Moonlight Chicken (2023)

I loved this drama. And the funny thing is that it was low on my radar - literally the only reason I was planning on watching at first was due to First and Khao. That was it. The plot wasn't even really my thing, I figured I'd just be waiting for those two to show up and that would be that. But nope, I loved it. This felt like just the kind of grown up drama I've been aching for, one that was ultimately less BL and more, well, life, with all of its complications and messes. It just so happened that the main characters were gay. More of this, please, Thailand. I promise you that there is an audience for it.

I liked how messy it was, and in such a believable way. From Wen and Alan's extremely slow breakup to Jim's trauma becoming a sort of shield for him against opening up to people to Heart and Li Ming's wholehearted jump into a first relationship, the characters felt real and grounded and i loved it. No one was perfect (well, except Gaipa who is honestly a sweetheart too good for this world - I loved his huge crush on Jim even though I knew it wasn't gonna go anywhere, he was so sweet and unassuming about it, best unrequited love ever).

Jim especially won my heart, because the way his walls worked was so relatable to me. I think that some people don't quite get how easy it is to shut yourself off, and how once you do it it is so much easier to just keep letting past trauma keep you from moving forward, not necessarily in ways that hinder your entire life, just parts of it. Jim's utter reluctance to let Wen in and his worry about Li Ming made so much sense to me. He'd been burned and burned hard, it's only natural that he'd want to protect his beloved nephew from the same pain, even though he went about it in the worst way possible most of the time. :D But that's not how it works for the young, and that's a good thing. Yeah, Li Ming might crash and burn, he and Heart might not be forever, but that's okay. I have heard people complaining that Earth is way too young to play Jim, but I honestly thought he suited the role, actually. It might be my favorite role of his yet.

This was almost my perfect drama and if I could have more of this I would be delighted.

Lire davantage

Where life leads to at the end of the day

If you're looking for a slice of life/relatable series where you can sympathize with everyone despite not agreeing with everything they've done or are doing, you've come to the right place. Moonlight chicken is the perfect portrayal of how we go through each stage of our lives and how vastly different each stage is, how our mindsets change and our outlook on life differs as we grow older, how generation gaps affect our relationships with our families and the people around us, how complicated human relationships are and how sometimes, life just doesn't go the way we expect it to.

The cast did wonderful each in their respective role with the exception of Earth who I feel like was casted as the ML simply because fans wanted to see him and Mix paired up again. Don't get me wrong, I adore his acting and he definitely tried his best, but you cannot tell me this man is anywhere over 30, sorry that's not happening, at best he could be 35. I literally had to ignore Jim's age every time it was mentioned (which happened quite often for some goddamn reason) so as to not take myself out of the story, they did try to age him up a bit with styling and the lighting, but they could only do so much with someone who borderline looks like he'd appear in Forbes magazine for 30 under 30, also, hot take but I low-key high-key didn't want Wen and Jim to get together that quickly, Wen wasn't in the right space of mind for a new relationship, especially not after coming out of one that lasted as long as his and Alan's did and had eventually ended on such note, they could've gone with something similar to ATOTS and had them be separated for a while, cross paths after a couple of years and then start their relationship, but apart from that, I liked their relationship when it actually turned into one, which reminds me, GMMTV, why haven't First and Mix been paired up for a project yet? These two have so much potential to be the next great pairing (no offense to the EarthMix and FirstKhao fans, I love these pairings too, but I really wanna see them shine individually more and be partnered up with others too). Honestly First is such an amazing actor, I'm constantly in awe of this man's talent, same could be said about Khaotung who should've been given a bigger role, such small role is an injustice to such talent, and as someone who hasn't started MSP and didn't really know anything about FourthGemini, I've officially adopted this dou and will be binging every single piece of content they come out with.

These are my two cents on this series for now, I contemplated whether I wanted to write an in depth review like I usually do with series that I enjoy or just write down some of my "clearer" and more prominent thoughts on it like I've been doing recently, but I decided to go with the latter simply because I'm still not too sure about what I feel about certain aspects of this series, I might come back and re-review it later, but for now I'll make do with this much, I advise new viewers to check out other reviews and decide for themselves how they feel about this mini series, hope y'all have a nice time watching it.
Have a good night/day everyone.

Lire davantage

Three ships in one show – and it works!

Well, to be honest, “ship-wise” it’s ‘only’ 2 ships – EarthMix and GeminiFourth – as First and Khaotung, despite of starring in MLC, aren’t a couple in this series. Still, casting so many good performers in one show says a lot about GMMTV’s faith in the story, direction and cast – as well as the company’s ability to take risks (yes, putting so many of your assets – and popular ships clearly are assets – into one show represents a considerable risk). All of that was rewarded with a show which works very well and has some aspects usually not found in a BL. I’ll try to focus on the most important and best elements of MLC.

