Moonlight Chicken

Chemistry was so OFF

There is A LOT to unpack here.

Wen was straight up giving F me eyes the entire show. OOOOO, he better calm down. The entire time we all saw and felt how Wen was feeling. He played his role so well! So it's a shame that the lead couple had next to no chemistry. It was one sided the entire time, even in the small moments Jim showed some wiggle room, or straight up affection. It all felt fake.

Judging this as a BL on the main couple, I'd say this is a 5 rating, and only because HALF the leads were giving it hard. So instead I judged this one as a slice of life drama with a dash of BL romance thrown in. So it gets 7.

I really enjoyed the little drama we had with Alan, Jim, and Wen. It felt like real life, messy, painful, and emotional.

I enjoyed the side characters stories because it made the Chicken restaurant and neighborhood feel so homey.

Li Ming and Heart were EVERYTHING. EVERY.THING!!! They were the sweetest and the best story ever! I could have watched them as the main leads FOREVER. Every moment they had was just heartwarming and perfect.

On the spice meter this gets a 1, the first episode had lots of chemistry and lead up to the spice in a way that a little went a long way. But then the chemistry disappeared never to be seen again.

Alan really got the short end of the stick here and I felt so bad for him! Not only did he get his heartbroken after 5 years but Wen dragged it out by living together. And when he got into a serious accident Wen acted as if it was burdensome to help him. After 5 years and you care that little? Alan had every right to feel heartbroken and awful. Nobody should stay if they don't love them but have some more grace. And that last episode was total BS, 5 years of a relationship and he joins them for dinner? No thank you. But it was cute that everyone did eat together.

Overall I really enjoyed some parts and other parts it was just okay.

I have to admit I am not a huge fan of Earth. I don't know what it is about him but I don't think he suits BL's well. To be fair I've only seen his small bits in Love By Chance and this one but there is just something that bugs me about him. Now I really want to watch another Mix Earth show to see if it's just my bad for choosing the show where he is written as a stale character. I'll be back to report my findings. TO be fair the first and very end of hte last episode gave me a LITTLE hope.

Ending it with everyone eating together was so cute and gave the overall feel of the entire show.

BUT NOW what do I watch? Do I watch First & Khaotung actually get together in Eclipse? Do I try another Earth Mix to see if there IS chemistry? Or do I watch more perfection of Gemini & Fourth?!? Decisions, decisions!

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a full four course meal

The average of the episodes was 9.4 stars out of 10, so I rounded it up to 9.5 stars out of 10 because this was so fucking good. The acting was amazing. They got really good actors and popular ships and smashed them into one show that was too short for its own good. The acting is what kept me wanting more and more with each episode. This banger joins Bad Buddy and Love in the Air as my highest ratings for dramas at 9.5 stars. So we love to see that. This was just truly amazing and groundbreaking. I posted a lot on it, so I am going to go to my close friend's highlights, which are just a moon, a light bulb, and a chicken. I also started this two months ago because the first episode didn't leave me wanting more, but today changed that.

10 hours ago, I was like, Moonlight Chicken has such an amazing cast with all of my baes; let me just fucking finish it. And that's what I did. And I forgot who was in it for some reason. My boyfriend was there. Love them. Then I said that I forgot his name in the show. That's so embarrassing, huh. Uncle Jim and Wen. Earth and Mix have great chemistry, and that hit me like a truck in this. Love them.

Leng's character was so real for no reason. He was very woke and, over all, just said a whole bunch of facts all the time, and I love him for that. Then I say that I will learn sign language just for fun. Then I said, "Characters wearing completely out-of-place Jordans are my new favorite thing in Thai dramas." Because it's always so random, and I love it.

We meet Jim's ex, who is the reason our poor baby 40-year-old man is the way he is. He doesn't show a lot of emotion and boards himself off when it comes to love because he doesn't want the same thing to happen again. Which is so real for him, but bro died in 2018, and it was like 2022 in the timeline. You've got to move on, dawg; you are 40 years old; that's already half your life if we are going by American life expectancy. You've got to move on.

Then we see the love of my life, First, lying in bed looking all gorgeous. Him with the glasses is my favorite thing, and he was lowkey making me go feral. Love Me Again by John Newman is Alan and Wen's song, because no matter what Alan says or what he does, Wen has completely lost his love for him. I feel bad, but bro broke up with her, and he couldn't get the hint for like FOUR FUCKING MONTHS? Like what? Get over it. I understand it is a 5-year relationship, but please, just leave them alone. Let him live; that's why he left you.

