Reviews

All the puns on the series title are already taken, so I'll just say it's awful.

I'll start with the good:

There's a scene where Gawin is almost naked.

End of the good.

OK, not quite, although that's why I gave this a rewatch score of "3". I will rewatch that scene. Many times. Although there's a better Gawin disrobed scene in Not Me (and even without the Gawin nudity, one of the best scenes ever, period. But that's not important right now.)

Force does his best as a noob playing Akk, and has some real charm, although he leaned heavily on his sad-puppy-dog face, which is cute but gets tiresome by the end. To be fair, there are some cute scenes between the main pair - the scene at the LOL fake Eiffel Tower was a rare well-written moment - not fairytale perfect, but just right for people that have been best friends their whole lives.

On to the problems:

The writing is terrible. The entire plot (except for the last 2 eps which fling a series of non sequitur plot devices in the way of our heroes) hinges on Theo's hunt for Enchante, a mystery suitor who defaces a library book to leave one single message for Theo, which makes him obsessed with finding the guy. If they had several back-and-forths that were beautiful and meaningful, we could have invested in the idea of Enchante - but because this did not happen, it was completely mystifying why he cared about this, and since it's clear by watching the opening credits who Theo will end up with, it's doubly pointless, which makes the entire rickety plot unable to support the leaden weight of this series. (To be fair, they do give a solid explanation near the end why he cared, but it will make you hate him.)

This could have been at least partially salvaged by casting somene who can act as Theo. I hate to criticize actors, but Book is terrible. I will mitigate this by suggesting this series had poor direction and he was playing a truly awful character, so only the most charismatic actor could have made him remotely sympathetic. But I noticed that really talented actors like Gawin and Fluke weren't great in this series, so a lot of it is probably poor direction.

Which brings us to the character of Theo. Having a spolied-brat malignant narcissist as your main character is not a great idea. Theo is the most self-absorbed and selfish person I've ever seen as a protagonist in a drama. I can't think of a single thing he did for anyone in the entire course of the series. EVERYTHING is about him. His parents' marriage (the actors who play his parents are sexcellent - needed to throw that out there), saving the literature department, Enchante, it's all about him. He never once asks a friend how they're doing (even though his supposed best friend Akk looks tortured all the way through this) - he just seems to expect the entire world to revolve around him.

At one point, it's revealed that Akk knew about something that he was aware would upset Theo, but it was absolutely not his place to reveal it, and if he had, Theo would have rejected it and reacted even worse than he did. Theo is extremely upset that Akk didn't tell him about it and won't speak to him. The problem is that just before this, it is revealed that Theo had orchestrated a colossal, monstrous lie designed to manipulate Akk and which caused him an immense amount of pain over a prolonged period, so the hypocrisy is so mind-boggling that it's LOL funny, after you first stare numbly at the screen until it sinks in that you did just see what you saw. Also, what Theo is upset about and how he reacts to it is how a pre-teen child would process this, not a 20-something, where it's so immature and self-centered that you wish he were an actual baby so that you could shake him.

At this point you actively hate Theo and hope he dies (or is murdered by Akk) so Akk can get someone way better (like Saifa. Or one of the hot football extras). This is made even worse by the lack of chemistry between the main pair, which is curious because they have it in BTS and other promotional material. Some of that is also directing. For example, there's a key cuddling scene where there's a huge stuffed animal between them so their bodies aren't actually touching.

Some of these problems, as well as a possible reason for the weak acting by Book, is almost certainly that a soft-fliter is used throughout the series that is so strong that I thought I had glaucoma. I think a lot of shadings of facial expressions are blurred away by the soft-focus. Note to Thai BL productions: We don't care if an actor's complexion isn't perfect. Nobody's is. We don't love actors for their perfect skin, we love them for their six-pack abs and chisled pecs. And their acting ability. And their muscled thighs. And gorgeous faces. Pert butts. But mostly their acting and the character they're portraying.

I can't recommend this. There really aren't enough redeeming characteristics to be worth slogging through the terrible writing and enduring Theo. I hope to see Force in a better production than this, so we can see what he can do.

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All the world's a stage.

The Double is a dark and melodramatic soap opera about revenge and regret. It is a soap opera to end all soap operas in terms of high theatrics, spinning hussies, piercing death glares, shocking twists and the sweet, savage satisfaction of retribution. To best enjoy this, don't look too hard at it as the narrative is littered with logic and plot holes and absurdly dramatic, historically impossible scenes. The male lead Duke Su flirts with breaking the fourth wall repeatedly to urge us to just watch the play, a reminder that all the world's a stage and we should just suspend disbelief.

Xue Fangfei, the most elegant and cultured lady in the capital, is cruelly betrayed and dumped in a shallow grave. She is rescued by Jiang Li, the Chancellor's daughter who is wrongly condemned and banished by her family to a convent. Fangfei assumes Jiang Li's identity and returns to the capital; vowing to clear both their names and make their enemies pay. She is aided by the enigmatic and powerful Duke Su who helps her because she intrigues him and could prove useful to him down the road. The romance that develops between them unfolds at a leisurely pace as they each have high stakes agendas that predictably converge.

Duke Su must be be every scorned woman's ultimate fantasy "consolation" prize. This magnificent specimen of manhood is highly born, tall, dark, handsome, powerful, and with a diabolical mind to match Xue Fangfei's. The icing on the cake is this sexy beast that wields a fan more effectively than a sword does not come saddled with nasty in-laws. Wang Xingyue's potent portrayal of Duke Su is spot on from the tinge of humor that belies his stern expression, his double entendre laced dialogues to how in unguarded moments his eyes devour Xue Fangfei with almost indecent longing. Despite the seductive build up and combustive chemistry between the main leads, the ultimate pay-off to their slow burn courtship falls far short of wild and wicked and only delivers a chaste candle-gate moment.

Even though I shipped Duke Su and Xue Fangfei immediately, I appreciate how Fangfei takes the time to rage, to mourn her loss and to get closure so that she can properly move on. To me, Wu Jinyan obviously looks older than Wang Xingyue, butI think this casting makes sense. Xue Fangfei is a woman who lost everything; her reputation, her lover, her entire family. That kind of shocking devastation would age anyone tremendously and Wu Jinyan's ravaged, strained and wild wide-eyed expression in the early episodes is brilliantly in character. The narrative does not shy away from presenting her marriage as one that had depth and substance. Thus they are still in perfect unison when they play their haunting duet; a song of profound loss, resentment and regret. Wu Jinyan plays the avenging angel so perfectly I got unholy enjoyment out of watching Shen Yurong squirm knowing that Xue Fangfei, who knows him better than he knows himself, is coming for him.

