Reviews

Fantastic drama want to see Season 2!!!!!

I love a dragon drama!!! The actors/actresses and OST is simply amazing!!!! Neo Hou, Zhou Ye, and Riley Wang are my go to people. Soundtrack is amazing. You made me cry the way it ended. But I am simply hungry for more. Praying to see a Season 2.
Writers you did a great job; totally different from all the other dragon dramas I seen. Costumes amazing and beautiful. Wedding dress/Groom suit beautiful. I thought I was watching Coming to America. If you have not seen the wedding scene you won't know what I mean. Keep up the great job and keep making us happy. Love you.

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ML was a huge red flag

There was for sure some kind of black magic used in the making of this drama. I disliked most everything about it (from the acting, to the plot, characters and music), and still, I found myself binging the whole thing.

Yoo Chan had the emotional intelligence of a rock and was pretty much a walking red flag. He always resorted to emotionally and verbally bullying those around him, and especially the FL. The fact that he pretty much only dated one girl during the whole drama, and she wasn't the FL has to be one of the oddest things I've seen in any romance, ever.

Bo Ra being nicknamed "idiot" by Yoo Chan was mean, but also highly accurate. She had a good heart, but often behaved in moronic ways.

The OST was a cheese fest and I'm happy I'll never have to listen to those songs again. Or the clicking of soles over those unusually loud floors! Never had I come across a show with floors as loud as the ones here.

The prosopagnosia played no role at all, aside from creating an insignificant amount of silly drama and was magically resolved, almost as an afterthought.

The drama was half the ML getting over his unresolved feelings over the disappearance of his first love (the mystery was what kept me hooked during those first few episodes), and half IT/business mumbo-jumbo with some out-of-nowhere, utterly out-of-character betrayal to spice things up.

Honestly, the only character whose story I enjoyed was Do Jin. He was the most fun and interesting.

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Good Story

At first, I began this drama because of BinBin (I like him a lot because he is a versatile actor and I know his acting never disappoints me unless I drop the drama because of the storyline). Even though there are a lot of dramas that I drop midway or they become pretty annoying and long, Song of the Moon is not lengthy compared to other XianXia/Wuxia dramas. It is not very unique but it has some unique features to itself. If you are a fan of this genre and fantasy series it can be satisfying. The same as every other series it has its pros and cons which I will mention here.

Pros:
1. Capable actors all around this series. All five main actors were very capable and matched with their respective characters. There is a lot of chemistry between all the couples and friends in this drama (honestly all the actors were matched perfectly with their characters, I was wondering how all of these actors gather together).
2. The main story and side stories are moving forward together and they become intertwined with each other.
3. In this story there were a lot of gray characters among both immortals and demons. Almost nobody was evil from the beginning to the end. It showed how desires and actions can mix together and create good or bad results. This part of this drama was so realistic and unique among the Xianxia dramas. I like this feature to the point that I like to rewatch this drama only because of this feature.
4. I like the ML (Zhang BinBin) as 3 very different characters. He nailed all the characters pretty well. While he portrayed all the differences between them and the instance changes between Lu Ge and Dark Moonlight, he also showed the intertwined moments of Lu Li and Lu Ge with each other. So I never become tired of his acting and roles.
5. The costume was pretty good, especially for the Demon King (He Na). We always see demons in darker shades of colour but for me, it is the first time to see a demon in white and it was absolutely matched with his perfect personality.
6. The music was very good and it was not disturbing.

Okay, it is time for the Cons:
1. Between episodes 22 to 30 it becomes a little bit annoying and dragging with despicable acts from those gray characters which can make some viewer desire to drop it in this part (*Warning*: there are a lot of important events in this part which answer a lot of questions, so if you fast forward this part you will miss a lot and make you confused at the end. I noticed this from some of the comments).
2. The childish voice of the female actresses (both Luo Ning and Liu Shao). Honestly, who created this thought that if a fully grown woman has the voice of a 5-year-old kid make her cute? I almost become allergic to it.
3. Well, I think the biggest disadvantage of this drama was its ending. I will explain the ending in the next paragraph please be aware of the spoil alert.

