Wenxia

For me personally 80% of enjoyment comes from the fact that I can't solve the mystery and don't know whom to believe, so I end up torn by emotions every time new details push my suspicions in this or that direction. This is a very intimate drama between just a few people that revolves around the secrets of one family. I think it could be boring to watch if you already knew what happened.

After 5 episodes I feel like I've been on a nonstop emotional rollercoaster ride with this family... I just have soooooo many conflicting feelings for these people! Even if this later turns into a mess as many comments said here - I still wanted to write that the first 5 eps were terribly good!

Maybe they cut the kissing because it didn't look natural? Could be just me -but these two give off zero couple vibes. Their affectionate moments so far has been a source of amusement to me.
Besides the main couple kissed for like a whole minute:)
I haven't finished Moonlight Chicken but wasn't the kissing in ep1 cut purposefully to suggest lack of intimacy or sth? Did they never kiss till the end of that show?!

Tee : in ep1 the doctor in that shady clinic said that was the name of the guy who saved Ken from being strangled on the bridge. Also left him that note warning him not to return to Thailand because it's dangerous.
Since he acted like a mysterious guardian angel watching over Ken, it's probably also him that
- beat and blew up those guys who made trouble at the restaurant
- attacked Ken in the temple to scare him into leaving Thailand then rode off on a bike.

I'd be very surprised if it turned out it's not either Din or Peter depending if they're the same person. But I guess it could be one of his friends too. Payu supposedly sent someone to keep an eye on Ken and news about Din. He may know more than he lets on.

Kan/Fin: I think it's the young waiter who asked for leave to go home in ep1. I mean we got introduced to only two people working in that restaurant and one is a girl named Nan…
Considering he wasn't working there long and apparently gave Ken a fake name and address - I'm thinking he was the one who tried to strangle Ken on the bridge.
I'm not good at recognising faces so I'm not sure if it's the same actor trying again! to strangle Ken in that hut. But that's my working theory:)

I see I'm in the minority here, cause I find this series totally watchable:)
My take on who's Tee and Kan in spoiler below:

Tee : in ep1 the shady but hot doctor said that was the name of the guy who saved Ken on the bridge and wrote him that note about it being dangerous to come back to Tailand. Same guy attacked and warned Ken in the temple then rode off on a bike I think. I'm assuming it's either Din or Peter depending if they're the same person;)

Kan/Fin: I think it's the young waiter who asked for leave to go home in ep1.

I also think they're tying up loose ends. Or there's some power struggle in the background. Not enough info to tell yet.

I really like the visual aspect of this series. There are so many beautifully framed shots of the actors! Pity the editing is a bit of a mess and a lot of them fail to evoke the right emotions. Ep3 imo had even more scenes that ran too long, felt pointless or unintentionally funny. I don't get the fixation on strangling - as if there aren't easier ways to incapacitate someone…
The flow is weird but I have no problem understanding the story so far. I do think they failed at introducing the secondary characters though - that funeral talk scene was just badly set up. The only thing that really confused me was Payu telling Ken they're the only ones who know he's still alive - but then no one seemed very surprised to see him at the funeral?

Sorry, my brain must've still been asleep when I wrote it. What I meant to say was they gave us zero clues so far. Could be anything from transmigration to a face transplant. I'd prefer the first but it's most likely the second:) Maybe Peter's tortured expression is because he can only look but not touch? After two years that must be painful:D Ken was probably meant to show some familiarity/recognition at seeing Peter but the acting wasn't it..

Lol we've all seen the same two eps. How would we have the answers? On iqiyi it says Ken feels "strangely trembled" when he meets Peter, so there you have it;D I thought at first the gloves were for hiding fingerprints but that'd be so overkill.

No idea what this is about but the first comment I saw on douban read: "Northeast Fargo; Northeast Thermos Breaking Bad; Northeast Stranger Things; Northeast The Last of Us." I'm sold:D

Don't wanna be all Hercule Poirot about it but Close is Belgian;) It was co-written and directed by Lukas Dhont who's from Belgium.

Synopsis says Singapore. They're using simplified characters so it fits.

Just finished watching the first 2 eps with mixed feelings. I like the characters and the visual style, but as far as introductions go, this wasn't great. Too little info on who's who and too much standing around having long talks about nothing. What was the point of that Thai food convo? That whole scene went on for close to 10min and brought nothing to the story…

I like the guy who plays Peter - I can feel his inner torment when he looks at Ken. Ken keeping Din's things/mementoes in that glass display case like some sort of museum exhibit made me laugh. But it was a much more interesting way to show the depth of his heartbreak (and his weird side;) than all this crying.

I'm totally fine with them surviving that fall. I was conditioned by wuxia dramas to believe that it's impossible to die that way - now see it more like a mandatory step in dating:)
It seemed like it was the raincoat-wearing guy who fired at Din from the forest. I wonder if he aimed for it to be non-lethal and then helped him disappear...

I've assumed he's just following whatever that guy reads on the podcast? I guess the books are supposed to give us better insight into the minds of the murderers. I also had to look up Stendhal's The Red and the Black in the first case:) Both the book and the case featured a guy ready to do anything to move ahead in life - so with Lolita I guess we'll have a case of 'forbidden attraction'. Though I don't know how it ties to the title of this chapter - paranoia.

They really have great on-screen chemistry. Also switch moods so fast, my emotions are all over the place. Just got to that birthday scene in Ep8 and felt the sorrow, awkwardness, then laughed hard:) I really hope we get to see the rest of this show. Would be a pity to waste such good work.

Does anyone know if the countdown here is based on sth other than rumours? Last I checked weibo it seemed they dropped 8eps, a poster and a vague quote and ran:/

Thank you for the context. That was actually good thinking. Maybe it spurred the gangsters ambition in turn lol

I loved the opening to ep7. That quote from Lolita sounded so sinister and unsettling, it pushed my imagination into overdrive. Talk about setting a foreboding atmosphere for this new case of girls going missing…

I'm starting to get why PS likes to hang out with Zhang Donglan. That guy is hilariously sincere "I may not have the brains but I'll bring in the brawn!" awww

Did I see LWZ just casually clean his shoes on PS's car?
"Emptiness is better than weakness"
Haha what a burn. They really like to push each other's buttons:)

The chief!! "滚蛋吧你连少伴都没有呢" Hopefully not long now 😏

Genuinely very very good. Coming from someone who hasn't read the book.

All 8 fixed now🥳

You're right, it was a poorly constructed joke! Let's just say he's not made for risky rescue jobs like that:D