This review may contain spoilers
this drama is not just a bl, its so much more.
every character of this drama has some type of pain and trauma that P’Aof showed beautiful through each character one at a time.saleng, (please leave there are spoilers ahead, youve been warned) both his parents pasted away. alankaipa are both heartbroken and lost someone very dear to them in different ways. jim lost his loved one/got cheated on. heart became deaf and his parents are ashamed of him. wen fell out of love. limings parents left him and the fighting with his uncle and the falling outs.
P’Aof directed this beautifully in every way possible.
the cinematography and colors in the whole drama tells a story you might not catch the first time, but you can still feel it.
the cool and warm tones. in hearts house and alan/wens apartment. you can feel the sadness and pain with the blueish cool tone colors and the warms tones around jims house, you always are on edge because of the reds and orange warm tone colors.
its not just about the fire needing to be rekindled, but when the waiter asked won said “no, we’re done here” when wen and alan were having dinner to settle things, meaning so many ways to so many people, which you can take it any way.
and the sticky-notes around hearts desk, showing that hes boxed in and isnt allowed out. thats his world. through those paper with words.
at the end of ep7 i completely forgot i was watching a bl, the pain the characters takes the viewers through can also be shared, where we can relate very well too.
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Watch ASAP
I can not express how well made this show is. The acting is top tier and the cinematography is beautiful. Please watch this show. You will not regret it. EarthMix are always in these realistic setting dramas and oh boy FourthGemini leave me speechless. Firstkhao is also in the show and although they don’t have a connection linked between their characters, they was they portray their characters is also top tier. If you have any doubts about watching the show just watch it. You will not regret it.Was this review helpful to you?
Moonlight mess... Life is hard...
To be perfectly honest this should be a 6 but I just could not give it less than an 8... Why you may ask these two very different ratings?It is all about the + and - Story and Pacing is probably more of a 6 or maybe a 6,5 it is just not that captivating or interesting... It has a lot of interesting moments and some good lines here and there but most of the drama feels like it has a bunch of ways to make the stories fit together instead of focusing on 4 good stories.
I love all the actors in the cast of this drama, however both Earth and First where miscasted here, I assume they where there as part of their assigned duo... I do not know if it is a either take the whole band (duo) or I am out type of deal , but even though there was nothing lacking in their acting they where just not right for their parts... As Earth did not give almost 40 vibes at all (trust me I am soon to be 40 myself), the age difference between Mix and Earth is 5 years and well it is noticeable which makes the whole old man plot line just ridiculous... That said the very few physical scenes between Mix and Earth where as lovely as always.
The best part of this show was without a doubt Gemini and Fourth they where as playful as ever had great chemistry and just left me wanting even more... I am not going to say that their story line was perfect but they did manage to show some of the issues that deaf people have to deal with in a decent way... And though some of the dialog there felt forced there were a whole lot of good lines in there as well.
There are also a bunch of good portrayals of found family, friendship, poverty sucks, break ups can be hard... and life in general is complicated.
Part of the show felt like it was a mixtape of GMMTVs most popular performers... There to fill the void of those who miss their Ships... Which gave me mixed feeling, I love em all and enjoyed a bunch of their scenes, reminding me of past dramas I loved watching and just generally putting a smile on my face... I can not help but wonder if those who have not seen these pairings before would feel about watching this. And while it did give me some enjoyment for those particular scenes I am pretty sure this casting affected the over all execution of the show in a bad way...
I am not exactly sure where I am going with this but I guess I want to say that if you have previously enjoyed the actors of this show you will probably enjoy this show in a different way than if these pairings are completely new to you. I am not sure in what way...
So what can I say it is a slightly messy slice of lie that could have been a lot better, but is good enough to watch... and gets extra points for the parts that made me smile.
Also, make sure to pay attention at the color coordination of clothes and set... Sometimes it is more obvious than others.
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A bar-raiser for GMMTV BLs
Moonlight Chicken is one of those shows where you think that the trailer is giving away the story. But no, you will be proven wrong.Moonlight Chicken is so unique because it tackles several topics spanning from social issues like poverty and disability, to relationships; one-night stands, status transitions and the idea of ‘home’.
A lot of Moonlight Chicken’s relatability comes from the fact that the characters are so damned lonely. Everyone is looking for a safe harbour where they can be at ease with themselves instead of worrying about the troubles that lay ahead.
