Moonlight (2021)

A dreamy and cute romance!

goodness me, what a delightful watch!

pros:
- wonderfully written characters who developed well as the episodes went on. there was a beautiful balance between romance and plot happenings.
- healthy relationship between the leads. it started off rocky with ZC’s very apparent daddy issues but I love how his character actually grew and matured while still maintaining a playful air! i love the trust and loyalty they had towards each other, with a sprinkle of healthy jealousy. it was so nice to watch <3
- the plot was actually good! i feel that often with cdramas, the romance and story can clash or be incompatible sometimes and i lose interest in one or the other after a bit but i enjoyed both in Moonlight! it was nice seeing some insight into the publishing world
- i loveeeee the beige/warm colour palette and aesthetics. so comforting :)
- the acting was great :D DYX has really nailed the loving gaze (reminds me of Mark Prin’s loving gazes haha) and his kisses are so good lol there were some bits from Esther’s side where i felt was a bit awkward? but overall, everyone did a good job.
- side characters were not jarring and i didn’t feel like they’re screentime was taking away from the leads’ storyline. well written once again!
- the natsume soseki references. ugh will never be soft for ‘the moon is beautiful tonight’ confessions.
- the ending was perfect! beautifully wrapped up :) love it when they end with them becoming a family and not just a wedding :D
- er gou. that’s it. that’s the tweet.

cons:
- i did skip Jiang yu cheng’s storyline and romance, it was so boring to me lol
- it got a *little* draggy near the middle before zhou chuan and chu li got together. they overused the interruption before the leads wanted to say smth trope and it got annoying after a point. nothing a good skip can’t solve though.
- sorry but zhou chuan’s style was horrendous LOL he’s meant 28 year old man they were dressing him like a 12 year old fortnite kids at times (what was with the hoodie + blazer/trench coat combo?!) esther’s styling was nice though.
- i am not a fan of babyish female leads and unfortunately chu li was just that. it took me at least 10 episodes to tolerate the baby voices, sounds, accent and mannerisms. while i still enjoyed her character in the end, i felt like her character could have done without it. it seems she always gets casted in these type of roles since her voice is very scratchy and squeaky and is so unpleasant to listen to when she wails. her acting is pretty good though so it didn’t ruin the drama for me in the end.

overall, a very smooth sailing drama and such a gem! i highly highly recommend it! 9/10

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This drama was good because of the acting. The story had some depth to it as you get to understand more about the publishing world, but I found it difficult to swallow that her male supervisors were such obvious haters of her and trying to sabotage her work. The lead and secondary couples were both good even if I hated that deep red lipstick the secondary FL always wore to look tough/cold. I watched this twice and picked up a few points I missed in the story. The FL needs to just work on lowering her voice - these actresses with their baby voices are kinda irritating but at least overall she comes across smart and hard working. Give this a try

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The best Cdrama ever

I finished all the episodes. I really like Ryan Ding Yuxi’s character in here and looking forward to watching more of his drama series.

I watched Ryan first in the Romance of Tiger and Rose, I also loved it.

Thinking of watching Intense Love after this.

Hope Ryan will continue to choose great drama to act on.

As for Esther Yu, I do not like much of her acting but her character is great in this drama.

I like also the story of the 2nd Female Lead and 2nd Male Lead.

Great Cdrama to watch this year, never a dragging moment in any episodes.

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It’s good but not that good.

Looking at the high rating, I had the urge to watch this series. However, it doesn’t satisfy me enough.

Plot wise, it’s interesting but a bit too draggy and repetitive. Can easily cut some episode to make it compact. Romance and chemistry? Great! The sole reason that keep me going until the last episode. Their relationship are cute and fluffy. Definitely a good serotonin boost. Acting wise? Honestly cringing most of the time listening to FL high tone voice. I don’t mind if she want to baby talk to ML, but she’s also act like a child in front of her older colleagues. Doesn’t seem professional and it annoyed me so much. ML is also childish but at least, he only acted like that around his close ones. Despite FL being child-like behaviour, i still like her character, radiating positive aura and a happy pill. It will be 100% better if she act as a professional during the work setting.

