Xiaxia5

I think it’s mostly a matter of personal feeling. If someone doesn’t like a couple, their scenes can quickly feel “too much.” But honestly, after episode 3, Teh and Fah only had small kisses and brief moments. Their more intimate scene mainly appears in episode 9, and it doesn’t even last long. Compared to the main couple, it’s definitely not excessive.
For me, they bring softness and a bit of stability to a series where the primary relationship is rather toxic and emotionally heavy. Their dynamic is healthy, tender, and communicative — it balances the story.
And after all, this is a BL series — intimacy is part of the genre and serves to show the couple’s growth and connection, not to be exploitative.
Of course, everyone has their own perspective, but personally, I don’t see anything excessive in it.

I understand your perspective, especially if you were expecting something as emotionally intense as I Feel You Linger in the Air. But I think The Hidden Moon offers a very different kind of dynamic.

For me, it’s not a lack of chemistry. It’s a relationship built on fear and inner conflict. Mas isn’t just falling in love — he’s falling in love with a ghost. He’s afraid of losing Ken, afraid that Ken might discover the truth, and afraid of his own feelings. Being close to a ghost has already put his health at risk; he almost died because of it. So his hesitation, his restraint, and the moments when he seems distant or withdrawn don’t feel like a lack of chemistry to me — they feel like constant fear.

The tension in this series isn’t passionate or demonstrative. It’s fragile, restrained, almost painful.

And considering that this was Mas’ first major role (David Matthew Roberts), I think he portrayed that introverted, sensitive, and natural side very well. His performance felt subtle rather than cold.

Of course, everyone experiences chemistry differently. But personally, I felt it — just in a softer, more internal way.
I actually loved the series and have rewatched it several times.

For my part, I preferred the series over the novel.
The novel didn’t particularly captivate me, whereas the series grabbed me very early on. It felt more emotionally fluid, even if it remains imperfect in its development.

Regarding Fah and Teh, it’s interesting to analyze their dynamic beyond immediate reactions.

Teh is young and inexperienced in matters of the heart. He has never been in a serious relationship; his past experiences were superficial, without deep emotional commitment. We cannot expect the emotional maturity of a character who has already gone through several stable relationships.

What’s remarkable is that as soon as he starts developing feelings for Fah, his behavior changes:
• He stops going out to clubs to flirt.
• He doesn’t seek other adventures.
• He doesn’t pursue multiple conquests.

He focuses solely on Fah, which is a clear sign of emotional growth.

Regarding the “once, but not twice” rule, it’s not just about a one-night-stand logic. As early as episode 2, we see that Fah is already emotionally invested, but he also knows that Teh isn’t ready to fully commit. Imposing this rule is therefore a form of emotional protection: Fah didn’t want Teh to be just another conquest. He wanted to see if Teh would come back on his own, by choice, and not out of impulse.

Fah’s patience is also significant: he doesn’t force anything, he observes, advises, and sometimes corrects Teh, but without belittling him. Their relationship relies more on learning and communication than on dominance.

Teh also shows his capacity to grow: as soon as he receives Fah’s guidance, he listens and tries to improve, avoiding repeating past mistakes. Even when helping his best friend in complex situations, he maintains his integrity and commitment to Fah. Importantly, his development is visible not only in avoiding his former behaviors, but also in actively applying Fah’s advice — for example, letting Toh make his own decisions instead of intervening, and adjusting his behavior to protect and respect his relationship with Fah. This reflects his emotional growth and understanding of relationships.

What may frustrate some viewers is that their couple remains secondary in the storytelling. They exist mainly to support Jimmy and Toh, and don’t have a real, independent storyline, either in the novel or the series. Even in the novel, Fah and Teh don’t receive more development or additional scenes; they mainly exist to support Jimmy and Toh’s story. This limits the perception of their depth and prevents their relationship from being fully developed.

