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Cute Main Romance but with Many half-baked and messy side stories

If I were to rate “Love by Chance” solely on the main romantic story between Pete and Ae, this would have a higher rating. Unfortunately, this drama as a whole is messy and half-baked. There are too many side storylines that were introduced but not properly developed. I call this suffering from having a second season syndrome. These half-baked plotlines might continue in the next season, but this makes the first season full of plot holes.

But I do really enjoy Pete and Ae. They are really adorable together and have great chemistry. Yes, some of their lines are quite cringey, but I can look past that. Pete and Ae are just such good guys that it’s hard not to root for them. Ae is so sweet and kind, and seeing him slowly developing feelings for Pete and trying to understand himself is the most honest way, is a breath of fresh air. Pete is shy and I was worried that I would get annoyed with him in the beginning. I am not a fan of dismissive and passive characters. Thank goodness Pete surprises in a way that, though shy, he’s honest and will speak up and communicate his feelings. Pete and Ae really have one of the healthiest BL teen romantic relationships. They are honest and communicative. They are sweet and innocent in a way, yet the drama does not shy away from showing us that they are hormonal teenagers with desires. I think in that sense, the drama did a pretty good job, BUT only with Pete an Ae.

Unfortunately, the rest of the pairings are so much more problematic. Tin and Can have the second most screen time in their enemies-to-friends/lovers romance. It has a bullying and mean start but in the end, it touches my heart and I was saddened by Tin’s experience and how their story ended at the end of season 1. But I have to sit through their repetitive and annoying banter for a long time. Then we have these half-baked stories - Pond and Chaaim, Type and his never-seen boyfriend/girlfriend, annoying Chompoo, and Pete's ex and money stolen. But the two worst storylines are Tar and Tum. Tar has gone through something horrific but their storyline is an afterthought that has nothing to do with the main plot. It’s very unfortunate that a serious plot is thrown into the drama without proper writing/execution. The other horrible storyline is Good’s experience with the teenager. What the hell is that? Came from left field and was set up so horribly with another ‘toxic’ romance.

Additionally, the acting for the whole cast is pretty below-average. I know most of them are young actors and it’s their first drama. But I can’t just ignore the fact that I cringe at their acting quite often throughout the drama. I like Perth’s portrayal of Ae the best, and he’s my favorite in the drama. Saint’s Pete was hard to watch in the first few episodes, but he got better as the drama goes on. There are also quite a few loud and annoying characters. Ae’s roommate, Pond, is loud and obnoxious. He’s a good guy, but I can only take him with small doses. The annoying high school teenage girl, Choompoo, also gets on my nerves. I can’t stand her character and her high-pitched whiny voice. Luckily, she doesn’t have that much screen time.

If you are a fan of Saint and Perth, then I would recommend this drama for you since this is their first drama. They are really cute and their story is written in a very positive way. Otherwise, I will skip this drama. I also don’t think the introduction of the other characters' story is attractive enough for me to watch season 2 to find out their ending. If I do watch it, it’s because I see Perth looking quite handsome in this supporting role in season 2.


Completed: 6/1/2024 - Review #447

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Let's talk about Sex with a lot of Sex, Heart and Chemistry.

Subjective Enjoyment Rating: 8.5

This is one of the rare dramas that I think the English title better describes the drama than the original one, at least for the international audience. “Let’s Talk About Chu” focuses on the relationships and sexual experiences of each member of the Chu family. The Chinese title (愛愛內含光) is the name of the Vlog channel of Chu Ai, and focuses on sex education and her ideals on sexual relationships. The title originates from one of the verses of a poem 「曖曖內含光」meaning those with talents and positive traits shine from within (a very loose translation). How do we look past the appearance to find that special person who is right for us?

I had a very enjoyable time watching this short drama. A lot is being covered and was done at a very fast pace. I guess one of its shortcomings is the inability to really delve into the complicated relationships and spend time exploring the backstory of each character. This is also to be expected when we only have 8 short episodes.

At first, I thought this drama is similar to the K-drama “Hit The Spot” as it also has a podcast focused on sex. “Hit the Spot” actually focuses more on the podcast than this drama’s vlog. The vlog also comes at the end of the epilogue of each episode. I watched a few of them and got bored of it. The vlogs were not done in a humorous way and I found them dry and preachy.

Luckily, the actual drama is full of love, laughter and emotional moments. The acting is great and all the characters have excellent chemistry. Ok, maybe the actual acting of the sex act could be better, but that’s totally fine as they’re not porn stars. LOL. Yes, there are many sex scenes, though nothing with full-on nudity. These scenes help tell the story and I don’t find them arbitrary or unnecessary. I like that women in this show are not afraid to talk about what they want in their sex lives. They get frustrated and are not afraid to accept the fact that they’re not happy. The drama also touched on how a past trauma can affect your view of relationships and sex.

Though I am not fully invested in all the storylines, I like most of them.

* Chu Ai and Chou Ping Ke - I enjoyed their story in the beginning. I found Kai Ko (who played Ping Ke) super adorable and hot. How come I don’t remember him being so cute in “Till We Meet Again”? I must have got distracted by the pink hair. However, Chu Ai and Ping Ke’s romance lost steam towards the second half. I think Ping Ke is way too good for Chu Ai. He should have let her grovel a little more.
* Chu Yu Sen and Lee Yueh - They are my favorite! They are such an odd pair, yet they complement each other in a way. Their story is interesting and unexpected and also with a lot of heart. I love the last intimate scene. It’s making love instead of having sex.
* Chu Wei and Lin Shi Chieh - A very realistic story about married life when the initial sparks are gone. How do you keep the romance going and keep working at it?
* Mom and Dad - Not my favorite story not because they’re older, but because it’s boring.
I love that mom is watching BL on GagaooLala but Dad has no personality. I wasn't curious enough to find out if Dad has an affair or not.

Overall, this is a quick and easy watch. It doesn’t have too much time to tell a very deep story. But it touched on issues in various stages/types of relationships.


Completed: 2/4/2024 - Review #400

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Everyday life of a Blind girl + Thai Home Cooking!

This is a recommendation from a fellow MDL’er when I was looking for an easy and light drama to watch. This definitely is one, even though the story is about a blind girl. Most dramas with a lead character with a disability focus on the challenges of everyday life. This one is no exception. However, compared to other dramas, it was not too harsh nor is the focus on really telling us how hard life is. Yes, it did touch upon that a little, but for the most part, this is a slice-of-life drama.

Female lead Taem is a very likable character. She is not overly dependent on her friends, nor is she immune to the challenges of life faced by someone who is visually impaired. Through her monologues (and writing), we learn how she goes about life as a normal person - putting on makeup, learning a new route to work, typing on her laptop (writing articles), doing laundry, ironing her clothes and most importantly, cooking. It actually is very enlightening to learn the effort she puts into every single task with the help of her very patient best friend and with lots of practice. Amongst all these everyday activities, the drama focuses on her love of cooking and how she goes about learning to do that safely.