Overall, still enjoyable if you crave for happy couple moments.

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honestly one of the best c-dramas in 2021

note: mandarin is my mother tongue, i speak it almost everyday
long story short if u wanna know if this show is good... i bought all 4 books of the original novel lol... :D

lets start off with the actors shall we?
visuals are OFF THE CHARTS!!! male 1, female 1, male 2 and female 3,, my goodness !!!!!! male and female 1 are the cutsie couple while male and female 2 are the cool and chic couple!! not to mention the 2 girls, they sing so well in real life!!! i recommend GWALLA and ChuLi is Here both by Esther Yu [ChuLi] and Reverse - Ma YinYin [GuBaiZhi] Both guys are smoking hot as well hahahaha

now the story -
unlike what esther yu dramas were always like, this sotry is more on the maturity side, like entering the workforce for the frist time, pursuing dreams and goals. this show is worth to watch because of the meaning of the story and basically how the show progressed and how the characters were portrayed. the main couple being goofy and finding love with each other while the second couple finding their love and passion for each other. so it is right for me/us to say that this show covers everything from different aspects. its like a whole package. story summary that is more in detail: chuli works at a book publishing company of her dreams ever since middle school, she meets her favourite novel writers, zhou chuan and jiang yu cheng respectively, coincidentally both of these writers were best friends since young! zhou chuan and chuli relationship grows steadier and closer as they work on publishing books together and.......living with each other under the same roof! and as for jian yu cheng, he meets his ex again, gu bai zhi and like the latter, they work together on books and also their broken relationship as to ge back together! overall, like ive mentioned, the story is lovely and very whlesome and family oriented as well. oo and honourable mention: er gou!! the doggo of the show hehe

acting skills,
well ding yu xi who played zhou chuan has already captured my dear old mum's heart so what else can i say! as for esther yu and chu li, their personalities are EXACTLY THE SAME! goofy and ambitious, no one can ever take place of acting chu li!!

music -
very nice! my favourites would be ChuLi is Here and NiuNiu! very cute songs!

and of course 10/10 wld rewatch! i even bought all 4 parts of the novels, which are VERY aesthetic. book 1 to book 4 is a spectrum from white to gray to black! :D

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Charming, with a takeaway lesson

Super cute drama, with lots of fluff. Solid acting across the cast. Decent storyline.

Female lead is well done, as you root for her every step of the way. Even though she may act cutesy, you see she is not a dumb girl and she works very hard to advance her career.

Second male lead is super attractive!

The colleagues are the main points of conflict in the drama and while annoying, the plot lines do wrap up by the end of the drama.

The overarching plot about publishing novels is also a refreshing one, and a great setting for a fluffy enjoyable romcom. Highly recommend.

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it's my first most favorite c drama and destined love story

after I completed watching the immortal samsara, this was my favorite c drama . as for the female lead and male lead strong bound together with their love and sacrificing each other. it's very journey that enable to understand and immensely in each other worlds. they overcome all challenges together which make their affection fully growth and able to understand each other's presence anywhere. their journey from strangers to soulmates in every life , happiness and tears , marriage with their hopes and aspiration unlike other individuals.

the drama attention with different colors and visual's of the drama and theme of drama created best and visual pleasing experience . as for the success of drama, The combination of strong writing, skillful direction, committed performances, stunning visuals, and thoughtful design culminate in a drama that is more than mere entertainment. It becomes a work of art that stimulates thought, triggers emotions, and leaves a lasting impression on those who engage with it.

Moreover, the supporting cast deserves recognition for their commitment to their roles, creating believable and relatable characters that resonate with the viewers. They provide a strong backdrop against which the main plot unfolds, adding complexity and dimension to the story.

in conclusion, this drama is just beautiful and heart warming ,character portraying with ding yu xi and yang chao yue great acting skills and stunning visuals comes together with unforgettable drama and storyline with creativity and new standard in drama production which create a great and stunning , heart warming drama that will stay in our heart forever.