This show was low-key a lot, just the way they were telling it and making it out to be. Fuck beams, Jim's ex. Bro deserved that one hundred percent. But I would be wrong to say that. I hated him, and I still do. Jim was, for real, the other woman. Which was sad but true.

Heart and Li Ming are just so cute, and I love them. Li Ming getting heart's parents to learn sign language for their son and them listening was such good character development for them, and I love the parents for that. Jim being high-key homophobic when he is literally gay was funny. Like what? If you are that pressed about gay people, look in the mirror before you even say anything. LIKE WHAT? lol.

Then Gaipa's mom died, and I was on the brink of tears. Because in edits, I have seen people in all black, and I am like, damn, which one of our main couples is dying? and then they kill off Gaipas mom. Oh my god, bro, I was like, No way, and then in denial about it for the rest of the show.

Then they were going condo shopping and being all cute, and then Jim said to paint the walls green, and I was like, Ew, green! Who would do that? All of the walls in my house are literally green; I am a fool. And that's all for my close friends highlights.

I loved this show so much, and I feel like they could have made it longer. This was so good, and I loved every couple, even Alan and Gaipa at the end. Everyone was just so full of character, and it made me excited to watch and see how people would develop and how they would regress. This was a banger, and I would recommend it. Okay bye!

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What BL Should Be

“Moonlight Chicken” is a profound, grounded exploration of the human condition that transcends typical BL tropes. It is a story built on a foundation of serious people dealing with the heavy weight of external reality—money, family struggles, love, and the fragility of life.

Earth and Mix anchor the series with a mature, weary chemistry that feels lived-in rather than idealized. Earth brings a quiet, burdened dignity to Uncle Jim, a man whose walls are built from years of financial struggle and past trauma. Mix provides the perfect counterpoint as Wen—persistent, world-wise, and deeply sympathetic. Their connection is authentic because it’s forged in the messy, unglamorous reality of their everyday lives.

The supporting cast is just as exceptional. Khaotung delivers unrequited love and family duty with heartbreaking subtlety, while Mark Pakin is an absolute standout as a young man thrown too soon into adult responsibilities, but who faces them with warmth and integrity.

Gemini and Fourth’s storyline is a wonder of sensitive storytelling. By refusing to treat Heart’s (Gemini) disability as a tragedy to be pitied, the show creates a beautiful arc of communication and equality. Seeing Li Ming (Fourth) meet Heart where he is—without pity—reminds us that the most powerful love is a conscious effort to understand another’s world.

By focusing on relatable, flawed characters in a working-class environment, “Moonlight Chicken” proves that the most meaningful romance isn't found in a vacuum, but in how we support each other through the challenges of real life. It is raw, beautiful, and deeply human.

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A Masterpiece

I was confused as to why this drama only has 8 episodes but after finishing it, I realized why. Every single episodes, every single parts truly touched the audience’s hearts with its truly remarkable moments. All the characters were executed well. You truly see the growth of every individual characters as they also learned to accept what life has to offer them. Uncle Jim finally accepting help from others and opening up at the end was such a refreshing scene. Him moving away from the old diner place and selling his car really shows he’s moved on with Wen. I love the growth of his relationship with Ming. From being flawed in the beginning to accepting each other at the end. Wen and his fighter nature really inspired me. The amount of persistence he has despite being continuously rejected at first was just amazing. I love how he rejected the promotion at the end. It may seem absurd to some but since the beginning, he never was about money. He actually have always wanted a home which he finally found with Uncle Jim. What happened between Wen and Alan was heartbreaking but it does happen in real life . You wake up one day and realize this is not the love you’re looking for. It was very realistic the way their characters were portrayed. From trying to be friends, to not working out, to angst then finally to moving on. I’m glad both of them were able to find another means of happiness and seem to end the series by still being friends. Then we have Heart and Li Ming. I have so much praises for them. The innocence yet heaviness of their story must have been hard to portray but both Gemini and Fourth played their parts very well. Then we have Gaipa. This sweet man tore my heart in pieces when he was singing for his mom. Khaotung’a acting definitely deserve a recognition! All the actors do! The series was made to be realistic that even after finishing it, I can still feel their emotions. Congratulations to e everyone who was part of this masterpiece. Hope everyone will get the chance to watch this! ❤️

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It just feels real

The Midnight Series of GMMTV had been on my "Watch Later" list for a while now. Simply because i have grown so accustomed to their story telling type and the quality of their series that I did not expect anything profound from it.

