Moonlight Chicken (2023)

Incredible side characters & secondary romance that stole the show to the detriment of main couple

This BL drama is about the encounter of emotionally closed-off almost 40 years old Jim (the owner of a Hainanese chicken rice diner) and charming late twenties Wen. There are multiple storylines as the drama follows the evolution of their relationship as well as the ones of their entourage.

I had some issues with the pacing of the scenario as well as the distribution of the scenes between the various relationships. I truly enjoyed most of the secondary stories but it was to the detriment of the main relationship of Jim and Wen. I love the ensemble cast but clearly some of the secondary storylines interested me more than the main one. I particularly liked the Li Ming and Heart story: they kinda stole the show for me. I also found myself caring a lot about some other sides characters: Kaipa, Alan and Saleng...much more than the main couple.

Regarding the main relationship, Mix managed to make Wen a likeable and endearing character. He is beautiful and sincere that you can completely understand why the other male main lead would fall for him despite his messy arc. The opposite was less true to me. Jim is a hard worker with seemingly good intentions but he is really closed off and has big walls (for good reasons). However, it is really difficult to root for him and to understand why Wen is so smitten by him. I wonder if the script would have given more room to them, it would have made a difference in making the growth of the relationship more romantic. Here, it felt that the relationship was working thanks to Wen hard work, in a rather unilateral and sometimes frustrating way.

The whole cast did a good job. Khaotung is once again very impressive and full of nuances: even in a side role, he made me care so much. Some of his scenes are gut-wrenching and I know that it is thanks to his great skills that the emotions flowed through so well. I also found First amazing in a very different and difficult role : he carried it very well given the context of his narrative arc. Fourth and Gemini chemistry continue to be really excellent, they had the best romance.

I liked a lot Mix performance but I wish that Earth would have been more charismatic in the role of Jim. He was not helped by the script but still, he was clearly the weakling in terms of acting skills among the main cast. I also wished that the age gap thing would have been better addressed. Here, it was a bit strange as Earth does not seem to have a 10 years age gap with Mix (in real life, they are only 4 years apart and are both still in their twenties)...Earth's character is supposed to be going on forty but sometimes his character talks like he is 70+ years old and that any change is impossible like he is at the end of the road...This creates clearly a disconnection in the story because you really need to suspend your disbelief when you look at Earth attempting to play that part...

I loved the cinematography despite some editing hiccups between scenes...Sometimes, there are jarring cuts in the music when switching from one scenes to another...The soundtrack is rather average outside of the generic which is very nice because of the song as well as the images displayed with it.

I would recommend this to people looking for a more slice-of-life BL with nuanced storylines and very good ensemble cast. The cinematography is good despite some editing hiccups and there are some really memorable scenes in terms of acting and stakes. The pacing could have been better and the main romance is a bit lacking story-wise (especially compared to the other storylines) but the series has enough qualities despite its flaws to be worthwhile.

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A perfect series

As always, everything is my own opinion and not intended to offend or upset anyone. (Let's be honest, I'm just rambling, really.)

I loved Moonlight Chicken. I honestly just adored everything about it and it definitely is one of my favourite series to date.

It's a simple story, but built with nuances of life that made it feel relatable. I feel like anyone that watches could find at least one character to relate to in one way or anything.

Earth as Jim was probably my favourite role I have ever seen him in (even if I am constantly perplexed over GMMTV's need to constantly make him play age ranges that are much older than what he actually is - I'm sorry, Jim was supposed to be almost 40? However, despite that, Earth just owns the role in such a way that you'd almost not question it). I feel like Earth is an actor who really puts his whole soul in his roles and you can feel the emotions attached to everything that character goes through. Then you have Mix as Wen, a millennial who seems to be a little stuck on where he is and what he wants from life; and of course, Mix just blows you away with his performance. I truly think EarthMix as a paired couple is one of the best things GMMTV have ever done, because they really do feed off each other's performances. As Jim and Wen they both felt so raw; both characters had flaws, made mistakes, and they were acknowledged in a way that I feel is often missed in other dramas. I often feel like the negative aspects of characters are over looked and just accepted in most drama series, whilst Moonlight Chicken takes those things and almost forces the audience to acknowledge that no one is perfect, alongside the characters.