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All Chinese dramas should be like this, so refreshing!

Very refreshing- from the storyline to the production, acting and the music background. All future Chinese dramas should follow its lead, then it can be equivalent to Kdramas :) Very classy and sophisticated drama.

A big shout out to ML Ding Yuxi who played his role REALLY REALLY WELL!! He’s an author who has a hot temper, socially awkward and a coward when it comes to love! ???❤️ His previous dramas were Intense Love (I did not like because I couldn’t stand the actress) and The Romance of Tiger and Rose (which was good but I believe his voice was dubbed). In this one he really shines! ???? He shifted from throwing tantrums, to being in love, to showing sadness and crying all with ease. He had a way of drawing the audience to feel and understand what his character was going through. I especially loved how he dealt with problems and issues he faced, which such class and maturity. The scenes which I particularly loved were when he was facing the ghostwriting issues and wanted to give up- he was holding back his tears in the kitchen; and when he received his award. His facial expressions were so real and deep. I also liked how his character was smart and mature when handling questionable circumstances- e.g asking his friend to accompany him to the hotel room when meeting with Song Xi, and keeping his distance from her and telling her off. Very man!

To me the FL Esther Yu was somewhat less desirable. Some reviewers enjoyed her cuteness and bubbly persona, whereas others found her voice and whining annoying. I am of the opinion of the latter. Yes her voice is very squeaky and high pitched, and she likes to whine- so unfortunately for me I did not enjoy her acting/ character.

The chemistry between both leads was pretty good, kissing scenes were nominal nothing great. I did feel towards the 2nd half it seemed that Zhou Chuan loved her more and was more invested in their relationship. She seemed to brush him off more often and focus on her career. I did enjoy the chemistry and storyline of the 2nd leads, although quite predictable. Their proposal was way better, I mean who goes to walk alone in the streets during New Year’s eve and your boyfriend has to search for you via a tracking app? Just sadddd...

BROMANCE!! This was one of the highlights. :):) The friendship between Zhou Chuan and Jiang Yu Cheng was very admirable, even when they were both chasing the same girl, they didn’t fight or get angry with one another, JYC even confessed in front of ZC! I found that so hilarious and never seen before in any drama! Lol.. love their brotherhood ;)

Music background was also sophisticated and relevant. Songs were alright, nothing really memorable. I did find the story to get draggy towards the middle till the end. They introduced more characters and side storylines, which I skipped. Some plots also became repetitive. I hope that future Chinese dramas could be shorter maybe between 25-30 episodes.

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Sweet Rom-Com + Challenges faced by Book Editors and Authors

7/26/2021

As part of the Sweet On series, it is to be expected that this is going to be a sweet and fluffy romantic comedy. I'm glad to know that there's more to it than the usual cheesy love story. I love books, therefore, I decided to watch this drama as it's about publishing companies and authors. It's a very different vibe from the K-Drama "Romance is a Bonus Book", but it's just as enjoyable. I am glad that the actors real voices are used and the drama seems to have a combination of live recording and dubbing (not that bad).

Setting/Plot: I am not sure how realistic this drama is in regards to the challenges editors and authors face each day. However, I enjoy watching how editors work with their authors and how much effort is put in to getting a book published. Though the scenes might seem overly dramatic, the gist of what's happening seems realistic enough. The drama also focuses more on the challenges of established/veteran writers, than newbie writers trying to break into the industry. In many C-Dramas, we always see overly-bearing and disapproving parents. This drama has it, too, but it's part of an essential plot and character development of our ML. However, I do have to say that the antagonists do seem quite over-the-top. If they are really working in a publishing house, they should have been fired long time ago for their unprofessionalism.