The Ending:
Since the ending is very important to me I checked its ending before I began to watch it. So I found out, it has 2 types of endings. I don't like to watch more than one ending, so I always pick one ending in both novels and movies with more than one ending (because it can mess with my feelings towards that story). I picked the one with the happier ending (episode 40). So, I can't talk about the other ending because I will never watch that episode. The reason that I picked this episode is because Lu Ge and Liu Shao get together at the end. It also has some other good points like the fate of He Na and the action of A Fu because I couldn't see any other way for him to redeem himself after 37 episodes of wrongdoings.
But there were a lot of cons to this ending all of them were because of the rushed ending:
1. First there were some confusing moments like the wedding. It was all of a sudden without any opening and explanation of why this happened only the voice of God of Moonlight which didn't have any mention of a wedding.
2. Second I could understand how the seal of Liu Shao's ascension to God was broken but how she went back in time was not clear at all. The last episode was a very rushed episode to finish the story.
3. The third aspect, I didn't like about the ending was too little screen time for Dark Moonlight. From the beginning to the end, we heard about that evil character while we saw all types of evil actions from others or mixing of this evil being with other characters but the moment that the Dark Moonlight came to life we couldn't see a lot. The screen time for him is too short to show anything. So the only thing that I saw was a gorgeous devilish guy with a lot of charm who did what bad thing exactly? Ah, he killed only 2 characters who caused a lot of destruction through the drama. So anyway it was too hard to hate that character and the only reason was short screen time.

Based on all of it together I could ignore the disadvantages in the last episode and even watch it for the second time. So I suggest this drama to those who like a fantasy with some realistic characters, an interesting story, and a big group of talented cast.

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what a police drama should look like

It's not the usual "romance in the police station" drama, with pretty leads and a comical team. This police station was serious and the characters of the drama were smart, professional, dark and ambiguous, to the point you never know who is friend or foe. The detective cases were good enough, the solutions, too. The main storyline made sense. The human interactions (love, job, crime, family) were normal and believable, well-written and well acted. The general acting was good. The atmosphere was correct for a dark, gritty, painful story.

Other than the usual obligation to end a drama with positive messages for society, this was a good drama from start to finish.

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A lot of defaults, quite entertaining in its first half then fizzling out

This BL thai story is quite a classical one: university background, two students part of the music club and falling in love with a fake relationship trope. On one side, we have Mr. Airheaded and on the other side we have Mr. Grumpy. One of the male lead is kind of dumb but in a somewhat endearing way while the other has kind of a creepy look and seem always upset.

It is somewhat stereotypical but it is also quite funny and I enjoyed the first half of the series more that the second half which felt a bit like a let down once the relationship settles. Of course, it is really not deep and you cannot take anything seriously. At least from my perspective, it was enjoyable for what it was but the stakes of the scenario were really never high enough for me to feel invested and really care.

Acting-wise, it was really not good. I might be biased, but Khaotung was the saving grace of the show...It is regrettable he just had a very minor role in the series. Sadly, the two main male leads were not that convincing together. They shared some cute and overall very platonic scenes but for me it was more akin to a bromance than a romance. Still, the main couple was the one I preferred with some of the jealousy as well as bromance aspects. Unfortunately, I did not care at all for the two secondary couples: chemistry was lacking as well as storytelling.

Production-wise, I am pretty disappointed by the musical side of the drama. It has been done much better in other more recent BL Thai drama (such as in Cutie Pie or in My School President ) and I was not subjugated by the singing of Bright (contrarly to what Nunew or even Fourth have shown in their respective series). Bright's character did not feel at all like the "genius" musician/singer he was labelled as during the full duration of the show. In addition to these issues, the editing between episodes and also even sometimes between scenes is quite jaring and the soundtrack is often misplaced, breaking the flow of the scenes.

I would not recommend this to people as I feel there are much better BL stories out there ,featuring more convincing musical sequences as well as better chemistry/acting. Despite its numerous defaults, I cannot say that it was not entertaining so you might want to give it a shot if you are looking for something very light and fluffy and do not mind some editing issue as well as some poor acting and storylines.

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A dream within a Dream and Reality, Hua Qian and Zhong Xiwu ultimate couple , Happy ending

====SPOILER ALERT , THE ENDING IS WRITTEN====



In the anticipated conclusion of the 2023 Chinese drama "Scent of Time," a surprising twist awaits the audience. Hua Qian, after going through the ups and downs of her journey, arrives at a heartfelt revelation.

As the story unfolds, Hua Qian wakes up in a small village after a staged fire incident meant to deceive Lord Hua. In this idyllic village, she finds solace and forms close bonds with the local residents, living the life she's always desired. Meanwhile, Hua Rongzhou continues his relentless quest to locate her, promising to never give up.

Ultimately, Hua Rongzhou succeeds in finding Hua Qian, fulfilling his mission. He declares, "I finally lived up to my expectations and found Hua Qian," and then inexplicably vanishes before her eyes.

