When Flowers Bloom, I Think of the Moon (2021)

On paper, this drama seems exciting and something new and fresh in the great landscape that is a period drama from South Korea. The sort of procedural police drama with a bit of romance set during the Joseon era is something we don’t get every day. But as the drama progresses, it seems to lose its essence and become a little too traditional.

This drama does spend a whole lot of time telling us things, rather than showing it to us. Both with the romance and the mystery, which goes in too many circles and consequently loses its tension after a while. It does ramp up again in the second half, but by then a whole lot of people will have lost interest in it because the buildup wasn’t there.

It all comes down to how difficult it is for the drama to make up its mind whether it wants to be a romantic comedy set in the Joseon era or more of a mystery about a young policeman who chases after people who break the law and the people who get in his way and complicate the whole matter. And the story never really manages to combine the two into one solid story no matter what it tries.

The structure of neither of those plot points is strong enough for it to work properly because the buildup wasn’t there, and there is a lack of balance between all these different elements of the story as well.

The plot seems too rushed at times; it never really stops long enough to explore things or build them up enough for it to hook you in. There is a lot of tell, and not enough showing us things. Showing us the main couple falling in love for example. Things just happen because they are supposed to happen. But at the same time, the story drags its feet so much and the plot and the character go in so many circles - which is a shame because the cast is great, but not used all that well within the story.

It’s Ro Seo who manages to shine the most in this drama and her character manages to be the heart of the story someone you can really root for. Hyeri is so likeable here. And if the story had been built solely around her, we might have gotten a better story. But it is Nam Young and his story halts the story so much. He is only there because Ro Seo needs some contradiction to her character and her story, but he does not get enough to do so that it has a strong enough impact on the story. His character hardly matters in the grand scheme of things.

This role insufficiently used Yoo Seung Ho, one of South Korea’s most talented actors in his age range, which is a damn shame. And while Yoo Seung Ho uses all his charisma and puts as many emotions and empathy into Nam Young as he can muster, the writing does not match his energy, so no matter what he does, Nam Young feels flat as a character. Which is frustrating to watch. He is a plot-point, not a solid character who influences the story itself. Most of the story he is just there.

Moonshine falls into the same pit that I think many period dramas like it fall into and that is to put too much emphasis on the palace politics and the royal family and uses it as a crutch or a tool to carry the story forward or build suspense - like the evil mother-in-law is used in rom-cos to add drama and stakes to the story and the romance. And it doesn’t really work. There is a certain skill that needs to make that work within a story, and it must be used with a purpose, or it becomes so dull. And many of these lighter period dramas, like Moonshine, don’t know how to utilize it. To me it comes off as a possible lack of courage in the story itself from the writer.

There is a lack of stability or focus in the story, especially towards the middle, which improves slightly as we get towards the end, but the story never really allows the moments to linger (and therefor there is a lack of buildup) and often seems too hasty so it comes across that the characters move with the story, but not the other way around. Things just need to happen. Therefore the tension in the narrative isn't really there.

Moonshine is an overall drama with lots of potential, but with such an aimless narrative that hesitates to take risks and break away from the norms of its genre, with crown princes, palace politics and forbidden love between classes etc. It leaves the mystery of the story in the dust and therefore the structure of the story, some of the character and many of the side-plots feel rather flat and they lack a little focus and depth. The drama wanted to do too much, but at the same time too little, with the time it took to tell this story. I cannot say that I was bored watching the drama, but rather that I was frustrated by the wasted potential of it all. The cast carried the drama through for me.

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Keep calm and drink on!

While modern affairs says Moonshine is a brand of corn whisky, according to medieval literature, it means high-proof liquor that is produced illegally and the name was derived from a tradition of creating the alcohol during the nighttime, thereby avoiding detection. The drama, in fact, is based on the same concept and truly depicts and justifies throughout.

Literally titled "When Flowers Bloom, I Think of the Moon (꽃 피면 달 생각하고)", the show is created by KBS Drama Division & 2 other companies and distributed by KBS. This drama is a debut for the writer Kim Joo Hee and directed by the exclusively KBS PD Hwang In Hyuk.

A period of 10 years ban on alcohol leads to the formation of hidden Moonshine organizations who secretly produce alcohol to do business and to take advantage of the ban by earning plenty. Sequence of events lead to the discovery of stash of such alcohol and while unveiling the forces behind everything, even bigger truths are disclosed which seem to be involving the main leads as well.

Inspector Nam Young (Yoo Seung Ho), appointed at the Prohibition Office (Sheonbu) is a law-abiding officer who craves for justice and truly carry out the ban as ordered by the King. Kang Ro Seo (Lee Hye Ri) is a poor noblewoman who got no skill but to make excellent quality liquor. To live a normal life by making money, she dares to disobey the laws but got a pure conscience and uprightly morale. Byun Woo Suk plays the naive yet calculative Crown Prince Lee Pyo and Kang Mi Na plays Han Yae Jin, a noble lady who is easy peasy and believes in being honest.