I love that GMMTV was unafraid to dive into messy tangles that don’t have a clear villain. Here, Wen and Alan are neither good guys nor bad guys. Jim doesn’t want to be the bad guy, but ends up being dragged into this miserable predicament anyway (so much for an uncomplicated one-night-stand). And that’s just life sometimes.
Earth and Mix have managed to outdo themselves in Moonlight Chicken – after 2 full-fledged series (ATOTS and Cupid’s Last Wish), their acting chops have improved tremendously. Fourth and Gemini, while only a side couple, stole the show for me.
In MLC, they play two people whose homes don’t feel like ‘home’ (more on this later), and how home, to them, is not so much a place but other people. I was extremely invested in this couple and thought they deserved an entire series as Liming and Heart.
Imo, the director successfully balanced story substance (great storyline and plots that were far from empty fluff), aesthetics (beautiful scenes), and emotional connection (relatability/how invested you get in the characters).
Full review: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2023/03/06/moonlight-chicken-review-bl/
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The Right Place, Time, and Chicken!
I think I'll explain myself poorly, but I'll try anyway. It's rare for me to find a show that I can't find faults with, that I never forward, and that I love every element of. From the colors, to the music, to the casting, the base details were perfect.Then comes the story and the execution. Every single part was well thought out. I have never loved a show so instantly. I war with myself about getting bored easy, not giving things time. But... how do I explain this? From the very first moment Wen looked at Jim as if he'd seen the stars and the sun, I was sure that I was ready to give this time.
My review? People need to watch this show, not because of all the perfection but because there's so much to internalize and learn, and accept here. There's so much growth and progress for every single character involved. It's heartwarming to see this kind of love being shared. The frustrations of living, the amount of exercise and pain and MONEY it takes to just keep carrying on, that's what this show centers around. Being gay or straight or bi or pan or trans, just 'being' is sometimes so difficult, and this show is all about that. Just being, just living and discovering. I don't think I want to let go of the feeling this show left me with. The feeling of being full of love and acceptance and of feeling encouraged.
I am so thankful for this show, for the people who brought it to life, who thought of these stories, these peeks into another's life. I'm so thankful I got the chance to see this.
To anyone who's thinking or has thought that it's slow burn and it's painful, I'd like to say So What? I don't have any malice in that sentence though. I'm just saying... So What? It has so much to give, it has so much love to share. Let's try and embrace that love, let's try and accept that love.
I'm waxing philosophical about a show, but that's only because I feel full of love right now. And, I've got a strange urge to have some chicken. I hope anyone doubting the show watches it anyway.
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Mid-final plots fly straight to heaven, left the angels at full bliss but also crying from up above.
I have mixed emotions in this series, in a more positive way. I didn't vibe it at first but it continued to grow on me. The emotional scenes from mid to final episode caught me off-guard. The throw of well-written lines of the characters gives a strong impact in me. This series didn't give too much intimate scenes which I respectfully admire. A deep connection between couple (LiMing-Heart) is more valuable than having more focused on intimate relationship. I think their plots are stronger and more interesting than Jim-Wen. I think Gemini-Fourth really carved their names on this industry. They totally nailed their roles. Jim-Wen relationship development lacks depth and there is nothing fresh to see. Their chemistry (Earth-Mix) is always that perfectly wonderful though and make their decent plots a lot better than it would be.What deserves justice is my Khaotung-First ship. I expected something different but then I understand that they are just supporting leads. Well anyways, Khaotung (as Gaipai) singing on mic continued with that sad song (which I want to know the title) is my tearjerking moment in this series. On the other hand, First (as Alan) has the best character development in this series. The development of all characters is fairly thought and executed except Alan since he really needs the most attention in character development.
Overall, this is a recommendable series to watch. I love it.
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Realistic, Love Heart & Li ming, watched series mainly for them
I had fewer expectations from the series because I find Earth Mix acting to be lacking in whatever I have watched from them. The main reason I watched the series is because I loved Gemini Fourth chemistry & acting in My School President.I loved the overall story of the series and i liked the job done by the director and hence the good rating & review.
Acting side I loved almost everyone's acting except for the Main Leads. Gemini & Fourth as expected nailed it.
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This review may contain spoilers
It's a very interesting and enjoyable slice of life series. Almost perfect
It's one of my favorite series instantly. It openly talks about many issues and subtly talks about others. Within just 8 eps it has managed to tough at the right spots. The acting, was phenomenal to say the least. I mean- I could easily say that I, personally, haven't seen any better-acted series among many of the c/t/k-dramas. At one time I was like- 'Wow, Fourth acts as if he's li ming whose uncle is not understating him', at other time I was like- 'Is First crying or is Alan crying?' then I was like- 'bro it's so hard to act deaf with all those sounds audible around you', 'Earth at a young age is giving a vibe of a mature person who has faced everything', 'Mix is delivering the feelings well', 'Khao looks extremely heartbroken as if he was rejected' and 'Mark's versatility is insane'. Everyone was so good that I couldn't pick favorites. It's perfect. Thanks to every staff, especially, P'aof!Was this review helpful to you?