Fourth and Gemini as Li Ming and Heart were perfect; these boys really are out there just taking the Thai Bl world by storm, and they deserve the love and accolades they are receiving because, gosh, these kids are amazing actors. The characterisation of Heart was fantastic, and I really liked that we didn't get subtitles for sign language because it was putting the audience in his place, if that makes sense? He was just a normal teenage boy, but he wasn't getting to live like one until Li Ming showed up, and it was nice to see what I think many of us felt was a role reversal; since My School President was airing at the same time, we were all used to watching Gemini playing the upfront and forward character, but here it was Fourth playing the cheeky and unforgiving Li Ming who just wanted to be who himself and love who he loved.

Khaotung's performance as Gaipa was beautiful; it wasn't a huge role, but it was still so important to the journey of the main characters. I'll be honest, I find it so difficult to actually talk about Khao's acting because words don't seem to work for me when it comes to him - he continues to be one of my all time favourites and he just puts his whole heart into his roles. Gaipa's love for those around him felt so real, because that's pretty much just Khaotung in real life. First as Alan was something that really had me clutching my heart, though; it was such a different type of character for First, I feel, and he knocked it out of the park. We all assumed Alan was going to be this horrible person before the show came out, when really he was just this heartbroken man who didn't want to give up fighting for who he believed was the love of his life, and First just stole the show in the few scenes he had.

The rest of the supporting cast was fantastic, of course. I just felt like this show was perfect, and my only issue is that I wish there was more; however, it really was this brilliant little mini series and I can't recommend it enough.

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a full four course meal

The average of the episodes was 9.4 stars out of 10, so I rounded it up to 9.5 stars out of 10 because this was so fucking good. The acting was amazing. They got really good actors and popular ships and smashed them into one show that was too short for its own good. The acting is what kept me wanting more and more with each episode. This banger joins Bad Buddy and Love in the Air as my highest ratings for dramas at 9.5 stars. So we love to see that. This was just truly amazing and groundbreaking. I posted a lot on it, so I am going to go to my close friend's highlights, which are just a moon, a light bulb, and a chicken. I also started this two months ago because the first episode didn't leave me wanting more, but today changed that.

10 hours ago, I was like, Moonlight Chicken has such an amazing cast with all of my baes; let me just fucking finish it. And that's what I did. And I forgot who was in it for some reason. My boyfriend was there. Love them. Then I said that I forgot his name in the show. That's so embarrassing, huh. Uncle Jim and Wen. Earth and Mix have great chemistry, and that hit me like a truck in this. Love them.

Leng's character was so real for no reason. He was very woke and, over all, just said a whole bunch of facts all the time, and I love him for that. Then I say that I will learn sign language just for fun. Then I said, "Characters wearing completely out-of-place Jordans are my new favorite thing in Thai dramas." Because it's always so random, and I love it.

We meet Jim's ex, who is the reason our poor baby 40-year-old man is the way he is. He doesn't show a lot of emotion and boards himself off when it comes to love because he doesn't want the same thing to happen again. Which is so real for him, but bro died in 2018, and it was like 2022 in the timeline. You've got to move on, dawg; you are 40 years old; that's already half your life if we are going by American life expectancy. You've got to move on.

Then we see the love of my life, First, lying in bed looking all gorgeous. Him with the glasses is my favorite thing, and he was lowkey making me go feral. Love Me Again by John Newman is Alan and Wen's song, because no matter what Alan says or what he does, Wen has completely lost his love for him. I feel bad, but bro broke up with her, and he couldn't get the hint for like FOUR FUCKING MONTHS? Like what? Get over it. I understand it is a 5-year relationship, but please, just leave them alone. Let him live; that's why he left you.

This show was low-key a lot, just the way they were telling it and making it out to be. Fuck beams, Jim's ex. Bro deserved that one hundred percent. But I would be wrong to say that. I hated him, and I still do. Jim was, for real, the other woman. Which was sad but true.

Heart and Li Ming are just so cute, and I love them. Li Ming getting heart's parents to learn sign language for their son and them listening was such good character development for them, and I love the parents for that. Jim being high-key homophobic when he is literally gay was funny. Like what? If you are that pressed about gay people, look in the mirror before you even say anything. LIKE WHAT? lol.

Then Gaipa's mom died, and I was on the brink of tears. Because in edits, I have seen people in all black, and I am like, damn, which one of our main couples is dying? and then they kill off Gaipas mom. Oh my god, bro, I was like, No way, and then in denial about it for the rest of the show.

Then they were going condo shopping and being all cute, and then Jim said to paint the walls green, and I was like, Ew, green! Who would do that? All of the walls in my house are literally green; I am a fool. And that's all for my close friends highlights.