Shen Yurong is a character that I find hard to be that angry with because as it turns out, his perfidy results in such a massive upgrade for Xue Fangfei. Liang Yongqi really slays in this complex role of a promising, rising young official who catches the eye of the wrong woman and ends up betraying his ideals. He is quite a pitiful creature who trades in domestic bliss for living dangerously at the beck and call of an abusive, insecure and bat-shit crazy spinning shrew that his own dear mother pimps him out to. I can't decide if I pity him or despise him more. Because in truth, he already lost the moment he chose to betray his muse and the love of his life. The moment of peak retribution is when it dawns upon him what a prize he lost and is forced to face the limits of his own character. I thoroughly enjoyed how the narrative peels away the many layers of hypocrisy, ambition, sophistry and duplicity to reveal a weak, impotent coward who lacked the courage of his convictions. To me, this is the most complex and best acted role in this drama.

Even though I have high praise for Li Meng's portrayal of the deranged Wanning, I have little sympathy for this character or her shocking villain origin story. Victimhood does not entitle her to help herself to someone else's husband or kill with such impunity. When she had power and free will, she chose to be King Cheng's pawn, no one forced her. Likewise, I have no sympathy for Ji Shuran or her choices. In general, I dislike these attempts to whitewash villains or somehow rationalize their wicked ways. Bad stuff happened to Xue Fangfei and Jiang Li as well. But they looked for justice without turning into monsters as a result. While Xue Fangfei's revenge, if you can even call it that is very satisfying, Jiang Li's left me feeling bereft. Ultimately Xue Fangfei is a character that lost nothing and gained everything. It is Jiang Li who is truly the injured party and even though she is vindicated, all the king's horses and all the king's men can't put her together again.

Despite the addictive start, this drama loses momentum by episode 30. The storytelling lingers too long on weakest Jiang family plots arcs. They are boring and unoriginal, borrowing heavily from what were also weak arcs in Princess Weiyoung. Jiang Li's cousins are archetypal characters that were not complicit in Jiang Shuran's treachery. I find it unfathomable the drama chose to focus on their tawdry squabble over a callow rogue instead of uncovering the many layers of the far more fascinating Duke Su. As a result, this character with so much early promise ends up not as well developed as Shen Yurong and Wanning. To add insult to the injury, almost as an after thought, he is featured front and center in a baffling truncated half episode final arc that serves up gratuitous angst and some unearned and unjustified pin-cushioning of good characters. It is nothing short of a grift to squeeze money from viewers for a mundane glimpse of domestic bliss. As far as I am concerned this drama ends where it should a bit past the halfway point of the final episode. All the rest is dross.

This is a super addictive soap opera that doesn't hold up under close scrutiny. Where it excels is in serving up high drama and angst with super cool and satisfying but absurd vignettes that don't necessarily advance the plot. Nonetheless I was happy to rate this better than 8.5 until it started to sag and waffled into a lame and wishy washy ending that leaves me no choice but to call it an 8.0/10.0.

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Temptation is a strange story. It isn't necessarily about an affair. It is the story of a couple in a desperate situation that make desperate decisions which changes their lives forever. One woman turns from sweet to bitter while the other turns from cold to caring. The men's characters pretty much stay the same. I'm confused as to why I watched this and found it interesting. I found that my opinion on the characters of this drama is very different from the opinions of other people.

I have read countless comments of symathy for Na Hong Joo played by Park Ha Sun. I'm probably the only person that finds her character to be at first fake, then bitter and hateful. I don't for a minute buy into the thought that she was ever sweet and innocent. She forgets that she started the chain of events with her desperate action. What did she think her husband would do knowing that he caused her to take that desperate act over money? She made Cha Seok Hoon played by Kwon Sang Woo do something that he would have never thought of doing except that he knew it would save his family monitarily. Then when he tried to make it up to her and prove his love, she turned away from him. To top it off she goes on to blame him for the misery she creates herself and becomes a bitter bitch that I just can't stand. Now, I don't for one minute believe that Yoo Se Young played by Choi Ji Woo is blameless. However, I don't think she is the evil crazy bitch that everyone seems to think that she is. I think she was lonely and bored. She says she was testing them, but I believe she just wanted what they had for even a minute. However, the writer turning her into a victim is stupid and doesn't fit her character as a strong successful woman. Now, for Kang Min Woo played by Lee Jung Jin. I find no redeaming characteristics in this narcissistic jerk who treats women like objects and has no respect for people in general. I can't stand him. The other actors are fine. If you like C.N.Blue, then you will enjoy Lee Jong Shin's part as Hong Joo's brother.

The music is excellent.

I probably won't rewatch this.

I'm not sure if I recommend this drama. Watch it at your own discression.

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A deeply romantic classic wuxia

This drama is actually very different from the original novel. The first fourteen episodes follow the novel, but then the rest diverge greatly and essentially becomes a very different story. There are significant changes to the character of Zhou Zishu, and there is a major show only plot-point that makes his dynamic with Wen Kexing completely different. The plot itself is also nothing like the one in the novel, and several side-characters were given bigger roles in the overall narrative and even different characterizations. Tian Ya Ke, the source material, is a fairly straight-forward story, while Word of Honor is more like those dramatic, old-timey classic wuxia stories.

First off, kudos to the scriptwriter! The pacing is top-notch, not too fast nor too slow. Nearly every scene ties in to the overall narrative, not a single episode feels draggy or unnecessary. No fillers to be found here! And while non-mandarin speaking watchers may miss this, it is very clever how the script incorporates poetry into Wen Kexing's dialogues. Not only is it a very clever way to subtly showcase his flirting, it also adds a layer of depth to his character. Since he grew up in the Ghost Valley and did not have his parents to teach him, it implies that he taught himself literature and the fact that he always uses poetry to express himself shows how proud he is of it. The tiny details are also impressive, like the difference in Gu Xiang's character when we first meet her. She acts like an exaggerated version of a young girl, and slowly becomes more and more genuine as the story goes on. The director did confirm that this is because Gu Xiang hardly ever leaves the Ghost Valley, and so she was trying to copy how she thinks normal girls act. I really appreciate scriptwriting that incorporates characterizations into details like this, because it feels very natural. It also gives the show good rewatch value because after you watch all the episodes and see everything that happens, you suddenly notice the subtle details you missed when you watch the show again.

There are many, many details that allude to future events, and dialogues that seem almost flippant in the beginning end up steamrolling you once you realize its significance in later scenes. Wen Kexing's "as a wanderer in this world, all I need you" sounds like casual flirting at first, but then you see how much depth that sentence holds once you see how their story ends.

The fighting choreography is very good, and really embodies the "fighting" in the classic wuxia I grew up watching. It's not just fighting, but also a sort of dance that reflects the dynamics of the characters. Sparring is basically Zhou Zishu and Wen Kexing's love language, and you see the evolution of their relationship in their fights too. Their fighting scene in the pink forest, in the lake before Zhou Zishu takes his mask off and in the ending are very similar to each other, but with small changes that reflect the evolution of their relationship. The way the story uses tropes to show the romance between the two main leads is excellent. The sparring in the pink forest, for example, is a common romantic trope in classic wuxia, and so is the hairpin scene in the latter episodes. Another noteworthy detail is that in the first episode the romantic connotations of giving a person a hairpin is shown in the scene between Zhou Zishu and his shidi's lover.

