The Hidden Moon (Uncut Ver.) (2024)

The Hidden/Slow Plot (uncut version)

Overall: the first episode made me intrigued but it devolved into a non thrilling/confusing mess. Aired 10 episodes about 45 minutes each on WeTV https://wetv.vip/en/play/17g7rz51mczkxkf-The%20Hidden%20Moon/a4100mvcw5u-EP01A%3A%20The%20Hidden%20Moon (uncut episodes were about 10 minutes longer)

Content Warnings: death, attempted suicide, sexual assault/rape?, self harm, scary images, violence, blood, mental health struggles, choking

Watch Suggestions (suggest watching the cut version except where noted, this focuses on sweet moments between the leads)
- watch episode 1
- episode 3 watch part 2 beginning-3; part 3 beginning-1:15, all of part 4
- episode 4 watch all of part 1; part 2 start at 7:12; part 3 beginning-4 and all of part 4
- watch episode 5 part 1 4:30-end
- watch all of episode 6 uncut, they cut out kissing/implied sex
- episode 7 watch part 1 16-end, part 3 3:40-end and can watch all of part 4
- episode 8 watch part 1 before the credits for a quick kiss (uncut version has a longer kiss but it's more of a dead fish lip press) and 12:20-13:15
- skip episode 9
- watch episode 10 uncut from 40:20-43

What I Liked
- intriguing premise with mystery/horror/supernatural elements
- at least they asked why the ghost sensitive one wasn't seeing them
- sweet moments especially in episode 6
- supportive mom
- some of the production value* (the off key music at the end and then the music at the end was especially fitting)

Room For Improvement
- *choppy at times (even in the uncut version it felt a little choppy)
- confusing and slow plot
- Khen and a friend had several moments that made me ship them which was especially bad because the other ML wasn't introduced until the very end of ep 1 (this was less an issue in the cut version)
- odd that a character went from trying to kill another character to suddenly liking him and then back to hating him, did not feel chemistry between the leads
- did not care at all about the drama in the past and it was confusing because a character made it sound like she didn't want something but then she seemed to want that when she talked to her friend later
- I was going to give this a 7 but the very confusing/rushed finale/dead fish lip press dropped it to a 5 (the uncut adds 9 minutes at the end but it basically shows Mas and Khen almost meeting and how Khen was recruited to join the rest of the group and go to that house, they aren't together)
- the idea that Mas would watch reincarnated Khen grow up and then get together with him when he was 40 and Khen was 20 was icky (this is how the cut version ended)

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This review aimed at folks deciding whether to watch. (Yes. Yes, you should. Worth it.)

The Hidden Moon is a macabre suspense thriller with a BL twist. The series mostly works. Early episodes shroud the story with supernatural elements that deliver a sense of foreboding. A palpable dread permeates the characters' interactions. Mysteries emerge that require sleuthing by our protagonists. Some of these unknowns pertain to Real World events while others transcend reality to seemingly touch upon ethereal planes. The series even broaches the Big Mystery: what happens when a person dies? Amidst all the paranormal uncertainty, a BL romance struggles to emerge. That subplot is almost an afterthought, however, as this series is a suspense thriller first; a romance, only to change pace between supernatural set pieces. That de-emphasis of the BL plot will disappoint viewers interested primarily in MM courtship. Their loss. If the idea of a slow-burn spooky ghost story appeals, the ten hours of The Hidden Moon will be worth the time to watch. If such fare is not your cup of tea, then you don't need to know the twisty turns anyway.

The writer of reviews must choose betweeen two variants of the form. One style pitches the text toward readers who have seen the material and cannot therefore be spoiled (full disclosures with double-barrel critiques). The alternative aims to reach those readers seeking out the review to help them decide whether to start watching. This group can be spoiled, so the reviewer should be circumspect (strategically withholding details and pulling punches in the criticism). To preserve the sense of macabre, to maintain the air of suspense, and to preserve potential thrills, this review will pursue the latter path. The production team behind The Hidden Moon mostly got right the macabre, the suspense, and the thrills. They do not deserve to have that effort undermined by a comprehensive debrief of every strength and weakness. So, this review will risk vagueness by imparting fewer details than customary. Indeed, I encourage anyone deciding whether to watch to avoid investigating specifics. The less you know about this one, the more you will enjoy it. With that disclaimer, onward with my purposefully vague critique.

