Moonlight Mystique

I love this show!

Not only is the acting incredible, I love the sweet moments they had and I cannot think about anyone else that can act in this show as good as they did. It was so natural! Dai Lu Wa's visual and great acting got me. I did not know her before this, but after watching it, it made me want to watch all of her other dramas. Bai Lu definitely did not disappoint! Her acting is on point, and she was as beautiful as ever! I never thought that she could have better chemistry with anyone after Luo Yunxi. but Ao Ruipeng proved me wrong. Their connection is nothing ive seen before. I heard a lot of people comparing Bai Lu and Dai Lu Wa together, but honestly, they were both so good it'd be so hard to choose! I will definitely watch it again when I can!

Read More

Loved the purple hues

I don't understand the hate for this drama tbh. For me it's a solid 9/10, considering the story and the acting.

> The story was amazing - up until ep 34 (if you're looking for a happy ending for all, stop here). I feel that everything after could have not happen.
> The acting was great, all actors could convey their inteded role and emotions. From all the Bai Lu dramas I've watched, I feel she did her best in this drama and I really loved her in this role. The ML had a stiff face, especially in the more intimate moments, he looked like he was forced to be there. But overall good performance from him as well. 2nd FL was really cute, hope to see her as lead actress in the future.
> The settings&CGI - they imagined awesome locations. I don't know if they created a whole new set for the Bright Moon Palace, but I loved the color pallete. Also It was fun to recognise some sets from others dramas I've seen.
> The costumes - fit the bill. Very colorful and daring I would say, with great patterns. Some of the best I've seen in such dramas.
> The music - mediocre at best. Only one extract from one song I could constantly hear.
> The ending - Altough it's supposed to be happy, for me it felt as bit forced (like facepalm cringe).

Read More

one of the best visual effects ive ever seen in a drama!

wow where do I begin....there are many things to unpack in this drama. Let me start with the directing and filming of the show. First of all we can tell that its a very high budget drama. From the insane colourful and detailed interiors of the rooms, to all the beading details on the outfits, it was definitely not cheap. The visual effects felt so natural and mesmerizing, especially during fight scenes where the motion was very fluid (except for maybe the hidden race power...that was lowkey ugly).

PLOT:
Now in terms of plot, you can see it has multiple small plots set in place for a larger plot. Every few episodes the leads will solve mysteries in different clans and locations bringing them closer to solving the main issue. The leads get alot of screentime so you wont find yourself skipping much. Its a subtle version of enemies to lovers but they kinda fall for each other quite fast. There was one thing that I felt was quite repetitive, the fact that Fan Yue kept dying and coming back to life. Towards the end it became like Bai Shuo was the main main character and the rest were there just to sacrifice themselves for her. This part was a bit of a letdown for me. Most of the time you see Bai Shuo crying for others but rarely saw anyone crying for her cause shes always alive...

I really enjoyed the plot for the 2nd leads. Although in the first half of the drama they are really hateful characters, I ended rooting more for them than the leads by the second half. Their plot was really a enemies to lovers plot and it was truly very interesting to watch. They were so cute together.

Regarding the storyline, I first put the drama on hold cause the first few episodes were just too confusing for me. But after you get past the first 5 episodes it makes a lot more sense. I think the writer was setting up the foundation with the first few eps which felt like an information overload while watching. Other than that, the story progression is good with good reveals and plot twits along the way.

ACTING:
Needless to say Bailu was just amazing. Her crying scenes felt so sad you could actually feel her misery through the screen. Her character was smart and confident and her styling was done so well.
Ao Rui Peng was really good as well. He had the aura of the Demon Lord and you could see the clear distinction in personalities when he switched characters.
Dai Luwa is so pretty and shes also really good! She acted the evil role with alot of confidence and really very cunning.
Chang Hua Sen also had to change between roles which was natural too
I actually hope the second leads can get more main roles in the future cause they have really good potential!

OVERALL:
A really good wuxia drama with amazing visuals and acting. The plot will keep you hooked and you can take your time to watch this drama as it has 40eps with a very lead centered plot.

Read More

I am disappointed by how the story is told because of bad script.

