Till the End of the Moon (2023)

You are just Tantai Jin.

Captivating at the beginning till end. From all the dramas I've watched in the past including all xianxa dramas, this one has everything that makes a good xianxa drama. It almost feels like 3 different dramas in one considering Bo're life, mortal realm and immortality arch. I think that's also what makes this drama worth following. You almost want to watch the two main leads go through many obstacles in order to be together. I must also mention how great of an OST they have. I feel like all good dramas always have Mao Buyi, Liu Yuning and Tia Ray as some of the artists. I have never watched a xianxa drama where Mao Buyi has disappointed me. The music in this drama really elevates each scene perfectly. Okay, I'll start by reviewing some of the main actors and their characters.

Luo Yunxi as Tantai Jin, Cang Jiumin, and Ming Ye:
Wow, he did not disappoint. The first time, I ever saw him was in Ashes of Love. Of course, I wasn't rooting for him at the time, but thinking back now, he did do a great job in that drama. I was more amazed by his acting in this drama, the subtle face expressions and his eyes. The way he can portray the look of betrayal and hurt is on a whole different level. I have never been so captivated by an actor. You can also see the love and care he can portray in his gaze when he looks at the main female lead. You can clearly see his acting change depending on which character he is playing. I love the kind-hearted, righteous and loving Ming Ye, but I learned to love the cunning, skeptical, and pitiful character Tantai Jin. I also loved how he could portray a character who has so much sorrow into someone who truly has nothing to a character who sees some glimmer of hope, but not in just everyone but only in one person. Which leads him to want to become a good person. I think after this drama, I'll continue to follow his works and I hope to see him as the main lead in many dramas to follow.

Bai Lu as Li Susu, Ye Xiwu and Sang Jiu:
Ah~ I've watched her in so many dramas and I was a fan immediately. She also did not disappoint in this drama. I didn't love a lot of the characters she played but I commend her for being able to bring out the characters so well. From a sweet naive Sang Jiu to the vengeful and unforgiving Sang Jiu. Her acting as Ye Xiwu was amazing as well, she was able to bring out a lot of playfulness within the role. This role also had a lot of painful scenes, I feel like the best ones would be the wedding night in the mortal realm and when she exchanged her own divine essence for the evil bone. The sadness and hatred in her eyes along with Luo Yunxi's eyes of hurt and betrayal are the ingredients to my crying session . She does have great chemistry with all the leads she's ever been paired with.

Sun Zhen Ni as Pian Ran
I really hope this girl gets other roles in the future. She did a phenomenal job. If there are fox demons out there then she would be the prime example of one. Her alluring presence takes control of all the scenes she's in. I loved her character with Ye Qingyu. I really wished they had more to their story and a better ending, but maybe one day these loose ends will be covered.

Eddy Geng as Ye Qingyu
UGHHH~what a loyal dependable man. This character is too good to be real. I hope to see this actor play more roles in future dramas. He truly fit the role of a young, innocent, loyal and righteous general. His chemistry with Sun Zhen Ni was very enjoyable to watch. I truly liked this couple a lot more than the second leading couple. Tbh the second leading couple's story wasn't bad but I definitely think this couple steals the show over the second leads.

Eh, I don't have many comments on the second leads, they played their roles very well and I'll leave it at that.

Overall, I am impressed by the drama's actors/actresses, production, plot and OST. I will not lie, I read spoilers ahead of time and knew that the ending was going to be a sad one. I can tell you now, I would watch this drama again. The writing is magnificent. This drama isn't about a happy ending, but more about each character and who they became, what they want to be and their love for one another. It's more than a drama about just two lovers, but about two lovers who have loved, hated, died, and sacrificed. I honestly think the ending is perfect for this drama. It perfectly portrays what the characters worked so hard for and shows hoe much love the two main leads had together. If there is a special ending episode, I'd love to see it, but I am content with how much this drama brought me. This drama has a new special place in my heart. Kudos to the cast for bringing these characters to life and their amazing acting.

Lire davantage

WHAT THE FOCK

i'm actually so speechless right now i don't even know what to say.
I started this bc I read the first sentence from the first review on MDL and that got me hooked AND THEY WEREN'T WRONG

heartbreaking, beautiful and absolutely chaotic
that was not the ending I expected even though i should've seen it coming

stories goes across three life spans, three different stories, that find a way to connect with one another until the end

I didn't know Tantai Jin means the "moon" but it all makes sense when you put that together.
I absolutely loved this even though I was infuriated with some parts and bored with others, especially the 2nd LC. I think this is my first Bai Lu drama and its safe to say that it isn't my last. LYX and BL's chemistry was top notch and hearing that this isn't their first drama together, i'm def watching the other one.

there's so much to say about this drama and not enough words in my vocubulary. maybe i'll come back and write an even better review after i digested this drama since i just finished it a minute ago. let me tell you it left me sitting in a blank stare after i sat there sobbing during the last couple scenes.

edit: AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THE INTRO/OUTRO AND OST

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Sometimes Home is a person♡~

I am someone who also used to consider episode numbers. But I started this without considering this factor(Thanks to Netflix's beautiful thumbnail😩). Now I will stop rambling.