I loved this show so much, and I feel like they could have made it longer. This was so good, and I loved every couple, even Alan and Gaipa at the end. Everyone was just so full of character, and it made me excited to watch and see how people would develop and how they would regress. This was a banger, and I would recommend it. Okay bye!

Lire davantage

There Were No Chickens Under the Moonlight

What a show! I went in fully expecting a cheating storyline to unfold which was there, but now the way I thought.

The show depicts struggles of love, loss, being queer, and just life for different generations. Sometimes love doesn't always have a happy endings, you find love in a place you never thought you would. They did an amazing job portraying all the loves we experience in life.

I think watching this made me feel like I have been in all their shoes at one point in my life. Being young and in love, falling out of love, finding a new love and being scared out of my wits. The characters are flawed, no one is perfect but that doesn't make them a bad person. Even when you find a character that you hate/might not agree with, you will find yourself seeing those same character in new light in the next episode.

So it was very easy to get submerge in this drama and at times it felt overwhelming. Definitely high on my recommended dramas.

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Noteworthy Acting

Moonlight Chicken is an eight-episode drama that includes some incredible actors doing the most amazing acting. Gemini and Fourth, being new actors at the time, did a great job pulling off the teenage angst and problems that so many go through. Earth and Mix know each other so well already that they played these characters with ease. Khaotung, First, and Mark were shining examples of how actors should play roles.

I want to especially praise a few of the actors, although all of them did a wonderful job. Khaotung did a fantastic job portraying the grief of Gaipa losing his mother right after having his heart broken. I wonder if his scenes didn't cause some real tears while filming. First is such a versatile actor, and he impresses me more with every drama. Mark, however, really stood out to me for the first time, although I've seen him act before. He pulled off different types of scenes without making them cringey. Mark's character Leng was comic relief at times and serious at other times. While he played a smaller role within this drama, his role was very important in preventing the show from taking itself too seriously. At the same time, Leng was also dealing with his own personal drama that many will be able to relate to, and I personally was proud of the character's growth and maturity within the situation. I doubt that many other actors could have portrayed the complexity of this character as well as Mark did.

My favorite character, however, was Wen. I think that Mix's ability to emote love, care, affection, pain, confusion, determination, etc. makes Wen a truly lovable character. Adding his skills with, in my opinion, his beautiful eyes and outstanding visuals, Mix is the one that I came back for with each episode release. There is true affection between him and Earth already, but he made Wen a beacon of light in a serious drama.

I wasn't sure if I would like this when the trailers first came out, but by the end of the drama I was 100% invested.

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Beautiful take on the complexity of relationships

This was so lovely and heartfelt, wow. P’Aof once again proving that he’s the best in the industry.
This was so well-paced and rich in its depth of characters. It’s not a light watch but it isn’t heavy either. It is well-balanced between the more dramatic main couple and the light first-love of the secondary. The atmosphere is great, I love that the diner scenes are always a bit dreamy.

This is a character focused drama. The plot revolves almost entirely around the feelings and motivations of the characters. I knew this was going to be well-written when, the first scene after Wen returned home, the camera pans over to two cell phone chargers instead of one. Implying that he’s living with someone but he just slept with someone else. Like they didn’t say anything but left just enough information for the viewer to put that together.
I thought for sure it was going to revolve around cheating but it actually turned into a more complicated topic around stringing people a long and the cruelty of it.

Relationships overall were thought out in a very realistic way. I’m glad they didn’t cop out and reveal that Jim’s dead lover wasn’t actually cheating. Instead, his lover was really cheating and had been their entire relationship, and it was that lack of closure that really held Jim back in the present. That’s just so human and so true.

I usually don’t like side-pairings very much but I really loved Heart and Li Ming. They kind of stole the show to be totally honest. I am once again amazed by these young actors’ acting chops. Gemini’s standout moment was his fight with his parents. It felt real and raw. Wow.

One negative, Earth’s casting as Jim. I love Earth but he’s definitely too young for this role lol. Like, everyone’s going around calling him Uncle and he’s talking about how he’s middle aged…..???? Earth you’re not even 30 looool. It didn’t bother me too much but it did kind of take me out of the scene whenever his age is mentioned.

Overall though, I would highly recommend this show.

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Just Amazing!!!!

I went in with average expectations, seeing how MDL had high reviews but the drama did not had many people watching it. I hardly write reviews for shows, but yet here I am trying to login just so I can I write a review for this show. It is really amazing what a good script can do with a limited number of episodes of just 8 and with limited screen time.