Initially believing that she had altered her destiny, Hua Qian awakens from a dream within a dream, realizing her parents are still alive, and she has returned to her past. The plot thickens as a secret fragrance emerges, signaling the beginning of the final act.

In this new reality, Hua Qian discovers that, in fact, she is already married to Zhong Xiwu, and not the supposed Yelan. Despite her initial resistance, she begins to acknowledge her deep affection for Zhong Xiwu, and he reciprocates those feelings. However, Lord Hua's interference leads to Hua Qian's escape from her wedding day, resulting in a serious injury and a coma.

With his profound love for Hua Qian, Zhong Xiwu utilizes the unique Jiayin Menggui Pill to save her life. Hua Qian enters yet another dream, where she reevaluates her feelings and recognizes the sincerity of Zhong Xiwu's love. Their bond grows stronger as they both learn from past misunderstandings and the dreams that have shaped them.

This dream journey becomes a means of salvation for the two of them. It helps them to understand each other better and let go of their past mistakes. Hua Qian comes to realize that love should not be imposed upon someone; it should grow naturally. The dream world has brought clarity to their feelings.

Finally, Hua Qian awakens from her coma, having been cared for by Zhong Xiwu for over two years. She courageously reaches for his hand, and Zhong Xiwu confesses his feelings, saying, "I like you, and it happened earlier than when you fell in love with senior brother. No matter what, I won't give up."

The drama concludes with a heartwarming note, highlighting the blossoming love story between Hua Qian and Zhong Xiwu. It underscores that love, patience, and understanding can overcome even the most formidable obstacles. As they hold hands and anticipate their shared future, viewers are left with a sense of fulfillment and hope, realizing that the most beautiful love stories often feature unexpected twists and dreams within dreams.

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Tell me the story of your youth

I put this on hold for a long time because I am not a fan of the leads (don't judge me), but YouTube kept recommending Bibi's song, and I became quite addicted, so I gave it a go, and boy, this was a magical drama.

All the characters were amazing, but I must commend Nam Joo Hyuk for his wonderful portrayal of Back Yi Jin. Honestly, I am more invested in his story. His struggles and sacrifices make me cry a lot. His acting really improved.

The story will make you remember your youth. Your first love, decisions, and everything in between Despite some painful memories, there are lots of great things that make you smile and make you silly.

I don't know why I am okay with the ending. Maybe because I used to be in love and hurt like that. Not everything has a happy ending in life, and that's okay.

I will give this a solid 10. Great story, lovely OST, and amazing acting. A must-watch... Just remember to enjoy every moment. Embrace the hardships and find a silver lining in every struggle that you encounter in this world.

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Finally picked this up after so many years, but was left a bit disappointed

I finally finished this drama and seeing all the high praise and reviews that this drama has leaves me a bit disappointed. The drama just didn't land the same for me I guess. This was such a slow burn drama for me and I feel like once we finally got to where we wanted to get, there wasn't much reward in the end as far as our main couple. I know Yan Mo's love is a much more subtle and quiet, but steadfast, love but I would've loved to see him open up more after they got into a relationship but it didn't seem like it. He was still so focused on work and I just feel like Qiao Yi was just spending her time waiting on him the entire time which really sucks because she literally quit her "dream" job and left her family for him. Honestly, I got really tired of seeing his no expression face that would have a smile here and there. I thought Qiao Yi would've broken down his walls more and helped him open up and having more expressions, but it really didn't get to that point until after they got married. I felt like it took such a long journey for them finally be together, and yet even after they got together, we only had small little moments of their love, leaving me yearning for more. Of course, when Yan Mo would have his little moments showing his love for Qiao Yi, I loved it but I just wish there was MOREE. Switching gears, on the other hand, I absolutely loved loved loved the brotherly-sisterly bond between Qiao Yi and Guan Chao. They were so sweet and cute and Guan Chao would do anything for his little sister. I loved their close friendship. I honestly liked Guan Chao the most throughout the series, yes he was immature, but he was willing to do anything for the people that he loved. I also loved just the entire family dynamic. The stepdad loved the twins so much as if they were his own and supported them so much. I loved that he was the one who picked up on the little hints and things.
All in all, I enjoyed this drama for the most part. I just found the main couple to be lacking but enjoyed the 2nd and 3rd couple enough. I loved how the relationships were portrayed in this drama and how realistic and meaningful some of the lessons they had in life were. I probably wouldn't watch it again though, it was too long for a drama with too little reward.