Li Susu,the lady of spirituality has a huge burden on her shoulders. Go back to time and kill the person who becomes THE DEVIL. But what if that person is none other than your Husband, Tantai Jin. The husband you hates because he ruined your devious plan to marry to your LOML ,the husband who is bull!ed by everyone,the husband who is the enemy of your country and held by hostage by your own country?
Tantai Jin looks like the disney princess on the surface since he has the ability to talk birds,suffers a lot and a voice motivates him to be evil😈 Li Susu, now Ye Xi Wu is a variable in his plan. Her little kindness start to melt his icy heart. But reaches a obsession in the later part(but thank God makers toned it down but I really wanted unhinged TTJ tho😩). Ye Xi Wu/Li Su Su becomes his light in his darkness. She becomes his home,his guiding light♥️ His search for her is filled with angst and desperation.
What if their fate is not limited to 1 life but a fate of 3 lives? Where they are Mortals,Demons and Gods.
Tantai Jin reminded me of Eren Yeager. All he wanted was to be with his loved one until his last breath but had to chose to became the one you never wanted to protect his loved one.

This show has one of the beautiful OSTs I have ever heard. Especially black/mystic bird by Saji♥️I am happy to say that the a minute in 40 hrs~ was never disappointing. Only problem with this show was it felt too short😩😩Anyways I would also recommend Love is sweet for all the happiness this series deprived us.

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Spectacular enemies to lovers content (mild spoilers)

First quarter/Sheng arc: 10/10. Absolutely spectacular enemies to lovers content. In the future, the fabulous girlboss Devil God is slaughtering all the immortal sect heroes, namely, everyone immortal warrior girl Li Susu knows and loves, in front of her eyes, while they desperately try to send her back in time to stop him. 500 years in the past, Tantai Jin is a sad and skinny hostage just trying to survive in the deadly Sheng court and Li Susu wakes up inhabiting the body of his psychopathic young wife. She decides to cure him with kindness, but when Jin develops a taste for demonic magic, then kidnaps her and flees to his home kingdom to run a coup, she decides that he definitely needs to be put down like a rabid dog. She tells him this while saving his life a bunch of times because if he dies on her too soon then he will ascend to Devil Godhood and it will be game over for the world. Jin is understandably confused by this, but can't help responding quite well to Susu's intermittent kindness because he has been a kicked puppy literally his whole life and can't help imprinting on the first person ever to stick up for him.

Second quarter/Clam arc: 7/10. Everyone is sucked inside some dragon's dream memories of something that happened 10,000 years ago when Susu was a clam princess at the bottom of the Mohe River and Jin was the emotionally constipated god of war she adored from afar. This arc feels longer than it is, but it sets up a whole lot of backstory and the next stage of the plot.

Third quarter/Jing arc: 9/10. Susu commences Operation Bin Jin. Step One: make Jin fall in love with her! Step Two: ask him to marry her! Step Three: murder him on their wedding night! The only problem is that now, they might actually be falling for each other for real...and Jin declares that Susu is the only reason he has any faith in humanity. This arc is everything I could have wanted from this show, though I'm docking a star for how slow it gets towards the end, when there's a simply unconscionable amount of blood-spitting and angsting. Want an enemies to lovers scenario where the villain love interest is a complete simp for the lady of light? Where he will let her walk all over him just because she's the only thing he lives for? And then hisses the line, "If you don't want my affection, then have a taste of my hatred"? Ladies: Tantai Jin.

Fourth quarter/Immortal arc: 8/10. Having completed her mission, Li Susu is overjoyed to wake up in a future where she's prevented the rise of the Devil God. Or has she? This quarter was...messy. On the one hand, we get the triumphant completion of Jin's character arc and much romantic fluffiness. On the other hand, much of this quarter felt slow, until the ending, which felt terribly rushed: quite a few loose ends are left fluttering, and the show seems not to know how to use Susu herself, sidelining her offscreen or unconscious for long periods while other (male) actors take centre stage. The second last episode is a return to form for the show, but the final episode, though satisfying, feels quite abbreviated and leaves off a last-minute eucatastrophe.