I’m a fan of Bai Lu and Ao Rui Peng and I’ve been highly anticipated and waiting for this drama since casting. Because of trailers, I had high expectations for this.
But i have to admit that it’s not worth the wait sadly.
Both actors are great. Ao Rui Peng is a little bit off from character at first but he did great in later episodes. Bai Lu is awesome as usual and all supporting characters are also great.
The problem lies in script. Although it’s fact pacing, the comedy lines and scenes the writer putting are awkward. The chemistry between the leads off screen is good normally but because of script, it feel forced on screen. Also there’s so much background music even tho some scenes are not needed it. The story looks like forced to go on.
The directing is second problem. As for xianxia drama, it’s bad.
No memorable scenes, no climax scenes, no captivating writing (story) and it became boring to watch.
As a fan of both lead actors, it’s so sad to see the drama boring and flat (at least for me) even tho it’s S+ production.

Read More

One of my Favorite Watch in 2025, Truly Entertaining!

One of my favorite watch ever, Bai Lu & Ao Rui Peng’s strong chemistry won me over!

I must admit that I wasn’t a huge fan of the prequel “Ancient Love Poetry”. I dropped it midway and never picked it up again. However “The Last Immortal” was a different story,I relished the storyline and enjoyed watching Zhao Lu Si romance Wang An Yu. Bai Lu & Ao Rui Peng live upto the precedent set up by their predecessors and lead the storytelling in a exemplary manner. There are very few shows that actually manage to keep to invested till the finale and “Moonlight Mystique” was one such romance. Everything from the storytelling to cinematography, costumes, settings and direction bears resemblance to the popular fantasy shows that China specializes in. Without wasting much time, let’s delve into the mechanics of this story and its variant characters!

Read the complete article here-

https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2025/01/26/moonlight-mystique-series-review/#more-1523

Read More

Not the best but enjoyable

Among the dramas currently airing in early 2025, this is the only one I’m still watching. There’s nothing particularly new or spectacular about this drama, but at least it’s not boring. The story follows the typical xianxia format: tragic pasts for the leads, a quest for revenge, a willingness to die for each other, the death of a beloved one, unexpected superpowers, etc. Despite its predictability, it’s still enjoyable if you’re looking for something to watch leisurely.

As for the acting of the main leads, Bailu is decent, as usual, but Ao Rui Peng doesn’t quite have the vibe of a “Demon King.” He doesn’t look intimidating or exude the aura of a king. To me, he doesn’t even seem particularly powerful. While he’s doing fine in other areas, I still feel something is missing in his performance.

The side stories are quite interesting as well. Up until the episodes I’ve watched, the tragic love between Rong Xian and Ling Long has been the most memorable. Some shots and filters used are questionable, but they don’t significantly affect the overall drama. After all, it’s a fantasy drama, so it’s best to shut off your logic and just enjoy it.

Read More

Start a drama off with zombies and you've got my attention!

This drama is very interesting so far. Besides being a Bai Lu fan, the costumes and setting also drew me in. It's kind of giving me a xianxia shot in Ursula from the Little Mermaid's lair vibe. Loving that so far...

Story: All the characters are pretty interesting. I'll admit that I didn't really start liking Bai Shuo until they left her hometown. There wasn't enough emotional build-up prior to make me feel anything when she lost her father. I know that sounds terrible, but forcing this emotional trauma right in the beginning is one of the areas that detracts from my rating. That and I just don't think the bratty daughter image works for Bai Lu. She has a very mature face and voice so I don't buy her stomping around and fighting with her dad all the time. Their relationship just wasn't convincing to me. Anyway, moving on...

I enjoyed the Outlander City arc but from the Fox Clan arc up until the last 7 episodes dragged. This drama could've been 5-10 episodes shorter in my opinion. I didn't start enjoying the story again until Xing Yue and Jing Yuan's romance. And then it was short lived and done in 2 episodes. I actually loved their story so much and wish they had their own mini drama.

Characters: I'm impartial to Ao Rui Peng but there's no denying how cute he looks here. This may be his best looking character to date. As for his acting, both him and Bai Lu are far from terrible, but neither have ever moved me to tears before. I'm more a fan of Bai Lu's modern dramas because I feel her comedic performances are better than her emotional ones. Unfortunately, I'm just not feeling the love between these two yet, which is another detractor for my rating. They both look drop dead gorgeous, like you can't look away from either of their faces when they are on screen, but the romance hasn't grabbed me yet. Which is disappointing because off camera at public events, social media, variety shows etc...they have great chemistry and both look like fun/flirty people. Seeing their clips together is one of the things that got me excited to watch this.

