Moonlight Mystique

A really captivating drama with amazing cast and almost good plot

So where to start cause ALOT happens in this drama!!! some of the sub plots are story of their own and if it was other dramas they would probably stick with one or two and make a drama out of them but here you see the characters go from place to place uncovering new stories and parts of themselves. Different set designs and costumes really elevated the overall engagement you would have with the plot and the ost was such a gem!!! The cast has real chemistry and they nailed their characters, I knew they’re really good actors but they outdid themselves. Probably the only problem and reason I don’t give it all 10 is cause of last few episodes, it was the best xianxia until it took a turn and became like many other dramas, the ending didn’t seem rushed it just wouldn’t satisfy you as much as their journey up until the did, when you watch a drama with good actors and plot you do expect a good ending for all characters, I’m not saying keeping everyone alive and giving them HE but still you can manage to make the ending less like other dramas with lots of cgi and death, coming back alive and etc, overall I absolutely enjoyed watching it and would recommend if anyone wants to watch a good fantasy drama. But I would really like to see Bailu and Ruipeng in a modern or republic era drama, if given a good plot I’m sure they will nail it.

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It was better than expected...

The first time I saw the materials when the drama had just finished filming, I honestly thought the project would do bad. Especially because I wasn't a fan of the set and couldn't envision what the production team were planning to do with it, and also because the few costumes that were seen from the reuters where too extravagant for my taste. Also wasn't sure how well the male lead will do or if the female lead Bai Lu could really lead this Xianxia project.

I love watching Bai Lu's dramas as I find them entertaining, even when I watch them hoping to scrutinise everything, I still enjoyed them. But for this project, I wasn't sure I would enjoy it, I was actually very skeptical to give it a chance. But just like her other dramas, I went in hoping to find something I could scrutinize, as her dramas always attract negative comments. But interestingly, from the first episode to the last episode, I enjoyed every bit of it. Definitely better than I had expected.

However, even if I definitely enjoyed the play and honestly thought it was done well, from the plot, storyline, costume, dialogues, line delivery down to sets (I hated the first time), I think there were still some things that needed improving. So here are some points that I thought were weakness and strengths of the drama;

Weakness:
1. BaiLu: Although her lines have improved tremendously, she still needs to work on her lines, especially her intonation (Which it seems she's fully aware of). And I do hope I get to see her in dramas where she doesn't always have to cry, She's a good actress and has the potential to be better than this, but if she has to cry for every project or if every project has to have some angst or sad scenes, it will be natural for audiences to say she's always doing the same thing (although she necessarily isn't always doing the same thing).

2. As for the male lead, the second leads and the other casts, I believe they all did excellent. But the male lead and the second leads had an issue with focusing their eyes. Sometimes they mistakenly looked at the camera when they shouldn't and sometimes because the camera wasn't necessarily on them, it seemed they went off character.

3. The CGI, I don't know if it's because there were so many people involved, it was quite visible that some special effects didn't come out well. For the sets and props, although not bad, but wasn't necessarily the best either (even if I liked them), most of the props clearly were fake, especially the flowers, and the head peices, which automatically gives the audiences the impression that it was a cheap production.

4. The way the original soundtracks were used in some scenes were off. Even if I enjoyed all the soundtracks, I felt the overuse of them in scenes that didn't require them may have weakened the audiences viewership.

Strengths:
1. All the actors were good at expressing complex emotions making it more enjoyable for viewing. When it was a sad scene, the all acted very well with their eyes and facial expressions. When it was a confrontation scene or a happy scene or a romantic scene, even without a dialogue, it was easy to understand and that made it very enjoyable for me.

2. The dialogues were written so well. They put some serious thoughts into every words said by the actors. And I love how there was a message in every dialogue.

3. The action scenes were superb. It wasn't awkward, not one bit. The fight choreography if you've watched the drama you'd notice were a bit tricky, but every actor (even the supporting actors) did exceptionally well. I was extremely impressed.