Overall, despite its flaws, when this show was at its best I was going absolutely feral for it. I love Tantai Jin, an Evil Cinnamon Roll who badly needs a hug and never loses that core of selfless regard for other people. I loved Li Susu, even though her stubbornness sometimes frustrated me, for her all-or-nothing gallantry, her fierce sense of justice, and the way she flipped a whole lot of gender tropes. I loved the handsome stickler general and the gorgeous Bad Fox he loves, and I even came to treasure the secondary leads who seem at first like a vanilla boy scout and an irredeemable harpy but have hidden depths.

The show was VERY smart about many of the tropes it uses. For instance, this has one of the only justified uses of the Break Their Heart To Save Them trope, very downplayed. It DOES do the cdrama thing of making the whole climax about the male character's agency and character growth, but this doesn't bother me as much as it did in LOVE BETWEEN FAIRY AND DEVIL because a) it DOES let the female character have a complete, if understated, character arc and b) while it puts emphasis on HIS agency, it doesn't feel like there's a cost in terms of HERS. I didn't like that even at the end of the show, the male lead is still lying to the female lead for her own good. Still, I WILL overlook a multitude of sins for a female lead who is depicted for so much of the show as smart, active, and stronger/more protective of the male lead.

Both lead actors do a great job, but the male lead is given a lot more to work with, and he rises to the occasion beautifully. It's the first drama I've seen him in, but it won't be the last.

The drama's theme is not quite as strong nor graceful as the one in LBFAD, but it seems mostly to have to do with love and fear. The greatest obstacle in the way of our leads' love is their fear of what he may become, and this came to a triumphant conclusion. I also loved the nature vs nurture theme. Jin's whole live has been arranged by the Devil God to turn him into a lonely, embittered, fearful vessel ripe for the Devil God's incarnation. There is much of his fate that he cannot defy, but his choices, and the faith Susu gives him in the power of kindness and love, enable him to rise above this. Even though the ending was rushed, the thematic consummation is what made this show such a satisfying experience.

Lire davantage

The actors, costumes, hair -PERFECTION. 9.5/10 because i would change the ending

I started watching C dramas two years ago. I love them but prefer happy endings. When it comes to actors, they did their job above perfection. Luo Yun Xi the way he acts, moves, looks and smiles. AMAZING actor. Also Sun Zhen Ni and Eddy Geng, all the cast was perfect. Also costumes, hair, jewelry. I love it all. I would change the ending... WE NEED SEASON 2 . There is such chemistry between actors, I want them to kiss and hug all the time. :)
There is not a lot of fighting which I like, but not too much romance, everything is done with taste.
Anyways worth watching.

Lire davantage

Hottest drama for 2023!

I started watching this drama from a friend’s recommendation.
First of, the storyline is well written, we can really feel the main leads develop their characters through out the different arcs. All of the casts also played their roles very well and especially both ML and FL, both of them had amazing chemistry together, not just in TTEOTM but also in Love is Sweet. ML is supposed to play a cold character with no feelings, and with his micro expressions from eyes and eyebrows, we can feel as audience how he actually starts to have feelings as the story develops. Many fans complain about how thin the ML looks, well in the novel his character is also supposedly thin and pale and so his appearance is very fitting for the role.
Back to the storyline, it actually develops pretty quickly which is why i am able to be kept engrossed in it. Its a love-hate relationship so there are lots of sweet romantic moments between both leads while FL actually hates him. My favourite arc was the one that TTJ took over Jin Kingdom as King and YXW kept all sorts of ways and means to make him love her because thats where most of the sweet moments are. After my 4th run through, I have come to realise that FL also doesnt truly understand the feeling of love at the beginning before driving the spikes into his heart. However, from her actions I have come to a conclusion that she actually loved him because there was a scene which she was folding clothes and she said TTJ clothes are getting loose and she should start cooking more nutritious meals for him which meant that while she was scheming with little tricks to make him fall for her, she also really love him. She was an immortal and she had to practise the heartless way before so she couldnt have feelings of love before that either to understand it. There were lots of cry-worthing scenes as well, and the ML portrayed his emotions across as though he was really TTJ. If you watch the bts clips, the leads also teared up during the shoots because they were overwhelmed with the sad scenes, LYX even once said he felt like giving BL a hug to comfort her.
The BGM and OSTs are also tastefully done and are chosen fittingly for the scenes. And can we also take a moment to admire their elaborate costumes and looks for all the different arcs?! There is seriously extreme effort in the attention to details for this drama, from the music, CGI, costumes, makeup looks, accessories etc.
I am actually surprised by myself that I am able to watch the entire series 4 times through and each time I discover something new.
The only negative thing I had to say is that from last few episodes onwards the story line seems rushed and choppy, this is due to the china laws for censorship and ruling for 40 episodes max, hence they had to cut off many scenes to fit everything from originally 56 episodes into 40. Many negative reviews are because of the lack of cohesiveness in the scenes and abrupt ending, however please bear this in mind that this is not the fault of the production team at all and I am sure if there was no such ruling, this drama would have soared higher on the ratings. How I wish we could have a season 2 to satisfy all of us viewers who want the leads to have a happy ending.