Then I stumbled upon Moonlight Chicken. By it's name, I had already found it interesting enough. A Chicken diner located in a region/province in Thailand that is yet to recover after the tumultuous times from COVID-19. Despite the rising prices and the need to adapt to an economy that has been heavily hit, Moonlight Chicken stands different because it gives more of a respite to its customers than a reminder of harder times.

There are a lot of things I thoroughly enjoyed about this story but one stood high above all-- the use of a Chinese song called "The Moon Represents My Heart".

For those who are familiar with this song, it is a sweet Chinese love song that has been popularized by Teresa Teng. I would not get into much details with the song because the show encapsulates the kind of love that it wishes to share. But that's not what I am getting at. I had not read or watched anything regarding the production of Moonlight Chicken, so I have no idea what the director/writer's intention was when they incorporated the song-- but one name stood out when I was watching the series and it was Li Ming's mother's fiance Mr Tong. What's funny enough is that she refers to him as Mr Tong multiple times through the series.

And it hit me so hard, because Mr Tong and The Moon Represents My Heart suddenly becomes real. I am not sure if it was meant as a reference, but after watching the story of Jim and Wen, then Li Ming and Heart and the hardships of Alan and Gaipa-- I can't help but relate it to a beloved actor's story of Leslie Cheung. And for those who do not know, that is a story that is both pure and tragic. Such love that is enduring and a love that is all consuming. Thank you to the writer for that beautiful homage.

Now it brings me to the three or maybe an extent, four couples that are showcasing love differently.

Jim and Wen, the main couple. This is interesting because they both are dealing with different kinds of trauma from their past love. You have Jim whose love had treated him with selfishness, and had ended up with much tragedy that the entire ordeal had left him distrustful. Then we have Wen, whose heart is ready to love but can't properly move on from a love that has kept him captive. How could you move on from someone you have been with for so long? How can you help that person accept that you no longer love them? Sprinkle in with other personal matters such as work, family and inner predicaments gives you a story that beautifully endures. Kudos to Earth and Mix, they rarely miss.

Li Ming and Heart. This couple had captured me in a way purity does, in awe and appreciation. LiMing and Heart shows the silence and subtlety of love, where what is considered "normal" should not dictate the limitations of what love can become. Despite Li Mings feelings of inadequacy or Heart's disability, the two of them found the right note and voice to conquer their trials and emerge victorious. A love stemmed from the desire to understand and grow together. Kudos to the young actors Fourth and Gemini.

Saleng and Praew. Though brief and not as highlighted, I appreciate the realness of this couple. They are by no means rich and they know that with the pregnancy they will be facing harsher times. And yet they persevered. The growth of Saleng's character as well made me admire him more, his hard work to ensure his child will grow up with enough opportunities and his willingness to do more to give his wife a safe home. It's wonderful how they both did their best for each other and did not let the situation hinder them from still also working hard for the betterment of themselves. Kudos to Mark and View.

Alan and Wen (then Gaipa). Alan comes of pitiful to me. Which is maybe what we want to feel at the start. Though it is annoying and clearly appalling how he acts so stubborn with Wen and how he allows his personal feelings affect his work-- you can't deny that the man is clearly deeply heartbroken and moving on has become a curse to him. However, it also shows two people who drift apart and are slowly drawn to beings that can move their world for the better. Kudos to First and Khaotung, they express emotions strongly and beautifully.

This is already a testament to the story writing and to the actors themselves.

Apart from that, what's the most beautiful about Moonlight Chicken is that everything feels real. Rarely were their the usual plot devices that forces the characters to come together-- it was enough for the characters being human to move the story forward. Their jobs are not glamorous, there are hardships and the effects of gentrifying a historical part of the land is also highlighted. There is also the evolution of dreams, how one can transform that dream and still be wonderful. Family dynamics, how giving birth does not guarantee forever love, how being different does not mean you affect others, how your love is enough to make others feel appreciated and how we can never be perfect, but we can always try to make it work.

Love. Loss. Hope. Bravery. Honesty. Resilience. Growth. Heart. Friendship. Trust. Letting go.