I had somewhat good expectations for the drama as I have previously seen the show Bad Buddy which P'Aof also directed. His direction is just so amazing, credits to the scriptwriter, lighting crew, direction, amazing casts and quality acting. It amazes me how much the characters grew within the show and the romance between all the characters felt so raw and so real, unlike anything I've watched in all the BL dramas I have tried watching. The only other BL I finished was Bad Buddy. Honestly, I have previously tried watching ATOATS but just couldn't complete it as I still found some of the acting cringey. But this time felt different, I could really feel that all actors grew as actors and the acting really improved a lot.

Also special shoutout to Fourth and Gemini, now I understand why so many people are screaming about them and their chemistry and their only 18 omg. What was I even doing when I was 18. Their chemistry and acting and story and everything is just so heartwarming, I always feel like screaming seeing them interact. I am so gonna go watch MSP now.

P.S//: Is it just me or does Fourth who plays Li Ming's character look so much like a younger version of P'Mile. 😳
Love Fourth's smile, so cute and his acting is just amazing.

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Very good series that dealt with adult characters and issues. Now a days it’s hard to find a bl with older characters so I’m glad this one was made. I also like how the problems the characters dealt with like poverty, painful past, self identity, letting go of a loving relationship that is now dead is hard, moving on, etc it felt realistic and made the characters more relatable. Jim can be a hard one to understand but Earth is good in this role and Jim’s character has great character development by the end of the series. I think Wen is the best character Mix has played up to now. He’s so complicated but underneath it all has a good heart and learns his lesson of letting the past go to. Heart and Li Ming provide the sweet first love story and prove how awesomeFourth and Gemini are as actors. They básically steal the shoe a few times. I also loved the Earth and Fourth scenes they had great chemistry. Fourth once again proving how good he is when he went toe to toe with Earth in emotional charged scenes. Khao and First are awesome in the little screen time they get and P’Aof never misses a beat with his story telling, never disappoints. He sure knows what he does.
Overall 9.5 and highly recommended

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BL Series with that tries to tackle how adulting works

At start, I did not watch any trailer for Moonlight Chicken, that is why when seeing the first episode with the diner and the streets I immediately feel this is going to be different from all the other series I have watched so far. And it is true. If usually we get series focusing on middle to upper class environments, whether it is highschool/university/workplace, this series gave us a glimpse of how different it is for the middle to lower class. The tone color, furniture, and even the places where they shoot feels to me like I am seeing another side of Thailand that I have never seen before. It is a very great choice considering the story will be focusing on a Chinese chicken rice seller.

For the story, it also felt like a fresh breath of air because it includes the struggle of being an adult (working, paying your bills, taking care of family, trying to find romance) and the struggle of youth trying to take the path less taken (wanted to work instead of continuing studies). Great job for all the actors trying to bring the story to life.

Now let me get the easiest and most lovable pair out right away: Li Ming and Heart. I love them. I love how they interact. I love how it differs when they were in MSP (although there is still that same chin-stroking gesture). The only thing that could make their story better is if it shows how Heart helps to make Li Ming a better person too, since all we can see is how Li Ming helps Heart to be happier after not being able to go out after his accident.

Next pair(s) are the main couple Jim and Wen and Alan and Gaipa. What I thought is a simple story about Wen trying to flirt with Jim while Gaipa is also interested in Jim turns out to be more complicated when it was revealed that Jim had a boyfriend that he thought is cheating on him in the past and that Wen is living with someone else in his condo that might implies he is cheating with Jim. While we all know that Jim ultimately ended up with Wen, their story about wanting to be with someone that they like are still kept in a good way with no unneeded drama. They are not afraid to try and get what they want, no beating around the bush (except Jim because of his past baggage). But I do wish there are other catalyst that enable Alan and Gaipa to meet than what actually happens in the series.

There are also other great supporting characters in this series such as Gaipa's mom who I thought is the best and supportive parent here, Saleng and Praew who I wish had more screen time and tells the story about how they try to prepared a baby when they did not plan for it, and Li Ming's mom who tries to reconnect with her son.

Lastly for the music, the opening song caught me off guard since I did not watch the trailer and never in my wildest dream thought they would use chinese song for this movie. Ending song is perfect as well to be the companion when watching this series. They both will be added to my spotify if available.

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Maybe with all the star cast, my expectations were a little high

I watched The eclipse, 1000 stars, my school president so was super excited to see all 6 leads in one series and started watching only because of them but except Li Ming and hearts storyline nothing was noteworthy considering the plot.