I really want to express how happy I am with the casting choices, especially with Zhang Zhehan as Zhou Zishu. Most actors can show strong emotions convincingly enough, but with characters like Zhou Zishu it's important to cast actors that can nail scenes that require nuance and subtlety. It was wonderful watching him transform from cold and sarcastic to warm and playful, and it was all done so subtly I actually didn't realize how much he changed until I was watching a scene and realized that not only was he the one teasing Wen Kexing, he was also the one initiating skinship??? And there's this specific scene in episode 12 where they're drinking together outside and when Wen Kexing calls out to him, you can see how he frowns and mouths something briefly before responding. It was a small but significant detail, showing the gradual decline of Zhou Zishu's hearing. There are many more details like this scattered throughout the show, and I really appreciate this kind of subtle storytelling versus scripts that are too on the nose and obvious.

Gong Jun also played Wen Kexing very, very well. He really embodied Wen Kexing's many faces, and it was wonderful watching his character slowly unravel. And although it's not necessarily a requirement for me, I love how well they match the physical characteristics of their characters. Zhang Zhehan is very athletic and has a very good physique, which just makes him much more convincing (visually) as the powerful leader of an assassin organization. Zhou Ye was perfect as Gu Xiang, her acting in episode 35 was especially chilling.

Also, a more personal opinion, but I like how they stayed true to the novel and portrayed both Zhou Zishu and Wen Kexing just as "masculine" as they were in the novel. I strongly dislike it when danmei adaptations make a character too effeminate. Of course, if the character is portrayed that way in the novel, then I have no issues. The problem is when when adaptations take a canonically more "masculine" character and portray him too effeminately, even when it's not the case in the original novel. Luckily, that did not happen here. There is something refreshing about a danmei that does not limit the personality and characterization of its characters based solely on supposed bedroom dynamics, and Word of Honor's casting and overall portrayal really delivered on that front. They really stayed true to Priest's (the author) work in that aspect.

As much as I enjoyed this show and gush about the script, it does have its shortcomings. The usual issues in the continuity of themes and the pacing of the last five or so episodes. Regardless, for me, the things the show did right definitely outweighs its shortcomings. Those who are expecting a faithful adaptation of the novel may not be happy with the direction this show eventually took, but as a stand-alone it really holds its own. With the issue of censorship in danmei adaptations, I did not expect this show to be as deeply romantic as it turned out to be, and I am still in awe of how they managed to pull this off. They could have gone for the fanservice approach, where they just give us suggestive moments without any real payoff, and yet they chose to develop the relationship properly and give it a real sense of intimacy and depth.

And lastly, I love that the ending credits song is essentially a summary of their romance. It starts with Zhou Zishu talking about his melancholic life and wanting to roam the world as an aimless wanderer, then Wen Kexing responds by lamenting about his own struggles and how it's a shame that he didn't meet Zhou Zishu earlier, and that he wants to give up "the adventures on horseback for a quiet life". Zhou Zishu then responds by saying he agrees to spend the rest of his days with Wen Kexing and the song ends with both of them singing ''I will be with you forever" at the same time. So yeah, kudos to whoever wrote that song because it really fucked me up after the ending. This show is insane and I am thankful to everyone who worked on it.

I love this drama so much!

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So, honestly speaking, I had a really good feeling towards this drama. I was almost excited to start watching it. I was looking for something soft, to watch when I had a little bit of free time and wanted to distract myself.
I really had high expectations.
Unfortunately I couldn't avoid to notice that something was wrong...

The plot. It didn't exist.
I really mean it. There's literally nothing.
Around ep. 18 I started questioning myself: "Why am I watching this?" or "What is the purpose of all this?".
It's not a good sign. It means that the story leads nowhere. It's really pointless.

Anyway, if you're really looking for something that doesn't require too much commitment, all the monologue that I wrote above will be meaningless for you.

Oh, there's also another thing: Useless scenes.
Tons of useless scenes, as much as you want.

And this is all... It wasn't that bad but not even THAT GOOD.

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Action thriller + Comedy feat. Tragic ending

D. P. (Deserter Pursuit) is a short Netflix Korean Drama which basically is a action thriller accompanied by comedy and shades of military life, which illustrates truth and tragedy. With 6 episodes of 50 minutes, this drama surely creates some impact on millions of hearts by making us think again about the harsh reality that negligibly changes.

STORY & PLOT:
The drama is about D. P. Officers who are a group of specific personnels in the army assigned to go out of the bases to catch soldiers who have deserted or escaped from the training camps for various reasons.

The drama involves Ahn Joon Ho, a newly enlisted guy, serving his 2 years mandatory military service, who is appointed as a DP officer to replace someone and is then accompanied by Han Ho Yul, who partner each other to hunt down the absconding military personnels. Sergent Park Bum Goo is the section chief for DP dept. Captain Im Ji Sup is newly transfered trainer for the base.

Given that the drama is of only 6 episodes with short duration, it's difficult to narrate even the gist but I will try. So In the drama, Ahn Jun Ho and Han Ho Yul can be seen going out to catch deserting officers. They have to investigate and look for traces by of the soldiers by different means, even so they had to spend money. And after catching them, they come back to the base.

Along with it, their is a main plotline that continues simultaneously which is about Private Cho Suk Bong, who escapes more than once and even commits criminal offence. The drama ends with his case which was a tragic one.

CAST & ACTING:
Well, our favourite oppa Jung Hae In plays Ahn Jun Ho and obviously he's an great actor who did his job right. This character of him also similar to what he had played in Prison Playbook, to a great extent. He never responded to violence and injustice but is passionate about whatever he's given to do. With a bad relationship with his family, he thrives to live well.

Koo Kyo Hwan plays Han Ho Yul and I honestly fell in love with his acting and how he looked in here, especially his hairstyle and accent of dialogue delivery. He's someone who can't stand injustice either but since he can't directly object it, he tries to prevent things in his own way.

Sergent Park Bum Goo is played by Kim Sung Kyun, my personal favourite and a great actor. I usually prefer him in comedy roles but he can ace any character given. His character is a morally upright man who can go to lengths to do his job, but anyways in the right way. He might be strict with his underlings at workplaces, he cares for them to a great deal.

DIRECTION & WRITING:
Direction is cool. Everything has been well executed. They did a good job in organizing and synchronization of events. There is not much to sound editing as they go bland mostly, but those subtle thriller editings and upbeat background scores at suitable places were good enough to keep the thrill going.

Writing is nice as well. Story progression and plot development is quite good. The showcase of humanitarian values in between, was a great idea. The illustration of harsh things like bullying and abuse inside the military bases leading to desertion, hierarchical competitions between higher authorities, isolation & violation, senior complexity are very well done. Corruption and the idea of hiding truth are also touched.