(1) The show has a perfectly paced and shot introduction, which presents the setting, majority of the cast and their relations in a very effective, almost music video manner.

(2) Characters and story give a very grounded, real life feel – which is often absent in BLs, especially rom-coms. This can, at least partly, be attributed to MLC being an almost classic drama. Humor is used sparingly, there are no scenes played for laughs, no comedic reliefs etc. – there’s no BL “fluff” either. The characters have different backgrounds and life experiences, but all are relatable; it’s also worth noting, that – contrary to many BLs – only two characters are teens, the rest are either young adults or “full adults”. Everyone in the show carries a lot of emotional baggage and faces problems we all understand and/or have experienced: loss of a family member, loss of a loved one, difficult break-up, unresolved past issues, unrequited love, money problems and poverty, job problems, unfair treatment and homophobia, difficult relations with parent and/or guardian, illness and/or disability. Despite of that this is still mostly a story about love – losing it, looking for it and finding it.

(3) The story is presented in a very condensed and clear way; several plots neatly fit into it. A bit surprisingly to me there weren’t too many characters (this is, after all, a series with only 8 episodes and a full cast) – mainly because each character had a specific role to play and did it. There was no drag, no time wasted on exposition or pointless talking and walking around.

(4) The cast is very solid, with GMMTV rolling out not just some of its most popular, but also most talented stars.
(a) Mix does a wonderful job as Wen regardless whether he’s drunk at the diner, passionate in bed with Jim, caring and understanding with Li Ming and Heart, trying to win over Jim or keeping his distance from Alan, while still caring for him. Wen seems the most complete character of the series and a good spirit for Li Ming and Jim – while still having issues of his own. I loved the firm grip Mix had of the character – he portrayed Wen with calm and confidence, which passed over to the character itself. This is by far Mix’s best role so far.
(b) Fourth as Li Ming is great, both as Jim’s nephew, a struggling (but never bratty) teenager, often angry and disappointed with his uncle, but also loving him, as well as Heart’s boyfriend, a teen in love – a love that grew so naturally and quietly that I could only smile and cry watching it. MLC was shot before My School President and the interaction of Fourth and Gemini here explains how we got the great chemistry of those two in MSP: it was there all the time. GemFourth is one of those superior ships like OhmNanon, EarthMix or FirstKhao: GMMTV can bank on and will never lose. Non-verbal communication between Li Ming and Heart was top notch; watch the episode 6 New Year scene to see how two unexperienced amateurs nail it without saying a word – that’s real acting. Most of GMMTV’s “actors” should watch it to realize how ridiculously incompetent they are.

MLC isn’t perfect, but it’s mature and non-fairy tale – it’s a serious BL. I enjoyed it very much.

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the only bitter and gritty thing about this show is how I feel about it

Uff, this really hurts to write, but I need to write it anyway. When I first heard about this show and its premise, I’m gonna be honest, I wasn’t too happy. But I was reassured that it would not be your typical cheating storyline and it would be handled more realistically and less like your typical BL cheating plot. It was also said that this show would be very realistic, gritty, and bitter. And I prepared myself for that. Once the actual trailer dropped though, it didn’t look nearly as bitter and gritty as they promised. And surprise, surprise it wasn’t. And what was left was...a mere shadow of what it could've been.

This show was so dead-set on being realistic and the first thing they do is cast a 28 year old to play a middle aged man. Like…come one. The joke writes itself. I’m not saying that Earth wasn’t fit for this role because of his skills, because he is a good actor. This is entirely about his age and how the role makes him out to be way older than he actually is. It just turned into this joke that whenever Uncle Jim sighed or complained about the youth and how old he is, I had to laugh.

There is a very clear ship>casting mentality in the BL industry. If it wasn’t for the specific ship(s), I am almost certain that the cast wouldn’t look as they do now. Not that I would want to recast most of them, but it's obvious.

Someone said to me that P’Aof is really great in making lighthearted, fluffy BLs and maybe he should stick to what he’s best at, because bitter and realistic isn’t hitting nearly as much as his previous works. It does look amazing though, you gotta give him that.

Lire davantage

A Beautiful Slice-Of-Life Drama

A beautiful slice-of-life drama to watch if you're looking for something emotionally mature and cozy with an excellent cast. It is quiet and subtle; nuanced in feeling and incredibly moving in consequence. It dug deep to me. It tackles so many important subjects with what I felt was very careful thought and insight. Each character has their own journey and inner turmoil to sift through, deepening as relationships get involved, and gently yet ardently taking us along with it. Each story felt honest, relatable, and at times very real (those Wen and Alan scenes hit a little too close to home), causing deep thought and genuine emotion. Every journey closed in what I felt was a beautiful and authentic way, and they will stay in my heart for quite some time.