If you are looking for romance, you will be disappointed. This is a drama about life. The main leads have a lovely friendship and they might have very positive feelings towards each other. But there is no romance. Instead, we get to know a bunch of students in the cooking class. They come from all walks of life, different age groups and socioeconomic statuses, and face different challenges in life. This is a short drama, so it can’t really give each character a lot of screentime. But I feel that I know and care about them enough, especially Boem and the housewife. I really enjoy all the food scenes. The drama showcases simple, home cooked Thai food for your friends and family.. It’s a change from gourmet foods that are usually featured in dramas. The drama is quite educational as well.

But this drama is not without fault. In the earlier episode, I think it was uncharacteristic of Taem to leave her first cooking class without notifying anyone, even if she’s upset. She or her colleagues could have easily said something to the male lead. I guess that set the plot up for the rest of the show. A few car scenes are really fake (crappy green screens). The acting of the main cast is pretty good, but those with minor roles are below average.

Overall, this is a lovely drama to watch. It feels very warm and homey. Definitely recommend it if you are looking for something easy and enjoy cooking scenes. Both leads acted well and have decent chemistry as well.

p.s. I watched this drama on Thai PBS with English subs. https://www.thaipbs.or.th/program/SweetSensory/episodes/93887


Completed: 10/25/2023 - Review #370

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Can you really change your fate when given a second chance?

Completed: 9/28/2022 - 8.25 rounding up to 8.5

Choosing to watch this drama is because of Jing Chao. I’ve liked him since his role as General Fu in “Princess Silver”. I am glad that he did not disappoint and is the star of the show. The story of rebirth could be a tricky one. It could become repetitive and boring when not done right, but I think “Lost Track of Time” did a pretty decent job.

What I Like:

1. Jing Chao - Without a doubt, this drama would not be the same without Jing Chao as Mu Ze. Even though he was listed as the second male lead, he shines the brightest amongst the whole cast. He might not give me second lead syndrome in his role here (he did in “Princess Silver”) but he has a commanding presence and I can’t take my eyes off him when he’s on the screen. He has great chemistry with both the male lead and female lead. While I pity his character, I am glad that he was not portrayed as a cartoonish villain, but one who is smart and cunning.

2. Scheming Duel - I enjoy watching how Lu An Ran (FL) and Mu Ze try to outsmart each other every step of the way. When you think one of them has the upper hand, the tides change. The drama keeps me thinking if Lu An Ran really can successfully seek revenge and change the fate of everyone. I particularly enjoy the first ⅔ of the drama.

3. Brotherhood - Mu Chuan and Mu Ze’s tight bond is the best relationship in this drama, outshining all the romantic storylines. I am glad we get an extended and deeper look into their childhood life and why they become each other’s favorite person in the world in the rebirth timeline. Despite having very different personalities and goals in life, and Mu Chuan questioning his brother’s true character, I am happy with this bromance all the way till the end.

4. General Plot - Though I still don’t know why Lu An Ran was given a second chance, I enjoy how the rebirth story is told. At first, I worry about repetitiveness (like time lapse or time travel storylines) but am pleasantly surprised that the drama is able to create different storylines for different characters, though whether their fate was changed or not is the big question.


What I am have Mixed Feelings or Don’t like:

1. Main Romance - It’s unfortunate I don’t really feel the chemistry between Lu An Ran and Mu Chuan. And because of this, I am not moved by the angst and their sufferings. Mu Chuan, on paper, is the perfect guy. He’s caring, sweet, thoughtful, considerate and supportive. He doesn’t force Lu An Ran to disclose all her secrets, but patiently waits for her. I love the meaning behind the rice crop. He would make my list of Ideal Man. I am not sure if it’s because of the acting of both Xing Fei and Zhai Zi Lu, something is missing. I think both actors did a fine job, but not great. Xing Fei’s emotionless face is bland at times. Zhai Zi Lu is not animated or sweet enough. Or maybe because Jing Chao is just too good that they pale in comparison.

2. Dubbing - It’s unfortunate that none of the actors used their own voice in this drama. Everyone is dubbed by voice actors, and the voices are not well synced with how the mouths move. Most of the voices are fine, but the most annoying is the high-pitched voice of the maid, Ling Xi. Her character is already quite annoying and her dubbed voice makes it worse.

3. Production - I understand that this is not a big budget production. However, even a mid-budget production should be able to use a green screen effectively. There are scenes when the characters are in the grass fields or rice fields, and you can obviously see that the background is fake. And what is up with the fuzzy, slow motion camera work? I can understand if you’re trying to distinguish one timeline from another, but there are some regular scenes where such ‘unique’ fuzzy camerawork is not justified. The costumes and set design are of decent quality and on par with the budget. I do enjoy the songs in this drama. They are not overplayed and the music complements the scenes very well. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the OST on Spotify as I really enjoy the song, 今夕何夕 by Xian Zi 弦子.

4. Inconsistent pacing and scenes - For the most part, this drama has pretty good pacing, especially the first ⅔ of the drama. But towards the end, it becomes inconsistent. At times it seems like everything happens too fast, other times, I feel that it drags. I wonder if the drama would be better if it’s only 24-26 episodes long and not 30. There are also a few scenes that are inconsistent with a character or illogical, e.g. 1) a prisoner tortured and still in possession of a dagger, 2) a cautious character disclosing somewhat confidential info to another character, 3) people not running out of a room when there’s a fire and explosion erupted but continue to roll out subsequent events.


Overall, this is a pretty decent drama and should have a higher rating than 7.7. I quite enjoy it even though the romance did not move me as much as I wanted. I am giving this a a generous 8.25 (rounding up to 8.5 because I love Jing Chao, and I want to pull the average rating up a little). I think the current ending is realistic and good enough. I don’t think we need a special episode with an alternate (unrealistic) ending.

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Great Friendships and Bromance and Character Development

Completed - 1/27/2022 - 8.75 rounding up to 9.0

It's rare to see a C-drama with basically no romance, idols, or big name actors to have such a high MDL rating (8.8 at the time of this review). I have gone back-and-forth many times whether I want to watch this, since it's not really my type of drama. But the overwhelming positive reviews convinced me and I am glad I gave in. This is an excellent teen drama and not just about the game of Go, but of strong friendships, bromances and most importantly, our main lead's growth as a person.

Shi Guang (ML)'s character development is what I like best in this drama. We were first introduced to a 9-year old who is quite cute and smart. That little young actor is such a smartass that I can't help but laugh at and with him. He is actually quite mature of his age, when he sees through what Chu Ying wants from him, and that it might not be the road that he wants or is ready for. Throughout the drama, our ML has gone through enormous ups and downs. I actually find him quite annoying in the beginning as a teenager. The drama does a really good job in helping us see Shi Guang's thoughts and feelings, and the way he reacts to different situations, with the guidance of Chu Ying and his many friends. After finishing this drama and looking back at how annoying Shi Guang used to be, it's amazing how much I have grown to like him and the person he has become.