CONCLUSION:
I feel the drama is not just meant for entertainment or thrilling, it also asks us to look behind the scenes and think how cruel it is to go through injustice and yet having no way to escape other than escaping from life. I'm sure it'll create some impacting by making the audience think how wrong it's to bully and abuse someone who is weak. It also demands the change in system and regulations in the military laws and to create a safer environment for not just people serving mandatory military service, also for the professional army personnels.

Overally a good drama and worth the one time watch.

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Fantastic appetizer but don't bother with the main course and desert.

This drama really wowed me at the beginning - heart stopping kungfu fight scenes, the two leads had good banter and chemistry, the set was gorgeous (obviously big budget) and the story had a good balance of intrigue, romance, action and good and evil characters. I was hooked and truly enjoyed the first 25-30 episodes of it. Then just when you are at the point of addiction, the show peaks, which is just plain cruel. And then in a truly impressive way the show crashes and burns, getting progressively worse as it advances. I kept watching in the desperate hope that it would turn itself around but sadly it did not. It was as if an entirely different production crew took over and set out to purposely destroy the show. The plot meandered down multiple mind numbingly boring and ultimately repetitive political plots to steal the thrones in 3 of the 5 kingdoms only to be foiled by Fuyao and her friends. There were lots of unnecessary side characters and multiple unanswered and non sequitor sub plots. Not to mention the many long winded and boring philosophical discussions that I strongly suggest fast forwarding through unless you have trouble falling asleep at night.

Ethan Ruan and Yang Mi were great together most of the time and especially at the beginning. However, there were long periods where Fuyao/Yang Mi was on her own and the story/actress could not really carry those moments alone, frequently coming across as reckless and annoying. I did not love the supporting cast either and I felt that Vengo Gao's role/storyline was almost as if they were trying out two potential male leads with parallel (repetitive) plots to see which was better. Obviously Yang Mi and Vengo have zero chemistry and that sub plot that went on forever should have been eliminated altogether. I guess the entire crew was being paid by the episode judging from how it ended up being all pasted together to create one big mess of a storyline. Its a shame because this could have been a terrific and memorable (much shorter) drama with some ruthless editing and tighter script/plot writing.

The only thing epic about this drama is the effort I had to put in to see it through the end. Starts with a bang and then death by a thousand cuts of boring inanity. This is one of those shows that definitely would have benefited greatly from the latest Chinese government ban on excessive budgets that lead to too many unnecessary episodes in Chinese costume dramas. To be fair, I would say the first say 30 episodes are actually worth watching. If you can endure some suffering you can even watch a few more episodes until Fuyao discovers Wu Ji's real identity. After that, do yourself a huge favor and drop it. You will just feel angry and cheated if like me, you persist until the bitter end because it then becomes just so, so much more bad than good.

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I can't believe how small the number of audience who watched this drama! I started this with the least expectations and it turned out to be much more. The story is so simple yet so refreshing to watch, I enjoyed every second of it. A mixture of feelings, a beautiful friendship, confusing emotions, and YOUTH... all wonderfully put together!! I still can't believe how much I enjoyed this I'm really glad that I started it now because I could watch all the eps in a raw.

This is a story about friends and how they deal with their emotions, life, and the fact that they are growing into adulthood. Again the feelings that are delivered in this drama, all the emotions are just too refreshing, beautiful and really enjoyable. In fact, (I can't believe I'm saying this but) I fell in love with Choi Min Ho after watching this. I never ever considered him a decent actor he was just an idol like the rest of the idols getting casted with no acting skills. I've seen him in (To The Beautiful You) which I dropped and I remember very well that he couldn't act back then!! When did he improve like that?! He was absolutely AMAZING I was watching the drama and can't help but be taken by him (wait it's Min Woo I'm talking about o_O)!! I can't respect him enough for the hard work and improvement he has done for himself I never thought it's possible when you don't have "it" within you but he proved me wrong, any drama that he takes from now on is on my Watch List.

This drama makes you feel like smiling the whole time you will be watching it as simple as it was,,, What is love exactly? What's first love means? Can we really forget about our first love/crush and move on? Well let's watch and see,,,Simplicity is beauty indeed. I highly recommend it.

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Messy & Inconsistent Script At Its Finest

Can you see how cool is the entrance of drama? Will the drama stay cool and maintain its quality? Boy what a roller-coaster ride the drama gave its viewers – it will certainly stay with me for a very long time without a doubt.

Unfortunately, the only thing the drama did right is that they made Wang So a sage and a wise king. Other than that (aside from Lee Jun Ki & Kang Ha Neul’s amazing acting), I have nothing good to say about this drama. Sadly to say, this is one of the worst Kdramas I have ever seen (this probably because I usually drop bad dramas but I didnt for this one obviously since I dont love myself lol). This drama has one of the worst writing, directing and editing I have ever seen from a Kdrama. And for me this is a big indication of how awful is the drama since I dont really notice all those before (except bad scripts in general) but I truly feel it with every fiber of my being with this one.

Script: The script is the worst offender of this production. I seriously confuse why this writer got hired since her writing is very inconsistent and terrible. It is full of plot holes, unexplained happenings, dragged and rush script, poor characters’ developments and most of all, full of ridiculous and illogical plots. It seemed like her characters didnt seemed to function like a normal human beings would. I need the drama to make sense but I find myself wondering most of the times of why this and that happened. I need a legit and reasonable reasons for something to happen. Not just something you pluck from the sky thinking that you can fool the audiences. We have brains Ms. Writer, you cant expect us to buy your ridiculous plots again and again.

Directing: People said good thing about the director and his previous works but the direction quality of this production is pretty awful in general. The close-ups, soap opera zoom style and no direction input to new actors (according to Seohyun) made the directing suffers greatly esp for sageuk dramas which are known for quality production. I expect a creative directing or pretty shot from the director but instead I got the opposite of what I’m hoping for.

Editing: Hands down the worst editing I have come across from a Kdrama (and I have seen really a looooot over the years). The choppiness and shoddiness of it is out of this world. They dragged the storyline in the beginning and squeeze everything in the last 5 episodes. The fact that we have like 2 time-skips in a matter of 2 episodes are just laughable. And the fact that some of the plots didnt make sense due to the editing makes it really jarring and dreadful. I dont expect this from a pre-produced drama obviously.

Acting: Like I mentioned above, Lee Jun Ki is soo amazing as Wang So. His eyes conveyed lots of emotions and it just break your heart when you watch this drama as his character is very tragic and unloved. Kang Ha Neul is amazing as well. His characters is so underdeveloped and later forgotten by the time we reached the end (he has like 3 minutes screen time in the later episodes lol – what are you doing Ms. Writer?). The actress who play Lady Oh was great and IU improved a lot as the drama progressed. The rest of the actors are pretty much forgettable esp Seohyun as Woohee.