As for Jimmy, the issue is more structural than moral. With only ten episodes, building a credible redemption arc is complex. His change may seem abrupt, not because it’s impossible, but because the narrative time is insufficient to anchor it emotionally.

In the novel, Tho and Jimmy take a year to reconcile. This duration is crucial as it gives weight to their separation, their suffering, and their personal growth. We really see that they have matured before coming back together. In the series, however, events seem to unfold very quickly, which slightly reduces the emotional depth of their relationship. I wish the time and distance had been more evident to make their development feel even more believable and true to the novel.

As for The, I don’t see him as a bad brother. He knows Tho better than anyone and is aware that he is already deeply in love with Jimmy. He also sees that Jimmy has changed and is sincere. To me, he’s trying perhaps clumsily to help two people who already love each other. Considering his youth in the novel, his behavior is more about inexperience than bad intentions.

On the other hand, I am more critical of Tho. From the beginning, he’s seen as innocent, but I found his actions questionable when he involved a third person to provoke jealousy. While his pain is understandable, using someone else to elicit a reaction seems emotionally problematic. Suffering can explain a behavior, but it doesn’t necessarily excuse it.

We can sense the story moving toward a reconciliation, which promises even more intense and emotionally charged episodes. I hope the series will take the time to fully develop this evolution and make the relationships feel realistic and nuanced.

Oh thank you! I had two windows open, oops. I’m going to delete it

Since episode 1, Toh was warned several times about Jimmy, but he was already under his spell and didn’t set any boundaries. His brother warned him, tried to protect him, and even installed cameras to keep an eye on him. How many times was he told that Jimmy was a player and a manipulator who didn’t truly love anyone?

But despite all that, Toh kept flirting with him and getting attached. Even when Jimmy treated him badly, he kept coming back. And without the scene at the club and Jimmy’s hurtful words, I’m not even sure he would have broken up. He had to be pushed to finally make a decision.

Moreover, Toh is older than his brother and has already finished his studies, yet his behavior is far from responsible. It’s almost like his younger brother acts more maturely, trying to protect him.

So yes, he suffered, and that’s sad. But he also made his own choices. We can’t put all the blame on Teh. For me, he remains the most disappointing character, and I never really felt compassion for him, even if many saw him as a victim.

Reducing Teh to “he betrayed Jimmy” is far too simplistic. He is not a manipulator; this is the first time he has truly experienced real feelings, and he is still learning how to handle them.

We must not forget Fah’s feelings. He was the one who made the first move and showed his interest. He had a crush on Teh for a long time, having watched him often in the club, and the outing was his idea. Teh was sincere: at first, he resisted the kiss, telling Fah that Jimmy liked him. But when Fah clearly said that he didn’t like Jimmy and wasn’t looking for anything serious, Teh finally allowed himself to be vulnerable. And let’s be honest… Fah is truly irresistible and charming!

Jimmy, on the other hand, was never sincere: he flirted with Tho while pretending to love Fah, and he started the lie by telling Tho that Teh liked Fah, so Tho would set up a meeting that would let Jimmy get closer to Fah, when his only goal was to keep flirting with Tho and try to seduce Fah. His aim was never love; he just wanted to satisfy his ego and “get the university Playboy.”

Even though doing it in the same room was a mistake, it can be explained by the new emotions that Teh couldn’t yet control.

Teh waited until he was sure of his true feelings. Having never been in love before, he needed to understand what love really meant to him. He couldn’t reveal everything to Jimmy immediately, especially since Fah had already set his boundaries. By the end of episode 3, it was clear that Teh intended to go to Jimmy to tell him the truth and show his feelings, even if this wasn’t shown afterward.

Teh acts out of sincerity and respect, not manipulation. He fully respects Fah’s feelings and decisions while remaining honest with himself and others, even in complicated situations.

Teh is helping Jimmy here because we finally see Jimmy vulnerable and sincere, something he’s never shown before (player, manipulative, never apologetic). In this short episode, Teh is simply reacting to this sensitivity, not out of favoritism. The series has a happy ending and there are three episodes left: we’re setting up the reconciliation phase.