I appreciate so many things about this series but can't really put all my thoughts in one go. It is well thought of, well executed and well meaning. Love and suffering, love and growth, love and moving on. Truly a treat and something i wish could touch hearts for the years to come. Kudos! A definite must watch.

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Przedstawienie problemów

Powiem tak sama drama nie była dla mnie jakoś zaskakująco ciekawa, po paru odcinkach zaczęła mnie lekko nudzić, mimo to oglądałem dalej, ponieważ podobało mi się przedstawienie realnych problemów, które mogą pojawić się w naszym życiu Zdrady, odrzucenie, nieoczekiwana ciąża, brak pieniędzy czy nawet nagłe zgony i wypadki.

Wszystko to pokazali bardzo dobrze i to właśnie cenie. Gra aktorska pobocznych, jak i głównych aktorów była bardzo dobra (GeminiFourth>>>) i to również zachęcało mnie do dalszego oglądania.

Podsumowując, uważam, że warto obejrzeć, innym może się bardziej spodobać innym mniej. Osoba lubiącym spokojniejsze dramy myślę, że przypadnie do gustu.

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heartfelt, cozy and heavy all at once ⭐?

"i see people eat Chicken Rice every day. and they enjoy their Chicken Rice in their own way."

awhh, no joke this series was super cute but also uhm soul-crushing because why did firstkhao not get a single break 💔
and don't even play with me about the scene with heart and li ming talking to heart's parents - but i'll talk about that later.
been on my list for aaages probably and feels so refreshing to finish 💖🥹

☆ jim and wen (earthmix)
this is my first earthmix series, even though i've heard of all their other ones and i'm so pleased! their chemistry is insane and i really enjoyed wen chasing jim 7/8 episodes and jim giving in to his stupid logic in the last. i know he had an unresolved past but even when wen took him to the other woman and helped him move on, jim still was reluctant. anyway, they were so entertaining to watch! while i don't think their acting is the strongest, they still managed to pull off the sad and angsty scenes really well! i even shed a few tears. i feel like their story was cut short due to only 8 episodes (i was so shocked when i found out it was only that many) so i felt that both: wen chased after jim for too long/jim pushed wen away for too long. as i said, it just felt like wen was pushed away right until the last minute. it was obvious they had mutual feelings but i still would've liked it to feel like i didn't just press fast forward. nonetheless, they were so adorable to watch and they have a truck together!! lemme just order some Chicken Rice, i'll be back

job promotion: declined
reason: i just built a home. i dont want to move anywhere.

☆ heart and li meng (geminifourth)
AHH, my cuties!! as probably the majority of watchers have done, i watched this series and even discovered it because of geminifourth. if you couldn't tell already, i am a sucker for any kind of media that brings disability awareness to the table. i loved their little use of sign language between them and their notepad 📝. i got frustrated with jim more times than i can count but the times when i was most furious is when he was scolding li meng - especially in THAT scene. honestly, a relationship like heart and li meng's - in any case: romantic, platonic, relative etc - is such a clear case that soulmates exist. to think that heart would probably still be stuck inside his boring house, his parents ashamed of him and never living like the normal person that he is if he hadn't met li meng. i can't beat to think about it!

"deaf people are the loneliest people. they see everything, but they can't hear a thing. if no one talks to them, they won't understand anything at all."

this quote actually sat with me for a while. i genuinely had to research if deaf people could still speak because every deaf people i have seen in media either doesn't speak well or at all. when i saw people say that they have been deaf since their toddler years and even birth and they can speak clearly with 98% accuracy, i was like oh!! which is what made the quote stick so well. if no one had bothered to teach those people how to regain their speech and just disregarded them, they wouldn't be able to communicate as well as they would. especially since so many people don't bother to learn sign language so those that can't speak are just stuck.
li meng hearing heart speak is genuinely so heartwarming. even when heart spoke for the 4th time in front of him, he was still amazed 🥹. especially since he said li meng's name. i will love geminifourth even more for this representation and amazing acting 🤍

☆ alan and wen
oh, i was NOT ready for all of this angst. i will never tire of saying this - first and khaotung are my favourite pair in terms of acting ability. they make me feel like im on a rainbow in the clouds but then suddenly there's just a fucking thunderstorm from nowhere and now im miserable. first was so good as alan - even though the character was more than partly in the wrong. i swear, every time this man was crying, he did it like he had bottled up his feelings for 10 years. mix also played into the angst of alanwen really well. his emotion was at its max and i honestly was so emmersed.