Lire davantage

watch this show and you won't regret it

General thoughts: What a beautiful drama and story. This drama made me cry for its awesomeness. After weeks I am still obsessed by it and i can't seem to move on. The actors and the music are perfect and the production makes you understand from the first minute that this show is one of the best Xianxia drama ever. The main couple has the biggest chemistry and I feel like they work really well togheter since they have known each other for a while (they worked previously on another drama). This was my first show with Luo Yun Xi and now he is one of my favorite chinese actors. The way he portrayed Tantai Jin's difficult way of living was mesmerizing. I loved also Bai Lu, even if it was my first time seeing her. Her character was bubbly but also strong. I liked the way she could change her destiny. I also loved the poetical cinematography and some lines about life and love.

Reasons i recommend this show:
- the music and the production, better than most fantasy chinese dramas i know (i loved the songs "the black moonlight" and "let's be like this for a thousand years")
- the main actors, their acting skills and their chemistry
- a beautiful love story with reincarnation that trascends time and space
- a mix of thousands of different places which looked very realistic in which the scenes are located
- second couples that will make you swoon just like the main couple
- funny moments that make you smile after tragic scenes

Things I didn't like/could have been better (even if i can't find a thing that was really terrible in this show):
- the episodes were too many. i believe that every scene was useful but still i would have liked it more if there were less episodes, following my own personal taste.
- i wish we had more scenes with Bai Lu and Luo Yun Xi alone, because for my taste there were too many fighting scenes and less scenes with them two only, even if the episodes are 40.
- in some parts, the plot: it was a little bit messy.
- the ending. i won't spoil it but i liked it so and so (i usually like shows with this kind of ending but this time i was a little bit disappointed)

I recommend it if you search for a drama similar to "Love between fairy and devil" with a love story between a good girl and a bad boy, but also if you want to watch a fantasy drama with a poetical ambience, pretty traditional costumes and a love story that you will never forget.

Lire davantage

The best enemies to lovers troupe

I am already well aware of Luo Yunxi and Bai Lu having been working together in the past. I just never took interest in their previous drama. But I saw the promo photoshoot they had posted by Youku and I just had to start watching the drama. Best decision I have made in 2023.

Personally, I think this is the best xianxia drama I have ever watched.

Honestly I have some complains about the repetitive of everyone misunderstanding Tantai Jin but everything I love about this drama just outweight my complain and TTJ being misunderstood is really just part of the story.

Luo Yunxi and Bai Lu truly brought life to these characters. I really wish they will work together again in the future. And I hope this drama will gain international popularity! I will be watching their previous drama because of TTEOTM! 😂

Lire davantage

The angst is intense, hinting a sad ending. But in the end, it is a beautiful and good one!

My initial impression is this drama is too dark and cruel. I only keep watching it because I have sympathy and hope to the main character of the story, Tantai Jin/ TTJ, the devil fetus and later the Demon God (played by Luo Yunxi). I want to know what will happen to him, wishing this pitiful character would get his atonement and happiness in the end. My decision is right because starting from immortal arc and on (around episode 30), the story begin to reveal its gems. The reasons behind all events, the meaning behind all sufferings, and the moral behind the story are disclosed. All questions are answered.

I am a layman on any technical aspects of drama making (such as lighting, wardrobe, editing, casting, etc). Therefore, I am able to focus on the story. And the story is the strongest aspect of this drama (followed by the acting skill of the male lead). The story is interesting because (strangely, uniquely) it takes the antagonist/ the main villain to be the central character. There are tons of dramas with perfect, heroic, and righteous main characters across Chinese drama land. Only this time, I found a drama that deviates from common tropes. I deeply appreciate and congratulate for the author, the scriptwriters, the director, and the producer for their bravery to take the risk, to bring a full of flaw character to the spotlight. And the result is a very valuable and memorable drama.