Soundtracks: Got to admit that the drama has one of the best OSTs for this year. But unfortunately, most of the songs are not suitable for a period drama. Why put a rap as part of the OSTs? And English words in the songs are so jarring when it was played as the background music. For goodness sake this is a sageuk and not a modern day drama. To have ‘baby baby boy’ playing at the background really killing you softly inside. :P

Money: This is a million dollar pre-produced drama but I really cant see where all the money went to. Goryeo and the Palace looks empty most of the times. Where are the servants, guards, armies, noble men, and the citizen? Why the attempted coup looks fake and underwhelming? Why the wigs look so fake? Why we can see the net for the mustache? Why the sets look cheap? Why the Palace only limited to the grand hall, court room, king’s bedroom and the hallway?!! Where did all the money went to?

I’m glad I didnt really care for any of the character so this drama didnt scar me like The Slave Hunter and Warrior Baek Dong Soo did. The writing got pretty bad at the end that I dont have emotional attachment to any of the characters anymore. One thing for sure, I will stay away from the writer’s future work – I ain’t gonna put myself in the same situation ever again.

By the end, I just want to see how this mess will conclude and boy it didn’t disappoint – I spent my time rolling my eyes watching the last 2 episodes (no tears since I was so mad with the ridiculous plots). :P Like I mentioned above, the only thing the drama did right is that they made Wang So a wise king. But thinking back, they should make him go all evil and greedy so the reasons behind everyone leaving him (even Ji Mong) will make more sense. I dont mind a tragic ending but I need it to make sense. I give this drama 4/10. I try to rate it higher but this flawed, and awfully illogical executed drama didnt deserve anything more than a 4.

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Major roll-eye (◔_◔) to the writer for her insistence of making Wang So the most tragic character ever – with very illogical reasons for everyone to leave him at the end of the drama. >.>

Wang So is a flawed character without a doubt – his obsessiveness or him killing the monks and horse but somehow Wang So’s fate is just very tragic from the moment he was born right until the end where he is left alone and lonely.

It is more tragic then any other Kdramas’ characters because it is his own family who dislike or abandoned him. Its not his friends or people that he has no blood relation but his own family members.

1) He lacked of love since he was a little kid. His own mother hurt him and left that big scars on his face and later throw him away.

2) His dad use him as a captive and send him away to other tribe to console some lady who lost her son (What a terrible childhood!). And he is not loved by the lady or his adopted family (Surprise surprise ◔_◔).

3) The tribe lock, starve and sent him to the wolves that he ended up having to burn his only friend that is Mr. Tree since it was so cold during the winter (or is it because of the wolves?).

4) His Crown Prince brother, Moo ask him to replace him during the masked dance since he think someone is going to assassinate him. So its okay for So to die on his place? Both of them learn martial arts so its weird for Moo to ask him that request (But of course, So’s life is not that important I guess?).

5) His father’s reaction after the mask was removed – not worry about him being injured but quickly call for Moo and his safety.

6) He killed all the monks (what a fool lol!) for his evil mother but she still disowned and disgusted with his existence (stop Ms. Writer, stawp!!!).

7) All his brothers except Baek Ah didnt treat him right. Moo used him for the dance/marriage and Eun is too dumb(?) to care about his feeling when he ask So to show his scars. The rest just plain hate him without any legit reasons.

8) His mother call him for family dinner only to ask him to kill Moo. Attempt to use him to do her dirty work instead of accepting him as her son after he proved his worth for her attention.

9) The woman that he love; Soo didnt trust him enough that he ended up having to kill Eun with his own hands. By the time Soo decided to stop thinking about the future and be honest with him, it was too late.

10) His loved ones; Beak Ah & Soo are used again & again that forced him to do things that he hate to save them from harm.

11) He never wanted to be a King but later changed his mind since he is tired of bloodshed and everyone using him when they are on the throne (His father –> Fight Kitan, Moo –> Marriage with his niece, Yo –> Using Soo to threat him). He wanted to stop the killing cycle and Yo’s ruthless reign (Or so he thought ◔_◔).

12) He didnt want to marry evil princess Yeonhwa but the love of his life Soo said ‘its okay’ to straighten his position as the King and assured him that she wont give up and she is okay with the arrangement. (Which she didnt since no one will be okay with that kind of arrangement tbh).

13) His happy times with Soo are so brief that she left him and stay with Jung because she is pregnant. She is not honest with him and trust him enough that he will protect her and the baby. She probably think So will treat her like his father did to Lady Oh.

14) In the end, despite writing all those letters how she love and yearn for him, she still doesn’t trust him enough to tell him about their daughter. She probably think he would not respect her request about wanting the girl to stay out of the Palace. (Of course she couldn’t tell him via the letters, but still! ಠﭛಠ)

15) Everyone leave him for such ridiculous reasons; Baek Ah (??) and Ji Mong for he only loyal to the weak King Moo? Really? Why are you feeding us this crap Ms. Writer??!!1 And why I’m still watching? lol

16) Have to live the rest of his lives alone and lonely with someone that he hate. Cant love his son as it is a product of an evil Queen Yeonhwa...

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Simple light comedy sageuk.

Remember seeing the poster and telling my friend that this drama will be a no-brainer and it turned out to be exactly like that. Although I thought there will be certain amount of seriousness, which is indeed there, but even they carry the comic elements to some extent.

It has a simple story. There is a secret royal inspector who sets out on a journey to discover corruptions by the Govt. appointed officials. On his mission he encounters a lady, who due to her situations, joins along the journey. They are accompanied with 2 servants of the inspector and 2 friends of the lady. As these six people move ahead to solve different cases, they unveil tragic truths behind the crimes and corruptions made by local authorities as well as seemingly big figures behind them. As everything becomes clear, rest 40% of the drama is how they bring forward the truth and establish justice.

Ra Yi Eon (Ok Taec Yeon) is the secret royal inspector, who initially had a simple dream of making a dumpling shop and living a simple life. But due to family pressure he appears the state civil service exam to become a inspector. Kim Jo Yi (Kim Hye Yeon) is a free-spirited, quick-witted and brave lady who believes in woman independence. Oweing to her will to beat the societal norms, she strongly supports women opting for divorce, as well. Park Tae Seo (Lee Jae Kyoon) is the son of left state councilor Park Seung (Jung Bo Suk), both of them are corrupt. Duk Bong (Bo Jong Ok) is the head of Tail Island shelter.

Some popular faces in minor roles are Yook Chil (Min Jin Woong) & Goo Pal (Park Kang Sub) as Yi Eon's servants, Ra Kwang Soon (Lee Sang Hee) & Bi Ryung (Chae Won Bin) are Joyi's close friends. Cha Mal Jong (Jung Soon Won) is a trader and Park Do Su (Choi Tae Hwan) is Park Seung's son. Lee Joon Hyuk as the crown prince and VIXX N as Choi Seung Yul are guest, yet key characters.

