This review may contain spoilers
I came back for Cheng Lei... and stayed because MoLi was actually good
I think Moli just ended my C-drama slump for the past two months. But weren't we all taking a break from ongoing dramas during that period? Lol.
Anyway, here's my review.
First of all, I'm a fan of Cheng Lei, but not really of Bai Lu. I've watched three of her previous dramas and only managed to finish one (Story of Kunning Palace). So when they announced Moli's release date, I packed my bags from K-drama land and immediately came back just for Cheng Lei. Lol.
When I watched the first few episodes, I noticed they didn't use that many filters. The editing and color grading felt so raw that I could actually see their pores, eyebrows, and even the girls' blush. I'm not complaining, but after spending years watching dramas with heavy filters and color correction, it was surprisingly refreshing.
Another thing I noticed was how quiet some scenes felt. The background sounded so empty in a few parts, and I don't know why they didn't add any BGM. Usually, there are birds chirping, leaves rustling, or at least some instrumental music playing in the background. But I eventually got used to it, and by the later episodes it felt normal. I really liked the couple's OST, though.
Story-wise, I didn't read the synopsis beforehand, so I went in with zero expectations and without comparing it to the novel. I honestly don't care how they portrayed Mo Xiuyao in the novel, I really liked him in the drama. And Ye Li too, of course. She has to be one of the strongest human beings ever. If I were in her position, I would've REALLY buried myself in that hole already. She suffered so much, and it's completely okay to pity her.
I think the pacing across all 40 episodes was executed pretty well. I read somewhere that they cut a lot of Cheng Lei's scenes, and as a Cheng Lei fan, all I can do is hope they'll release them as special clips or something. But I also understand that Bai Lu is the main highlight of this drama. Like I mentioned earlier, I'm not her fan, but I know she's a sweetheart and she's a very capable actress. Still, Cheng Lei was the one who kept me watching, so I couldn't help feeling a little disappointed. I'm sorry :(((
The pacing was good overall, but the ending felt like a letdown. No, not the main couple's ending, I mean the supporting characters. Mo Jingli's final rebellion scene was such a disappointment. What do you mean he lost just like that? Mo Xiuyao didn't even do anything, like, no attack, no COOL entrance, nothing. Yes, he saved Ye Li, but... he didn't really save her. He was just... there... if you know what I mean. Come on, director. You could've given us an epic flying-blocking-attacking-stabbing three-way fight between Ye Li, Mo Xiuyao, and Mo Jingli 😭 Instead, the arrows ended everything. Oooookay.
Then there's the Empress Dowager's ending. It was so anticlimactic to let her die ‘peacefully’ in her own bed. I wanted her own son to issue an imperial edict FIRST, strip away her title, exile her, and let her die in the poorest conditions ever. Lol. I guess I was just craving some dramatic ending after my C-drama slump. But who am I? I'm not the scriptwriter or the producer haha.
The main couple's ending, though, was adorable. I loved how Ye Li finally succeeded in finding her husband on the battlefield, just like what she wanted to do when she was younger. I'm convinced they cut the bed scene after their reunion (I choose to believe that!), which was annoying, but the closure at Lishan Academy still had me in tears. You've worked so hard, Ye Li. Now please, just walk the flower path together from now on ☹️
By the way, I really don't understand why people are hating on Mo Xiuyao for divorcing Ye Li. What he did was actually valid and realistic. It was a misunderstanding. He genuinely believed Ye Li was only repaying a debt and didn't actually love him. He wasn't exactly in the healthiest state of mind either, so it's understandable that he misread her intentions. Honestly, Ye Li's initial reason for helping him was probably really to fulfill the promise she made to his brother. It just gradually turned into love so naturally that people couldn't even pinpoint the exact moment her feelings changed. That conflict was absolutely necessary for the story and it was actually my favorite part because apparently I enjoy watching my favorite characters suffer (?) hahahahaha. This isn't one of those smooth, too-good-to-be-true first-love stories from a youth drama, you know, and that's exactly why I liked it. I especially loved the main couple's love language, particularly Mo Xiuyao's constant nagging and scolding. He genuinely cared about his wife, he just... didn't really know how to express it in a green-flag way lol. Poor A Jin had to witness all of it. Anyway, they're both soooo cute.
