Moon in the Day

Truly beautiful concept, not so great execution, and an amazing finale. Deserves a try!

INTRO:

Firstly, I have to say that I am not someone who really enjoys romance in general. Rom-coms, especially, are just not up there for me. I tend to enjoy thriller and action dramas/ movies more. Secondly, I am a little bit biased towards sentimental and emotional romances, if i had to pick out of romance as a genre. Thirdly, I have the attention span of a toddler, I lose interest extremely fast, especially if the story is slow paced. All that said, on to the review!


STORY:

I, personally, loved the whole premise of the story. The idea was very interesting and emotionally provocative. Love that transcends time and existence, there's quite a profound beauty to that. As beautiful as the concept sounds, I felt that it wasn't executed as well as it should have been.

To be honest, while I was watching the show as it was airing, I thought that episode 12 was the final episode, until I checked kisskh and realised that the drama was actually 14 episodes long. I felt like that was enough proof that the drama was dragged two episodes too much. Had they made the execution more concise, it would have been more memorable and more enjoyable.

Somewhere around the middle, the drama started dragging. There was a bit of repetition and too many flashbacks that gave the same feeling (and didn't necessarily add essence or emotion). I felt that there were missed opportunities for emotional and deep moments. The characters' growth and change wasn't seamless enough. Also, I did identify some loopholes in the plot.

Plus, I really wished that they kept the FL as strong as she was in the beginning. There should have been more occasions for the FL to show her strength, both physically and mentally. After all, she was a firefighter who had seen death and faced tough situations.

Even so, there was something about the drama that kept me wanting to come back and watch. I was made curious about the ending and about the fate of the leads. I've seen many people claim that the last few episodes were the most disappointing to them. But I beg to differ, for me, the last two episodes were my favourite from the whole drama. They were the most memorable and most emotionally provocative to me. Personally, I loved the ending and the depth behind it. The ending was a true testament to transcendental love. The last episode was the most well done in my opinion. You could clearly see how much the leads had improved in their acting, chemistry and roles. Although, I did feel that last scene of the finale was somewhat unnecessary. I would have preferred for it to not have been there and instead shown the characters in their old age so, that the audience could have really felt the time pass and the story come to an end.


ACTING:

I did feel that the leads (Pyo Ye-Jin and Kim Young-Dae) were quite awkward in their acting at the start. KYD in a historical context felt a bit odd to me, as if he wasn't very suited for it. PYJ was great but there were awkward moments but in her modern settings. The kiss scenes were just not giving, especially considering that the drama was supposed to be overflowing with emotion. There was only one decent kiss scene, every other one was lacking passion by heap. PYJ was absolutely gorgeous in her historical attire.

Their acting and assimilation into their roles peaked in the final episode. It felt like they finally got to be their characters. To me, their chemistry during the historical settings felt more natural and convincing.

P.s. I have to say that I am a simple person: I see KYD, I click. I see PYJ, I'm convinced.


OVERALL:

I really did like the drama. It's one I would recommend others give a try. But I can also see why it might not be someone's cup of tea too. At least for the sake of the finale, you should give it a try. As for me, the reason the drama got a such a high rating was simply because of its finale and concept.


Thank you for reading hehe <3

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Spoilers, Spoilers, Spoilers

I tend to be very specific in my reviews, just so I can remember what I watched. I put off watching this one, because so many people didn't like it, but, since I like Kim Young Dae, I decided to give it a try. And I can say that I am so glad that I did! Lots of spoilers in this, so if you don't want to know what happens, all you need to know is that I recommend you give this one a try for yourself.

What I liked:
The story. I do have to say that their past life was more well-developed. Their current lives focused more on other people. I have the attention span of a goldfish, so for me to not have to fast forward at all says a lot. I thought it was very engaging, though sometimes suspending disbelief was more difficult than at other times. I did feel that they spent too much time in showing us that they loved each other, rather than letting us feel their love.
Kim Young Dae. I loved him in Sh**ting Stars. I thought it was unfortunate that he was cast as yet another celebrity, but that's a minor quibble. My only real complaint was he was often too emotionless, but I also have to say that he has the most expressive eyes. I could see them change as he looked at her. Minor complaint - that one lock of hair in the middle of his forehead that was longer than the rest that hung over his nose - did someone just forget to cut that piece?
Pyo Ye Jin. I wasn't sure if she could carry a lead role, but I was very impressed. There was something about her that I can't quite explain why I think she was perfectly cast. She's not beautiful in the typical K-drama sense. Sometimes she would look very pretty, other times just like the girl next door. Her carriage and bearing in the past life were perfect for her role as someone from a powerful family forced to be a slave, but she wasn't about to be anyone's doormat.
Jung Woong In. He was the best villain I've seen in a long time. He was so charismatic, he commanded every scene he was in. And on the creepiness scale, for me he was off the charts!