This is a drama that makes you pause, reflect, and immerse into feelings that we sometimes disregard, push away, or ignore. I can see why some could find it boring, as the pace is slower than most; but that's the beauty of a well-written slice-of-life drama... it finds strength in the quiet moments, shows the ugly as it is, and unveils the beauty behind it all.

Anyways, I loved it. It is now one of my comfort dramas. The cast owns my heart, and this story does, too.

Lire davantage

A beautiful story about people and life in every shades of it

This is a must watch series! I don't know if I can consider it as a bl because it does not contain the common elements of a bl but this is simply a story of a queer people. This series unveils what is actually happening, both good and bad, happy and sad and that is life.

Every character portrays a very humane character who has white and black in them. Maybe you won't relate to each one of them but you will surely find someone who you can relate with because each one of them represents a real person.

I also love how the story tackled important topics that is not so out of place because they are not speaking for it but because they are "that topic" and they show why it is important for us to know them and be with them.

The series is just beautiful, other comments that says negatively about this just don't understand the story or don't care to understand it. They are those people who expected something but they were not granted so they began to hate it. And once you see negatively, it will be hard to change but if you see the story of how it is , without expectations or associating it with the actors... This series is phenomenal, it is not for someone's fetish or fantasy. This is the real story for mature and older people, not because of nc scenes but because it challenges your understanding of a person and their relationship with someone and with the society they live in.

Lire davantage

slice of life, struggles, other side of the tracks romance, great side dishes

I enjoyed this complicated little show, even though it’s spectacularly messy gay with lots of shrapnel and authentic pain (normally not my style).

I thought EarthMix turned in their most compelling performance to date, yes better than Thousand Stars.

But it was GeminiFourth who stole my heart. What a wonderful side romance that was!

That said, the most interesting central relationship was that of Jim & Li Ming, their father-son angst mixed with evident affection made me tear up. This was more slice of life than it was BL, but it ended happily so I’m not mad at it.

Lire davantage

good but not great

I love adult love but this wasn't for me, the main couple, for me was so boring that I had to used 2x speed sometimes. the acting is good but their characters felt kinda empty(? idk.

now, second couple is everything to me, cute, lot of chemistry, acting is perfect, character stories are good (I would have loved to see more about about heart individual story) and they saved this bl for me, tbh I just finished it because of them.

don't take me wrong, I enjoyed the beginning of Jim and wen but then their story felt so slow and boring :/ (FOR ME) still, Iike their chemistry and acting so yeah, this bl it's good but not great

Lire davantage

enchanting!

"moonlight chicken" was a great discovery for me!

i followed the series since its release, and I only saw positive comments about it, so I needed to check it out for myself, and I simply loved it! it's a light and gentle series with an emotional storyline.

the highlight of the series for me was the romance between Li Ming and Heart, which captivated me from beginning to end and made me emotional in the scene where Li Ming translates what Heart is trying to say to his mother. i believe that despite being fictional, Heart's story can be found in various homes around the world, and that is extremely sad, but following these two together was magical. that moment when Heart goes up to his room to cry and Li Ming just hugs him made me cry too.

but, amidst such a beautiful story, unfortunately, I don't think Jim and Wen's story impacted me as much. it took too long for their story to unfold, and at a certain point, it started to wear me out, and it made me wish to see more of Li Ming and Heart, and even see other characters like Leng and his girlfriend (who was pregnant). not that Jim and Wen weren't cute together, but the story was a bit too long and the dialogues a bit too childish disappointed me.

i believe there were some events in the series that were a bit rushed, like Gaipa's mother's death, but it still affected me deeply, especially in the scene where he sings her favorite song in tears; it's heartbreaking.

overall, as i said, it's a enchanting series. despite some flaws, it still shines and moves with the teachings it leaves behind!

* and i loved the serie's aesthetic, its colors, everything about it it's extremely beautiful and gives me exactly the feeling i wanted to feel and needed to feel!

Lire davantage

Flawless. Excellent acting. Beautiful cinematography. It touches serious topics with respect. I rate it as an unsurpassable 10.