In supporting cast, there are many familiar faces like Choi Won Young, Jang Gwang, Jung Young Joo, Moon Kou Kang, Park Ah In, Kim Gi Bang, Im Won Hee, Seo Ye Hwa, Hong Yeon Pyo etc. The acting department was full of decent actors and the performance was overally very good except for Byuk Woo Suk. He didn't show any improvement from his previous dramas and him playing a main character wasn't a good impression though his screentime was significantly reduced in the later half.

Most of the major characters are likable, especially, the ones played by Seungho, Hyeri and Mina; I liked their roles and their characters. The one with the least experience is Mina and I was actually happy seeing her doing good in here.

Plot development is more than just good. It's not a brainy intriguing watch with lots of angst or even heart-fluttering moments. Plus, unlike most of the Korean sageuks, where the central plot gets diverted to plenty of political conspiracies and somehow becomes romance-centric with the goal of uniting the ML & FL in the end, this truly sticks to its main plotline for most of it's parts. The first 2 introductory episodes were able create some impression regarding the moonshine businesses and the progression throughout remained up to snuff and satisfactory.

It obviously has several peak moments as expected but not that stupefying in general; I think that's the speciality about this drama. The ending sequence however got a bit repetitive but it was okay. There's not really much to discuss about the development honestly and it was a good watch throughout. In addition, the pacing remains constant plus up to par and it didn't demand me to skip anything or even fast-forward it at all. I think the biggest plus point for this was the fact that it never ran out of substance involving the main theme, despite an average storyline.

Hwang In Hyuk PD-nim is a familiar face in KBS Drama Division with more than a couple of hugely acclaimed dramas in his resume and the decades of experience seems to have been reflected despite the drama being not a masterpiece of some sort. The screenplay management, premise settings, the scenario conduction and the cinematography have been well taken care of. The overall screen editing is nice, and despite the least amount of emphasis on colour pallettes, the vibe organization using appropriate hue, is brilliantly done. The pacing is good as well; which at few places (for instance ep 9 & 11) felt like becoming slow, but glad they picked up the acceleration shortly.

Writers making a decent delivery in their debut is not new, however, this was indeed a beyond decent one from Kim Joo Hee, and I believe, she should be paid her due credit. The overal value of the script is way more than average though I can't deny the flaws, but I feel those were manageable and I'm sure many of the viewers wouldn't notice. The plot development is simple, steady and entertaining. Some plot elements could be predictive for avid watchers but that clearly doesn't decrease the quality; I must mention, it's a light and decent sageuk. Unlike 90% of recent sageuks, the screenplay doesn't have any fillers and complementary side plots just to complete the 16 episode quota.

In fact, the amount of romance is very less and equally balanced with the bromance line. The development of bonding between different characters including the love relationships, is simple, good and not exaggerated. The patriarchal dominance is almost nonexistent and to my delight, this has so many feminist female, and not to lie, male characters. Using a contrary approach, the female lead here is the saviour of the male lead and in way, anything misogynistic has been included either.

Composed by Park Se Joon, the OST album ha a total of 9 songs and all of them are likable. My most favourite is "Even Though" by Monday Kiz which has beautifully written lyrics that render your heart. "Love Me Again" by Sojung (Ladie's Code) has the old K sageuk vibes. "Who You Are" by Ha Sung Woon is a song with is a soulful romantic track. "Missing You" by Minseo is a heart-rendering song with great vocal values. "Once In A Minute" by Seo Eun Kwang (BTOB) is a jolly track. Other tracks are:
# "Fly High" by LUCY
# "Moonshine" by JAIME
# "Someday" by Miyeon
# "Love Your Everything" by Golden Child

What I liked...
# The feminist female characters.
# The plot transition
# The character arcss and their growths
# The unique conspiracy plot
# The balance between different factors like: romance, bromance, family aspect, royal affairs, conspiracies, comedy, fighting & stunts, etc.

Final Remarks... Overally, "Moonshine" was a good watch in my opinion. It was likable, engaging and not time-wasting. It could have been a very good thing given the concept and storyline but the fact that it is one of those dramas with least amount of noticeable flaws, makes it an average and decent piece. I won't say it's a must watch but please do it in case you're not looking for a simple sageuks with typical yet balanced elements.

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drinking my SLS away :(

If you don't know what SLS is, it is the infamous Second Lead Syndrome! It's definitely not a pleasant feeling to have, I can assure you. The good thing about this drama, is that

Let's delve in to the plot of the story. I really liked the way it was written because it is a trope we see less within the Joseon era and because it also had subtle mystery flavors behind it as well. Though I feel like some of the characters were unnecessary to the plot, they certainly did bring their fair share of comedic relief. In fact, this drama reminds me terribly of Mr. Queen in terms of humor.