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I think others have left better more detailed reviews and I have very few things to complain about with this show but I just wanted to express my love for it a little.

If you're someone like me who likes interpersonal drama and a focus on romance you will likely enjoy Between Us. The plot isn't anything crazy but the show is well-paced and written, giving the lead couple a lot of time to grow into their relationship and overcome their difficulties. For some it may be a little slow, so if you're someone that prefers a lot of action and a quick plot this probably won't be for you, while no specific conflict is dragged out too long, the show has a very slow methodical pace that can turn a lot of people off. I'm happy with either so it worked quite well for me.

The lead actors have done a fantastic job, their characters work together so well and I found their relationship really compelling. The scene in episode 11 was so perfect and they really pulled out all the stops to tug on your heartstrings. I like how much they check in with each other, and how comfortable they are with each other even early on.

I watched UWMA right before and while I liked it well enough, this show was a much more enjoyable experience for me. I was really happy to see many of the characters again, especially since the friendships were one of my favourite parts of the original.


There were a few things that I didn't enjoy about the show, but they were minor enough that they didn't tank my enjoyment. IMO the biggest issue was the number of couples, while I liked all of them, the show was just trying to do a little too much and as a result the side couples ended up feeling a little rushed (particularly Waan and Tul) or underdeveloped, and having so many interruptions to the main story for so many short scenes affected the flow and pacing. I'd hate to cut any of them because I thought they all had interesting storylines and were all terribly sweet, but I think they should have removed at least one.
There were also some times (this happened with UWMA too but it was less egregious here) where they used a few too many flashbacks. I think it made sense for Team's nightmares, since it gets you into his headspace but sometimes it felt like a little much.

All that said I did really enjoy this drama and I'll definitely be rewatching quite a few bits of it. It was exactly what I was hoping it would be ^^!

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It could've been better

As I wrote on the headline of this review "this could've been better" because it could've. Listen I might not know much about the kpop industries and kpop but damn!!! this so called bl was an utter disappointment and I wouldn't rewatch this for thy kingdom come. Firstly I must admit the things I like about the series. 1. The hot boys ( or should I say eye candy ;)). I must say those boys are so god damn hot, I had to take a breath of fresh air to take wind of all the eye candies, abs and so on ( I have no shame lol ) anyways 2. I ike the plot aside from the message in other words " The kpop industry encouraging idols to fake being in a gay relationship " thing it was alright in my book
Now for what I was disappointed with , first things first i hate the fact that the plot wasn't developed properly it had a potential to be a 10/10 but damn like why they couldn't have added couple more minutes to the series ???? because it was rushed and the plot should've been at a steady pace but what the heck!!!! Anyways as they say leave what's best for last, as a bl fan I love things with kissing scenes and U know what scenes in it ( explicit content ;) and I know that not all bls must have explicit sex scenes and so on but come on why couldn't they add a kissing scene just one could suffice like damn!!! at least it could raised the ratings to like 8.5 or smth but judging off the plot I have my doubts
What is a bl without kissing scenes and to add to the disappointment to make it an utter disappointment they didn't had a satisfied ending ????
Anyways don't take my word for it after all this is my opinion but some other dramas that showcase LGBTQ and isn't one like method was way better than this and it is a bl ???

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A thrilling dive into the work of undercover detectives

the worst of evil is probably one of my most favourite crime-genre dramas ever released. it doesn’t bore you with endless conversation whilst also keeping it flowing without 100 fighting scenes every 5 minutes. Ji Chang-Wook is probably by far the best casting that could have been made to be the ML, his transformation from a regular police officer into a undercover drug gang member is really well done, and the emotional strain of that is shown through his relationship with his colleagues and his wife. overall, the worst of evil deserves this rating I’ve given it, it isn’t boring, it has exciting action, and there are constant points in the story where you think Junmo might get caught out. can’t wait to see future dramas like this.

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Balance

I struggled to rate this because there were parts I absolutely loved and parts I was sad they didn't address. But since there is a theme of balance in the show, I tried to take a step back I look at it as a whole.

Fun journey that has one of the best OSTs I've heard in a while! I loved the FLs personality and practicality. She was true to herself and whenever in a situation she was unsure, she chose to be kind. There were some really great comedic moments that unfortunately were missing towards the second half.

The ending could have used an explanation. Some subplots were oddly written and then sorta forgotten about.

Overall though definitely a more fun and lighter xianxia than others I've seen.

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