The story began with the Demon God, Tantai Jin, who is extremely powerful, super evil, and unstoppable. He brought calamity to all realms. All immortals were defeated, except the last two sects to be destroyed. They found a way to stop the Demon God by sending Li Susu (played by Bai Lu) to the past, 500 years ago where the Demon God was still a mortal human. Her missions are to destroy his evil bone (the root and source of the Demon God's power) and to kill Tantai Jin. However, this mission is full of hardship. The problem is not simple because once she knew Tantai Jin as a person, she began to understand Tantai Jin, his life and suffering. Later, she grew empathy and compassion toward Tantai Jin. And what makes this compassion is justifiable is because Tantai Jin is actually a good person. It is just fate that toys him so that he experienced unfathomable tribulation over his life. His suffering is the prerequisite for him to turn to be Demon God after his death. With this premise, we are brought to question: Will Tantai Jin become Demon God in the end? Will Li Susu be able to kill him?

What I love about the story: it serves us with a lot of irony and moral dilemma to chew, makes us question, what is good and what is evil actually? It breaks out heart with deep moral dilemma to deal with so called evil. First, it is easy to kill a villain if we hate or if we don't have any feeling or affection toward him. But, Tantai Jin is just a pitiful but very lovable character. He was full of flaw, but he is not wrong to some extents. He is willing to learn to be a good person. Therefore, we understand him and support him to survive and get happiness. To kill him as such a "good" character, is the hardest thing to accept. Killing him is the real evil thing for us. That is why, Li Susu came to the past expectedly as a heroine, but along the story in mortal arc, we saw her as the evil and cruel one due to her mission. This twist at this part is shocking.

Second, good and evil is not black and white. We see all characters in this drama are grey. The so called "normal and good" people have the capability do evil things, and the so called "monster and evil" have the capability do good deeds. For example: Tantai Jin is seen as evil, but he is actually a good and wise ruler for Kingdom of Jing. The nine-tailed fox demon (Pian Ran), Mo Nv, and even Si Ying and Jing Mie are demons, but they are also selfless lovers who are ready to self-sacrifice. Li Susu/ Ye Xiwu is seen as good, but she repeatedly betray and hurt her lover. Tantai Jin aide and bodyguard, Nian Baiyu, as well as his nurses, are all loyal but understandably can betray, too. Xiao Lin/ Gongye Jiwu is righteous, but for his country he refused to accept peace proposal from Tantai Jin in mortal arc and was willing to devilize to kill Tantai Jin in immortal arc. All immortals called themselves as righteous, but full of hypocrisy, prejudice, and hate. So, who is the valid person to uphold the truth? How to stop evil then, if the good and evil are actually intertwined?

Fortunately, in the last three episodes all questions are well answered. It started with the emergence of Ancient Demon God in Tantai Jin's consciousness the time he accepted his fate to be Demon God. He learnt the true nature of Demon God which is a permanent condition as long as there is sin in the world. Good and evil is part of karma in the world. Ancient Demon God failed to dominate his heart; he has the key to change his fate because he finally learnt what is love and how to love, not only for the person he loves, but also for all beings and realms. He accepted his fate to die willingly, he ended his life beautifully, like a butterfly. He was perished, but his legacy continues. He was remembered as a good one. All realms are in peace and beautiful. His wife and daughter lived well. The future is bright.

It is a very good ending with clear moral anchor in Chinese philosophies. The cosmic conflict in this drama is solved intelligently, not just by killing. All characters are not left in agony. Even though it is a rather bitter because Tantai Jin is died in the end, his death is a meaningful death. We audience shouldn't ask more like he should be revived, he and Li Susu should reunite and live happily ever after because it would be contradictory to the logic of the story and the world building where gods and goddesses can die. Reviving him is just making his life cheap and less impactful. Giving him a happily ever after is just like a Disney story.

To enjoy this show, I suggest you to go transcend your self and see from above, get the big picture, that the ending of this drama is just right and perfect. Not an open, sad, or even a bad one. Don't ask for perfection, because this story itself tells us that perfection is the most absurd thing in life. I highly recommend you to re-watch it and collect all beautiful things offered by this drama. Maybe you miss it at the first time. Don't get too disheartened by some flaws in terms of production and other technical aspects. It is very tolerable when you don't ask too much.

Lire davantage

Storytelling mess that's saved by an actor. Gourmet garbage at its best.

This had so many good points: music, acting, good CGI and beautiful cinematography. The story was compelling and everything was great for the first half - until it wasn't.
I don't know if it was the script or the fact that the drama was cut by almost half and maybe too many things got lost in the editing room, but the result is a storyline that feels clunky and disjointed. I didn't really follow the reasoning of some characters for their actions and the things I needed to remember from one timeline to the next were lost on me.

On the plus side, this was very entertaining even without logic and Luo Yun Xi was a mesmerising glue that kept me avidly gazing at my screen.

Lire davantage