whoissilmoy

It’s a youthful romantic drama set in the world of e-sports—fun, engaging, and full of charm. Of course, not everyone will be into it—charm is subjective, after all. You may not find the subtleties and nuances fun and charming. But I recall and it's been a while since I've watched it, but I recall I enjoy the stories of each character, it was meaningful. I think casting is like the most important thing and this drama the casting is so perfect creating so many different dynamics I don't find it boring at all. I like the actor who played Ai Jia.

This has to be good if MDL allowed it to have 8.6.. it really means it's 9.1

my interpretation is different. he was protecting her. he even said that to her in at least one of the scenes, maybe two... every time, he was protecting her.

such an underrated gem!

If it's a Xu Kai drama, automatic half a point deduction. 😠

The original author is Yuan Ning, a post-80s writer, easy-going, loved reading, and loved Sherlock Holmes and Poirot. In 2008, she began to create mystery novels, and her works were published in the magazine "Reasoning World", including "Tang Di Gong Case Series", "Tang Case Unnamed Series", "Red Line Series", etc., and her work "Looking at Zhu Chengbi" won the first prize of the first Chinese Reasoning Competition.

Yuan Ning is a writer who has published many short works that are loved by readers and friends in "The World of Reasoning". In detective stories set in ancient China, such as the "Tang Di Gong Case Series" and the "Tang Case Nameless Series", the detective image created by Yuan Ning, whether it is the highly respected Di Gong or the dashing and uninhibited Shi Wuming, is deeply rooted in the hearts of readers.

This is her first novel adapted into a drama.

On Douban, it lists her as the screenwriter too.
Director: Cheng Zhichao
Screenwriter: Yuan Ning

Gender: Female
Date of birth: December 22, 1980
More Chinese names: by yuanning
Occupation: Author / Translator / Screenwriter

Is that a good thing if the original author is also the screenwriter?

yes definitely 3 in 2026 unless FI never airs, who knows right? so 2025 and 2026 average to 2 a year, which is normal but for Xu Kai, he calls that "slowing down." It's not easy to have 3 airing every year when each drama takes 3 to 4 months to shoot. That means Xu Kai rarely left Hengdian in his early years. It's why they dubbed him Prince of Hengdian and made him a spokesperson back then. I wonder who replaced him as 'Prince of Hengdian, or they only label Xu Kai. In a 2022 interview, the interviewer asked, "Besides Prince of Hengdian. do you have other nicknames," and Xu Kai seemed a bit put off like, "what names? I don't have any other names."

By airing 800 Meters in Radius in 2026, they didn't want Xu Kai to go out with a bang in 2025.
In an industry with big money and power, I don't believe anything is random or coincidence.

Director: Qiu Zhongwei

I wish I can watch his Justice in the Dark to get an idea of his work since it has Douban of 8.3, but it also sounds way heavier than 800 Meters in Radius. He also directed Falling into Your Smile but that's a different kind of drama.

I agree with you on MR; his screen time was noticeably limited and didn't make sense, but Xu Kai always comes through, and in MR, he had powerful aura doing action scenes and compelling acting in emotional scenes. In SAHPH, even though his screentime was limited, somehow that drama, which I've watched a couple of times, and really only love rewatching the Yang Hua moments (never get tired of Yang Hua) , still, the overall feeling of the drama was so well done, I don't have a problem with the limited screen time there, well there was bit much screentime on that crazy couple with their marriage problems, but still that had meaning attached to the main story why Qin Shi is afraid to get marry. Also, SAHPH is truly Qin Shi's story but with Yang Hua. I feel I understand Yang Hua from watching Xu Kai's performance. Even though the story is really about Qin Shi but I actually found that Yang Hua is the more complex character the way Xu Kai portrayed him. ALP was to me perfectly balance, even if meant less screen time. I can't think of why any scenes should not be included. Every character and every scene was meaningful. Bai Jue and Shanggu is unforgettable. I'm sure it's just me but when I watch Xu Kai dramas, even though he has limited screen time, I find that his character is really interesting. In BCE, MCH drives the story (well there's that dominant mother too), but YZM story was more interesting to me. The way Xu Kai played it, it left you wondering more about his back story, yet the drama kept it low key and made you wait episodes out to learn a little at a time about him. His interactions with YZM's classy grandmother, MCH's dull but stable father, MCH's pushy but kind and funny mother, YZM's irresponsible, charming and carefree father, YZM's awesome assistant, his overly ambitious and corrupt business partner and her spirited and kind daughter that YZM took care of were all good really good performances because he acted different around each of them, just like in real life, that's how people are. By different, I mean whole different vibe, different expressions, different mannerisms, different personality, like a different person, also his vibe in business versus going on an outing or teasing MCH or washing laundry. In BCE, his crying scene when they try to soothe him with a bowl of Happy Birthday noodles to me is iconic (I actually think Esther Yu's crying scene over her bowl of noodles in SAF6 was pretty amazing if you've ever seen the gameplay - it's eerily similar). His crying is so raw, so realistic, and I'm glad they gave him so much time to showcase it, maybe it was so good, they didn't cut any of it out. Xu Kai's face was still good-looking crying like that even with snot coming out!

