#我們

[a-piano]

「後來的我們」電影主題曲《我們》陳奕迅 Eason | 鋼琴 Piano | 我最大的遺憾／是你的遺憾 與我有關

[my-rose-tinted-glasses]

Unknown Episode 12

[oyeicher]

You haven't even tried. What are you scared of?

Unknown Episode 10 [for @lurkingshan]

[itsallaboutbl]

I bit myself to make sure this wasn't a dream.

[heretherebedork]

The desperation of knowing how easily you could have lost him, how easily that letter could have truly been his last words to you, of knowing that you sent him away and he came back and you could still lose him.

[memevoid]

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀♥︎̼̻ ⿹͒   𓈒 ⠀𝗌͟𝖺͟𝗅͟𝗍͟𝗒. ⠀؁ ͒⠀ ❀ᮬᦾ

[thisonelikesaliens]

the evolution of the phrase "回家"

Qian telling little Yuan to go home

Qian telling teen Yuan to go home together

Qian saying "let's go home" to adult Yuan

Qian asking Yuan to come home

And Yuan all grown up and finally taking charge

[hantaebaram]

UNKNOWN 關於未知的我們 (2024) dir. Ray Jiang

[romchat]

Unknown (2024) visual analysis (ep. 1-8): How to film heartache

This show.

The writing and acting continue to be fantastic, but I feel like I haven't seen enough appreciation for Unknown's cinematography, which captures the heartache of Qian and Yuan's changing relationship so beautifully.

Here are some of my favorite moments of visual storytelling so far...

Framing & Composition

Something that I immediately noticed about Unknown is how much dirty framing it uses. "Dirtying the frame" is when a cinematographer uses architecture, nature, objects, or even people in the foreground to add depth to a shot. In earlier episodes, we often see Qian and Yuan framed together by everyday household objects.

These shots emphasize the uniqueness of their relationship: they are brothers because of the domesticity surrounding them and yet at the same time the framing almost tucks them away into a private space of their own. Their relationship is born from yet separate from the familial space they share with Lilli.

So when Yuan drunkenly confesses his feelings and shatters any lies Qian might have been telling himself about their complex relationship, the camera language loses its earlier intimacy.

We suddenly see more medium and long (versus close-up) clean shots where the characters are surrounded by tons of negative space, isolated from each other.

I also don't think it's an accident that we start seeing more dirty frames again once Yuan leaves for America and Qian realizes how much he misses him.

The New Years scene is a perfect example of this. As Qian miserably cheers an absent Yuan, we see the camera subtly pans to the side of the table where he'd usually sit. No one has been able to occupy that private space at home or in Qian's heart.

Visual Parallelism

In a previous post, I've talked about how visual parallelism (when we link characters, events, storylines, etc. through a shared image) can signal major changes in the relationship between two characters, and the show uses this technique in multiple ways. (Yuan’s cheeky and completely satisfying “is there something you want me to do?” in Episode 8’s seatbelt scene, for one.)

But I think the most striking moment is when Yuan asks Qian to confront his own feelings at the end of Episode 8.

When we look at the composition, camera angles, and actor blocking (how the actors are positioned in relation to one another) we can see that the scene directly mirrors the moment that Yuan gifts Qian with cufflinks in Episode 6. In that episode, Yuan is shot from a high angle, making him look even younger and more vulnerable, while Qian cups his face from above, anchoring him as he tries to give misguided advice:

Qian: I actually feel sorry for you. Isn't it tiring to love him? Yuan: It is. It's so tiring to like someone you shouldn't like. Qian: Then what are you doing? Why are you limiting yourself?

It's notable then that during the last scene of Episode 8, the roles are reversed and the blocking and camera language changes accordingly. Throughout Episodes 7-8, we can see the ways Yuan adopts a more mature approach to his interactions with Qian. He has made it clear that he still cares about him but he will only make another move if Qian clearly expresses his desires. Now it's Qian who is the most unsure and vulnerable, with Yuan anchoring him:

Yuan: Wei Qian, don't you like Wei Zhiyuan? If you do, is it only because we're brothers? This thing about us, is it that you don't want it or that you don't dare?

Like Qian had advised him years ago, Yuan now asks why Qian insists on limiting himself by denying what he wants.

Bonus Parallelism:

Both Yuan and Qian's kiss fantasies mirror each other as well.

[shijiujun]

Premiering tonight Feb. 24, 2024 at 8PM (GMT+8)!