What I didn't like so much:
Dead fish kisses. I think this was the fault of Pyo Ye Jin. She just looked really uncomfortable. Can the director not see how bad a kiss looks? I think sometimes that no kiss at all is better than bad kisses.

What I hated:
The ending!!! MAJOR SPOILER ALERT. So, this guy has been a ghost following her for 1500 years, in love with her all that time, never wants to be without her, but he disappears when the bad guy dies. The body that the ML had inhabited died. But he disappeared while the funeral was going on? He kept thinking of her name all the time, wanted to meet with her to talk about it. The bottom line? He has no memory of her or the love he had for her!! I'm sorry, to me, that just diminishes their love story. What made it especially sad was, since he was famous, for her whole life she'd see him in projects that he's done, and throughout her whole life she'll miss him and be sad. I know one of them said they'd be together in their next life, and we got three minutes of that next life, when she almost falls and he catches her (is that the most overused trope ever?!?) They said a couple of inconsequential things to each other and stood far apart, staring at each other. THE END. I'm sorry, if I can believe that the guy came back to life, I could certainly believe that he'd remember her somehow. It really made me mad and I dropped the rating a bit because of it. How hard is it to give us a lengthy, happy ending after keeping them apart the whole time!?!?!

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A Reincarnation Drama handled differently

While I watched this drama, many times I felt the need to commend whosever brain came up with not only the story, but also in how the story is told onscreen. I see that it's based on a webtoon, so I don't know how much is screenwriter's originality and how much the original work. Nevertheless, this is such a different overall product that I really appreciate the people behind the scenes for direction, editing, screenplay, script, etc. The whole vibe of this drama is just...different.

This *actually* has forbidden lovers--not some 'misunderstanding' or *hidden/actual truth* etc. The first scenes immediately tell you this is not supposed to be a 'happy' ending with the couple in terms of their physical life. But their souls get their peace and satisfaction. If you watch understanding that what was shown in the first episode is the foundation of their story, which means they really cannot be together--and you are into that type of story, then you won't be disappointed with this drama.

I really loved the storyline and how they utilized flashbacks and scene repetitions. I was only slightly impatient with the repetition maybe one or two times, and that too faded away soon. Things are hinted and shown in the beginning but characters claim something else--then we and the characters see the truth unravel.

They also acknowledged reincarnations don't manifest in the the same face/body. Of course, when it came to the reincarnation where they deal with that past life, the reincarnation took the same form, and that was also an important aspect to the story.

In short, I really appreciate how they told the story though there were some plot holes and a few head scratchers. Certain things are not explained or given sufficient background. Twice the lead characters instead of talking about an obvious third party decide not to discus and compare notes. My issues are explained in the comments. But despite all of that, I must give this a high mark simply due to the overall product.

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There is something interesting about Kim Young Dae...

I enjoyed the historical plot and the plot around the main characters and was always waiting to find out. Historical flashbacks were exciting. For those who like historical fated love that magically meets in the future, go for it. A little spoiler: The series depicted the life of the main character in the past, who did not belong to a high-level family by blood, and was trained by his "adoptive father" to do dirty work. And when it stopped being useful, they would have him killed just to get what they wanted. With his life on the edge, he was no longer afraid of anything ... because his death was his redemption from the life he had to live. He will make you feel sad. And finally, the woman whose family he had to kill, and she luckily survived, got into his hands. Over time, the relationship where she hated him, despised him and wanted to take revenge on him, and his outwardly neutral to indifferent attitude turned into understanding, pity, and painful love. The real-life (present time) could be without someone who came from the past to make a hell among the main characters. Especially, when it didn't occur to the main character for a long time that who could come like him... the main couple had something to deal with even without him. I would skip the additional happy ending after some years. That is beyond the real heroes. Kim Young Dae was great in this show. I saw him for the first time in When the Weather Is Fine, where he immediately caught my attention. Then I saw the Forbidden Marriage, where I thought that even historical ones fit him. And here in the series a total combo of both. like the historical love story and the main actors. I give a lower rating because of someone I won't reveal, who came from the past.

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I am not happy with the ending

End disappointed me. Starting was the story was good. Modern era connected with historical era. Story of the prince who worked according to his father who was a king . The father was always cruel with his son . He made him doing the cruel thing and because of that the prince image infront of the public was a cruel . Because of this the female protagonist hated him . She killed him . Here there is a suspence which I will not reveal. His soul was not liberate . In every reincarnation of her his soul was always around her. In one of her reincarnation he got the body of dead person and since at that time he started taking revenge from her but since at that time gradually many things started reveal infront of him .

Two things not satisfied me here were her reason of killing him ,second what was the story between father and son why he made his son cruel infront of his people.

Story end with the scene if she didn't kill him the story of theirs would be different and their ending would be different.

The series left me puzzled when the female lead chose to end the life of the male lead, a moment depicted around the third or fourth last episode. The motive behind her action remained unclear to me. The notion that they could never meet led her to this drastic decision. In my view, it seemed more reasonable for her to place trust in him, or if trust was unattainable, they could have faced their fate together, finding solace in each other's company until their last breath.

