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Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Beauty
There are some dramas you watch for the plot.
Others you watch for the romance.
Then there are dramas like To the Wonder.
The story follows Liu Wenxiu, a young woman who dreams of becoming a writer. She's not extraordinary. She's awkward, she overthinks, she embarrasses herself more than once, and she sometimes has no idea what she's doing. Her growth was born out of her experience.
At first, I couldn't read Batay at all. I kept wondering what was going on in his head because the guy genuinely seems more comfortable talking to horses than to actual human beings. Then, a hint of jealousy that made me pause and think, "Hold on... since when?" I actually changed my mind about him several times while watching.
The Kazakh community was also an important part of the story. The traditions, the hospitality, the expectations placed on younger generations, and the struggle between preserving a way of life and adapting to a changing world. It simply feels like people living their lives, while you appreciate the beauty in that.
Speaking of beauty, this drama is stunning. Every mountain, river, and grassland looks like it belongs in a painting.
The humour comes from people just being awkward, misunderstanding each other, saying the wrong thing, or simply existing together.
The drama deals with themes like dreams, grief, home, and purpose.
This definitely won't be for everyone though.
The pacing is slow. Really slow. If you're constantly waiting for a dramatic twist, you might wonder when the story is finally going to "start." I thought that too during the first couple of episodes.
The romance is equally understated. There were several times I caught myself wondering, "Wait... are these two actually falling for each other, or am I reading too much into this?" If you're expecting dramatic confessions and sweeping declarations, you won't find them here. The romance grows quietly.
You'll also need a little patience with some of the characters, especially Liang and maybe Sulitan. There were moments when I wanted to climb into the screen and tell him, "Just say what you're thinking!" So many misunderstandings could have been avoided if people simply communicated. Then again, people are frustrating like that in real life too.
To the Wonder reminds you that ordinary lives are already extraordinary if we're willing to pay attention.
Others you watch for the romance.
Then there are dramas like To the Wonder.
The story follows Liu Wenxiu, a young woman who dreams of becoming a writer. She's not extraordinary. She's awkward, she overthinks, she embarrasses herself more than once, and she sometimes has no idea what she's doing. Her growth was born out of her experience.
At first, I couldn't read Batay at all. I kept wondering what was going on in his head because the guy genuinely seems more comfortable talking to horses than to actual human beings. Then, a hint of jealousy that made me pause and think, "Hold on... since when?" I actually changed my mind about him several times while watching.
The Kazakh community was also an important part of the story. The traditions, the hospitality, the expectations placed on younger generations, and the struggle between preserving a way of life and adapting to a changing world. It simply feels like people living their lives, while you appreciate the beauty in that.
Speaking of beauty, this drama is stunning. Every mountain, river, and grassland looks like it belongs in a painting.
The humour comes from people just being awkward, misunderstanding each other, saying the wrong thing, or simply existing together.
The drama deals with themes like dreams, grief, home, and purpose.
This definitely won't be for everyone though.
The pacing is slow. Really slow. If you're constantly waiting for a dramatic twist, you might wonder when the story is finally going to "start." I thought that too during the first couple of episodes.
The romance is equally understated. There were several times I caught myself wondering, "Wait... are these two actually falling for each other, or am I reading too much into this?" If you're expecting dramatic confessions and sweeping declarations, you won't find them here. The romance grows quietly.
You'll also need a little patience with some of the characters, especially Liang and maybe Sulitan. There were moments when I wanted to climb into the screen and tell him, "Just say what you're thinking!" So many misunderstandings could have been avoided if people simply communicated. Then again, people are frustrating like that in real life too.
To the Wonder reminds you that ordinary lives are already extraordinary if we're willing to pay attention.
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