Thinking being smart is just about separating facts from feelings makes someone a cold calculator, not human. Especially in a first relationship, it’s important to understand the “why” behind mistakes. Fah wasn’t naive he set limits and gave a final chance. That’s emotional maturity: judging the facts without losing one’s heart.

I don’t really agree. Forgiving Teh doesn’t mean Fah is “not smart”. It means he understands Teh and the situation.

Teh didn’t treat Fah like an object on purpose. He was under a lot of pressure, there was blackmail, his brother was involved, and he was emotionally lost. He panicked and made a bad choice, but not because he didn’t care about Fah.

Also, during the blackmail, Teh clearly told Jimmy that even if he distanced himself from Fah, Jimmy would never have a chance with him. That shows he trusted Fah and believed in their relationship. He knew Fah wouldn’t just choose someone else.

Fah isn’t naïve. He knows Teh made mistakes. He sees his guilt, his efforts, and how much he’s trying to change. That’s emotional maturity, not weakness.

And honestly, if Fah hadn’t forgiven him, their story would feel less realistic. People don’t always act perfectly when they’re confused and in love.

Yes, Teh messed up. But he wasn’t cruel. He was just learning how to love for the first time.

Their relationship is about growth, mistakes, trust, and understanding each other. That’s what makes it feel real.

Honestly, I think it’s too easy to put everything on Teh.

Yes, sleeping with Fah in front of his friend was inappropriate and disrespectful, and I agree with that. But we also have to look at the context.

Since episode 1, Jimmy had already been flirting with his brother, even though he knew Teh wasn’t comfortable with it. Teh told him several times to be careful and not to play with his feelings, but Jimmy never really respected that.

On Teh’s side, he had never experienced real love before. He felt something for Fah, but he didn’t even know if it was love, attraction, or admiration. That’s also why he didn’t know how to talk about it with Jimmy.

On top of that, Fah had set clear boundaries from the beginning, so Teh was stuck between his feelings, his friendship, and those rules. It wasn’t easy for him.

And honestly, even without that scene, Jimmy and Toh would have kept seeing each other in secret. They had been flirting for a long time already.

And even if Teh has a “player” image, he was sincere with Fah as early as episode 2. He clearly said he wanted to love someone for real and have a serious relationship, he just never had the chance before.

So yes, Teh made mistakes. But Jimmy did too. They’re both young and emotionally immature, trying to figure things out.

I don’t agree with the idea that Teh is selfish.

From episode 1, Teh has always tried to protect Tho. He even installed cameras because he was worried. Jimmy kept coming without warning just to flirt with Tho, and Teh noticed it. That’s why he warned his brother many times: “Be careful,” “Don’t fall in love,” “He’s a player.” He said it again and again.

At some point, when you keep warning someone so many times, there’s nothing more you can do. You can advise and protect, but you can’t make decisions for them.

Even the day he came home, you could see that Teh was hurt and jealous seeing Tho with Jimmy, yet he still tried to protect him.

You say Teh should have just exposed Jimmy, but how do you tell your own brother that the person he just slept with is playing with him? That would have emotionally destroyed him. Teh chose to protect his feelings first, even if it hurt himself.

Also, the next morning, Tho had already heard part of the truth. And when Teh arrived, Tho deliberately put on his AirPods to pretend he hadn’t heard the conversation between Teh and Jimmy. He knew something was wrong, but he still chose to continue.

So it’s not fair to put all the blame on Teh.

And let’s not forget that Jimmy also has responsibility. He flirted with Tho, gave him hope, and never set clear boundaries. It’s not only Teh who made mistakes.

Teh himself doesn’t even fully understand his own feelings. He said he doesn’t really know what love is. He’s lost, scared, and trying to protect both his brother and Fah at the same time.

In my opinion, Teh is not selfish. He’s just stuck in a situation where every choice hurts someone.