This series addresses real life issues. An unexpected and possibly unwanted pregnancy. Discussion of abortion. Parents unable to accept their child's disability. Mother leaving her young son to be raised by someone else. The fallout effect of a husband leading a double life. The anguish of losing a business that you built from the start. Class distinctions. Financial struggles. Loss of a beloved mother. Letting go of the past to move forward into the future. The emotions associated with the razing of a historic district to make room for a parking lot for a developer's project. The integrity of not taking advantage of someone's kindness for your own self interest. And the list will go on.

Lire davantage

Too much sighing...not enough story

The unfortunate thing about this show is that it had so, so much potential, with a brilliant cast, a beautiful setting, a great soudtrack. But the main story between Jim and Wen just didn't give...almost anything. Jim is a boring and stunted character, and Earth just wasn't given much to work with. He was literally sighing for 50% of his screen time. And it was never entirely clear why Wen after him THIS hard when Jim kept pushing him away time and time again. The characters' chemistry didn't measure up to the actors' chemistry. Heart and Li Ming's story on the other hand was much, much better handled, and Fourth's acting blew me out of the water. Incredible stuff all around!!!!!! Gaipa was a sunshine character, and Alan and Wen's relationship was portrayed well. The chemistry between FirstKhao is out of this world and I truly wish we could get a glimpse into their future together as AlanGaipa, but nevertheless, their scenes together were wonderful. Khaotung delivers every single time. Overall, I literally skipped most of Jim and Wen's scenes because nothing was happening. But the show does leave you with a distinct found family warmth that is hard to shake off. I'm really grateful to the whole cast for all their hard work.

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AMAZING

This review might be a bit lengthy because I have a lot to say about this show so here we go.

I was super excited for Moonlight Chicken, mostly because of First but also because everything I've seen by Aof has been amazing. The hype around this one was just crazy, especially for an 8 episode series, so I was a little worried that it wouldn't live up to my expectations. It surpassed them.

It tells the story of Jim (Earth), who runs a chicken rice shop with his nephew Li Ming (Fourth). One night after close, Jim sees Wen (Mix) still at the diner, passed out from a night of drinking. The two hook up and as much as Jim wants for it to not be complicated and to stay as a simple one night stand, of course it gets complicated. While Jim and Wen work things out, there's still Gaipa (Khaotung) who has been in love with Jim for some time now, and Alan (First) who Wen broke up with after a five-year long relationship. In short, things are messy, complicated, and wonderful to watch.

In terms of the unmessy events, we've got Jim's nephew Li Ming (Fourth) and Heart (Gemini) who end up becoming friends when Li Ming has to work for Heart's parents to pay off a debt. Heart became deaf three years ago, and while his parents still refuse to learn sign, Li Ming is quick to learn it to communicate with him better. The clearly intentional lack of subtitles on the signing was a brilliant move; the viewer is put in the shoes of the parents (and other characters) who do not know sign and must rely on Li Ming's translations (when he gives them) or use context to figure it out. Coming to the realization that I didn't know what Heart was saying, and watching the same realization cross his mother's face when they get into an argument, was a wonderful touch on this already amazing series.

The storyline between Jim and Wen begins as plenty of BLs do: with a hookup. While I'm not typically a fan of this trope, I've never seen it done as well as it was here. Jim telling Wen he only wants a one night stand that is uncomplicated leads him into an entire mess that he seems to just want out of.

I might be biased because he's played by First, but I thought that the introduction of Alan added an entire layer to the story that was missing from the first few episodes. Seeing a five-year long relationship that crumbled and ended with a simple "I don't love you anymore" was devastating, especially because only Wen felt that way. Alan, trying desperately to hold onto the relationship, couldn't stop Wen from seeing other people. Wen, who still hadn't moved out of their shared apartment months after the break up, got mad at Alan for still treating him like his boyfriend--even though it seemed that Wen was still hesitant to let go too.

This show was an extremely emotional one, and it was done extremely well. There are four separate but important dynamics between characters. There's young love (HeartLiMing), stale love (AlanWen), unrequited love (JimGaipa), and new love (JimWen), all of which allow the viewer to sympathize with different characters at different points in the show. The way this show is shot was beautiful, and the intertwining of the characters' lives wasn't rushed at all even though it was a shorter series. In fact, this being a shorter series cut out any unnecessary scenes or conflicts, which meant every scene was important.

The parallels between characters help to enhance their interactions and showcase the different sides of them. Wen yells at Alan for not taking his break up words seriously--then Jim says the same thing to Wen. Alan yells at Jim for taking his pen because it doesn't belong to him--and then laughs and tells Gaipa it's fine that he took it. These little hints at past actions help to round out the story and keep the viewer looking for easter eggs in every scene. Beautifully done, wonderfully written, and worth a watch (and rewatch).

My only complaint: I want more AlanGaipa screen time. And honestly more content from this show in general.

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