BUT, the 2CP definitely has my attention. I liked Fu Ling right out of the gate. It's been a while since I've actually appreciated a good villain and I'm a sucker for the gorgeous but evil queen trope. Everything about her is captivating from her first appearance. She has this cute, beautiful face, she comes and goes by disintegrating into flower petals, and she has this adorable female baby Groot thing that follows her around. And yet, she is rotten as they come on the inside. Love it. Perfect villain. And now this little spark brewing between her and Chong Zhao has got me fully drawn into their story. It also doesn't hurt that the 2CP is equally as gorgeous as the main CP. I would love to see Chong Zhao as a ML in his own drama because wow is he pretty.

I'm hoping this drama ends as strongly as it started, but mainly I'm hoping the main romance kicks up and the acting improves a little more. Then I would definitely change my rating.

Cons:
-Fan Yue and Bai Lu are very pleasing to the eyes but not very convincing in their roles. I don't find Fan Yue that intimidating. From the start, it's obvious he has a hidden persona that isn't so bad. Bai Lu has too elegant of a face/aura for me to believe she is a bratty young girl. Also, it's pretty obvious from the start that Fu Ling is her older sister. But Fu Ling has a cuter, sweeter face which makes her look like she should be the younger sister.
-The main CP romance is hard to describe...it's not exactly a slow burn but there's also not a lot of passion leading up to them getting together so idk... but it's not doing as much for me as the 2 CP's story.
-The OST is borderline insufferable. These type of songs just aren't my taste and the same 2 are overused.

Funny/Memorable parts so far:
-Xixi (aka female baby Groot) If she's on screen, I'm smiling.
-Bai Shuo always getting the upperhand over Fan Yue and him getting frustrated after being outsmarted multiple times. Her getting bitten by a zombie on purpose was wild and his reaction was hilarious.
-The whole Mu period was great. He was sweet, earnest and adorable. This character had a more believable temperament for Ao Rui Peng. Besides his appearance, I still haven't gotten the menacing vibe from Fan Yue. Regardless, Mu is a definite favorite so far and went away way too fast. Also, afterwards Fan Yue being jealous of himself was too funny.
-Fu Ling. Her story is sticking with me. I feel for her the most. She was the most caring, protective and thoughtful little girl. If she had never been turned evil I truly believe she was a better person than Bai Shuo. Bai Shuo is just fiercely loyal to those she cares about but Bai Xi's actions are more inherently kind. Especially towards Chong Zhao bc Bai Shuo admitted she never cared for him. Even as a friend I always felt that Bai Shuo only prioritized him when it was convenient for her.
-Fu Ling & Chong Zhao's relationship has me fully invested.

Read More

Too many contradictions in behavior

Couldn’t stand the constant consideration given to the worst and main culprit, by her peers and victims family and confidants, the characters Fu Ling and Chong Zhao talked about everyone’s else’s loyalty or lack there of, and the constantly saved each other or allowed or helped one another to escape, while lying to the people they were supposed to be loyal to as to why they helped each other. Then the people after Fuling talked too much and continued to allow her escape or be saved too ridiculous. I started watching this because of Bai Lu and ru peng but the bad script and acting of the 2nd leads was just too much. Dropped this series at the 18 th episode. Looking forward to something else by the 2 leads in the future.

Read More

The acting is so over the top and stiff that it feels like the cast is reading from a script instead of bringing their characters to life. The cinematography is no better every shot is either too dark or too bright, with no sense of artistic direction, making it feel more like a soap opera than a grand historical epic. The CGI is laughably bad I’ve seen more convincing special effects in a 90s video game. And don't even get me started on the casting it's painfully obvious that the actors are way too old for their roles, which completely ruins the believability of the story. Instead of feeling immersed in a historical world, it’s like watching a group of middle-aged people trying to play pretend. This drama fails on every level. Well i don't know if it will be good in the future episode i will still continue to watch this though this was just my opinion no offense to anyone.

Read More