Characters: FL at first glance seems to be another cliché female lead that is innocent and naïve. Many give up on this drama because they find FL's real voice annoying. It does take a little bit to get used to her "childish" and "whiny" voice, but once you do, it's a great story to uncover more about her. She is independent, energetic, persistent, NOT a pushover, and a go-getter. I enjoy discovering her personality throughout the show. ML, on the other hand, has more character growth. He started as an introverted, arrogant yet childish and petty famous author, to becoming more open, caring and mature. FL is more of a discovery throughout the show, and ML is more of a character development. In contrast, the secondary leads are much more mature, and go through a different set of challenges in life and romance. At the end of the drama, they have changed to become a better partner and better versions of themselves. The supporting cast has their individual role in the drama. The antagonists make your blood boil and you really want to slap them in the face for their unprofessionalism.

Acting: This is the second drama I've seen FL in after "I've Fallen For You". Both her roles are quite similar that she's bubbly and high energy. After getting used to her voice, I enjoyed her performance as she could be cutesy but you still love her, and want to root for her. It's also my second drama of ML after " The Romance of Tiger and Rose". He did a good job in playing this awkwardly cute guy, and then changed into his author character. I am especially impressed in Ep 35 in the scene with his father. You see his eyes slowly welled up and all the feels! 2ML is a handsome guy but I feel that he could look a little wooden at certain scenes. His best scenes are when he's bickering with ML. As for 2FL, she did a decent job but I find her crying scenes not believable.

OST/Costumes: I scored the OST lowest in the categories because they play the title song a little too much for my taste. It comes up every time there's a romantic scene, and it's quite unnecessary. Give us some peace when we enjoy such romance. I am especially disappointed in the last episode when the two male leads are delivering their heartfelt monologues and songs started to play. The volume is as loud as their voices and it's really distracting. I want hear their voices and feel their emotions, and not the loud music. Having said that, Ryan Ding's song "月光变奏曲"/Heartless Poem" makes me happy as it's so upbeat (his singing is just OK though). On the other hand, everyone has quite a nice wardrobe. You see different looks - for work, for play, for outdoorsy activities and formal events. Our four leads look amazing.

Bromance: The bromance between our two male leads is the best part of the show. When they are together, you feel their chemistry and laugh at/with them when they are bickering like children. 2ML is most lively when he's with ML. I want to see more of them together as they have such a fun and supportive relationship.

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bingeing on sleepless nights

as a book lover, this series tickled my fancy as it shows what happens behind the scenes in the publishing world. i know that the romance aspect is what the audience is looking forward to, but i love the fact that the background of FML was a little more complex, not complicated nor exaggerated as some dramas would normally have, but was eventually taken care of with the help of SFL.

this is the first drama of Esther that i've watched and i'd have to say that i wasn't disappointed in her character nor by her acting. i've read some reviews that her pitch is quite irritating - hers isn't the first high-pitched voice i've heard on a Chinese drama and there are others that are more annoying than hers. i think her laugh is quite contagious, i actually giggle every time she does! she played her role very well and i'm looking forward to watching her other series.

i've watched Ryan in TROTAR (LuSi) and IL (YuXi) but this is the best one i've seen of him. he exudes that certain air of arrogance and gives intense stares that just gives his audience butterflies in their stomach. he had me at TROTAR but totally captured my heart in Moonlight. his character's attitude is literally something i would want to acquire: not really caring much about what others think as long as you believe that what you are doing is right and that you are not harming others.

ShiZe and YinYin... where do i even begin? the chemistry between their characters is undeniable. it is my first time watching them and despite them pretty new in the industry, they were able to portray their roles very well. they will surely have more projects to come - i hope they'll get the FML & FFL roles soon.

PS: the bromance chemistry between ZhouChuan and YuCheng is pretty strong and competitive with that of their female leads hahaha! oh, and don't tell me that am i the only one who thinks that there's really something between YuYao and SuoHeng ? i didn't read the manga so i've no idea if it's there. ^_^

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