Shi Guang & Chu Ying have a great mentor/mentee relationship, in addition to being very close friends. Sometimes, it feels like Chu Ying is the father figure we never saw. It's fascinating when Chu Ying is teaching Shi Guang about chess playing, but it's also hilarious seeing how Chu Ying adapts to modern world technology and slangs so well. On the other hand, Shi Guang and Yu Liang have an 8-year rivalry. I really enjoy seeing the respective journeys of these frenemies. They have such an interesting dynamic throughout the drama. Shi Guang is really one lucky guy. He has some REALLY good friends in this drama, in addition to Chu Ying and Yu Liang. He has many supportive and caring friends in high school and in the chess club. These friends stick with him throughout his career as an amateur chess player to become a pro chess player. It's also quite amazing that I did not find any of his friends irritating or annoying.

The pacing of this drama is done well. I actually wanted more episodes to follow ML's professional career and international competitions. I don't think I've ever said that about a C-drama. I really enjoy the portrayal of the challenges in each step of ML's career. He's growing and achieving successes, and then, reality brings him back down to earth, and he has to face a new set of challenges. This makes the drama more believable, as we know even though ML could be a genius, he can't be an international champion just like that. The ups and downs in his career contribute to his personal growth. However, I do feel that the last couple episodes were a little slower and a little too much moping around. I understand why, but I don't think the drama ended strongly. Maybe that's why I wanted more episodes as it seems unfinished.

Another aspect I like about this drama is how all the actors look like real teenagers and young adults. Especially during the high school scenes, I feel like the kids are really teenagers and not actors pretending to be teenagers. They look like 'normal' people. They are not full of make-up or wearing fashionable clothing. Additionally, I like Chu Ying's transparent look. It gives a very fantasy-like feel to his existence, and that he's not just another person hanging out with ML. He is just so funny. He looks so much more handsome in ancient times without makeup though.

As someone who doesn't know anything about the game of Go. I have to say that the drama does not intend to teach me about the game. I am often lost and confused with all the moves, though they seem fascinating.

Overall, I really enjoy this drama. My gut might tell me that this is not a slam dunk 9-10 rating, but it's really quite good.

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Slow start, Excellent middle, Good finish

Completed - 1/6/2022

A sponsored, big production, "Luoyang" opens with beautiful cinematography and set designs. It introduces many characters and multiple plot lines all at once and took me a while to find my bearings. I personally find the first 10 episodes a little slow, but once the leads interact with each other more and the plot lines intersect, the pace is fast and exciting. It did slow down a little towards the end.

What I Like:

1. Plot - I am not much of a thriller/mystery watcher, so I can't compare this to other amazing shows. However, I am very invested in the mysteries and the investigations. There are a few twists that I have an inkling of what might happen, but for the most part, I went along with this thrilling ride and was quite surprised.

2. Acting - It's my first drama of Huang Xuan, and no wonder I hear lots of praises He was amazing as Gao Bing Zhu, a multi-layered and complicated grey character (to start). I've seen clips of Victoria Song in "Find Yourself" and didn't quite like her there (or I just don't like the drama). However, I am glad that I get to see her in LuoYang again. She surprises me as I wasn't expecting her to perform so well in emotional scenes. I am no stranger to Wang Yi Bo, and his acting is on par to what I expect. I also feel that his character doesn't provide him with enough range to show off his (maybe there) potential acting skills. The person that surprises me the most is Yong Mei, who played the Empress. What a presence she has! She doesn't speak loud, doesn't do much, but when she's on my screen, I feel her presence.

3. Production - The lighting! After watching so many historical C-dramas, I have come to expect certain big S+ dramas to satisfy my hunger for natural lighting. I am glad to see that Luoyang does not disappoint. The amazing use of candles and lanterns in Er lang's room and the Joint Corps pleases me the most. Aside from the lighting, the set designs and ornaments are beautiful. No CGI was used to have fake people. The drama employs many real people in this drama to act as regular citizens, and there are many scenes with crowds. There are any beautiful shots of Luoyang and realistic shots in Unwelcome Well.

4. Gao Bing Zhu + 16 Night - The last scene between the two of them is so amazingly acted by both actors. It's so heartbreakingly beautiful when we finally learn of the backstory between the two of them.

What I Don't Quite Like or want Improvements:

1. Flashbacks/Black screen/Camera work - My number one complaint of this show is the blurry flashback scenes. Why are they always so blurry? They are giving me motion sickness and making me dizzy. There are also many black screens that pop up to show a different camera angle. I've seen black screen used in other dramas, but mostly for scene transitions. But for the black screen to show up so many times just to change a camera angle, gets really annoying. The blurry flashbacks really affected my enjoyment of the drama. I also don't like the bright light behind the actors. I think they use this camerawork a little too often. Of course, this is all very personal.

2. Voices/Sound - I believe the actors are using their own voices, and I greatly appreciate that. However, I found Wang Yi Bo's line delivery very unclear in the first couple episodes. It sounds like he's mumbling. However, he definitely improves later on. I would love to hear live recording, but unfortunately, they are studio recorded. But overall, I found the dubbing for this S+ drama to be lacking. There are times when the mouths and sounds are not matching.

3. Not enough leads together - I hope to see more scenes of the three leads together. They are oftentimes working independently or only in pairs. I think the three of them have pretty good chemistry when arguing or investigating.

4. Liu Ran - As a character, she doesn't seem to provide much use. Her sole purpose to "humanize" Erlang. If they are going to do that, they could have developed the romance a little more. Yes, Liu Ran does call out "Erlang...Erlang... Erlang" quite a bit in this drama. But maybe I knew of it and have low expectations, I wasn't as bothered. I've seen enough annoying characters that I don't even find Liu Ran and her brother that bad. I've built up my annoying-character tolerance.

Other Observations/Thoughts:
1. Saw a different kind of wedding ceremony. Don't think I've seen a tent for the bride and groom to greet guests in any other historical dramas.
2. At times, the BGM is a little loud and I can't hear the dialogs.
3. Erlang is so multi-talented. He's a foodie and an architect. But he's also a chemist and a coroner as well.
4. Slow motion fighting again. Why???????
5. *SPOILER* Ending - Gao Bing Zhu and Wu Si Yue have gone through so much and have lost so many people in their lives. Why can't you let them live happily ever after???

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It's not perfect and frustrating at times, but still very enjoyable with good pacing.

“Silent” is a very difficult drama for me to rate and review. There are some very frustrating moments and decisions made by the male characters, thus decreasing my personal enjoyment. At one point, I was so mad at the male leads that I didn’t want Aoba to end up with either one of them. On the other hand, stepping in their shoes, I can also see why they would feel that way and make frustrating decisions. So, do I really like this drama or not?

As a melodrama, I really like the pacing. It was not too slow or too fast. I enjoy the use of silence and soft music to set the tone. I appreciate the actors' effort and dedication to learn sign language. It’s not easy, and sign language is not used sparingly but a lot throughout the whole series. There are a lot of emotions going through when watching “Silent”. I definitely cried with them. However, because the story was told using flashbacks throughout the drama, it lessens the gut-punch of heartbreaking emotions in the first episode when the leads are reunited. The drama hasn’t shown us enough scenes from their high school days for me to feel emotionally connected to their love story. So, when they meet again 8 years later and discover that So has been suffering alone, the impact is not as strong.