4. The costumes: I don't think I need to elaborate on this point, as we can all tell how visually pleasing all the costumes looked. The most impressive thing about the costumes for me is the details put into the costumes of every clan and sect.

5. The sets and probs: although I mentioned it as a weakness, I also think it is a strength of the drama. Every set and probs seems to have been carefully prepared. I especially love the fact that it didn't give the typical feeling of Chinese Xianxia sets, and the fact that it helps the audiences understand that it is purely fictional. Which I believe was what they were going for.

6. The music: If you haven't listened to playlist of the soundtracks, I think you should go and check it out. Everyone of them is perfect, just perfect. And the instrumental soundtracks used to highlight the mood of each scenes were also used well. I think it made the scenes more enjoyable.

7. The Plot and Storyline: Usually when watching dramas, it is quite typical for the plot to slow down or the story to go off track, which sometimes goes completely off track, but that definitely wasn't the case with this drama. If you watch the drama you'd understand my point better. There were some complaints about the plot not solely being about the female lead, or about her no longer pursuing her cultivation, but I feel genuine viewers will understand that the journey of trying to acquire each thought was basically the female lead's character's journey of cultivation. The plot twists were particularly satisfying. I also loved that in every journey to acquire a thought, each stories were told beautifully and carefully. I also loved how they explain every process and actions taken by any of the characters.

In conclusion, Moonlight Mystique is a well produced drama. It sure has it's weaknesses, but it is not a bad, boring drama or would it be a waste of your time. You are bound to find something you like, If you're genuinely just looking for entertainment and not to spread hate or scrutinize or find faults. It's production definitely may not be big as the other dramas it competed with, and may lack somethings that those dramas had, but it definitely isn't a flop project not was it a failure.

Thank You
P.s (It is a very long paragraph, but if you've read it to the end, you did well)

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Amazing cp

Engaging storyline, beautiful people, not boring second cp, TOP NOTCH ost…oh, the makeup, I am so in love with the eye makeup..lmao.

First cp with such riveting chemistry. I was also invested in second cp’s story, and the backstories spanning 60k years.

Never thought I’d say this but this is one of my favourites of Bai Lu’s pairing (forgive me, LYX). Regardless, my queen has had amazing chemistry with the other leads of all her dramas that I’ve watched and LYX is still right up there. SOKP with ZLH is very close second to these two.

ARP is such a revelation to me, haven’t watched any of his other work before. Loved DLW..last but never least, Bai Lu, my queen of queens, never let me down, she’s so clutch, appreciate all her hard work.

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Unbelievably Beautiful, Robust Story

This is the most beautiful drama I have ever seen. The money spent on scenery, sets, costumes, music, CGI must have been astronomical!

The beauty of the costumes and CGI is BEYOND THIS WORLD. I can only imagine being able to create such beauty back in the day when the folks in charge had thousands of slaves to sweat and strain for thousands of hours to achieve such effects. No kidding! I have never seen outfit after outfit covered in sparkling beads, layers, and jewel-toned colors. A true level above all the other wonderful costumes I have ever seen. I don't know how they made all the costumes and accessories given that, I think, they need multiple copies to film in them day-after-day. They absolutely have to win an award for costuming in this, especially considering the different costume themes needed for the different "segments" of the drama.

Re the CGI, the trend for purple, pink, blue, and sunset jewel tones that I noticed in "Love You Seven Times" (an underrated gem) was continued here to its fullest. Stunning! And the sets as well were creatively planned, visually extremely interesting, and jammed with lovely colors, textures, and items. I could practically yank out my eyeballs and not be sad for the rest of my life from having seen enough beauty to last.

The OST music was to die for. I was singing along because the songs were so good (such as "Under the Moon"). Another one, "Flowers Fall With No Trace," has this plaintive wailing tone combined with a bit of a rapping driving energy that is incredible.

Oddly, the only visual area where they were a bit light was the make-up. In one "segment," for instance, in the world of the Outlanders, actors seemingly didn't wear any foundation/base at all, with their real skin flaws showing through: very unusual!