Moving on to the cast, I love Hyeri, but I want to see her play different roles than the ones she typically does -- the "tomboy" characters. She's gorgeous as always and did a lovely job with portraying her character. Next, we have Yoo Seung Ho. Honestly, I didn't like his character at all. Other than the fact they were connected through childhood, his personality made no match for her-- hence why I got SLS. That being said, I believe that Byeon Woo Seok did an excellent job of portraying his love for Hyeri's character but also having a change of heart near the end. Kang Mina was one of the characters I unexpectedly fell in love with. She screams "main character," and I love that about her. Kudos to side characters and couples, Sim Heon and Woon Sim & Cheon Geum and Chun Gae, for their contributions to the story as well.

Overall, I would RECCOMEND you watch it.

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Reviewing the Characters and "Not the Actors"

The 1st few ep were the best...Nam Young and Han Yae Jin characters were adorable😍 They are the reason for me to watch the drama till the end.❤️️
And I hope I'm not the only one who felt that the chemistry and characterization of second leads were much better than first leads...
Inspector Nam Young was the only one who carried out the whole drama as a main lead... And the female lead is only there to cause more troubles... At the starting I can understand that she was broken and her only hope was to sell alcohol but what about later when she made a huge deal when she had enough in her hand ? I don't know what the writer is selling here...
I mean they got the best cast and my fav. actors here and still I couldn't guess what message its trying to tell the viewers...
I don't think the character like Kang Ro Seo deserves to be called the main lead even though the actress did her best(I'm her fan😢) I still couldn't pity the character....Instead I feel bad for NAM YOUNG who has fallen in love with a girl like her.
Still the comedy scene worked out quiet well except the logical flaw...you can watch this drama for the actors ,who really did a good job...and my appreciations to them👏👏👏
I thought this drama would be one among the kdrama masterpieces, that's why, disappointed me a lot...All credits goes to the writer and the director who had a wonderful cast to work with and YET........😶

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Alcohol prohibiting in Joseon era that's it ,, poor Romance ,, Draggy drama and messy plot

This drama came out with very exciting other korean dramas on air such as Bulgasal , Bad and crazy and Red sleeve
Between the four dramas of course the other three win over this one ,, I'm not comparing but it started at bad timing
I've tried to like it and convince my self it's as good as them or even close but it didn't help me much
started light and funny so it was okey at first ,, light drama doesn't have melodrama or much violence talking about prohibiting alcohol and may be aspiring bromance between the male lead that what I wished for
but it disappointed me big time when it became all about Alcohol and Alcohol only
I loved the second male lead and some funny scenes but I got lost in the middle and became so confused of How many characters appearing on the evil side ,, I didn't even know where is the evil side because the female lead was working with them so I've became a passive viewer ,, go with the flow don't try to understand who is with whom ,, your head will hurt for no reason
they attempt to make love triangle and it was annoying ,, the romance seemed forced not as smooth as I hoped ,, so many accidents and running around in repetitive circles ,, people getting pushed over a mountain while being stabbed or with arrow in their chest and they still lived ,, actually no one dies in this drama till the final episode they some how come back from worst injury always and that was the most irritating because it was illogical at all even for a fictional character ,, if it's not wuxia chinese drama these injuries kill people
Over all the story dragged for a long time following the rebellious female lead who became a hero because she freed the Alcohol from prohibition
All the political nonsense were too much for such drama and felt out of place
the male lead was useless most of time ,,, a lot of characters were useless also such as the female lead's brother
I really really didn't like this drama at all and I've became to dislike the female lead at the end of it ,, she got on my nerves
They made me feel sorry for the two lovers villains at the last episode ,, How ridiculous is that
very disappointed and annoyed by this drama so much ,, I can't even describe how much

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A steady downward spiral

It had a strong first episode that made the drama seems promising and interesting but turns out that the first episode was its peak and the subsequent episodes were heading in a steady downward spiral to never recover after that. The story was barely functional for a full length 16-episodes drama. The writer should be embarrassed to label this as a comedy but that wasn't even the worst part that goes for the romance. The drama would have been slightly better if they were to cut out the romance without changing anything. Not only our leads were lacking in chemistry but the romantic moments were tasteless.

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A lot of lost potential

Everything about this drama looked good in theory, but when it came down to it, the writing let everyone down. I believe the actors did their best with what they were given but nothing short of a rewrite could've saved this drama.

While the plot of the main leads being opposites who attract each other and solve crimes together was enticing at first, it got pretty tiresome when you realize that they're not actually spending that much time together and we have to do most of the work of building their relationship in our imaginations. As for the palace intruigue, it was just muddled and poorly presented. I just wanted the writer to pick thing and go with it, but they seemed to keep getting distracted by aspects of the plot that they dreamed up so everything was mashed together messily in the end.