And there's really nothing to say about their acting except that both of them are pros. Like, they can actually move their faces. I cried when they cried, and I laughed when they laughed. What more could I ask for? The supporting cast was also excellent. Ye Li's crew and Mo Xiuyao's crew absolutely deserved to be thereeee. I love A Jin so much. Please give this man a raise! He's a babysitter, an adopted son to his dad, a matchmaker, a bodyguard, and the most dedicated audience member throughout MoLi's entire journey. He even cried together with his dad ☹️
Shoutout to Senior Li too, because he deserved every second of his screentime. And Ye Ying... she really is the definition of "love is blind." I almost skipped her scenes with Mo Jingli in Episode 38 because she was just that frustrating to watch. So stupid, oops, sorry lol.
Style-wise, Cheng Lei with white hair looked FANTASTIC, although Song Mo still wins for me haha. Sorry, Cheng Lei. Xiao Dudu and Xiahou Dan are still your best looks in my opinion. But I'll always love you anyway lol. As for the girls, I never thought I'd actually like the Tang dynasty's tall, rounded hairstyles, but they looked beautiful, especially Ye Ying's. Qing Yu's side buns, though... she startled me every single time she appeared on screen. Haha. But I have to say, the actress really looks like those women from ancient Chinese Tang dynasty you see in history books.
Last but definitely not least, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE MOLI BECAUSE CHENG LEI USED HIS OWN VOICE FOR DUBBING!! That is an achievement. Lol. That's it. That's all. I'm so proud of him. Please keep using your own voice in your future dramas, pleaseeeee.
Overall, Moli was a great cure for my C-drama slump. The empty release schedule in May and early June was so painful that I actually went back to watching K-dramas again. I actually watched Ashes of Crown and Dazzling before Moli (with a completely flat face and 1,5x speed, honestly), and I can confidently say that it wasn't until Moli that I finally felt like calling myself a C-drama fan again. As a Cheng Lei fan, it's still a little disappointing because of his ‘limited’ screentime. But considering the C-drama drought I've been going through, Moli was definitely a solid comeback and one that reminded me why I fell in love with C-dramas in the first place.
Anyway, here's my review.
First of all, I'm a fan of Cheng Lei, but not really of Bai Lu. I've watched three of her previous dramas and only managed to finish one (Story of Kunning Palace). So when they announced Moli's release date, I packed my bags from K-drama land and immediately came back just for Cheng Lei. Lol.
When I watched the first few episodes, I noticed they didn't use that many filters. The editing and color grading felt so raw that I could actually see their pores, eyebrows, and even the girls' blush. I'm not complaining, but after spending years watching dramas with heavy filters and color correction, it was surprisingly refreshing.
Another thing I noticed was how quiet some scenes felt. The background sounded so empty in a few parts, and I don't know why they didn't add any BGM. Usually, there are birds chirping, leaves rustling, or at least some instrumental music playing in the background. But I eventually got used to it, and by the later episodes it felt normal. I really liked the couple's OST, though.
Story-wise, I didn't read the synopsis beforehand, so I went in with zero expectations and without comparing it to the novel. I honestly don't care how they portrayed Mo Xiuyao in the novel, I really liked him in the drama. And Ye Li too, of course. She has to be one of the strongest human beings ever. If I were in her position, I would've REALLY buried myself in that hole already. She suffered so much, and it's completely okay to pity her.
I think the pacing across all 40 episodes was executed pretty well. I read somewhere that they cut a lot of Cheng Lei's scenes, and as a Cheng Lei fan, all I can do is hope they'll release them as special clips or something. But I also understand that Bai Lu is the main highlight of this drama. Like I mentioned earlier, I'm not her fan, but I know she's a sweetheart and she's a very capable actress. Still, Cheng Lei was the one who kept me watching, so I couldn't help feeling a little disappointed. I'm sorry :(((
The pacing was good overall, but the ending felt like a letdown. No, not the main couple's ending, I mean the supporting characters. Mo Jingli's final rebellion scene was such a disappointment. What do you mean he lost just like that? Mo Xiuyao didn't even do anything, like, no attack, no COOL entrance, nothing. Yes, he saved Ye Li, but... he didn't really save her. He was just... there... if you know what I mean. Come on, director. You could've given us an epic flying-blocking-attacking-stabbing three-way fight between Ye Li, Mo Xiuyao, and Mo Jingli 😭 Instead, the arrows ended everything. Oooookay.