The series opens with five young people arriving at an Obligatory Old House. An Old House with a reputation. An Old House that may be haunted. They have come to investigate these rumors. Before the first episode ends, the group begins to experience unexplained events themselves. (That's five time-worn tropes already! Happily, none of them is a BL trope!) Over the next several episodes, the team tries to uncover explanations for the unusual goings-on. The pacing proves uneven. Not all episodes are equally spooky. A couple in the middle really drag. Arguably, the early episodes suffer from a bad case of writers trying to create mystery by simply not explaining anything. That tactic led to characters confused and frustrated with their situation. This reviewer suspects many viewers will share that sentiment. Hooking the audience with juicy details might have been a better strategy. Unexplained phenomena may rightfully vex characters, but they alienate viewers when dragged through too many consecutive episodes. Fortunately, viewers who stick with the series will be rewarded. Three strengths save the series from the reliance on hoary tropes and the problems with pacing.

First, the creative team (cinematography, direction, lighting, editing, music) understood their assignment. Overcoming gaps in story logic, the vibe remains consistently tense--brooding and unsettled. The sense of macabre persists during the slow episodes, so that when the story recovers vigor, the suspense has never descended into farce or hokiness. Few viewers of The Hidden Moon will ever nominate the series as an exemplar of the macabre suspense thriller genre's best. But it is absolutely solid work.

Second, later episodes grow stronger. They deliver cogent story beats, unexpected twists, and better interactions among the characters. When the payoffs arrive from those unexplained mysteries of the early episodes, they prove worthwhile. Episodes 8-9 (penultimate) stand out in particular.

Third, the series has a time travel element unusual in the suspense genre. One member of the Thai Scooby Gang experiences paranormal weirdness in two timestreams. For unknown reasons, Khen is shifting between the present and past of the Obligatory Old House. In both timelines, an angry female specter targets him for special attention with the kind of ghostly violence that threatens Khen's life. Fortunately, one denizen of the 1910s timeline is able to intervene on his behalf. Mas is the handsome son of the homeowner. As Mas and the strange visitor from "another world" grow better acquainted, bonds of affection grow between them.

The dynamic between the two young men, separated in time by about a century, provides the BL storyline. Perhaps during episodes 6-7 the macabre even takes a backseat to the courtship. Nevertheless, the BL story remains mostly threadbare. The two would-be lovers, after all, recognize that living in two different worlds poses an insurmountable challenge to their future prospects. And veteran viewers of K-drama and BL alike are surely aware that ghost-human romance has little chance of achieving a happy ending. An undercurrent of "why bother?" haunts the scenes where Mas and Khen deepen their emotional bonds. Young love, inevitably, will persist against all admitted logic. And so it is with Khen and Mas. The BL tale adds some emotional heft to The Hidden Moon's endgame, and it is the duo's interaction that will restore balance to each universe. BL viewers who endure the suspense and supernatural shenanigans in the hopes of a romantic denoument suffused with happy endorphins will see their patience rewarded. Kind of. I'd say more...but spoilers.

In closing, The Hidden Moon isn't primarily a BL series. Rather, it is a supernatural thriller that tossed in a BL romance. Substitute a straight romance, and the underlying tale of macabre would require no alteration. In the final analysis, I'd argue that the series succeeds as a thriller even more than it succeeds as a romance. Full credit to the production team for that success, for I do not belive they worked from a lavish budget. But they deployed their resources wisely, resulting in a finished product that may well be an instance where the whole surpassed the sum of its parts. It is not a great series, but it is certainly very good. It is worth the ten-hour investment of your time to watch.