Acting in overall from the entire cast was okay-okay. Taecyeon has come way long and his skills can be used in better way. I'm not a fan of Kim Hye Yeon, she always has the same annoying character, who only knows to cry well. Lee Jae Kyon did unexpectedly well as an antagonist, loved his acting and expressions.

I didn't really mind the plot development bcs I watched purely for the light comedy but technically it's not a steady and proper one and I think their intention was that. Introductory episodes were slow but decent. As the show progresses, the gradual improvement in premises setup and script quality, constantly grow up. It wasn't exactly good but not unlikable either. However, that lasts till 8th episode, i. e. The 1st half of the show and as soon as the 2nd half starts. Everything comes to surface by the 10th episode and the last 6 are dragged to a great extent just to fill the quota. So, things become exaggerated and repetitive in the processs. The ending was smooth and I am happy the comedy elements were retained till the end.

In another opinon, the drama should have been a 10th episode mini series and made into a good story with flawless technical aspects, even with the light comedy. There were few things of no essence, unnecessarily added to the script, regarding the individual lives of the leads, I didn't like them. Those elements made the mood of the story inconsistent and unsteady.

Director Yoo Jung Soon might not be a rookie but he's not very experienced though I liked 2/4 of his dramas. Morever, it's his first historical but given the premise of the drama and the genre, the overall execution was up to par. It could have been better in terms of representation of elements, organization and connecting of events, etc. but I don't mind since it isn't a typical sageuk.

Writer Lee Jae Yoon is in the industry for a quite a while though the only memorable drama they've written is "The Undatables" The script written by them for this drama isn't something really good but if they had intended to keep it simple and light, I think their purpose has been served. However, the potential conspiracy plotline, which is mandatory in any sageuk, didn't feel steady and engaging. The entire effort to reveal the truth has been fragmented and dispersed throughout. The drama doesn't create great impressions at any point of the story, except for the chemistry betweens the leads.

I watched till 7th episode with normal speed and was quite enjoying the light comedy but when I realized it had started becoming slower and uninteresting, I had to fast-forward the rest at 1.5×. I had intended to increase it to 2.0× later but somehow I couldn't, because it actually not that shabby and boring.

The OST composition by Dalpalan is so good I swear and there are 3 OSTs, which are very likable. He's definitely one of the accomplished composers of Korea and he knew his homework for the drama well.
"Let's Get It" by sEODo is trot track, giving a perfect mood according to the comical mood of the drama. "Need Your Heart" by ONF Hyojin is a cheerful romantic track. Kim Sawol's soulful vocals in "At the End of My Day" is very heartfelt.

Things to like in the show:

#1 Comedy elements are the best thing about the drama. The entire show is full of comedy; in fact the king and ministers were parts of it, as well. I had a good time laughing out loud. Taec was obviously the funniest, it felt like watching the real Taec through this character. All of the characters were able to deliver the comedy through their acting.

#2 This is probably one of the sageuk with least involvement of the Royal affairs. Even though all the activities are indirectly related to the Palace and there are lots of political personnel associated, I was happy that most of the runtime was shot outside the premise.

#3 This drama aslo emphasizes on Women empowerment. The FL in here is not a typical Joseon lady who's either a assassin or only the ML's love interest. She's free-spirited, educated and promotes women rights. She even supports divorce and believes in overcoming taboos set for medieval women.

Overally, "Secret Royal Inspector & Joyi" is a drama average watch: average plot, average story and average execution. It could have better in some aspects but I don't wanna complain a lot because this drama, in no way, demanded to be judged wrt the technicality though I will be fair with the ratings. It's a simple and light watch which you can binge during leisure.

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This is the most unfair idol show i have seen so far

from the first episode they were attacking C groupe by showing how over confidante they are and they create a big mess from the start.
In every episode not only they showed how C groupe are bad (which is totally wrong) but also they have showed how J groupe are not good at anything and how the Great K groupe are the best and always know what to do and how they help all of them -_-.
After that Mnet discover that C groupe has many fans and votes, so they can't accept it so they start to attack every time a C trainee specially Cai bing by showing evil editing so that they can manipulate our thoughts and they have succeed.
How this is a fair competition how? more than half of the debut team are K group! and surprisingly a sister of an idol became ranked 1 -_- and that didn't happened during all the previous ranking , how can votes change in a small amount of time!!
I really hate Mnet and Korean idol shows to be honest Chinese shows are way more better (they never showed us drama or bad attitude they always showed us how friendly and helpful everyone of them), i really feel sorry for C groupe :'(
This is just evil! i will not support the debut team at all!!!

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A journey of group with full of mysteries ...

As this is my first drama which is adapted from a game rather than of a novel , it is a perfect drama in every aspect ...this drama starts from cute and fluffy and is going on a way to angst ...

in this drama there are two people who wake up together after losing their memories with great martial arts powers . one thing i want to clarify is they are not siblings , FL do not remember her surname so ML gives his surname to her ...
so in journey of finding their memories they start to unravel mysteries of martial world and in their way they meet their companions ..

Casting is really great , both xu kai and yu shuxin knows how to express emotions with their eyes , even side characters are showing their ultimate level of acting ...
Double role of Xu kai is the key concept for me in this drama ..

Production - Tencent has done a great work in the production of this drama , set , CGI , dressing everything looks perfect ...

OSTs - as expected the music is the heart of this drama ... after a long time there are such good ost ...

this drama is continuously breaking records in every charts of dramas in china and the upcoming teasers are all more exciting , because many mysteries are ahead of our young heroes .

although i do not want to write review now but because of some haters i have to write this one ...
when this drama ends i will edit this one ...

love for Xu kai and yu shuxin ......

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it isnt as bad as what other reviews said

maybe because mandarin is a language i speak almost everyday and I ve watched plenty of Chinese and korean dramas, but I don't find the plot confusing or messy. Yes, you have to understand what they are saying and honestly, subtitles don't seem to do the show justice. Basically, its about a girl who travelled to the present from 10 years ago [2011] due to a super full moon energy wave after her boyfriend pushes her from a cliff [not a spoiler] because of some secrets she know. in the present [2021], she met the male lead as the universe tied them together and they discovered all the secrets [she lost her memory as she travelled here] like who set a trap and conned his father etc midst of this main story line, there's someone using her for scientific research and they made her return back to time [2011] which allowed her discover more secrets. i wont speak more about the plot but its worth to watch if you like mystery solving! i will update this review when the last 6 episodes uploads :D

EDIT: COMPLETED
FREAKING WORTH TO WATCH, I CRIED MY ASS OUT. THE ENDING IS SO BAD BUT SO GOOD PLEASE WATCH JUST FOR THE SAKE OF THE ENDING. EP 18-24 IS WHERE SHIT STARTS, WHERE IT GETS REAL AND SO SAD 10/10

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The ending was great right ?