The overall acting of the cast is good, especially Kawaguchi Haruna as our female lead, Aoba. When her big eyes look straight into the camera, they display so many emotions, and sparkle as well. Meguro Ren’s portrayal as So is a little inconsistent to my eyes. There are times when I can totally feel his sadness, but other times it felt forced. Maybe it’s just me. On the other hand, Suzuka Ouji as our second male lead looks too young. I can’t forget his high school drama “Horimya” and as a real life 22-year old, he does not look like his character’s age of 26. As sweet as the character is, Suzuka Ouji looks like a kid wearing his dad’s outfit and hanging out with his sister.

I’m trying to write about the frustrating decisions the male characters made without going into spoilers. Even though So and Minato both have good (but could be selfish) intentions, their disregard of Aoba’s feelings and ability to make choices pisses me off. Decisions were made without discussion and she was left with consequences of their decisions. Towards the end of the drama, I felt that So was just leading Aoba on. It’s unfair and disrespectful to her. As much as I feel for So and Minato, I can’t help but wish Aoba will dump them both. LOL.

We are made to believe that Aoba was really in love and was ‘glowing” and living in happiness and contentment. But after the breakup, she moved on pretty quickly to start meeting up with the other guy, even if it’s only as friends. She was heartbroken for a split second, and then the plot just moved on. Is it too much to see her wallow in her sorrows for a little longer?

So’s transition from someone who can hear to someone who lost his hearing is the main plot in this drama. We learn about the prejudices against those who are hearing impaired from birth and those who are not. Through So’s story, we see the emotional toll and impact his illness has on himself, his loved ones, and his feelings towards his future and the world. I enjoy seeing the different points of view from Nana and Masaki’s standpoints. I am happy that So reconnected with his friends and continues to maintain a close friendship with Minato. That is really touching and nice to see.

Overall, I enjoy watching this drama. It’s a rare binge-worthy melodrama for me with good pacing. I might be frustrated at times, but that also speaks to the drama’s success in playing with my emotions. My gut reaction is to rate this as a generous 8.5, and after thinking about it some more, I am going to keep this rating. “Silent” is not perfect, but it moves me (aka me crying) more than “First Love”.


Completed: 1/6/2023

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A Perfect man and a Perfect woman fell in love in a Perfect world.

Subjective Mood Rating: 8.25-8.5
Objective Rating: 7.75-8.0

I intentionally seek out a drama like “Love Me, Love My Voice” because I wanted something easy, simple and sweet during the end of the year holiday season. With that in mind, my rating might not have reflected my usual criticisms and expectations. Objectively speaking, this drama is too perfect. And yes, that is a flaw. But I am going to overlook that, because I am expecting a perfect world. If you are not and are usually too rational, then I do NOT recommend this drama for you.


Romance:
As my title says, a perfect man and a perfect woman fell in love in a perfect world. There’s no drama, no misunderstanding and no evil parents or ex’s. The romance is mellow, sweet and shy, with a surprising amount of kisses towards the last third of the drama. ML is successful, handsome, sweet, caring, considerate, professional, has a beautiful voice and is a doctor! When does he have time to have a side gig? Moreover, he’s flirty and actually quite passive aggressive. A perfect man! (with too much white makeup). ML confessed early, established a relationship before the couple really started to get to know each other. The romance is slow-burn in a way and viewers have to be patient and wait for our female lead to get more and more comfortable with her man. You do see that progression from super shy, not holding hands and standing far apart, to slowly holding hands and hugging, to a lot of skinship. ML dotes on FL, is a perfect gentleman and can cook! I was smiling the whole time watching this drama. I wasn’t expecting Tan Jian Ci to be so good in giving us a hopelessly-in-love-yet-horny look. 😘 LOL

Dubbing/Voice Acting:
I am not sure how realistic the portrayal of the industry is, but I am very interested in this part of the drama. I’ve watched enough C-dramas to know this industry is huge. Having the behind-the-scenes look into a studio’s operation is very interesting. I didn’t know there were chat rooms, big offline/real life offline concerts and performances. I really enjoy watching the 10th anniversary celebration, more so than the festival itself. The voice acting of the period pieces was phenomenal. Big props to the voices behind the actors. Now, let’s get the real actors voice acting lessons.

Tourism promotion + Product Placement
There are two trips/vacations and they make me want to travel with them. Beautiful places, scenery and delicious food! I’ve heard so much about Guilin and its beauty that I actually have always wanted to visit there. Having said that, the last few episodes of the drama are wasted on their lakeside trip. Nothing really happened aside from lovey-dovey moments, eating and playing (repeat for 3 episodes of a 3-day trip). Our old friend, Cold Medicine 999 is back. Even doctors in a hospital need to rely on them. Our FL loves snacks! She not only eats her snacks all the time but has access to a supermarket whenever she wants.

Other romances
I am not a big fan of the secondary romance. I can’t believe we have a 30-year old man being so shy and indecisive in courting a girl almost 10 years younger. One shy couple is enough, I don’t really need more. The drama spent too much time on them going back-and-forth. When they finally became a couple, the drama showed us the result but not the confession scene. The other romance has so little screen time even though it’s been implied. I much rather watch them than the other couple.

Music/OST
Love the songs and the soundtrack has a variety of songs. Tan Jian Ci really does have a nice voice and I added a few songs to my Spotify playlist. However, the romantic songs/music are so overplayed. Each time we have a romantic scene with the leads, music/songs will be played. Sometimes, I just want silence and really experience the love in the air without the music manipulating me.

Pacing/Ending
The drama is just too long. 24 episodes will suffice and 33 is just too many. Once the lead couple gets more comfortable with each other and starts kissing/skinship, the pace slows down. Nothing much happened plot wise aside from the preparation of the concerts and performances. The last 5-7 episodes are filled with fillers and events that don’t move the plot (actually, this drama doesn’t have much of a plot). Like I said earlier, we don’t need 3 episodes dedicated to a 3-day trip, nor 2 episodes dedicated to the ending. For those that don’t like rushed endings, this drama is perfect for you. It even tells you it’s taking its sweet time in closing this out.


I would only recommend this drama if you are a super fan of romance, OK with a drama without much of a plot and no conflict, perfect human beings living in a perfect world. If you are in the mood for such a drama like me right now, go for it!



Completed: 12/28/2023 - Review #388

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A Character-Driven drama for those in the mood of some sweetness and cuteness!

Subjective Gut Rating - 8.75

A 9.1 MDL rating for a romantic drama is no joke as there are many other critically acclaimed ones that don’t reach this milestone. In order to give “Hidden Love” a fair chance to maximize the enjoyment of watching this, I prepared myself and will share my recommendations for those who hesitated. As an ‘older’ and veteran drama watcher, fluffy and cute romances don’t always work on me anymore.

