYC again UP TO THE MOMENT she wrote this down. In English we'd instead say, "I never went back to NYC," which looks backward. To say the other thing implies the future, which our character can't know at the time of writing in her journal. You'll see what I mean when it happens.
These story bumps docked the story to a 9.5. But the average for the piece is still a 10.
6. My favorite C-Dramas (in quality) have been RUYI'S ROYAL LOVE IN THE PALACE and IMPERFECT VICTIM. TO THE WONDER leaves them in the dust. I predict Zhou Xun is going to beg to work with this director, Teng Cong Cong. Or vice versa. It would be a dream come true if they found each other and produced something WONDERful.
7. For romance fans, there are some interesting ones -- but the lead romance is a thing of genuine WONDER.
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