"but now you like chicken better than beef, right?" / "you were not this sarcastic back then." / "i have always been like this. you just started to not like it."

alan, who taught you these ways. stop playing with my heartstrings!! i absolutely adored the constant metaphors this series used to describe the character's feelings towards one another. i will never say that wen was in the clear because it is so so wrong continue being with somebody for anything other than love - ESPECIALLY sleeping with them. that whole scene was just so not funny. #gmmtvlovesemployingprettycriers

☆ praew and saleng
this is the part when i wish this series was longer. their story deserved to be shared as much as the others, if not more!! poverty pregnancy is such a curse, i can imagine. when praew still had to work while she was pregnant because they didn't have the money 💔. oh girl, just saw you want my money; it's all yours. i feel like this mark is one of those gmmtv actors you just manage to see in every other series that you watch. like how high are the bills?! but i love this character, and obviously mark himself 🤍

☆ overall
although this seems like an adorable, heartfelt, cozy bl, to me it actually has a lot of serious topics discussed: poverty (pregnancy), disease, loss + grief, politics (about lgbtq+ rights at the time) and of course, disability. i think that's what makes it stand out from other cozy bls because it has all of these serious issues mixed into the story and handles them very well. from what i have seen previously, im pretty sure that earthmix are strong advocaters for the lgbtq community, so when jim and wen were talking about thailand in 2022/2023 and talking about the lack of same-sex marriage laws, i thought that really fit them. the discussion of poverty is huge in this series, and as it should be! even now, the world is covered in poverty as people wonder if they'll get to eat tomorrow. what with the wars (PLURAL) going on, poverty grows every day. i just wish everyone got the chance to dream 💔

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Exceptional

Moonlight Chicken has two perfect couples and I love them both for different reasons. Wen and Jim are basically love at first sight but it takes them a whole show to be able to act on it, Wen gets there quicker but he has his troubles to sort through as well. They yearn, are scared, are tired and just really want to find a some place to call home.

Li Ming and Heart on the other hand have a rocky beginning but after they get over it they become close so fast. Their relationship was the most special to me, and the way it was written is truly exceptional. They both just want someone to listen and believe in them. Acting from both of the boys is perfect, all the strong emotions, small facial expressions, they sold it so well and I love them both.

Finale was perhaps the least strong of the episodes, but I already rewatched it since I wasn't ready to let this show go.

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Can I have more, please? Pretty please?

Softly, gently swimming in the river of life and avoiding obstacles with determination and intelligence.....

A few days ago, I started watching Midnight Motel but the dark themed series left me wanting for something else, lighter and nicer so I decided to watch an episode of Moonlight Chicken. Next thing I know, I was finishing episode four, it was like 3AM and I was trying really hard not to watch anymore. I succeeded even though it was so hard.

This series gripped me from the beginning with its music first and then the slice of life story. I am a sucker for a good slice of life romance and this one was almost perfect. Now I just want to rewatch it!

The story is deceptively simple: in a diner in Pattaya, different people meet and forge relationships. Uncle Jim is the owner and one night he meets drunken Wen: they end up spending the night together and Wen falls for Jim who does not want to continue this relationship. Jim's nephew, Li Ming is wrongly accused of breaking a valuable bottle during a delivery and has to work to pay it back. There he meets the house owner's deaf teenage son and they become friends.

This drama deals with some important everyday, mundane issues: work, money problems, redevelopment of areas, unrequited love, unwanted pregnancy and so on but it shows friendship and love and family with a minimum toxicity. There are no forced and invented problems and issues: everything is very quickly dealt with by TALKING. Well, that was quite refreshing since most of dramas thrive on misunderstandings and lack of communication. Not the case here.
Rarely seen as well, is a deaf character. The description of a handicap and the way the boy's family struggle to accept it (by hiding it) is shown in stark contrast with Li Ming's attitude of "there is nothing wrong with being deaf! Let's communicate and be friends!" Their story was beautiful. It showed young people completely unphased by adults' fears of difficulties and rejection.
And then there was Wen. He is a troubling character. He is still living and sleeping with the ex boyfriend. Their relationship is toxic and problematic and spills over into the new relationship he is trying to start because he seems stuck and unable to make a clean break. His ex, Alan, tries to hold onto him and as a result they are both unhappy.