Recommendations/Tips to prepare myself:
1. I am a romance junkie
2. I am in the right mood for a cute, sweet and fluffy romance.
3. I like the main leads.
4. I am OK with and am prepared for a character-driven drama.
5. I am OK with an age-gap that could seem big.

I know if I watch “Hidden Love” when it’s airing or when it just finished airing, I will be extremely critical in finding faults since the hype is real and positive reviews are everywhere. Therefore, I waited until I was ready. And I am ready now.


What I Like:

Acting - I am quite familiar with Zhao Lu Si’s acting and know that she has no problem acting shy or cute. She did not disappoint me. On the other hand, Chen Zhe Yuan surprised me in a positive way. I’ve seen a few of his dramas but don’t recall him having the ability to subtly control his emotions (happy and sad) and his big, beautiful eyes speak volumes in this drama. It’s only been a few years’ time and Chen Zhe Yuan has improved so much since his “Handsome Siblings” days, the first drama I saw him in. The rest of the supporting cast also did a great job. But this drama is about Sang Zhi and Duan Jia Xu. If Zhao Lu Si and Chen Zhe Yuan can’t act, this drama will be a disaster.

Siblings - Many have pointed out the amazing chemistry between Zhao Lu Si and Victor Ma. I echoed the praises that they are so fun to watch. Their banter, argument, and horseplay brought so much color to this otherwise quite mellow drama. Their conversations are fun and witty, and you can still see how much they care and love each other.

Sang Zhi (FL) - At first, I thought I would be very irritated with Sang Zhi. I’ve seen clips of her acting all shy with that baby voice. However, I enjoy seeing her character grow from a spunky 14-year old girl, to an independent strong woman who can think on her own, make her own choices and protects the man she loves. We’ve seen female leads who are supportive of male leads. But Sang Zhi took it to a different level. She not only supports her man, but she’s there to protect him (physically, verbally and emotionally), to dispel any prejudice and stereotypes against him, and stand up for him. In a way, she was more emotionally mature when she’s 22 than when Duan Jia Xu was 22 or 27.

Duan Jia Xu (ML) - How can I not love a walking green flag like him? Yes, he’s too perfect and that could be a criticism. But I am also not going to deny the fact that he’s going to my Hall of Fame for Best Boyfriend/Partner. He is gentle, kind, considerate, understanding, and thoughtful. A unicorn that you can’t find in real life but I can indulge myself in this drama and pretend he does exist.

Main Romance - Chemistry is great. I was actually waiting for the college days to come so that I can finally see them interact as adults. I love the secret confessions in folded stars, the shy-but-in love glances/looks, the courting, the heartfelt yet somewhat awkward conversations by two inexperienced lovers, and of course, the hugs and kisses. This drama is made for romance lovers. I can’t help but smile throughout the drama.

Sang Family - I am so glad to see Zhao Lu Si and Zeng Li act as daughter/mother again. After the traumatic experience of “Love Like the Galaxy”, I am so glad to see them in a much different dynamic. The Sang parents are so lovely as well. Even though they disapprove of Sang Zhi’s rebellious trip, they never yelled at her, but just tried to talk some sense into her. They might have disapproved of the leads’ relationship, but the conversations are mature, reasonable and all come from the heart and love for their daughter. It’s so rare to find such amazing parents in a C-drama. Adding the fun Sang Yan to the mix, it’s no wonder Sang Zhi is able to grow up to be someone worthy of love and can protect her love.


What I have Mixed Feelings:

Sang Zhi’s baby voice - I can understand Zhao Lu Si using a somewhat younger voice when she’s 17, but when she’s a college student, that voice has got to go. She can speak normally with her roommate, so I know she can speak normally to her boyfriend. Towards the end of the drama, she has grown to be a mature young lady, and that baby voice really doesn’t match her. Is that Zhao Lu Si’s over-acting, or the director wanted her to act that way? I would never know.

Sang Zhi (14 years old) - No matter how short Sang Zhi is supposed to be at 14, the amazing young actress can’t convince me she’s 14 years old. She’s 12 in real life but she looks like she’s 10. If you are going to use such a young actress, maybe they should have a different younger actor to play the male lead.

Stalker girl - The side plot about the stalker girl lasted a little too long. I also think her presence changes the overall tone of this drama. I understand the reason for her existence in telling ML’s back story, but I wish that side plot was written better. Luckily, she’s the only annoying character and she’s still tolerable.

Supporting Cast stories - Because this drama focuses on the leads’ story so much that the rest of the side characters are forgotten in the back burner. This can be a good or a bad thing. If you just want to focus on Sang Zhi and Duan Jia Xu, then this is not a criticism at all. But I wanted a more well-rounded approach and wanted to know more about other characters. What happened to Sang Yan’s personal life? Did he really have a girlfriend? What is up with his knowledge of childbirth? I thought he got someone pregnant! What about the romance of the dorm mates? If you don’t plan to give them time, then let’s not start to begin with. Not every single character needs to have a love interest, but don’t start and forget.

Age gap - I don’t know if they have to keep on talking about how much older Duan Ji Xu is. 5 years isn’t really that big of a gap. It is central to the storyline, but it doesn’t need to be repeated and reminded so many times.


Overall, this is a great romance drama if you are looking for something easy, sweet and fluffy. The leads’ acting and chemistry are great and it’s a drama full of love, care and personal growth. If you are like me and like my tips above, that will increase your chance of enjoying this drama.


Completed: 8/27/2023 - Review #346

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Watch it for the Strong main Romance but don't expect a well-written rise of a Female General

First of all, I have not read the novel and I had no expectations of “Legend of the Female General” . It's not a highly anticipated one for me, but I want to watch it because I like Zhou Ye and Ryan Cheng. Besides, there aren’t that many dramas about female generals, and I want to check it out. Having said that, I was warned that this could be disappointing and I should think of this more of a romance drama rather than a gritty, revenge story of a female general.

With my expectations low and adjusted, and being a romance lover, “Legend of the Female General” gets an 8.0 from me due to the well-developed main romance, decent acting, above-average fight scenes and great production quality in costumes, sets and accessories.

As a romance lover, I really enjoy following the leads from being school mates when young, to comrades, enemies, comrades again and lovers. The development is paced well without rushing through any of these stages. There’s enough chemistry when they are testing each other and eventually teasing (most from FL). Although I can see more clearly how ML falls in love, the chemistry is there. The drama did not forget to give us some sweet moments here and there, and especially towards the end. The kisses are decent but I really don’t think ML needs to have those wide-eye shock expressions.

But for a drama that should tell the story of the rise of the female general, a strong romance can derail the development of the other more serious plotlines. In a sense, this might be why viewers are disappointed. After a great start when FL started from scratch again in ML’s army, the focus was lost with some war battles. The focus moves away from FL and her struggles. Even though the drama tries to show how capable she is as a fighter, strategist and general, at the end of the day, she still needs to be rescued by ML. This happened a few times in the drama. She fought and supported in holding down the fort but eventually still needed to wait for ML’s arrival to save the day. She successfully killed the enemy general, yet she drowned in water and had to wait for ML to miraculously appear out of nowhere (traveling in the speed of light) to save her and give her one of those romantic (?) underwater lifesaving kisses. ML keeps on stealing FL’s thunder at the end of the day. Each time I try to take the drama more seriously, especially during battles, it does something dumb in the name of romance or to create something romantic/cheesy.