This series shows a realistic side of life. Financial problems, relationship problems, unintended pregnancy ( which I felt was not emphasised) , disability, unrequited love . But, nothing left an impression on me. Jim having the responsibility to support his nephew financially and still held up in his past unable to open up his heart for anyone new. Wen who has a promising future but unable to cut ties with his ex and finds new love interest. Both when seperately viewed sounds interesting but together there was no magic, poor execution of their story development . Kaipa just felt pitiful and I dare not touch my handsome First ( just happy to see him in a series. Those spectacles enhanced his good looks and not to mention he does justice to every role he plays . I am just bewitched by him )
The only good thing about this (besides First :P ) are our cute and sweet Li Ming and heart , these 2 never bore me. Their story is quite unique and the implementation is impressive. Their acting felt so real especially Fourth , felt like he was living his role

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Great idea, but a bit too flat on the chicken chest

I like the duo Pirapat & Sahaphap. I actually like all the artists from GMMTV and their series. In Moonlight Chicken the characters are well developed with one exception, the acting is good in all of them. The story is very interesting, the cinematographer does an excellent job (beautiful night shots and he was able to capture a good vibe of the local atmosphere).

So why do I give this average rating?
The story is really good and the idea could even be enough for a top prime time series. But it is a bit thinly implemented. I wonder if it was due to the Corona pandemic? Was the budget very low? The story lacks a lot of depth.

Loss, fear of a partnership, illness, death, physical disability are addressed here and very very well connected. But unfortunately not deep enough. If someone tells me that there were only 8 episodes, then I answer, each of these goes an hour. Movies go between 90 minutes and 2 hours. Why do you make it there, but not in a miniseries? I think the script is just too flatly written.


There are minimal flaws.
- Dear and good-natured Jim, everyone loves him and he has an open ear for everyone - but just not for his nephew. That's a little too contrived for me.
- Jim has a fear of relationships, which reason comes much too late onto daylight. Late also means, is why there is no conversion process. You can’t spend many hours of being a huge wall and form one minute to the other you drop down the wall.
- Jim works in a hot country, in an even hotter kitchen. At the same time, he always looks like he just came from a wellness farm. (No need to exaggerate, but every now and then I thought, doesn't he has to smell like chicken in this scene?
- Wen is scurrying around with his ex-lover. The ex is still stuck on Wen, who feels stalked by the ex, but of course hardly reacts appropriately. Hint: move out and good is.
- Li Ming (Nattawat, who played wonderfully and believably, by the way) was tricked by Heart, but falls in love with him too quickly. There was no romance involved. That should have been love-on-the-first-sight, then in the process the bottle broke and he could have protected Hearth. Hero and lover, we all dream of one of those.
- Heart became deaf due to an illness a few years ago. In that situation, he could have spoken relatively well. It doesn't always sound perfect then, but they can speak. Heart speaks 3 words at the end of the season. Yes, it was a moving moment, but then the story is not right.
- Heart's parents overprotect him. This due to his deafness. Hello? Yes. That's a very big break in a young man's life. But then locking him up at home is definitely disproportionate, against the law, and what's the point? It serves the story somewhat, but it wasn't important. This could have been rearranged just slightly, then it would be more rounded in itself.
- Kaipa's love for Jim should have been shown much earlier, too, then it would have been more coherent.
- After the miniseries, I will never eat chicken rice again. I'll be sick of it for years from watching it. And here's some real advice, too. The food may taste good. But it really didn't look good. There are cookshops on the streets meanwhile further. I found it blandly decorated. I bet there was someone cooking who has no idea about food design. You decorate differently for the camera. The food then looks so delicious that you gain weight from watching it. With this mini series I had lost many many kilos of weight ;)

- For me, the singer and actress Narinthorn Na Bangchang was a real asset. Wonderfully played. Thank you.
- Above mentioned Nattawat played very well for my taste.
Saleng (Pakin Kunaanuwit), who has a lot of fun in his life. The very liberal heterosexual is an asset in the miniseries.
- I found Heart's (Norawit Titicharoenrak) performance unconvincing. I felt like there wasn't much happening in him. He didn't speak and that's why it wasn't a supporting role, but hey... I'm talking about facial expressions or gestures. Especially when you have to take detours in your communication, body language is hugely important. That didn't come into its own here. The coach who rehearses the characters with the actors really needs to be tutored. Or something was wrong with the stage direction.


Recommendation.
Are you a fan of GMMTV? Then you need to watch this miniseries too.
Is this your first GMMTV or BL series? Then better don't.
Then you better watch A Tale of Thousand Stars!

I wish you a lot of fun!

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