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A Lakorn First.... a BL Second...also NOT the next "I Feel You Linger in the Air"
Let’s start my review with a couple quick comparisons. I am still searching for the next “I Feel You Linger in the Air” that hits me with the same feelings. I LOVE that drama!
How is “Love in the Moonlight” compared to:
1) I Feel You Linger in the Air (IFYLITA) - Unfortunately, “Love in the Moonlight” is not that drama I was searching for. It has a very different feel from IFYLITA. To me, IFYLITA is the most romantic and sensual Thai BL out there. I LOVE that romance so much. “Love in the Moonlight” feels more like a lakorn with a gay couple as the main romance.
2) To Sir, With Love (TSWL) - Yes, “Love in the Moonlight” feels more like TSWL. It has a central family theme with conflicts, in-fighting and a gay romance. TSWL has a frustrating mother, LITM has a frustrating father. They both feel very lakornish. If you like TSWL, you will probably like LITM. LITM has a stronger romance with more skinship and kisses than TSWL.
3) Memoirs of Rati (MOR) - MOR is just a fluffy sweet romance. “Love in the Moonlight” is more well-rounded and has stories that do not necessarily circle around the main romance. MOR is a period rom-com, but LINTM is a period drama.
Now, how is “Love in the Moonlight” as a drama itself? I don’t love it as much as IFYLITA but it’s a decent watch. It’s a decent watch if you like lakorn with a side of BL.
Plot/Pacing
Luckily, the drama is only 12 episodes long (even though the last episode is 1 hour and 40 minutes), it’s definitely a lot shorter than a traditional lakorn. The pacing is not bad, but it can definitely speed up a little, especially the last episode. The drama focuses on Prince Saenkaew’s family needing to relocate to Thailand due to political changes in his native country. In order not to give up all his family’s royal fortunes to the new government, his father has a deal made with another royal family in Bangkok, in the form of a contract marriage. Although the plot is not really filled with unexpected twists and turns, I do think the premise is interesting enough. Of course, our little Prince is gay, and a contract marriage is not going to make him happy, especially when he eventually falls in love with his fiance’s cousin! There are quite a few plot holes throughout the drama. I have a similar complaint about the leads in IFYLITA where the PDA in forbidden romance is SO publicly displayed! No wonder the secret can’t be kept because these guys can’t keep their business in the safety of a room with locked doors. But there won’t be a drama if the secret is so well hidden. I love the initial episodes when the friendship between the leads is developed. They really do look like a happy trio. I read that some viewers are angry with Pin (FL) for not letting the little prince go. I feel differently because she was betrayed by the two people who she loves the most. The shock, hurt and disappointment can’t be easily resolved. I think if you are just a regular BL fan watching “Love in the Moonlight”, you might not like this drama. The family conflict, the mean adults, and some of the ‘evil’ things they do to the people they supposedly love could be incomprehensible. But if you are a lakorn watcher, you’ve seen way worse in other dramas, e.g. I think the mother in “To Sir, With Love” is worse than ML’s father here.
Acting
I really like the acting of everyone. There is no exaggerated acting. I was not sure if I would like Peak as a ML because I don’t personally find him attractive. LOL😜 But his acting is good and his struggles and crying are believable (might cry a little too much in the last quarter of the drama). Pearl as Sasin is charismatic, and definitely fits the role of a popular playboy. Gorgeous Perth is so well-casted as the sweet and kind Pin. Surrounding the young main trio is a cast of veterans. If you have watched non-BLs and lakorns before, you would have seen these amazing veterans before. I have no complaint in the acting department here.