关于未知的我们 Unknown is adapted from Priest's danmei novel 大哥 Big Brother, of which drama adaptation rights was acquired by Result Entertainment in Taiwan. This means that this will be filmed uncensored as BL, and will be promoted as a Taiwan BL usually is (pre-premiere press con, likely fanmeets etc.)

✨ Channel: Youku International, every Saturday 8PM (GMT+8)

✨ Summary: Wei Qian has led a tough life since he was young, with a absent father and a mother who resents him. His parents pass away when he's 13, leaving behind a sister with him. One day, he picks up a stray from the streets, a homeless kid who has nowhere to go and begins to follow him, leaving him no choice to bring him home. Wei Qian, Wei Zhiyuan and the sister Song Xiaobao grow up with each other, with Wei Qian sheltering and protecting them, being father, mother, sibling to Wei Zhiyuan and Song Xiaobao. To survive, Wei Qian does everything possible, including underground brawling, and when he gets older, he finally enters a company and becomes a successful professional. As they grow older, however, Wei Zhiyuan realizes that he has feelings for Wei Qian — throughout his entire life since being picked up by Wei Qian, his life has revolved around his big brother and big brother only. While they're not related by blood, they have grown up as siblings all this while, so he understands how doomed his affections for Wei Qian is. Inevitably, the truth comes to light and angered, Wei Qian sends Wei Zhiyuan overseas, where he stays for four years, which gives Wei Qian some time to think of his own feelings for Wei Zhiyuan. When they reunite four years later, Wei Qian comes back a more matured, level-headed person who finally knows how to deal with his feelings and what to do with Wei Qian. However, their past catches up with them.

(It's a HE! And somehow according to the novel there's a bit of murder involved at the end... might be a tad out of place but it's 100% HE!)

✨ Actors: The guys playing Wei Qian and Wei Zhiyuan (Qiu Yuchen | Chris Chiu [33] and Huang Hongxuan | Kurt Huang [26]) have been in the industry for years, and are also close friends IRL even though this is their first time ever working on a project together. Before this, they've only ever met up for basketball and other stuff XD and I quote Qiu Yuchen as he says, "Yeah technically, we've known each other for so long that I did indeed... watch him grow up." And through the filming of this show, Qiu Yuchen and Huang Hongxuan mentioned that it feels like they went from good friends to actual family, and they have 100% absolute trust for each other which made some of the more difficult scenes easier to grasp.

[beyourselfchulanmaria]

💋 Beloved daughter and son~*

某個層面來講… 「一生情，一生還，將此生都為你們，看歲月把我相思數盡。」～兒女親情，有那麼一點肖似愛情，卻多了一份無私。 今日與你倆在一起時不知怎的我耳畔悄然奏起范怡文的這首老歌（梧桐夜雨主題曲)

On a certain level… "The emotions of a lifetime will take a lifetime to repay. I would like to spend this life for yours. I will think of yours as much as I can." ~ The family relationship with my children is a little bit like "lover's love", but there is so much selfless, once you're a mother. When I was with you both today, for some reason, this old song with lyrics played in my ears quietly "Theme Song of Night Rain from Chinese parasol tree (Firmiana simplex/tree)"

《一生情一生還》

不該想你這麼難分難離，不該想愁有幾分長。 一分長一分難，想來憑添惆悵，那淚眼望穿幾個秋 不該想你這麼難為自己， 不該想天有幾分藍。 一分藍一分長，歸來白髮如霜，那鴻雁哭得人斷腸 一年長一年難，偏偏相思來糾纏，分不清晨露還是淚。 一生情一生還，將此生都為你，看歲月把我相思訴盡。 不該想你這麼難為自己， 不該想天有幾分藍。 一分藍一分長，歸來白髮如霜，那鴻雁哭得人斷腸 一年長一年難，偏偏相思來糾纏，分不清晨露還是淚。 一生情一生還，將此生都為你，看歲月把我相思訴盡。 一年長一年難，偏偏相思來糾纏，分不清晨露還是淚。 一生情一生還，將此生都為你，看歲月把我相思訴盡。

一生情一生還 - 范怡文(1986台視- 梧桐夜雨-主題曲)

[coffeelover5eva]

Afterglow looks good on them.

[my-rose-tinted-glasses]

Unknown Episode 9

[oyeicher]

Unknown Episode 8 for @thisonelikesaliens

[itsallaboutbl]

You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?