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atmospheric and romantic haunted house (sponsored by chiang mai tourism)

I picked this show up on a complete whim, only knowing that it was written by the same author as IFYLITA (Violet Rain) and that people liked that show (I haven't watched it yet) and it has really made my autumn! The Hidden Moon is slow, atmospheric, and winding... but on purpose, and done well. It's the perfect show for anyone looking to sink their teeth into a ghost story that's more melancholic than scary. It comes off rather like one of the individual ghost-of-the-week stories from Peaceful Property (especially the ones with bittersweet endings), but stretched over ten episodes. While that won't be a pace and tone for everyone, I think the right audience will really enjoy this story. The same goes for the production, which carries the haunting in unique of creative ways.

-The Full Review-

STORY:
Personally, I found this story really intriguing. It had a creepy, eerie quality throughout most of the series that drew me into the story. I was never quite sure where the characters stood or what was really happening in a way that meshed quite well with the reality (or, rather, the unreality) of the story. I especially enjoyed that scenes/dialogue that felt strange, foreboding, or awkward, usually revealed themselves later down the story. There were some really good clues!
My only real negative to the storytelling is that the plot dropped a bit in the middle and hit a lull for a couple episodes. Right in the middle the reality got so muddled it was difficult to keep all the threads together. It was unfortunate that some of the eerie tension is resolved at this point, leaving a bit of a dull spot. If you stick with it, though, the story definitely picks back up as Khen starts putting the pieces together.

ACTING:
This cast is almost all rookies, and you can tell--but I don't think it hurts the story in anyway. The characters themselves are quiet, thoughtful, and halting, so any stumbles made by a young cast are absorbed pretty easily into the narrative. It's a bit genre specific though, with both the haunting and the historical context playing into acting choices--so don't be taken by surprise when stiffer choices are made.
In particular, I really enjoyed Kin's work as Khen. The character is a quiet, peaceful personality that isn't truly suited to be the main character of any story, which makes it quite fun when he's put in that position and only has his stubbornness to hold onto. He's difficult to get a feel for, and that really enhances the various turns this plot makes on his story.
I also very much enjoyed David, especially when he was being a slightly sinister and suspicious man. His take on haunting was quite a lot of fun, and the slow fall into romance was quite deftly done. I wasn't originally sure on their chemistry together, but they developed a really pleasing patter by the end, something I don't think is quite easy to do in this tone of story.
The ensemble was good together--there was a constant polite friction that fit the way these characters are half-friends-half-coworkers-half-something-more. The way that politeness is eroded by the haunting was one of my favorite parts of the early story.

PRODUCTION:
I'm going to be controversial here--I LOVED the cinematography and editing of this show. Here me out, because I know that a lot of people hated it. The editing of this show is abrupt and jarring, but it does this on purpose. Our POV character is experience an unreal/supernatural phenomenon and the cut is accordingly non-real. I loved the way that editing would make me feel like I missed a step, only to learn that Khen had also missed that same step. It was very good use of visuals to tell the story and did contribute to my ability to "solve" the mystery.
I also have to give major props to the costuming, which full of texture and truly gorgeous. I loved how the costumes both separated the time periods and erased them--choosing "timeless" pieces that could exist in both eras for many characters. The textures and colors on Mas's accessories in the opening scenes were so good I had to pause and screenshot to talk about them at length on twitter. Really good work.
On the flip side... the CGI was. Something. I wish the team had perhaps found different solutions to some of the CGI. I'm sure at least some of the more ridiculous moments could have been re-framed or covered with practical effects. I'm not even that picky with CGI (I watched Dhevaprom happily!) but it was... pretty rough in a way that frequently broke my engagement. And that's hard to recover from in such an atmospheric story.

INTIMACY:
I loved the chemistry between the lead characters. So much of this show is about tension, and it was easily felt in their performances. I especially liked the cyclical nature of their development--sometimes threatening, sometimes sweet, sometimes teasing... constantly trying to find that balance between worlds and states of being. The intimacy in this show isn't for fanservice, and I felt served the narrative very well. I would happy to see this couple again (or, honestly, any of the side couples).

In all, I don't think this show is for everyone--especially given that the Thai BL audience tends towards louder, campier, and more energetic productions. But if you are a fan of more romantic, quieter pieces.... this is a really, really good one. It is the perfect mood for a rainy, chilly autumn night. I really enjoyed myself.

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-Aquellos que pueden estar juntos deben estar en el mismo estado.

