To the Wonder: Dropped Drama Diaries

Aug 18
2 min read

Title:	To the Wonder (2024)
Platform:	iQIYI, VIki
MDL Rating:	8.8
Genre:	Contemporary Slice of Life
Episode Count:	8
Last Episode Watched:	3
Parental Guidance Rating:	PG-13: Minor Violence and blood
Starring:	Ma Yi Li (Blossoms in Shanghai) Zhou Yi Ran (All Rise) Yu Shi (The Miracles) Jiang Qi Ming (Man's Inhumanity to Man) Alimjan Tursenbek (The Litchi Road)

Synopsis:

Li Wen Xiu, a girl from a small town in Altay, dreams of becoming a writer in the big city but faces constant setbacks. After returning home and working at her mom's store, she meets a Kazakh boy, Batay. As she connects with him and a nomadic Kazakh family, Wen Xiu starts to appreciate the beauty of the northern Xinjiang countryside. Despite the hardships of pastoral life, she finds inspiration in nature and slowly falls for Batay while continuing to chase her literary dreams. @MDL

Non-Spoiler Thoughts:

To the Wonder is essentially a promotional tourism video for the Altay Prefecture in Xinjian. And you know what, I'm not mad about it. Consider me sold. The landscape is the inescaple and most gripping character of the drama, and that is by no means shade to the actual characters, but the setting influences every decision our cast makes and shapes the flow of the story beautifully.

Altay Prefecture in Xinjian

The origin of the drama came from an award winning essay by Li Juan, entitled My Altay. The essays are a series of autobiographical vignettes focuses on pastoral life, ecology, Kazakh culture and its intersection with their Han neighbors. Like the original, the drama adaptation feels somewhat like isolated short stories strung together, though the drama takes more of a cohesive narrative approach. The exploration of the coexistence of man and nature, City man and Country man, and of course, young man and young woman was teh focus of the drama. It followed the same pathway as many of the genre about protecting culture and persevering memory, but it was still moving to watch.

The cinematography wouldn't be amiss on the big screen and I honestly wish I could see it in theaters, because it was just so beautiful. The characters were well rounded and realistic, though when placed in this environment, they felt even more magical. I especially loved Zhang Feng Xia. The drama has a light, youthful romance, but if that's what's really your jam, this might not be your peanut butter. The point of the drama is much broader and existentially focused.

So if it's all great, why did I drop? Well, it's very slow. At least in the first 2 1/4 episodes, the plot isn't moving in a set direction, instead we're just hanging out. Which isn't bad, but I was in the mood for a more plot driven show. I do hope to finish one day. And I would love to find a good English translation of the essay collection!