This series is getting better really , each episode comes with some interesting parts , mostly ep 4 they sang “ Truth in your Eyes ” from We Are the series and William Jakrapatr also appeared as a cast of this series maybe as Mokh's ex partner . In the 5th episode William appeared as Khun Rome also the first kiss between the leads took place awwwwww , episode 8 was the best one , I can't forget the way Peach talked to Thee in the whole episode and at the end Thee asked Peach to call him P'Kian afterwards he was demanding a lottt , that was so cute . Bro I didn't know that this would blow my mind like this . I am very happy that gmmtheev will produce a special episode Idk how can I even forget this one damn I liked it so much the last two episodes were so good that I can't believe.... Firstly thought that peach is very impulsive and hun thee doesn't know anything other than money but from 6th episode I totally changed my mind , Episode 10 was the best one for real , the way khun thee proposed peach and everything got aligned , awww I love this one so much..... Also Khun thee brought the whole Gmmtv from p'tha and renamed it as Gmmtheev whose idea was this , a wanna salute...... The screen writers were so great ..........
I waited for each and every episode every Saturday and now I know that it is really worth it ...

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A Compelling Tale About Love That Transcends Beyond The Moon

"Moonlight Mystique" adapted from the novel titled 'Bai Shuo Shang Shen' which translates to "Chasing The Moon" is a xianxia drama that stands out because of its unique elements, leading for an unforgettable watch that certainly leaves a mark of its own. The drama delves not just into the main leads core but it weaves a series of stories together bringing out different degrees of emotions. While swirling on these emotions, the visually colorful cinematography, set design, and distinct character costumes accompanied by addictive OSTs formulates for an enthralling experience.

The heart of Moonlight Mystique lies in its tale about a love that transcends beyond the moon. It takes you to dive deep into a journey which highlights the unspeakable power of the intangible vastness of love in its variousness ; may it be friendship love, familial love, romantic love or self-love, no matter what shape or form, in the end it truly is love that conquers all.

STORYLINE₊ ⊹❀
The drama begins with an eye-catching animation to introduce the main characters which has never been done in a xianxia genre drama before. I found such creative presentation to be captivating that it drew me over instantly. The story takes its first step when a mortal named Bai Shuo who had spent her entire childhood seeking ways to become an immortal out of gratitude for her benefactor met the Demon King of the Bright Moon Palace, Fan Yue who is well-known for his viciousness and feared by many. The supposed simple interaction between the two unexpectedly turned into a complicated entanglement because of the sudden activation of the contemplation stone which later led to a tragic event that turned Bai Shuo's initial reason for seeking immortality into revenge.

The notable early setup of angst in the story left an impact for its great execution of emotions across the screen. The drama definitely made a strong start. As Bai Shuo and Fan Yue ventures out to different places in search for the remaining contemplations, the story flows more progressively leaving no room for dullness as every episode is packed with multiple events. The utilization of backstories for each character that both Bai Shuo and Fan Yue encounters speaks about the stark contrast between the colorful and vibrant visual presentation of each scene to how the narrative of the story actually leaps into a complete emotional roller coaster ride. At first it might seem underwhelming since these backstories are merely about the supporting characters, however they added depth into the story because of how they seamlessly tie into the main plot.

As the drama moves to the second half, the core essence of the story which lies in the contemplation stone unfolds its edge to be the love story between the main characters and their intertwined fate. I thought that the romantic development of Bai Shuo and Fan Yue's relationship was really well-written. I love the gradual transition of their relationship from not having trust and merely using each other into forming a tacit-understanding and strong affection for each other. What makes it even more interesting is how Bai Shuo and Fan Yue's relationship is depicted to be a healthy bond where they communicate and consistently trust one another, giving no opportunity for any misunderstandings - it greatly highlights the dramas uniqueness as a xianxia. Moreover, the execution of the main characters romantic and intimate scenes was done in an exceptionally beautiful way that they made for a memorable moment. The romance aspect between the main couple is definitely one of the dramas outstanding point. Opposite to the main couples dynamic is the toxic type of bond between the second leads, Fu Ling and Chong Zhao. Although I wasn't completely invested in their love story as I found the romantic development between them to be weak, they still are an entertaining pair.

The unexpected plot twist about the characters connection with each other and their cohesively written backstories for these connections allowed viewers to easily step into each of these characters point of views - the unlikable characters were no exception. They laid out this aspect of the drama properly that the initial judgement for a character can turn into empathy and sympathy once their past is revealed. It makes viewers connect with the characters they least expect to connect with. Apart from Bai Shuo and Fan Yue's growth throughout their journey after facing countless of challenges and setbacks together, the supporting characters, even the antagonist Fu Ling and Chen Ye were given evident character development too. The character development is flawless and satisfyingly done. As for the well built foundation for the redemption arc of the main characters siblings, it resulted into justifiable outcomes. No character death was left to be in vain as they were in time proven to serve their own purpose and meaning. These elements proved to be the dramas other strengths as well.

The best and most intense part of the story was saved for the last - the God Arc. This arc only took a few episodes to be told but it can be considered as a spotlight stealer for how impressively intriguing the romantic tale of Xing Yue and Jing Yuan was. This revelation nearing the end about their tragic past being the reason for their intertwined fate enhanced the love story between Bai Shuo and Fan Yue, it made their story more enriched and profound as it showed the limitless and unconditional love they have for each other that it transcended through lifetimes. The ending was wrapped up with no loose ends. When the present Bai Shuo and Fan Yue faced these tragic fate again, this time they were given a better ending for their story because of how great their love for each other is. I thought their love story perfectly answers the question: "what would you do for love?". The special episode provided made the conclusion of the ending of their story even more significant. I couldn't have asked for a better ending.

I had no problem with the colorful cinematography and CGI effect of the drama. It is aesthetically pleasing and further makes Moonlight Mystique stand out on its own. The well-detailed costumes and carefully coordinated color schemes that were tailored very distinctively to suit each character in the drama deserves praise for how gorgeous they turned out to be and fits all the casts visuals well. Certainly these elements had played a part in making the drama even more captivating.

CHARACTERS & ACTING₊ ⊹❀
Bai Lu as Bai Shuo | Xing Yue
Bai Shuo was initially a flawed character who was stubborn and lacks understanding of others because she grew up pampered by her father's love. Her formed beliefs and views about the world were limited as her experiences only came from the fictional books that she reads. She later learned the harsh realities and hard truth when great pain was implanted in her heart. After experiencing countless of tragedies and obstacles during her journey to seek revenge, she begins to grow into a very admirable character. She later became more mature and powerful as each collection of a new contemplation became an enlightenment for her. Her true strength lies in her unwavering determination, resilience and perseverance. No matter what situation came her way, she faced them bravely. Even if she knows there is no path for her to take, she doesn't back down but instead creates her own path. She is a strong and smart female lead.