Creo que es de los primero dramas que veo con este toque de misterio, suspenso etc, y la verdad es que no sabia en que me estaba metiendo, nomas la tenia en mi lista de pendientes, estoy gratamente sorprendido es una historia intrigante que plantea cosas cosas interesantes y que en si me gusto todo pero yo sabia que esto no podía terminar de la manera en que uno esta acostumbrado y que el ultimo capitulo a mi me tuvo llorando demasiado, dependiendo de como sientas tu la serie puedes venir algunos giros de trama y otros no (como me paso a mi)

-A partir de aquí empieza todo el spoiler-

Tengo que decir que en cuanto nos mostraron la escena del choque que no es como tal si no que nomas se desvían del camino y nomas Khen termina con la herida y los 5 regresan a la casa y ya suceden todas estas cosas básicamente el bucle (desayunar lo mismo, visitar siempre los mismo lugares, que no pudieran escapar) yo desde ahí dije están muertos pero no están consientes de ello y mi otra teoría que desarrolle después era que existían entre 2 o 3 mundos y por eso no aparecían los personajes.

Khen y Mas
Que puedo decir de ellos, su historia desde un principio es bien complicada porque Khen piensa que es un fantasma y asi, esta curiosa su primera interacción a decir verdad y mas como pasan de llevarse "mal" a todo esto de desarrollar sentimientos mutuos, toda esta faceta de ellos mientras se van conociendo, se cuentan sobre sus mundos, Khen contándole cosas que van a pasar etc, sus momentos en la cabaña, todo en ellos era demasiado bonito (como dicen tanto como para ser verdad) y sin duda la lección que nos deja es el aprender a dejar ir porque muy a su pesar (y al nuestro) no iban a poder estar juntos para siempre, si me dejo en shock que Mas si fuera consiente de que Khen era un fantasma, pero como dicen tuvieron recuerdos muy hermosos y aunque quisieras que les fuera bien literal no había una forma en la que esto terminara bien, se nos da a entender que Khen renace en el hijo de Naun pero de ahí no pasa nada hasta después pero esto lo retomo mas abajo.

Después los personajes secundarios que voy a poner en pareja porque para mi asi fue
Bing y To
Siempre me causo duda que Bing se pusiera muy mal con todo y que aun cuando quiso irse y regreso no cayera en cuenta que era un fantasma, al principio yo pensé que ellos tenían algo y luego también pensé que Bing estaba enamorado de Khen pero no simplemente asi era su actitud, To al principio se me hacia un poco de actitud pesada pero conforme avanzo le fui agarrando mas cariño igual ellos intentaron ayudar a Khen en todo lo que pudieron sin duda ellos me van a doler en esta serie por su momento donde To le dice a Bing que cuando escapen si le gustaría conocer mas facetas de el (esto porque Bing le dice que no sabia que tuviera una faceta amable) y sin duda me rompió cuando avanzan porque escuchan voces y avanzan nomas para encontrarse ellos mismos, sus cuerpos y lo que mas me va a doler era que sus cuerpos estaban agarrados de la mano.
Thaen y Namwa
Si bien no me encariñe tanto con ellos si me cayeron bastante bien porque ambos tenían una actitud muy positiva y que se veía que les gustaba mucho lo que hacían, me hubiera gustado ver un poco mas de ellos pero igual la escena del bosque cuando Namwa le dice algo a Thaen pero que a nosotros no nos muestran que yo dije le va a decir estamos muertos y en efecto en el capitulo 10 se nos confirma esto, sin duda también me calo.
Khampuan, Sompho y Aisaeng?
Sin duda una historia de amor trágica para los tres porque Khampuan murio pensando que Sompho quería quitarle a su marido, Sompho murió por el amor que le tenia a Khampuan y Aisaeng lo mas probable que murió por causas naturales pero murió pensando que Khampuan le había sido infiel y se escapo con otro (aunque no me quedo muy claro si Aisaeng quería con ambas), toda esta parte de que Khampuan al final era Sompho pidiendo que escucharan su historia para que la contaran como realmente es, esta historia creo que es lo que al final termina conectado los dos mundos (no entendí que los conectaba en si) ya que su historia paso en lo que ahora es un terreno que le pertenece a la familia de Mas.