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Yoo Seungho played as the main lead... how can I not watch this drama? Though to be fair, this drama kept making me want to rewatch Ruler so many times due to the many scenes that tend to parallel some of parts of Ruler that amuses me a lot many times. And when I say there was a lot of parallel plots, there was really a LOT.

The character of Kang Roseo had been set up pretty well with her being a former noblewoman who ended up becoming a moonshiner to make a living. The crown prince Lee Pyo also have his own story to which it also connected with the prohibition order as well as the general plot around it.

And above all, Nam Young seemed to hold the biggest mystery that may lead to a clue that tied the three people together. He's quite a cute character (something that Seungho had a natural flair at playing it) and his upright as well as innocent persona was enough of a charm to make you like Nam Young. Though some may find him a bit annoying but that's how he's been raised. It'll be interesting to see how Nam Young would change even more while being with Roseo and Pyo.

The story was quite light-hearted enough and fun to watch. Though the serious plot would start to creep in the more the plot dwelve more into Lee Pyo's past and Nam Young's locked memories. As well as the romance that started to grow between an unlikely pair of inspector and a moonshiner.

Overall, the drama was really a fun watch. And while there was quite some loose ends that remained unresolved like what happened to some people after the truth was revealed, what will Young do with his life now and I'm still curious about Young's true parentage, the drama ended with a very good note. As much as the lovelines of the main and secondary pair ended up not being expanded enough, I like the fact that the romance didn't feel out of place. Young and Roseo made for quite a goofy pair and Pyo-Aejin pair were quite cute. And I really love the overall visuals of the drama that was as beautiful as the poem the drama was named from.

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Enemy in the Blanket

Really like it!

Korean drama: Moonshine is a mix of sweet, cute, excited to funny that makes you want to laugh.

One of the reasons is that the character Gye Sang-Mok, played by Hong Wan-Pyo, was originally annoying. As a thug her job extorts money, including Kang Ro Seo, which makes this girl owe Gye Sang-Mok a lot.

But instead of being afraid, Kang Ro Seo even dared to grab Gye Sang-Mok, until the thug's hair was bald. Angry to the top, Gye Sang-Mok went back and forth to chase Kang Ro Seo.

The chase ends when Gye Sang-Mok gets hit and falls off a cliff. Gye Sang-Mok has amnesia and turns obedient to Kang Ro Seo. "I don't know why, I'm always scared when I see that girl," he said. Hehehe yeah yeah.😀😀

Kang Ro Seo's heroism really stands out in Korean dramas: Moonshine, something that I have encountered more often in Chinese dramas with royal themes, compared to Korean dramas which strictly follow patriarchal rules.

What also makes Korean drama: Moonshine a must-watch is its deep moral message, especially about friendship. Like the friendship between Crown Prince Lee Pyo, Kang Ro Seo, Nam Young and the Minister of War's son, Han Yae-Jin.

There are 3 types of friends that are useful to have:

Moral friend
A reliable friend
Insightful friend

Said Nam Young when Prince Lee Pyo reminded them of the meaning of their friendship.

Likewise, the friendship between Kang Ro Seo's father and the trouble maker, Chief Royal Secretary, Lee Shi-Heum. Before being beheaded Lee Shi-Heum remembered their conversation:

Flowers wither after blooming
The moon is getting smaller after the full moon
If you have friends to age and drink with
Then it will take away the worries of a century

Because that's what friends are supposed to be like, right? Can be a friend to confide in, a friend who can be relied upon and a friend who will remind you if you have strayed from the track you should be on.

The next review can be read here: https://www.maria-g-soemitro.com/2023/01/moonshine-review-drama-korea.html

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I Liked It!! Super Funny & Enjoyable :)

Story: This is where Moonshine falters the most because there are plot holes and things that do not make sense. BUT if you go in knowing this, I think the show is still a nice watch. I was able to still enjoy the show but I did raise my eyebrow at parts.

As far as the romance, it's kind of a slow burn. It took me a few episodes to get into the couple because I was having a little bit of second lead syndrome but I found them cute later on!

Acting/Cast: Everyone did pretty good!! I started watching for Yoo Seung Ho because I loved him in "I am Not a Robot". It took a little bit for me to get into his character in this drama but after a few episodes I grew to like him!! All the characters may need some getting used to but I think all of them are lovable by the end.

Music: I liked it!! They added to many of the scenes, especially the romantic ones in my opinion. "Who You Are" by Ha Sung Woon is my favorite <3

Rewatch Value: I don't rewatch shows usually but I found this one entertaining so I could see myself watching it in the future!!

Moonshine is definitely a "unique" drama but if you find the comedy is to your liking and want a drama that doesn't require a lot of brain power I would check it out lol. It's not perfect by any means but you might enjoy it like I did.

Happy Watching!!

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