Banxi_the_Commentary_Grr

This drama felt like two different shows to me. One was all about the subplots, whose storytelling resonated with me the most. Their soul and passion gave the entire feature its momentum. Then came the second part, which centered on the two couples’ stories—and that’s where it lost me. It deviated heavily from the Ancient Love Poetry universe, and I struggled with the reframing. I love Bai Lu and Cheng Huasen, but losing the Tianqi–Yuemi narrative—and seeing Xuanyi, who was compellingly grey and layered in Ancient Love Poetry, reduced to a maniacally love-stricken Mo Li—was disappointing.

I had hoped for a continuation of Ancient Love Poetry that would offer closure on Tianqi and Yuemi’s story—but that’s not what happened. Moonlight Mystique is more of a reinterpretation, and taken as an independent feature, it unfortunately wasn’t the version I was hoping for. I also found the second leads problematic. Their transitions didn’t feel fully developed, with no real epiphany or accountability until the very end. Ultimately, this just wasn’t my cup of tea. I’m not even sure how to rate it, because the inconsistencies were ... well, inconsistent. The side stories were top shelf for me, while the main storyline fell flat. So, although the drama had a strong start and initially captured my heart, the ending didn’t land for me once the subplots wrapped up and the lead narrative dominated.