Additionally, there are plot holes and ridiculous things that happened throughout the drama. Is this an adaptation error? Or was the drama really full of holes? FL’s disguise is laughable and such a secret became not so secretive. The last death of a female character was ridiculous. She should never have died but her death was needed to advance the plot of 2ML. And then, the last death of the male character could be seen from a mile away. You knew he’s going to die, and his death proves a point in the ending of 2ML again. 2ML totally took the fall for the emperor, who does not need to take any responsibility for his actions. The last few episodes really made me scratch my head and wonder if episodes were cut, thus, messing up the writing.

Despite all my complaints, the acting is great all around. I have to say, I was quite impressed with Ryan Cheng. In “My Journey to You”, he was this cold and serious guy. In “Follow Your Heart”, he showed a more outgoing personality. Here in “Legend of the Female General”, his character seems to be a combination of the two. He’s cool on the outside, but warm on the inside. He has great posture and looks charismatic. His tiny smiles and longing looks warm my heart. Not only is ML a green flag, but he’s one that did not become a lovesick silly boy after falling in love. Zhou Ye, on the other hand, with her small stature and pretty face, it’s really hard to imagine her as a female general. Her acting was fine but I didn’t think this was her strongest drama. I felt that she was great when acting cheeky, but was weak when she’s angry. Zhang Kang Le, Zhang Miao Yi and Li Qing all did fine but not outstanding. The veteran cast shines more than the younger supporting cast.

You might disagree, but I do think Zhou Ye did a pretty good job in her fight scenes. She is never going to look powerful, but she looks graceful yet nimble. She never looks weak to me or as if she’s dancing. I was pleasantly surprised by the fight choreography and really enjoyed many of the close combat scenes. However, they also seem quite unrealistic because these are regular people in a historical setting, and not martial artists in a wuxia drama. But I am not going to complain much, as it’s hard to find good fight scenes without the use of CGI, even in wuxia dramas these days. Zhou Ye looks beautiful in her female attire, and Ryan Cheng definitely looks handsome in anything he wears (maybe not when wearing a helmet). The clothes look like they are of good quality and the sets and accessories look elaborate and not flimsy. However, their makeup department did not do a good job. How could you have soldiers looking so white? Even if Zhou Ye needs to look pretty, Ryan has got to look tan and not a face full of white powder. Lastly, it's too bad most of the actors are dubbed. *sigh*

I would only recommend this drama if you are looking for a nice romance story. But if you are looking for a serious drama with a well-written plot, then you will be disappointed. Based on my calibrated expectation, I am giving this drama an 8.0 rating.


Completed: 8/26/2025 Review #617

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Don't miss the scenes during and after the ending credits in the last episode!

Rating - 8.25

I remember back when Hikaru Utada’s song “First Love'' came out in 1999, many were obsessed with it, and I was one of them. I played this song many, many times. So when I heard a drama is coming out based on this song and starring the amazing Satoh Takeru, I have to watch it. The expectations were high and did the drama meet them? I am afraid not quite.

“First Love:Hatsukoi” is a beautifully made drama. Most of the drama was set in snowy Hokkaido and the cinematography was great. Even when it switches to Tokyo, the color palette fits the tone of the drama, especially when telling the story of our hard-working female lead. Because the drama was based on two songs, I was initially concerned that those songs would be overplayed. I am glad that wasn’t the case. It didn’t make me hate “First Love” (the song) but made me love it again. There are quite a few English songs in the drama, which I have hoped are Japanese instead. Maybe Netflix has something to do with it. It does give some sort of American feel to a supposedly very Japanese drama.

Acting is top notch. I am already a big fan of Satoh Takeru and his micro-expressions are no joke. It’s so nice to see him play a regular guy going through tough times. It’s fun to see him displaying a fun side when he’s a security guard joking with his co-worker. It’s a nice change from seeing him as a hotshot doctor, an over-the-top baker or a cold-blooded swordsman. I am glad to be introduced to Mitsushima Hikari. When she was first introduced in the drama, she was a hard-working but tired-looking taxi driver. But throughout the drama, you see different sides of Noguchi Yae, and Mitsushima Hikari does a beautiful job in portraying a young and naive wife, a young mother, a downtrodden divorcee and then a supportive mother to her teenage son. As amazing as these veteran actors are, the two young leads might have stolen their thunder a little bit. Yagi Rikako playing the younger Yae, and Kido Taisei as the younger Harumichi light up the screen. Their infectious smiles and bright sunny personalities make the drama so much fun to watch. Their story is more enjoyable and makes a bigger impression on me than the adult leads.

Not that the adult version of the love story is not memorable, it just lacks a certain gut punching feel. I was hoping for more angst, more heartbreaking moments between the adult Yae and Harumichi. I wanted more scenes between the two, more longing looks from Harumichi and more touching moments. I think the side story between Tsuzuru and Uta might have taken too much time from the main storyline. I don’t find this young romance too interesting, though the purpose of their romance is to remind the adults to pursue their dreams and loved ones. The pacing of the story is quite slow and I can certainly feel it when I am binge-watching this in a day.

I also have conflicting feelings in the use of flashbacks in the storytelling. I like how the different timelines are interwoven together, and how one timeline picks up the story of another timeline. But it did take me a quick second to get used to the transition. Viewers do need to pay close attention especially in the first episode to get used to the switches, especially when young Harumichi and Tsuzuru have very similar build and hairstyle. I think my biggest issue is how short these flashbacks could be, thus making the back-and-forth switches very abrupt.


Other Random Observations:
1. I love the wedding and the speech with sign language. I also love the blue color theme.
2. I remember those Titanic moments and it’s fun to see the young lovers re-enacting the famous scene.
3. I wonder how Harumichi becomes a security guard. Did I miss the explanation?
4. I like the bonding between Harumichi and Tsuzuru.
5. Don’t miss out on the scenes during and after the ending credits in the last episode!


Completed: 11/26/2022

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Only watch this for Xu Kai's handsomeness and Wang Yang's charisma

Completed - 8/22/2022

If you are not a fan of any of the actors, this might not be worth your time. For me it takes Xu Kai’s handsome face to get me through the first half of the drama, and then add on Wang Yang’s charisma to finish it.

I was quite excited about this drama in the first 1-2 episodes. I was pleasantly surprised that there were some decent fight scenes and creative fight choreography. I’ve already heard that the CGI and green scenes were horrible, and yes, they were indeed not good (running on rooftop and flying around with statues). The production value of this drama is quite low. Even so, a handsome Xu Kai + charismatic Wang Yang + Cool fight scenes = What I like. Unfortunately, my interest and excitement died in the next 10 episodes. All they did was talk talk talk about that stupid bone, with no action. No wonder so many people dropped the drama after the initial episodes. But if you are able to tolerate such boredom and poor plot with the help of Xu Kai’s handsomeness, the plot did get better in the second half of the drama with more action. But such a positive trajectory did not last until the very end. The last episode was rushed and we also have a poor redemption plot that was quite abrupt. The ending was a mystery. What the heck happened? Did we lose a full episode and jump right to the last 2 minutes? Is this due to censorship? (very likely).