Then there's the Empress Dowager's ending. It was so anticlimactic to let her die ‘peacefully’ in her own bed. I wanted her own son to issue an imperial edict FIRST, strip away her title, exile her, and let her die in the poorest conditions ever. Lol. I guess I was just craving some dramatic ending after my C-drama slump. But who am I? I'm not the scriptwriter or the producer haha.
The main couple's ending, though, was adorable. I loved how Ye Li finally succeeded in finding her husband on the battlefield, just like what she wanted to do when she was younger. I'm convinced they cut the bed scene after their reunion (I choose to believe that!), which was annoying, but the closure at Lishan Academy still had me in tears. You've worked so hard, Ye Li. Now please, just walk the flower path together from now on ☹️
By the way, I really don't understand why people are hating on Mo Xiuyao for divorcing Ye Li. What he did was actually valid and realistic. It was a misunderstanding. He genuinely believed Ye Li was only repaying a debt and didn't actually love him. He wasn't exactly in the healthiest state of mind either, so it's understandable that he misread her intentions. Honestly, Ye Li's initial reason for helping him was probably really to fulfill the promise she made to his brother. It just gradually turned into love so naturally that people couldn't even pinpoint the exact moment her feelings changed. That conflict was absolutely necessary for the story and it was actually my favorite part because apparently I enjoy watching my favorite characters suffer (?) hahahahaha. This isn't one of those smooth, too-good-to-be-true first-love stories from a youth drama, you know, and that's exactly why I liked it. I especially loved the main couple's love language, particularly Mo Xiuyao's constant nagging and scolding. He genuinely cared about his wife, he just... didn't really know how to express it in a green-flag way lol. Poor A Jin had to witness all of it. Anyway, they're both soooo cute.
And there's really nothing to say about their acting except that both of them are pros. Like, they can actually move their faces. I cried when they cried, and I laughed when they laughed. What more could I ask for? The supporting cast was also excellent. Ye Li's crew and Mo Xiuyao's crew absolutely deserved to be thereeee. I love A Jin so much. Please give this man a raise! He's a babysitter, an adopted son to his dad, a matchmaker, a bodyguard, and the most dedicated audience member throughout MoLi's entire journey. He even cried together with his dad ☹️
Shoutout to Senior Li too, because he deserved every second of his screentime. And Ye Ying... she really is the definition of "love is blind." I almost skipped her scenes with Mo Jingli in Episode 38 because she was just that frustrating to watch. So stupid, oops, sorry lol.
Style-wise, Cheng Lei with white hair looked FANTASTIC, although Song Mo still wins for me haha. Sorry, Cheng Lei. Xiao Dudu and Xiahou Dan are still your best looks in my opinion. But I'll always love you anyway lol. As for the girls, I never thought I'd actually like the Tang dynasty's tall, rounded hairstyles, but they looked beautiful, especially Ye Ying's. Qing Yu's side buns, though... she startled me every single time she appeared on screen. Haha. But I have to say, the actress really looks like those women from ancient Chinese Tang dynasty you see in history books.
Last but definitely not least, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE MOLI BECAUSE CHENG LEI USED HIS OWN VOICE FOR DUBBING!! That is an achievement. Lol. That's it. That's all. I'm so proud of him. Please keep using your own voice in your future dramas, pleaseeeee.
Overall, Moli was a great cure for my C-drama slump. The empty release schedule in May and early June was so painful that I actually went back to watching K-dramas again. I actually watched Ashes of Crown and Dazzling before Moli (with a completely flat face and 1,5x speed, honestly), and I can confidently say that it wasn't until Moli that I finally felt like calling myself a C-drama fan again. As a Cheng Lei fan, it's still a little disappointing because of his ‘limited’ screentime. But considering the C-drama drought I've been going through, Moli was definitely a solid comeback and one that reminded me why I fell in love with C-dramas in the first place.
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