Marquis Pingjin is simply the villain with the most complete character arc. Played too well.

10/28/25 Moonlit Reunion still holding at #2 popularity on Douban

The data does get updated because Legend of Zang Hai moved up from #6 to #4, from ten days ago

what a simple and lovely review

Which recycled traits are you referring to?

you're right!

Xu Kai can take any role and elevate it. His performance in Dance of Sky empire was really cool. I hardly remember the second male lead's performance. I like the second female lead very much. She played her role so well. I actually felt there was chemistry between her and Xu Kai's character. I like the female lead. I feel bad that her best years she didn't get many roles because she's a good actress.

After success of WOL aired, they accused Xu Kai of having sex with prostitute and contracting sexually transmitted disease. I was new to Xu Kai so that was my first time I came across such horrible accusations on him. Then after success of ABAY, I saw so many negative YT videos, constantly putting him in negative light, some outright lies, one even said his family is not nice to him. Then before Moonlit Reunion, they accuse him of infidelity (he's not even married) and operating a gambling joint out of his home— this has to be the most outrageous and ludicrous accusation!

this video says Xu Kai was in 'Who Rules the World' and "One Life, One World.' Must be translation error. The video fails to mention that he has done modern dramas too, painting him as having done "usual costume idol dramas."

excerpt
"Xu Kai underwent extensive physical and action training prior to filming, including intense filming on rainy nights, in mine pits, and confined spaces. He personally participated in high-temperature fire simulation training, requiring him to deliver both movement and emotional expression in a confined, dark, and intensely heated environment."

What actors go through for their roles! In FI, Xu Kai had to breathe in soot. I'll never forget how in WOL, he said with his face to the puddle on the ground, the water contained horse urine (yuck!).

Xu Kai says Chen Hui isn’t a good person — he’s done a lot of bad things. But the video doesn’t describe that aspect. I think the part about the father is accurate. That’s the secret Chen Hui carries. The father, a law officer, presents himself as righteous, authoritative, even superior — both in the town and with his troubled, self-destructive son. But beneath that façade lies a criminal past. The irony is sharp: the man who enforces the law is the one who broke it first.

Xu Kai has expressed in past interviews even at the start of his career at 23, that he wanted to do his dream roles (something like detective, spy, policeman, or solider types of roles, I hope I got that right) after 30. He felt it made more sense to do it after 30 so he looks more the part (more mature looking). He just turned 30 this year. He has slow down to two dramas a year and he gets no special treatment from his agency.

Every character he's brought to life is unique. He's done so many genres from historical fiction (ming dynasty, tang dynasty), fantasies (wuxia, xianxia, supernatural folklore), republican era, modern CEO roles (finance, law, and medical AI high-tech settings), Esports, and Chinese Paladin game adaptation, and recently shorter dramas in fire crime detective to small town crime thriller. Across these genres, he's played many different kinds of characters. I could be wrong, but I think Xu Kai is drawn to roles that explore human nature. Even when the role itself doesn’t focus on that, he somehow has a gift for bringing it out in his characters — and it works especially well with his incredibly layered and nuanced acting style.

From the very beginning of his career, I think the interview was like back in 2018 or 2019, he already said his dream roles were like detective, policeman, soldier (I can't remember exact wording) types of roles and he has repeated this in other interviews. It goes back to his childhood love for these types of Hong Kong movies. I hope he gets the opportunity in coming years. I hope he hasn't changed his mind. He also said he doesn't want to be an idol actor, even back in 2018 he said this. He's not an independent actor. He works for an agency on a contract. He doesn't have big backing. He's not being hyped or marketed or promoted and given big productions with acclaimed directors, etc. but I also think he chooses to be low key and quietly work hard and do his best and let his work speak for itself. He always says that acting is a long journey for him and he can only take step by step. He balances his career to make sure he has family time. This is my perception of him.

MDL still won't update the # of episodes. Where the heck did they get 12? If they don't know, then they shouldn't put up 12. MDL synopsis is so lame. you have no idea the story revolves around a deeply emotional father-son rift.

This is more exciting to read:
"At the end of the 90s, an unidentified female corpse was found in the mining area of Fengyang Town, and old stories and clues to new cases gradually surfaced. The intricate family relationships, the confrontation between father and son, the entanglement of duty and family affection, and the entanglement of law and human nature have made the town that was originally quiet undercurrent."