From episode 1
I feel like my standard for Thai BL's is pretty low, but the fact that I didn't have to pause once from cringing in the entire episode is a very good sign. It's a cute concept from the first ep and I like the trend of including characters with disabilities that I've seen popping up here and there in the industry. I hope the other episodes are just as good as this one!(Ngl the fact that my review has to be 500 characters long sucks, so here I am just writing to hit that limit sorry for wasting your time)
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the only bitter and gritty thing about this show is how I feel about it
Uff, this really hurts to write, but I need to write it anyway. When I first heard about this show and its premise, I’m gonna be honest, I wasn’t too happy. But I was reassured that it would not be your typical cheating storyline and it would be handled more realistically and less like your typical BL cheating plot. It was also said that this show would be very realistic, gritty, and bitter. And I prepared myself for that. Once the actual trailer dropped though, it didn’t look nearly as bitter and gritty as they promised. And surprise, surprise it wasn’t. And what was left was...a mere shadow of what it could've been.This show was so dead-set on being realistic and the first thing they do is cast a 28 year old to play a middle aged man. Like…come one. The joke writes itself. I’m not saying that Earth wasn’t fit for this role because of his skills, because he is a good actor. This is entirely about his age and how the role makes him out to be way older than he actually is. It just turned into this joke that whenever Uncle Jim sighed or complained about the youth and how old he is, I had to laugh.
There is a very clear ship>casting mentality in the BL industry. If it wasn’t for the specific ship(s), I am almost certain that the cast wouldn’t look as they do now. Not that I would want to recast most of them, but it's obvious.
Someone said to me that P’Aof is really great in making lighthearted, fluffy BLs and maybe he should stick to what he’s best at, because bitter and realistic isn’t hitting nearly as much as his previous works. It does look amazing though, you gotta give him that.
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This review may contain spoilers
it was amazing!!!
I really liked this series! The plot was interesting. When it comes to Mix and Earth - i will watch everything. I think there is a chemistry between them, even though this series didnt show many kisses, romantic stuff, etc. I was suprised when i watched the first episode; Wen was drunk and end up in a situation like this, so and Jim. It is a bit annoying to meet someone when you are drunk.Honestly, the relationship between Li Ming and Heart captivated me the most. It was so pure. It was obvious that they will catch a romantic feelings to each other. Li Ming even learned the sign language and Heart`s disabillity wasnt a burden to him. He treated him like a normal person and that was enough for me to like this couple so much!
Everything goes well till Alan came in the picture. My feelings are mixed, by the way. On the other hand, i was sorry for Alan, maybe he really loved Wen so much that he couldn`t let him go. But Wen so many times told him that their relationship is over and they cant be more than friends. Alan shouldnt hurt himself, trying to make Wen fall in love with him again. I was sorry for Gaipa, too. He deserved all the love but from the right person. I hoped that he will meet Alan. Yes, they met each other but the circumstances was awfull. Episode 7 was really hard to watch. I cried so much because of Gaipa`s mother. It was so sad..
I`m glad because that series had a happy end. It will be amazing if we get a chance for second season. I really want to see Alan and Gaipa as a couple. And of course - to see Li Ming and Heart`s life in America.
I give 10/10 to this series, because i really enjoyed it.
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A refreshing look at relationships and the realities of life with adult couples rather than students
NO-SPOILER REVIEWPros
- The story is a great and realistic representation of relationships, family, and the realities of life for adults. It's so great to not only have stories about students with school-level low stakes. This series shows you that everything isn't always sunshine and rainbows but people still have the strength to live their lives and find love.
- The acting is superb. The entire cast is very talented and this makes it easy to full immerse yourself in the story.
- The pacing is just right and keeps you interested from start to finish.
- The variety of couples keeps things fresh and interesting.
- There's great representation of the deaf community.
Cons
- There were a couple moments where it felt like some drama was introduced for the sake of having drama. Those couple moments felt a little bit forced and unrealistic.
Overall
- A wonderful series that represents the adult world in a realistic way. A must watch if you're bored of school-aged dramas.
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