A Fantasy Ride
“Moonlit Reunion”? I must have blinked, because I didn’t see any touching reunion beneath the moon. Maybe it’s happening in a deleted scene somewhere! “Return of Midnight” may be the better literal echo of the Chinese title 子夜归, but “Return of the Phantom” arguably captures the soul of this drama far better—mysterious, otherworldly, and just a little tragic.
As is sometimes the case, the synopsis on kisskh does the drama no favors. It reads like a hand-me-down blurb lifted straight from the original novel, while the adaptation walks a different, more whimsical path.
At the heart of the story is Wu Zhen, daughter of Duke Wu, sister to the Empress, and one of the most sought-after beauties of Changan’s aristocracy. Admirers line up for a chance at her hand, but she delights in making fun of and embarrassing them. Beneath her noble grace lies a shadow. As a child, she disappeared in a great fire that engulfed the capital; when she resurfaced, she was no longer quite the same. Bolder. Wilder. And harboring a secret that would shock the empire: she is half human, half demon—marked by what she encountered that night. Even more startling, she is the elusive leader of the Demon City.
Enter Mei Zhu Yu, the drama’s handsome and principled investigator from the Mystical Investigation Bureau. He, too, bears hidden truths. Trained as a celestial master, demon-slaying is not just his duty but his destiny. Driven by the belief that demons from the Demon City murdered his father through the great fire, he obsessively hunts for the city’s location, determined to wipe it out.
Their paths collide, sparks fly, and attraction simmers. But can love bloom between hunter and hunted? Are they doomed as star-crossed enemies, or will fate grant them a different ending than the bloodshed they both expect?
As light entertainment, the drama succeeds. It’s the kind of story that fills a lazy weekend with fantasy and whispered romance. Literary depth? Not much. Emotional nuance? Often shallow. Originality? Mostly cliche. Demon makeup? Think more Saturday morning cartoon than shadowy mythology.
Yet the production redeems itself in surprising ways. The costumes are gorgeous, the CGI delightful, and the soundtrack—gentle, wistful, and sentimental—wraps the narrative in the right mood, and good-looking key leads that keeps the drama afloat. And despite some flaws, the story does toss in a few intriguing twists that keep you watching.
So is it worth your time? As a drama, it’s charming enough and carries its own modest merits. Whether that’s sufficient for you is a choice only you can make.
As is sometimes the case, the synopsis on kisskh does the drama no favors. It reads like a hand-me-down blurb lifted straight from the original novel, while the adaptation walks a different, more whimsical path.
At the heart of the story is Wu Zhen, daughter of Duke Wu, sister to the Empress, and one of the most sought-after beauties of Changan’s aristocracy. Admirers line up for a chance at her hand, but she delights in making fun of and embarrassing them. Beneath her noble grace lies a shadow. As a child, she disappeared in a great fire that engulfed the capital; when she resurfaced, she was no longer quite the same. Bolder. Wilder. And harboring a secret that would shock the empire: she is half human, half demon—marked by what she encountered that night. Even more startling, she is the elusive leader of the Demon City.
Enter Mei Zhu Yu, the drama’s handsome and principled investigator from the Mystical Investigation Bureau. He, too, bears hidden truths. Trained as a celestial master, demon-slaying is not just his duty but his destiny. Driven by the belief that demons from the Demon City murdered his father through the great fire, he obsessively hunts for the city’s location, determined to wipe it out.
Their paths collide, sparks fly, and attraction simmers. But can love bloom between hunter and hunted? Are they doomed as star-crossed enemies, or will fate grant them a different ending than the bloodshed they both expect?
As light entertainment, the drama succeeds. It’s the kind of story that fills a lazy weekend with fantasy and whispered romance. Literary depth? Not much. Emotional nuance? Often shallow. Originality? Mostly cliche. Demon makeup? Think more Saturday morning cartoon than shadowy mythology.
Yet the production redeems itself in surprising ways. The costumes are gorgeous, the CGI delightful, and the soundtrack—gentle, wistful, and sentimental—wraps the narrative in the right mood, and good-looking key leads that keeps the drama afloat. And despite some flaws, the story does toss in a few intriguing twists that keep you watching.
So is it worth your time? As a drama, it’s charming enough and carries its own modest merits. Whether that’s sufficient for you is a choice only you can make.
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