Romance
I enjoyed the romance for the most part, and I think romance lovers would be satisfied as well. You know it’s going to be fun when a disciplined and proper little prince falls into the arms of a charismatic playboy, right? Yes, we have quite a few of these cliche moments when they fall and are caught. The chemistry between Peak and Pearl is great right from the very beginning. Us romance lovers would die for someone like Sasin (so handsome!) to gaze into our eyes longingly. Both of them are green flags and it’s very easy to root for them. There’s enough skinship and good kisses, longing looks, love letters, secret meetings and hugging to satisfy the romance lover in me. We get to see the muscular torsos of our leads, but the intimate scenes are not explicit. Once they both realized their feelings and confessed, their romance moved quite quickly. I guess my one main criticism of this romance is that it all happens so fast in the second half. From a first real kiss to a first intimate scene, all happens at lightning speed. I also miss the sassy playboy in the earlier episodes. Sasin falls too fast and too hard, and he becomes this lovesick puppy dog in the latter half. I’ve always disliked MLs who fall in love and then forget who they were before. As for the love triangle, it’s to be expected. As I mentioned earlier, I am totally fine with Pin’s reaction.
Production
The whole drama has a very 60s feel to it, even down to the songs being sung by the band. I am not in love with the OST and feel that most songs sound about the same. The drama is not pretty with beautiful cinematography, but it also doesn’t look cheap. The costumes look nice enough. Pearth (aka Pin) and Suzana (aka Songsawat) look beautiful in their dresses, well they are gorgeous to begin with. All in all, everything is quite average.
I would only recommend “Love in the Moonlight” if you are familiar with lakorns and don't mind the dramatic family conflicts. Half of the cast is unlikable.🤣 The romance is pretty good but if you just want to watch a BL, this might not be the right one. Although I don’t love the drama, I had a decent time watching it. I will continue my search and wish for the next "I Feel You Linger in the Air".
Other Random Observations/Thoughts:
1. People really need to lock their doors and stop leaving important things lying around.
2. Pearl looks like a giant next to Peak. He is taller, has a bigger face, wider shoulders, bigger chest, and bigger hands.
3. Suzana Renaud and Perth are gorgeous! Thai women are beautiful and no wonder they do so well in Miss Universe contests. LOL 😍
4. I’ve seen Grandma in a few dramas now. She always talks so slow and I am slightly annoyed with her voice. *oops*
5. That uncle and his wife are so dumb and clumsy. They provide subtle comic relief.
6. I wonder if this is not a gay romance but another forbidden love (Prince and slave), will the drama be just the same?
Completed: 11/2/2025 Review #639
How is “Love in the Moonlight” compared to:
1) I Feel You Linger in the Air (IFYLITA) - Unfortunately, “Love in the Moonlight” is not that drama I was searching for. It has a very different feel from IFYLITA. To me, IFYLITA is the most romantic and sensual Thai BL out there. I LOVE that romance so much. “Love in the Moonlight” feels more like a lakorn with a gay couple as the main romance.
2) To Sir, With Love (TSWL) - Yes, “Love in the Moonlight” feels more like TSWL. It has a central family theme with conflicts, in-fighting and a gay romance. TSWL has a frustrating mother, LITM has a frustrating father. They both feel very lakornish. If you like TSWL, you will probably like LITM. LITM has a stronger romance with more skinship and kisses than TSWL.
3) Memoirs of Rati (MOR) - MOR is just a fluffy sweet romance. “Love in the Moonlight” is more well-rounded and has stories that do not necessarily circle around the main romance. MOR is a period rom-com, but LINTM is a period drama.
Now, how is “Love in the Moonlight” as a drama itself? I don’t love it as much as IFYLITA but it’s a decent watch. It’s a decent watch if you like lakorn with a side of BL.