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Love the lead couple - but ultimately dissapointing

Let me start with the good. There was great acting all around. I love the lead couple (Pro Ye-Jin and Kim Young-Dae), which is why my wife and I watched in the first place. And they were great. Also, the premise of the story was fun.

But...

First and foremost , there was too much sadness throughout the series with too little payoff at the end. The ending was very disappointing and NOT what we were hoping for. I won't spoil it, but gads, what a letdown. :-(

Also, although Mr. Kim, as usual, did a great job, his character was too morose and sullen through virtually the whole series. It gold pretty darn old after a while. He is much better in more upbeat roles. We absolutely LOVED him in Sh**ting Stars, where he was so fun and totally killed it!

Overall, the story was just not our cup of tea, I guess. So we won't be rewatching this one. Too bad.

If you are up for being down (ha ha) for 14 episodes, go for it. But don't expect to be happy at the end.

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Great Start, Confusing Progression

Moon in the Day started well and caught my attention right from the beginning. One of the best things about this show is the actors. They're talented and do a great job in their roles. Their acting made the characters come to life and added a lot to the show. In the beginning, the story was engaging and made me want to keep watching to see what happens next.

However, as the show went on, it started to get a bit confusing. There were too many flashbacks, which made it hard to follow the story sometimes. It felt like the same scenes were being shown over and over again. This repetition made the show less enjoyable as it progressed. Even though the actors were great, the way the story was told with all these flashbacks and repeat scenes made it harder to stay interested in what was going to happen.

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? Moon in the Day – Where Breakups Happen More Often Than Lunch Breaks ??

If Moon in the Day were a relationship status, it would be: “It’s complicated, with a side of reincarnation trauma and emotionally constipated men.”
Let’s start with the leads. Kim Young-dae and Pyo Ye-jin? Beautiful people 😍🔥. Seriously, they could sell sadness in a perfume bottle. Their chemistry? Think slow-burning candle 🕯️—moody, flickering, and likely to go out in a gust of miscommunication. One moment you’re rooting for them, the next you’re watching yet another angsty breakup wondering, “Wasn’t this resolved like... two episodes ago?” 🤯
Now the breakups—whew. These two separate more often than my phone charger from the wall ⚡🔌. Betrayal? Check. Past-life curses? Check. Vague reasons that make you squint at the screen? Double check ✅🤨. It's like a full-time hobby for them.

Relationship health? Let’s just say, if a therapist watched this, they’d retire early. Lots of trauma bonding, resentment stewing, and ghostly vendettas. Definitely not your standard “let’s communicate and grow” arc. More like “let’s suffer separately, then dramatically reunite near death.”
As for the side characters, bless them. Half of them are plot devices, the other half are plot holes with hair. A few standout performances tried to ground the drama, but many were there just to fill in the reincarnation roster and throw out cryptic wisdom like “The moon remembers everything.” Cool, but does the moon remember how to move the plot forward?
Acting-wise, the cast gave it their all. Kim Young-dae brooded like a pro, with eyes that screamed, “I have regrets in this life and the last.” Pyo Ye-jin managed to make her character likable even when the script handed her a bag of angst and told her to jog with it. They carried what they could, even when the plot felt like a bad relationship: pretty, confusing, and full of red flags.

In summary, Moon in the Day is like a gorgeous, messy ex—you know it's bad for your emotional stability, but you have to see it through 👀💣. It’s beautiful, chaotic, tragic, and... oddly addictive.

⭐ Final Rating: 6.5/10 moonlit makeups 🌙💋

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An iconic start followed by dismal second half

On the surface it looks like a common revenge theme drama, but it is a lot more. Case could made about various flaws of this - story too focused on main pairing, a simplistic story, not too much going on. In spite of these flaws this has been a mesmerising drama for me.

I was already a lot excited as it was Pyo Ye Jin's first drama where she takes a spot among first 2 leads in MDL casting list. Needless to say I've liked her role a lot in Taxi driver, Our blooming youth. I wish her luck for future successes.

Now coming back to this drama. It starts with your usual bickering ML-FL, but it takes a sudden turn. And we are introduced to their past lives. ML is a military general mired in a battle against rebels. And FL of course is somehow related to rebels. This is the past connection. Story goes forward, ML dies and blames FL for his death. He takes a solemn vow to exact revenge on FL.
Now, it's not a typical revenge. And this non-typicality of it makes it such a decent drama.

I initially gave it a 10 after first 4 episodes, but was heavily let down by second half. Major flaws of the drama would be the:
1. The unnecessary storyline of Han Min Oh
2. The execution of the past foster father's revenge

After introduction of above 2 storylines, even the main romance plot lost its lustre.

If you want to watch this drama, it's very good in first half. Rest you can skip or skimp.

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