Let’s talk about romance since it’s my favorite topic. The short review is: BLAND. Our leads started off as good friends and they are supposed to slowly develop feelings for each other. Well, I didn’t quite see this development. What I see is our FL suddenly really wants to marry ML not because of the bone, but because she is in love with him. I then see our ML never really showed much romantic interest in our FL, and then all of a sudden he is in love. If the friends-to-lovers trope is not done right in the beginning, then the latter part of the romance will become friends-to-lovers-with-no-chemistry. In the second half of the drama, the romance has gotten better once they are together. There’s enough decent skinship and I’ve always loved Xu Kai’s expressive beautiful eyes. But overall, the romance is lacking.

Our male lead, Ding Yun Qi, is a genius. He’s never wrong and is always steps ahead of others. He may not be the warmest person initially, but he’s not a cold tsundere either. He’s smart, loyal, caring, has the best martial arts skills, is a doctor, and also knows everything that the Heaven Official should know even though he left home for 6 years and really didn’t have a lot of time to learn. Well, basically he is perfect. Our female lead, Wu Shuang, is the opposite. She’s outgoing and friendly, curious and likes to fight. Luckily, she’s not dumb and can be quite smart in her own ways. Many dislike Wu Shuang, but I am ok with her. She is usually on the sidelines until the latter part of the drama.

The acting is decent and I don’t see anyone especially bad or cringey.. As much as I love Xu Kai (I bet by now you know I really like him), this is not his best acting. I think the acting all around is OK by the younger cast. The better acting is done by our veterans, Wang Yang as Luo Yun Song, and Morni Chang as Zhou Qiu Hai. These two never disappoint, no matter how bad the script is, you can trust their acting abilities. I also like that they use their own voices. I think I can recognize Wang Yang’s voice by now as he always dubs his own voice. Props to him! There are a couple interesting supporting characters that I quite enjoy - Meng A Sai as Sun San Xuan and Bao Bei Er as Luo Jiu Tian.

I don’t think I can wholeheartedly recommend this drama, UNLESS you just want to look at Xu Kai’s handsome face and Xu Kai looking dashing in a variety of nice suits. There are too many other good dramas out there.

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Looking for Fun and don't mind over-the-top humor? This is the drama for you!

Subjective Gut Rating: 7.75

Before you watch “I’m the Most Beautiful Count”, you need to know that this is a period comedy with a lot of over-the-top humor, raunchy and sexual jokes, overdramatic acting and a male lead character that is feminine, sassy, flamboyant and super flirty. If you are OK with this, then you can try watching it. Otherwise, you will find this cringey and hard to digest.

This is usually not my type of drama and I avoided it when it first came out. But right now, I am in search of a happy drama that will de-stress and let me laugh my head off. “I’m the Most Beautiful Count” fits the bill.

Nut is the star of the show playing the main lead Prince/Woradet. This is my first time watching him and I really want to check out his other dramas where he’s acting more serious’. Nut plays this role so well. You cannot not keep your eyes on him from start to finish. It’s hard to be so overdramatic and not make me dislike him. I do feel that his exaggerated facial expressions could tone down a little. Prince/Woradet is a confident, self-assured trailblazer who is not afraid to be himself and speaks his mind. He stands up for injustices and bullying, and uses Prince’s modern day knowledge to help Woradet and Kosol achieve their dreams.

Ping, on the other hand, is not a very convincing Kosol. His acting compared to Nut is night and day. This is also my first time watching him, and I question whether his acting is due to playing a brute and aggressive warrior, or his acting is just not good. His character is already hard to love in the beginning, and his acting doesn’t help. Luckily Kosol is a character with growth. He is not afraid to apologize and learn from his mistakes, even getting into many hilarious and embarrassing moments, stepping out of his comfort zone in order to be a better man for Woradet.

Unfortunately, the romance between Nut and Kosol is lacking. Oh, the kisses are delicious and the sexy scenes are good. I just don’t feel much chemistry when they are not being intimate. I don’t see how Woradet falls in love with Kosol when he mistreats him in the beginning. On the other hand, I can totally see how Woradet might fall in love with the sweet and kind Banjong instead. Although the romance does take center stage in the drama, it is not a satisfying one for me.

When it comes to the political plot, it’s not executed very well either. I wish the villains were more comical, so that their characters could fit in this comedy. But having over-the-top comedy pairs with rebellions with boring villains don’t quite sit well with me.

On a positive note, the drama isn't shy in showing us nice muscular abs. I quite enjoy seeing Ping and Lee showing off their muscles quite regularly. I also like the period setting, costumes and traditional dwellings. It’s one of the Thai period dramas that doesn’t have the lakorn-style annoying slaves. All the characters are actually quite likable.

I would only recommend this drama if you are looking for something fun and not serious. Just enjoy, laugh with them and laugh at them. Even though this drama tries to have a more serious message of love and marriage equality, I feel that the message is not delivered/executed well.



Completed: 12/16/2025 Review #652

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Excellent chemistry and romances in a comfortable and predictable drama.

Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25

I am in the right mood and I am eating this all up. In search of a fun drama to make me happy, “Me and Who” fits the bill. This fantasy rom-com is super bingeable and I finished all 10 episodes in a day. It is by no means a perfect drama, nor one you have never seen before. In fact, we have seen similar transmigration themes, mind-reading and even how romance is developed. There are no surprises. But maybe because it’s a comfort watch that I am looking for, it all works out.

Let’s start with the biggest flaw: Totally abandoning trying to act like the old Apo. In the early episodes, Suriya was teaching Apo how to be the original Apo. From how to talk like Apo to dress like him and act like him. They even try to fake being in love to avoid the prying eyes of the hilarious Butler Francois. Yet, after those episodes of ‘training’, Apo never really makes the effort to fake it. All goes to chalking up that he lost his memory and his personality changed after the accident. I was hoping to see more ridiculous outfits! Although mind-reading is central to the plot, actually, it didn’t really create huge conflict or impact. In a way, if you are looking for an exciting mind-reading drama with all the suspense, you might be disappointed.

A minor complaint is the acting of Big (as Suriya) in comparison to Park’s Apo. Big appears a little more emotionless. Park has improved since I last saw him in “Monster Next Door”. I also want to see the original Apo more. He didn’t have too many scenes except for the very end. Park was great as the original Apo and I would have loved to see more of his sassy meanness, and strutting down the hallway like he’s on a catwalk. You can also say another minor criticism is the predictability of everything. You can tell how the romance will be developed. You can tell who the ‘villain’ is. You can tell the secret will be found out by someone someday. But as I said earlier, I am fine with all that, as I’m looking for a fun and happy drama.