The story was typical in a few basic aspects (such as under-cover villains), but putting it all together it was immensely entertaining, had multiple segments with different characters and focuses, and more than enough life-and-death drama to fill two shows.

Beyond the main stars (Bai Lu is all you really need, right, since she is SO GOOD), all the other actors, including well-know character actors, were all quite good.

There were a few areas where I did think the drama fell a bit short: the evilness and the emotional scenes.

The evil characters really didn't seem that mean to me. Yes, they did bad things, but their manner did not seem all that menacing or ugly, so I couldn't really feel the horror. One villain was, I think, supposed to be creepy and "slick" in his elegant and calm evil, but it just felt flat to me. Felt the same way about the other main key evil guy. Just not evil enough. And the terrible world-wide impacts of the evil guys didn't seem too evil or we didn't see them. In fact, the ML also didn't seem "heavy" enough to me. I could have used a bit heavier, more grounded, more adult feeling from him to match the larger-than-life feeling of the female lead. Maybe they thought that would make the drama seem too comic-book-like, but I could have used just a bit more here and there. (I think about the drama "Till the End of the Moon" and the sharp and grounded presence of Luo Yun Xi.) A bit more hissing, ranting, and cruelty from the villains, please.

The hardest part I had with the drama were the emotional scenes. They were excessive and left no stone unturned; every single relationship and nuance was worked through in exhaustive detail, EXCEPT the scenes where the ML and FL were going through the process of falling in love and then the love scenes between them. Yes, there were a lot of heads-resting-on-shoulders scenes, but joy, amazement, curiosity, intrigue, all the emotions a "person" goes through while falling in love happen off screen or not at all. There is also no flirting, teasing, stomach-fluttering, line-crossing sexiness, and no physicality except for hugging and kissing, some great and some not-so-great.

And I want to give a shout-out to Dai Lu Wa for being so good at playing the 2FL role. Yes, she is stunningly beautiful and the role/character is a heart-wrenching and pitiful one, so it would be hard NOT to like her, but she played it very well.

So very beautiful and immersive, the highest-quality production I have ever seen. Far and above any others in production values.

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must watch for xianxia fans

As a fan of Chinese fantasy dramas, I was excited to watch Moonlight Mystique, and it did not disappoint! The drama is a visual masterpiece with its vibrant color palette and breathtaking cinematography. The fantasy elements are beautifully integrated, creating an enchanting world full of magic, celestial beings, and demon gods.

Story & Pacing

The plot follows Bai Shuo, a determined young woman who embarks on a journey to repay a life-saving debt, leading her to Fan Yue, a demon god. What starts as a relationship based on mutual manipulation slowly transforms into a deep and emotional connection. Unlike some xianxia dramas that drag with excessive side plots, Moonlight Mystique maintains a good pace, keeping viewers engaged without unnecessary filler episodes.

Characters & Acting

Bai Lu (as Bai Shuo) delivers a strong performance, balancing her character’s innocence, determination, and eventual emotional growth. Ao Ruipeng (as Fan Yue) is equally compelling, portraying a powerful yet vulnerable demon god. Their chemistry is undeniable, making their love story feel organic rather than forced. The supporting characters also add depth to the story, with well-developed subplots that enhance the main narrative.

Visuals & Special Effects

One of the standout aspects of the drama is its use of high-saturation colors, creating a dreamlike atmosphere that sets it apart from traditional xianxia dramas. The CGI and special effects are impressive, especially during the battle scenes and celestial transformations.

Music & OST

The soundtrack is hauntingly beautiful, featuring emotional ballads and epic orchestral pieces that elevate key moments. However, some tracks are repeated a bit too often, which may feel redundant to some viewers.

Final Thoughts

Overall, Moonlight Mystique is a must-watch for xianxia fans. It has romance, action, emotional depth, and stunning visuals, making it a standout in the genre. If you love stories of destiny, redemption, and forbidden love, this drama is definitely worth your time!