Sin duda es una gran serie que me dejo con bastantes dudas, para empezar como es que Mas pudo ir al "futuro" a lo de las linternas y en ese mismo capitulo como es que pudieron ver a Khen el chico que su nombre significaba Sol (se me olvido) si Khen ya estaba muerto para entonces y también pudo observar a Mas (si bien no estaba muerto al ser el futuro en teoría si lo estaba?), también según yo Bing fue el primero en ver a Khampuan no entiendo porque omiten esto diciendo que fue Khen y despues Namwa (maybe error de traducción), tengo mas dudas pero bueno.

El ultimo capitulo a mi me tuvo llorando a montones mas cuando Khen termina la redacción de la "historia" y va a su reencuentro con los demás chicos y se topan y nomas le dicen que le tomo mucho tiempo y asi, de alguna forma yo seguía esperanzando a ver mas pero bueno toco aceptar que los 5 murieron, también al final nos muestran como empezó todo y que la serie transcurre/empieza en el 2020 y lo peor es que se toparon Khen y Mas (nos muestran toda esta escena de Mas con el libro de Shakespeare o al menos lo que seria el reencarnado) asi que en teoría estaban en la misma facultad pero sabemos que no va a pasar nada y esto gracias a que literal la siguiente escena es toda esta parte de lo que sucedería antes de que lleguen a la casa, se ve a unos chicos (To, Thaen y Namwa) muy emocionados por el proyecto que consiguieron y que afirman que les faltan personas pero que uno como espectador ya sabe como va terminar todo.
Creo que me faltaron cosas por mencionar pero asi lo voy a dejar lo mas seguro.
La frase del titulo es del cap 9.

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From 'The Hidden Moon', Thailand and its BL dramatic universe