Moonlight Chicken, with all its lightness, managed to touch upon and deal with a numerous life problems, small and big but realistic.

As for the cast, they were hit and miss. Firstly Earth was miscast: he is supposed to be almost 40! He does look older than the rest of the cast but not that much! And also, somebody should just tell Earth (playing Jim) that e cannot act and that he should remain a model: he's a handsome guy but has a single expression throughout the series wooden eternally surprised expression. Frankly that bothered me already in 1000 Stars! He shares no chemistry with Mix, who played Wen and I found their interactions, when they were lovey dovey, stilted, unnatural and unconvincing! Mix, on the other hand, is a king of microexpressions, his eyes tell a thousand stories but what happened to him? He looks like he is made out of putty, all soft and pudgy and soft, maybe too soft. But he has great chemistry with First who plays his ex Alan. I must say that First was a revelation! He is an amazing actor. Unexpectedly so since he did not leave a lasting impression after The Eclipse.
And then there are the two hottest BL stars of the moment, hot on the heels of their huge hit My School President. Gemini plays the deaf kid Fourth as Li Ming befriends. And they are just perfect§ Playing a daf character is not easy since you are not allowed to react to sounds all around (there was a scene where he unwittingly turned his head when a note was pushed under the door he was not looking at!Just a minor flaw!). They were the right measure of cute and serious and fun and real, just like every teen is nowdays! Open, with surprising maturity and without prejudice. And, by the way they were much better here than in MSP!
Finally there was Kaotung who has mastered overacting. Some of his scenes were hard to watch because of his grimacing face!

The producers should stop repeating actors' couples from other series. Earth and Mix as well as First and Kaotung were wrong here! That did not stop me from enjoying this series a lot but some moments were rather cringey especially scenes between Earth and Kaotung (who plays a chicken stall owner with a crush on Jim!).

The cinematography was stunning: the colours were in the brown, dark and warm tones. Everything felt soft and gentle. And the lighting and the colour palette corresponded the characters.
The music was so right for this series! The old taiwanese song the six main actors sing is giving me goosebumps and spills something warm inside my soul.

And in spite of all the flaws, I loved this series. It was just perfect for me at this moment in my life when I was looking for a serious story but with no toxicity. And I need more of all of them!

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stayed for heart and li ming

They stole the show for me. It got to a point where I skipped everything just to watch their scenes together because their chemistry is insane! The way the two of them had me blushing and kicking my feet every interaction ! Thank you to the actors for portraying their characters so beautifully:) I do feel like they always give their all in every single role they play so you never have to worry about them slacking.

Oh, and the second couple close to the end, I would have liked to see that progress, I think they had potential.

Final opinion: The second couple saved the show for me.

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As Comforting as Chicken and Rice

I think Moonlight Chicken is the very definition of a comfort show. Like, all the ingredients are there. You have lovable characters, each with their own background that gives them so much more depth, the Moonlight Chicken itself, which is just a little hub of solidarity and mutual support, Uncle Jim acting as everyone’s emotional anchor, and, of course, some chicken and rice because honestly… you really can’t go wrong with chicken and rice.

I think Moonlight Chicken is just a really safe show to go back to. It deals with some genuinely heavy topics while still knowing when to throw in a little bit of lightness. It doesn’t really feel like a BL that is trying to build some huge, dramatic love story. It feels much more like a slice of life where people slowly find a home in each other. A found family, basically.

And the cast? Absolutely incredible. You can genuinely tell these actors know each other well, and the chemistry between them feels so effortless and natural. Nothing ever feels forced.

Personally, I really loved Alan and Wen’s relationship. I actually found it surprisingly refreshing because the show allows us to see what happens when love has already faded for one person, while the other is still very much attached.

First, even though Alan can be a tiiiinyyyyy bit annoying at first glance -_- , I think his character does a really good job of showing what it means to grieve a relationship that was such a huge part of your everyday life and, ultimately, of who you became.

And his tears? Yeah, those got me.

Because Alan isn’t just dealing with losing someone. He’s also learning that sometimes loving someone means accepting that you have to let them go. And honestly, I thought that was beautifully done.

Now, obviously, I cannot talk about Moonlight Chicken without talking about Heart and Li Ming.

LORD HAVE MERCY.

These two literally stole the show.