Plot/Pacing
Luckily, the drama is only 12 episodes long (even though the last episode is 1 hour and 40 minutes), it’s definitely a lot shorter than a traditional lakorn. The pacing is not bad, but it can definitely speed up a little, especially the last episode. The drama focuses on Prince Saenkaew’s family needing to relocate to Thailand due to political changes in his native country. In order not to give up all his family’s royal fortunes to the new government, his father has a deal made with another royal family in Bangkok, in the form of a contract marriage. Although the plot is not really filled with unexpected twists and turns, I do think the premise is interesting enough. Of course, our little Prince is gay, and a contract marriage is not going to make him happy, especially when he eventually falls in love with his fiance’s cousin! There are quite a few plot holes throughout the drama. I have a similar complaint about the leads in IFYLITA where the PDA in forbidden romance is SO publicly displayed! No wonder the secret can’t be kept because these guys can’t keep their business in the safety of a room with locked doors. But there won’t be a drama if the secret is so well hidden. I love the initial episodes when the friendship between the leads is developed. They really do look like a happy trio. I read that some viewers are angry with Pin (FL) for not letting the little prince go. I feel differently because she was betrayed by the two people who she loves the most. The shock, hurt and disappointment can’t be easily resolved. I think if you are just a regular BL fan watching “Love in the Moonlight”, you might not like this drama. The family conflict, the mean adults, and some of the ‘evil’ things they do to the people they supposedly love could be incomprehensible. But if you are a lakorn watcher, you’ve seen way worse in other dramas, e.g. I think the mother in “To Sir, With Love” is worse than ML’s father here.
Acting
I really like the acting of everyone. There is no exaggerated acting. I was not sure if I would like Peak as a ML because I don’t personally find him attractive. LOL😜 But his acting is good and his struggles and crying are believable (might cry a little too much in the last quarter of the drama). Pearl as Sasin is charismatic, and definitely fits the role of a popular playboy. Gorgeous Perth is so well-casted as the sweet and kind Pin. Surrounding the young main trio is a cast of veterans. If you have watched non-BLs and lakorns before, you would have seen these amazing veterans before. I have no complaint in the acting department here.
Romance
I enjoyed the romance for the most part, and I think romance lovers would be satisfied as well. You know it’s going to be fun when a disciplined and proper little prince falls into the arms of a charismatic playboy, right? Yes, we have quite a few of these cliche moments when they fall and are caught. The chemistry between Peak and Pearl is great right from the very beginning. Us romance lovers would die for someone like Sasin (so handsome!) to gaze into our eyes longingly. Both of them are green flags and it’s very easy to root for them. There’s enough skinship and good kisses, longing looks, love letters, secret meetings and hugging to satisfy the romance lover in me. We get to see the muscular torsos of our leads, but the intimate scenes are not explicit. Once they both realized their feelings and confessed, their romance moved quite quickly. I guess my one main criticism of this romance is that it all happens so fast in the second half. From a first real kiss to a first intimate scene, all happens at lightning speed. I also miss the sassy playboy in the earlier episodes. Sasin falls too fast and too hard, and he becomes this lovesick puppy dog in the latter half. I’ve always disliked MLs who fall in love and then forget who they were before. As for the love triangle, it’s to be expected. As I mentioned earlier, I am totally fine with Pin’s reaction.
Production
The whole drama has a very 60s feel to it, even down to the songs being sung by the band. I am not in love with the OST and feel that most songs sound about the same. The drama is not pretty with beautiful cinematography, but it also doesn’t look cheap. The costumes look nice enough. Pearth (aka Pin) and Suzana (aka Songsawat) look beautiful in their dresses, well they are gorgeous to begin with. All in all, everything is quite average.
I would only recommend “Love in the Moonlight” if you are familiar with lakorns and don't mind the dramatic family conflicts. Half of the cast is unlikable.🤣 The romance is pretty good but if you just want to watch a BL, this might not be the right one. Although I don’t love the drama, I had a decent time watching it. I will continue my search and wish for the next "I Feel You Linger in the Air".
Other Random Observations/Thoughts:
1. People really need to lock their doors and stop leaving important things lying around.
2. Pearl looks like a giant next to Peak. He is taller, has a bigger face, wider shoulders, bigger chest, and bigger hands.
3. Suzana Renaud and Perth are gorgeous! Thai women are beautiful and no wonder they do so well in Miss Universe contests. LOL 😍
4. I’ve seen Grandma in a few dramas now. She always talks so slow and I am slightly annoyed with her voice. *oops*
5. That uncle and his wife are so dumb and clumsy. They provide subtle comic relief.
6. I wonder if this is not a gay romance but another forbidden love (Prince and slave), will the drama be just the same?
Completed: 11/2/2025 Review #639
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