From 'The Hidden Moon', Thailand and its BL dramatic universe
Everything seems to indicate that the Thai series 'The Hidden Moon' does unequivocal justice to its name. In its frames there are many mysteries and secrets hidden in the light of the moon and the viewer must unravel them as the episodes go by.
Many like the exciting journey full of visual elegance provided by this series directed by Intorn Lokaew, director of 'Low Frequency' (2023) and producer of the romantic comedy and musical 'Hug Jao ​​E Lee', from 2022. The first episode, the only one broadcast so far, shows a drama that is carefully detailed and has all the shots and frames perfected for an elegant audiovisual presentation.
It is no secret that the BL (Boys' Love) genre productions of the Southeast Asian nation have, for more than a decade, stolen popularity in the market, and have become an international cultural phenomenon thanks to their plots that show attractive couples, in bucolic landscapes and with a message about being true to oneself.
When and how did it all start? Why so many followers? One might also wonder about the "magic" exerted by production companies like GMM25 or Dee Hup House. However, in the face of so many doubts, a great certainty delivers a blow of reality: with lovers or detractors, the world does not remain indifferent to the consumption of a solid and intelligent industry.
For example, the number of BL produced in Thailand increased from 19 between 2014 and 2018 to 75 in 2022. And it continues to grow at present. These television series are popular even in more conservative countries, such as India, Indonesia and Malaysia, although their followers must hide it, because if they say so publicly they may suffer sociocultural and religious pressures.
Thanks to these series, in Thailand the LGBT community enjoys more visibility and tolerance than in previous times, and it is expected that before the end of 2024, equal marriage will be legalized after being approved by the Senate of that country on June 18 of this year, with 130 votes in favor, 4 against and 18 abstentions, in its third and final reading.
Despite their popularity, these series do not realistically reflect the lives of people in this community in Thailand, where activists believe there is still work to be done to change mentalities. The life of gay men in Thailand can be quite tragic, as they still face discrimination and harassment.
Returning to the series: 'The Hidden Moon' demonstrates the television charms attributed to the Southeast Asian nation. As for the form, it is useless to deny the hypnotic effect of its image. The colors speak for themselves of a seductive Thailand, although sometimes greyish, always beautiful. The instrumental music penetrates the memory with an indescribable power, while the luxurious, but terrifying and mysterious old two-story house in the middle of the forest, at the foot of a mountain, welcomes the conflicts of its protagonists: Mas, the son of the owner of the place, and Khen, a writer who arrives in Chiang-Mai with the aim of writing about an old mansion.
However, his journey becomes a supernatural experience when, after suffering a car accident, he begins to experience inexplicable events. It is in this context that Khen meets Mas to tell us an exciting story, full of emotions and twists.
Said like that, it seems like the making of any Thai series of the BL genre. Precisely, these attractions that serve as eye drops are part of that group of characteristics that support the formula for success, but are only the visual and artistic components repeated? Although the exoticism of a distant country, populated by people with apparently perfect physiques, manages to connect with a vast audience, the classic plot lines of a romantic drama, in this case fantastic and supernatural period drama, are not left behind; that is, its content.
A production team featuring an energetic new copywriter travels to Chiang Mai to compose stories about two-story Thai houses in the country's northern region; a mysterious woman in a room at the end of the hall; an atmosphere that makes your hair stand on end; ghostly encounters on rainy days; terrifying events that surround those present in the mansion; the story of the two Moons at a different time orbiting together in the darkness of the night sky; the supernatural ability to see and hear things that should not be seen or heard, including the son of the owner of the house in the past, the person whose name means moon is just like him; bittersweet love, heartbreak, beautiful historical setting, a deep relationship wrapped between supernatural events and cruel secrets; A couple made up of a modern-day boy who, after a car accident, travels to the past, precisely to a time during the First World War, to have a romance with a ghost, come together in this period series "Duean Prang".
These are topics that scare us in our lives but that we love to see on the big screen or television. Supernatural mystery series, suspense, ghostly apparitions and disappearances without answers are engaging like no other, and if you add romance to this, the delicious dish is served.
A maxim of series is that they engage, and for that to happen there is nothing better than suspense, intrigue and a good mystery to solve. If there is a genre that we love, it is these that combine all of the above. What's more pleasurable than the feeling of that edge-of-your-couch tension interspersed with sequences of high-stakes action and romance?
Now we have so much to choose from that many go unnoticed without us knowing their existence.
Thailand resorts to these ingredients again and again, because ultimately they capture the taste and attention of a viewer rooted in the typical plots that, despite reinventions of the genre, will always be there.
It is worth remembering the different socio-historical context, conservative and inclined to patriarchal laws, as well as the role of women in society and the controversial emotional and family relationships. These situations can accompany an afternoon coffee, but we should not "enjoy" them uncritically.
Starring David Matthew Roberts (in his acting debut) and Kin Thanachai Sakchaicharoenkul ('Love Hurts', 2023), in the roles of Mas and Khen, respectively, the romantic, dramatic and fantasy genre series is an adaptation of the novel " The Hidden Moon" (เดือนพราง), by Violet Rain.
The series is produced by the renowned Dee Hup House, known for its success in series such as 'Step By Step' (2023), 'Something In My Room' (2022) and 'Lovely Writer' (2021).
In the series, Khen does not travel alone with Mas. The production team of which he is a part and who travels to Chiang Mai is made up of Bing (Santa Napakawat Kettreekorn), Toh (Tonkla Patittada Photajareon), Thaen (Jimmy Nuttapong Phaojinda) and Nanwha (Bam Panichada Kongsawanya), while Sompho Meme Kansuda Chanakeeree, Aisaeng (Pom Kamonpop Kaewdiao), all newcomers, and Khampuan (Tian Atcharee Buakhiao), an actress remembered for giving life to Mei in 'I Feel You Linger in the Air', join the journey in the mysterious house. They all defend their roles with conviction.
The script for this series is written by Kak Supicha Anantachat ('In Time with You').
Beyond the depth or intentions, the nuances of society or particular thematic moments are not completely ignored. Such is the case of 'I Feel You Linger in the Air', a series released in 2023 based on the novel of the same name by the same author of 'The Hidden Moon', and 'Dead Friend Forever - DFF' (2023 – 2024), two series coming from the powerful Thai BL industry. If you view them, you will find entertainment close to the novel dilemmas enjoyed in 'The Hidden Moon'.
I'll come back later to update the review.

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