Speaking of fun, there are many comedic moments and slightly over-the-top in the first part of the drama. I did laugh out loud a little and enjoyed these hilarious scenes. I was surprised by Park/Apo’s awesome and funny dance moves. I love Butler Francois as the spy and not-so-secretive shipper. I was in awe of Apo’s original sexy Chinese-style engagement outfit, the peacock and disco ball rituals. But these moments do die down toward the second half of the drama.

I love the romance storylines here. I am a big sucker for those does-he-like-me-or-not guessing games. Both couples have great chemistry and gave us sweet and cute couple scenes. I have to applaud the kiss scenes by Big and Park. Their kisses are passionate and romantic, not like they are eating someone’s face or dead fish kisses. I feel like a voyeur whenever they have their intimate times. The secondary romance is also very satisfying. They don’t take up too much screentime or the spotlight away from the main couple. Yet, I love seeing them together and just enough time is dedicated to them to give us a satisfying romance without feeling rushed.

If you could suspend belief a little and want something fun and sweet, I would recommend “Me And Who”. It was quite fun without being cringey. The leads have excellent chemistry and the romances are well-developed and executed. I had a great time binge-watching this drama. Things might have gotten a little more serious in the last few episodes, but it’s still a pretty light watch, especially with all the kisses I get to see.


Completed: 12/7/2025 Review #651

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When Reality crushes your Dreams, Values and Romance

I’m glad that “Rabbit on the Moon” is on Viki now, so that more viewers can watch it. It’s not a perfect drama, but one that I quite enjoy. Reading the synopsis, it sounds like a rom-com (it’s not a rom-com) of two individuals from very different backgrounds met while on vacation, had a short fling and then disappeared from each other’s lives. Of course, they met again and a lot of things happened between them and prevented them from being together. From ML’s profession, to an obsessive and high-powered 2FL and of course, a FL where you really could hate her for her decisions for 70% of the drama.


Plot/Pacing
The drama started out with a bang, aka, a sexy scene. It immediately hooked you in, if you are a romance lover. We saw flashbacks of their little fling here and there. But the drama actually focuses on after they’re back in Bangkok when business is mixed with romance. Compared to other Thai dramas or lakorns, there really aren't too many characters you want to strangle. Well, there is the annoying sister and mother who mistreated FL in the name of love, but more because of reputation, saving face and wanting to look perfect. The women in this drama, female lead Phitcha included, are selfish and manipulative. That’s why it could be difficult to fall in love with Phitcha early on and not drop the drama. But I do think the drama does a pretty good job in showing us the internal conflict and the reason why she makes decisions at the expense of ML, Jira/Jay. When your self-esteem is low and being looked down on by your family, your passion for your career is the only thing that can keep you afloat.. There are comments/complaints on why Jira decided to lose his morals and ‘sell’ himself halfway through the drama. I don’t see him as losing his morals, but a way to show his love for his family and Phitcha, and to plan for the future. It’s not a decision made lightly but it did cross that bottom line he’s been defending all his career. This is a drama with many flawed characters who made decisions you might not agree with. It also shows that life is hard and not rosy. Tough sacrifices and compromises have to be made, and romance might have to take a backseat. With 16 episodes at about 45 minutes each, the pacing is good. I was engaged throughout and there’s enough going on to keep me entertained. I do wish the obsessive 2FL, Annita, didn’t last that long. She took up so many episodes and I would have loved more scenes of Jira and Phitcha. There’s some business talk here and there, mainly about land sales and redevelopment. This also gives the drama a chance to leave the busy city life and takes us to the rural part of Thailand.

Acting
The acting is pretty good all-around, except maybe Phitcha’s dad and Jira’s grandma. There’s no overly dramatic and lakornish acting. Bright (as Jira) and Kao (as Phticha) did a great job. I’ve seen Kao in a few other dramas before and her acting has always been good. I noticed she has a habit with side-eyeing or eye-rolling, which annoyed me just a little bit. As an actress, she can always deliver the emotions and those tears. I’m glad to finally see her in a drama that I like. This is my first drama of Bright, and I’m an instant fan. I’ve put a few more of his dramas on my PTW after watching him here. He’s charming and adorable, handsome and charismatic. You can see how he carries himself very differently when he’s with different people - comfortable with his family and friends, loving and puppy-eyed when with Phitcha, charismatic and sexy when he’s the host. Bee (as Annita) is fabulous as well. What a beautiful and powerful woman! She oozes an energy that sucks up the air in the room when she walks in, and then you see her as this obsessive woman trying too hard to hold onto Jira.

Romance
Great chemistry between Bright and Kao. I would have loved to see a little more lovey-dovey scenes between them and more kisses and hand-holding. We only have a few scenes of the dream-like world they were in on the island when they could truly be themselves and be happy. There’s just too much going on between them that life doesn’t allow them to have too many happy times. Despite what I mentioned earlier that Phitcha could be selfish and takes Jira for granted, I do think she really never outright lies to him. She might have some internal conflicts going on for a little bit, but eventually, she shares what she's going through and the tough choices she is asking Jira to make. Ultimately, Jira is the one that agrees to the deals. Jira is just a lovely male lead. How can you not love a guy who takes care of family and a non-blood related aunty, a pro’s pro in his line of work, and also does things he might not completely want to do but for the sake of his woman? Fine, he could have dialed down on that last kiss with Annita in the last episode, but I am going to interpret that as a final gift to someone who has been nice to him. Think of it as a little final fantasy, because he’s a professional. I really enjoyed Jira and Phitcha’s heart-to-heart honest conversation in episode 8 before Jira leaves. The other romance is a contrast. It’s uncomplicated and cute. Initially, I was worried Ker might turn out to be a very different character. I enjoy the few scenes of him and Maprang. They are just adorable and provided some lightheartedness in the romance department. There are also a few other side plots of the (lack of) romances. Cheating is quite a theme in this drama as well. There aren’t too many funny and comedic moments in this drama. I do enjoy the funny conversation that Jira has with his friends about his relationship questions.

Production
Nothing looks cheap here. The ladies are beautiful and well-dressed. The offices and houses all look grand and modern. The rural scenery is not bad, though I can’t tell from the screen if Jira’s land is really as attractive as they say. Jira has the most varied wardrobe from handsome attire as a host, to casual comfy sweatshirts and pants, to rural t-shirts and flip flops. Well, Bright looks good in anything. But, maybe towards the last quarter of the drama, they realize they needed money, thus, product placements increase! I really don’t need to see a maid cleaning the floor with a smile for 5 seconds a few times, or Eurocake so prominently displayed as snacks.


Overall, I had a pretty good time watching “Rabbit on the Moon”. Having a current MDL rating of 7.3 is way too long, even by non-Thai BL standards. Overall, I think this is a pretty balanced series. There’s enough drama but not super angsty or melo or lakornish, enough romance throughout the drama, with a splash of family drama and business talk. It is by no means a perfect drama and it’s definitely for a more mature audience who can appreciate flawed characters making decisions we don’t agree with.



Completed: 11/16/2025 Review #642

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