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A rollercoaster of emotions, totally unexpected but wonderfull surprise

How should i start ? Moonlight mystique, It is definitely a drama worth watching and rewatching. i was not expecting to like it this much, but i was quickly hooked, the part i enjoyed the most was definitely the romance, finally found another Wuxia with a healthy romance from start to the end, but thats not the only good thing about this wonderful drama, the story line its really good, and it has the quality of surprising you with events that seemed predictable, but take an unexpected turn.

The cast acting was great, but Bai Lu just slayed her role, i must say, her crying scenes left me spechless, she was so good in those scenes that it make me rewacht it a couple of times. The way they used some secondary characters to add side stories and convey an emotion of sadness and longing was very clever, because although they were not events that the audience would enjoy, they included them in a way that made you more hooked on the story wich its not easy at all, great storyline and satisfying ending.

Production, CGI and visual were great, beautuful and dazzling, great custome. The battles were good but somewhat simple, personally I enjoy battles that are a little more dynamic and less static, they still had good effects and the fights that did not include as much magic and were more physical were very good.

Moonlight i must say this again, you were a wonderful surprise, TYVM.

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Good drama

My ratings for the series out of ten:
Recommended series: 10
Acting: 9.75
Directing: 9
Music: 10
Chemistry between the main characters: 10
Dialogues: 10 It was very meaningful, the series helped personal growth 🩵
✨️ It's worth watching again (I think I'll watch it many times)
Overall series rating 9.75 Highly recommended ✅️
It's one of those beautiful series that stays in your memories💘🌈 I laughed and cried with it and learned
It's a series that I eagerly waited for the new episode every day.
I liked the characters in the series, each of whom had their own story and you could relate to them.
The chemistry between the couple in the series was great.
I liked the process of the series
The dialogues were great and it showed personal growth, that is love, sacrifice, goodness, selflessness, and many good and bad truths...

⚘️ A memorable series that I love and will love ⚘️
Don't get tired of the series team for such a beautiful series 👏🏻
I will definitely watch this series again 🌸 because I will definitely miss it 😭
✅️Recommended series

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Excellent except for a predictable ending

This drama scored well on many hygiene factors: beautiful costumes, spectacular special effects, an excellent cast, handsome male lead, pretty second female lead, a popular female lead, lovely music. The story was intriguing - it's was like an onion, you just keep peeling layers after layers to get to the core. Secrets were being revealed one at a time to finally give the complete picture. Aside from the mysteries and secrets, you got to see the typical dramatic spice-up - love triangle, jealousy, saving the damsel in distress... The main male and female lead were suspicious of each other but they eventually fell in love.

However, the ending was somewhat predictable - all in line with today's trend. So if you watch enough of Chinese drama in recent years, you would know how it would end. In some way, it took the shine off the drama.

Bai Shuo was the second daughter to the Governor. When she was a child, her sister and she were almost killed by a demon and was saved by a god. She promised to repay him. Motivated by this, she strived to become an immortal. Mistaking Fan Yue who was the demon leader as an immortal, she sought his help to attain immortality. Chong Zhao was Bai Shuo's childhood fiance and was determined to protect his fiance from the demon leader. Together, they uncovered the secrets of the ancient gods, how they were related to them, and the divine responsibilities they were entrusted with.

The drama had some major flaws. A fraudster priestess was passed off as the personification of heaven law to bring the couple together. This was absurd, distasteful and unconvincing. There are already enough gullible people in this world without the screenwriter introducing such stupid ideas into people's head. A fraudster should stay a fraudster in the story - better still get punished accordingly.

And what is today's trend? The second lead/s die; the hero or heroine dies as well but get resurrected. That is typically how Chinese drama ends these days.

Overall, I say, this drama was still one of the best fantasy Chinese drama. Debating whether to give it a full 10 or 9.5, I decided to give it a 9.5. As with a lot of recent dramas, the drama had an excellent start but somehow tired out in the last couple of episodes. For that and the predictable ending, I took 0.5 points off.

If you are not a drama addict as I am and have not watched as many Chinese dramas as I have, this could be an excellent drama to follow.

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