Their relationship is explored so much through touch and body language, and I think that gives them a depth that a lot of couples don’t get. There’s something so intimate about the way they communicate without actually saying much.

Like… those three fingers under the chin? THAT’S THE SWEETEST SHIT I’VE EVER SEEN.

With Heart and Li Ming, it’s not really about what is being said. It’s about what is being felt. And I think that’s exactly why their screen time feels so precious. We’re not waiting for them to confess their love. We’re waiting for them to actually live it.

So yeah. I’m sold.

I really would have loved a few more episodes just to watch these two stare at each other with those eyes that scream, “I would cross the entire world just to be by your side.” akijdpvisdezeuhze. I love them WAY too much.

Now, moving on to Uncle Jim because… sir. I’m not going to try to excuse or defend him when he says:

“Isn’t it difficult enough to be poor, now you’re gay?”

First of all, what an absolutely insane own goal. But more than that, I found it particularly selfish. I know Uncle Jim and Li Ming’s relationship is complicated. These two are stubborn as hell, and they clearly love each other deeply while also seemingly making it their life’s mission to disagree with each other.

But Uncle Jim’s reaction to Li Ming coming out is simply not justifiable to me. It doesn’t help Li Ming, it doesn’t help their relationship, it doesn’t help anyone. If anything, it only adds to the guilt Uncle Jim already carries.

And now we get to my BIGGEST beef with this series.

The flash-forward....

I cannot talk about this without getting annoyed all over again.

I actually really like Wen and Uncle Jim’s relationship. I think it’s beautiful. But the problem is that both of them spend SOOO much time trying to close doors on their past that we barely get to see them actually build a future together.

Wen has his ex. Uncle Jim has his nephew, his ex — this asshole — and his sister who apparently just respawns out of nowhere. And then Gaipa shows up like, “You know what would really help this situation? A confession.”

Sir. Read the room.

There are SO many things to deal with, on top of all the money problems, that by the time we reach episode eight, it feels like there’s barely any time left to explore what Wen and Jim could actually become together because the past is constantly knocking on the door.

And honestly, I do understand why the story goes there. Moonlight Chicken is, at its core, about learning how to find an anchor in another person. You can see that especially in all those “almost kiss” scenes, where Wen gets closer and Uncle Jim just can’t bring himself to accept the kiss because you can still feel how much his past haunts him.

So obviously, I was waiting SO FUCKING PATIENTLY for the moment when Uncle Jim would finally stop pulling away.

And then—

NOPE.

The flash-forward basically speed-ran their relationship to a point where I was sitting there like, WAIT. I WAS READY TO WAIT FOR THIS.

I wanted to see all those little steps. I wanted to see how these two people, with all their baggage, slowly figured out how to build something together.

So imagine my frustration when everyone is sitting around the table and Uncle Jim just casually goes:

“Yeah, this is Wen, my boyfriend.”

EXCUSE ME???

WHERE IS MY “WILL YOU BE MY BOYFRIEND?” MOMENT???

I WANTED THAT.

I needed that.

I deserved that. (:‚‹」∠)

Okay, maybe I’m being slightly dramatic. But I still maintain that a couple more episodes would not have killed anyone.

And finally, we need to talk about my ULTIMATE COMPLAINT: GAIPA X ALAN.

You cannot imagine my excitement when I found out there was going to be a FirstKhao pairing.

Throughout the entire show, I was sitting there with one eyebrow permanently raised like:

“Okay… okay… surely this is going somewhere.”

Every time they were in the same general vicinity, I was like :

"Come on. This is it. They’re finally going to notice each other."

NOPE.

We got Leng trying to play wingman and Alan showing up in his full banker outfit to give Gaipa the papers.

THE PAPERS... !?

That was it.

I’m sorry, but I was robbed.

I’m not saying I needed a whole romance arc. I’m just saying… maybe… perhaps… a little something would have been nice?

Anyway.

Despite all my complaints, Moonlight Chicken is ultimately a comfort show in every sense of the word. You consume it as easily as chicken and rice. It’s warm, it’s familiar, it makes you smile, and there’s something incredibly comforting about watching all these people slowly find their place with one another.

The cast is fantastic, the story is genuinely touching and there’s no denying that you have a good time watching it.

And then GeminiFourth show up. At that point, it’s no longer just a good time that you have.

It’s UNFORGETTABLE

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