Xing Yue on the other hand is the powerful goddess of the stars and moon, she wields the divine bow which is deemed to be the most powerful weapon in the entire divine realm. She served as its main protector and the reason why there was peace that existed during those times. Although she is immensely powerful, the expense for her strength is that she is devoid of all her emotions making her live a lifeless life with a cold and unapproachable exterior. Her greatest catastrophe was when she learned how to love and be loved. Xing Yue and Bai Shuo have their differences but their bravery and great love speaks for both their characters.

Bai Lu brilliantly shined in her acting performance for how magnificently she portrayed her character as Bai Shuo and Xing Yue. Her acting is very convincing and allows viewers to connect with her emotions as she effortlessly executed these emotions through her facial expressions and eyes. Furthermore, the fact that she had dubbed her own characters voice had totally enriched her delivery as these emotions are prominent even in her voice. She definitely acted the life out of her characters. More of her versatility as an actress was showcased in this drama through her different roles, from being A Wu, Xing Yue or even the body swap with Luan Zhu. Her talent and skills in acting is definitely worthy of recognition and praise.

Ao Rui Peng as Fan Yue | Jing Yuan
Fan Yue is a character with a tragic past who chose to create a facade of being vicious in order to protect himself. His strong determination to seek revenge resulted in his early success of becoming the Demon King of the Bright Moon Palace. He managed to achieve such a feat by cultivating a secret technique, however attaining its power came with a price which he paid for. In the beginning, Fan Yue seemed aloof who had no care for worldly affairs except for his own personal goals. It was through his constant interaction with Bai Shuo that showed more about his character. He had never hesitated in saving her whenever she is in trouble regardless if he was merely just using her. He showed outmost care for Bai Shuo and became someone who guided her along their journey. His character embodies cleverness, maturity, wise views and kindness although the trait that made him stand out more is his selfless acts and selfless love.

Jing Yuan is a powerful demon lord who ruled in the light of the purple moon, he disguised himself as a divine attendant in order to steal the divine bow. Upon his supposed quest, he fell in love with Xing Yue. He willingly spent 100 years together with Xing Yue. When a rift was formed between them, he never grew to actually hate Xing Yue. His love for her was very deep and pure that even after his own demise, he still found ways to search for her remaining pieces. Contrary to Fan Yue's seriousness, Jing Yuan is a much more playful character but both of them align when it comes to their selflessness, they would willingly do everything for the person they love even at the expense of their own life.

Ao Rui Peng's potrayal of Fan Yue and Jing Yuan had proven how he was made for this role. His acting ability is praise worthy. I found no problems with his acting performance as he delivered his characters well. What I loved most about his performance is his ability to form an evident distinct contrast between the two characters he played - it clearly felt like it was acted by different actors. He owns characters with playful traits but no doubt the ones with seriousness suits him a lot too. It has been a long time since I had last watched him act on screen, I am proud to see his growth and improvement as an actor through this drama.

Dai Lu Wa as Fu Ling | Bai Xi
Fu Ling is one of the antagonist who loyally serves and follows Zhen Yu's orders. She is a vile villain who ruthlessly kills without a single hesitation as she finds enjoyment rather than remorse in killing. Her character has made countless of unjustifiable and viscous acts that it is understandable if viewers find her unlikable and irredeemable. Towards the end of the drama upon the revelation of her true identity and past life, it was only then that her character was able to show remorse.

Dai Lu Wa did a commendable job in her acting performance as Fu Ling. I thought she shined more in her role as a villain compared to a good role like Bai Xi. The fact alone that she was able to make viewers dislike her character shows how she convincingly played her role.

Chang Hua Sen as Chong Zhao | Mo Li
Chong Zhao is a righteous character who seeks justice without hesitation, one thing about him though is his selfishness and prejudice against other races. In his eyes, it is only the eternals that makes for the good while the rest can be nothing but evil. His views are often corrupt and his ways of saving a loved one can be seen to be rather for selfish motives as he can easily put aside the rest on the line - including Bai Shuo's father who raised him - for the sake of fulfilling his goals. His character came off as hypocritical in earlier episodes for how he constantly fails to understand Bai Shuo. Some can find his character to be annoying although eventually he did have a character development, his prejudice was dissolved and he was able to grasp a better view about the so-called eternals he thinks highly of.

Chang Hua Sen didn't disappoint with his acting and similarly, I thought that he shined more as Mo Li a villain compared to his character as Chong Zhao. I was able to see more of his facial expressions through his portrayal of Mo Li and it certainly left an impression.

Others
Liang Xue Feng portrayal of Chen Ye and Qi Feng had caught my attention. He did a wonderful job especially in his emotional scenes with Fan Yue. Quan Yi Lun as Rong Xian and Zuo Ye as A Qi didn't fall behind for their noticeable delivery of emotions too.

OSTs₊ ⊹❀
The songs were no doubt mesmerizing and emotionally evoking. The maximize usage of Sa Ding Ding's ost "Flowers Fall With No Trace" to every angsty, sad, or tragic scenes helped heightened the delivery of emotions in those scenes making it even more painful and heart wrenching to watch. Her vocals held so much power and feelings that I easily connected with her song. Zhou Shen's ost "Embrace and Never Let Go" left a lingering impact and surely carried out the main couples love for each other across the screen for how sweetly and prettily it was sang.

OVERALL IMPRESSION₊ ⊹❀
Moonlight Mystique is a xianxia drama like no other, the different elements it had brought out clearly left a new experience for this type of genre. The stunning tale about the unconditional and boundless love between Bai Shuo and Fan Yue - even Xing Yue and Jing Yuan, had left a great impact for how profound it was written. It is also refreshing to see this type of romantic relationship between the main characters in this genre, this drama proved that it can still tell a compelling story without the need for unnecessary misunderstandings.

The undeniable chemistry between Bai Lu and Ao Rui Peng is certainly impressive. All the actors and crew involved in this has done a splendid job, the efforts and hard work they put into creating this drama definitely did not go to waste. The whole journey has been absolutely worthwhile.

FAVE SCENES₊ ⊹❀
- Jing Yuan's majestic entrance when he descended down the purple moon
- Bai Shuo and Fan Yue's first meeting at the Unbridled Pavillion
- The story about Rong Xian and Ling Long inside the resentment arc
- Fan Yue's amnesia that turned him into the adorable 'Mu Mu'
- Every scene of Bai Shuo when a new contemplation is being collected
- Bai Shuo wearing a red hanfu fighting against Zhen Yu
- Bai Shuo and Bai Xi's reunion
- Qi Feng's fist bump on Fan Yue's chest during his last moment
- Entire romantic moment between Fan Yue and Bai Shuo
- The story of Xing Yue and Jing Yuan

˖ . ݁❀𝜗𝜚❀. ݁₊

"May I be like the stars and you like the moon. As long as the world remains, so shall we" — Bai Shuo

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