Is The Untamed actually gay or is it just like... Subtext gay?
Before I answer that, I want to draw a fine distinction between “subtext” and “queerbaiting”. One of those is okay (subtext). One of those is infuriating and lame (queerbaiting).
Is there queerbaiting in The Untamed? Not a speck of it to be seen anywhere. There is no long drawn out UST between the two main characters that ends in “haha WOMP WOMP actually they’re both straight, here’s some gratuitous naked women to prove it to you”
Is there queer subtext in The Untamed? oh. oh honey. oh my darling. okay, how long do you have? a couple hours? We’re gonna need a couple hours to talk about the queer barely-BARELY-subtext, but also WHY IT IS LIKE THAT.
Basically, “is the Untamed actually gay” is a complicated question, because of the Chinese censorship laws.
The original novel (that the live action show, the graphic novel, and the animated version are all adapted from) is Actually gay. They kiss, they have some very kinky sex, they are canonically married, they have a son together.
In China, this is not something that a person can currently write lightly. In 2018, one author was arrested for writing gay erotic novels and sentenced to TEN YEARS IN PRISON. (From Wikipedia: “Although the 1982 constitution guarantees freedom of speech, the Chinese government often uses the “subversion of state power” and “protection of state secrets” clauses in their law system to imprison those who criticize the government.”)
Because of that difficult political climate, authors who want to write queer content do so anonymously under pseudonyms. And when their books become popular, and adaptations are made, the showrunners have to make adjustments – for the sake of everyone’s careers, physical safety, and actual lives. So in shows like The Untamed or Guardian (another good good show based on a canonically-gay original novel), the showrunners make it JUUUUUUUUST not-gay enough to get past the censors. JUUUUUUUUST BARELY “not gay”. Plausible deniability. Yes, they’re holding hands. But, like, as bros. Totally a bromance, guys, nothing to see here. They’re going right up to the line demarcating “gay” from “not gay” and playing Gay Chicken with it.
Except that, as you know, hours and hours of Silent Yearning Glances are actually MORE GAY than two dudes kissing. Silent Yearning Glances are the peak queer experience.
The Untamed keeps as much of the gay as they possibly can get away with. You can SEE how hard they worked to keep it there–the actors, the showrunners, the director, the scriptwriters, the SOUNDTRACK COMPOSER…
Do the two main characters say about each other “that’s my soulmate”? Yes.
Does one of them write a love song for the other when they’re teenagers and then pine after him for years and silently mourn his death for a decade and a half until he comes back from the dead and they find each other again BECAUSE OF THAT LOVE SONG? Yes
Do they still adopt a son together? Yes, and he’s the cutest thing that has ever existed.
Does the show set up a thing where it’s like “Only your parents, your spouse, and your children are allowed to touch the sacred forehead ribbon” and then have the other character REPEATEDLY TOUCH THE SACRED FOREHEAD RIBBON? yes.
Do they kiss on screen? No. But will you be Emotionally Nourished by their obvious love? One thousand percent, yes.
It is the difference between hearing “I love you” out loud and having someone who makes you a packed lunch every day with a post-it note inside that says “please pick up some milk on your way home ^^” , you know? The Untamed never says “They’re in love” with words, but i mean…. C’mon.
C’mon. Does it really need to?
