Love In The Moonlight Review: A Moonlit Love Story You’ll Never Forget
Title: Love In The Moonlight
Episodes: 18
Genre: Romance, History, Comedy, Action, Drama
Main Cast: Park Bo-gum, Kim Yoo-jung, Kwak Dong-yeon, Jung Jin-young, Chae Soo-bin
Streaming Platforms: Netflix, Viki, Amazon Prime Video
Image Credit: Wikipedia
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What happens when love blooms under the quiet glow of the moon? Love in the Moonlight is a heartwarming historical romance that beautifully captures the innocence of first love, the struggles of hidden identity, and the bittersweet charm of youth. With stunning visuals, playful chemistry, and tender emotions, it’s a drama that feels like poetry in motion.
“Love in the Moonlight” is a South Korean television series aired on KBS2 TV from August 22, 2016, to October 18, 2016. Written by Kim Min-jung & Im Ye-jin and directed by Kim Seong-yoon, this historical romance series is available to watch on Netflix and other streaming platforms.
Plot Summary
Hong Ra-on, although a girl, was raised as a boy by her mother. After becoming separated from her mother, she continues to live as a man under the name Hong Sam-nom. In this guise, she helps people with their relationship issues by writing heartfelt letters that spark romance.
Due to one of her clients, she ends up meeting the Crown Prince Lee Yeong, but fails to recognize him, which leads to a negative impression. The Crown Prince is known for being both intelligent and mischievous, but he is often despised by his servants because of his frequent tantrums.
Due to the tragic death of his mother, he harbors a deep resentment toward his father, the King, and Queen Kim. When Sam-nom cannot pay off her debt, she is sold to the palace and forced to work as a eunuch for the Crown Prince.
At first, Yeong enjoys teasing Sam-nom, but her cheerful personality eventually makes him fall in love with her. The head of the royal guards of Crown Prince, Kim Byung-yeon, who is also Yeon's childhood friend, hides a secret that helps him discover Sam-nom's real identity. But he stays loyal to Yeon while protecting Ra-on's truth.
Kim Yoon-sung is the grandson of Prime Minister Kim Heon, who tries to manipulate Yoon-sung to gain power in the royal family. Yoon-sung is a kind-hearted man who discovers that Sam-nom is a woman in their very first meeting, but keeps quiet due to his strong admiration for her.
To gain more political power, Kim Heon tries to make Yoon-sung marry Jo Ha-yeon, the daughter of the Minister of Rites, but both of them refuse to do so. Ha-yeon, being bold and straightforward, develops feelings for the Crown Prince and attempts to capture his attention.
Meanwhile, Yeong discovers that Sam-nom is actually Ra-on and confesses his feelings for her. Ra-on reciprocates his love, leading to a beautiful romance that blossoms within the palace.
As the crown prince faces an attack from enemies, the King decides to marry him to Ha-yeon while Ra-on's true identity gets exposed. Caught in the midst of ruthless political schemes, Yeong and Ra-on struggle to survive and pursue their love.
My Thoughts
The writer has crafted a beautiful yet brave love story between a crown prince and an eunuch. The cinematography of the show captures the heart-fluttering romance set in the Joseon period while exploring the serious palace politics. Despite the cliche trope of a woman disguised as a man, the series justified its forbidden love theme, accompanied by a fast-paced historical setup.
The performance wise whole cast did a great job, and I would specifically like to praise Park Bo-gum, Kim Yoo-jung, Kwak Dong-yeon, Jung Jin-young, and Chae Soo-bin for playing such unforgettable characters. The chemistry between Yeong and Ra-on is SO good, and their playful personalities perfectly complement each other.
Byung-yeon demonstrated his exceptional swordsmanship through thrilling action scenes and showcased his loyal friendship with Yeong, emphasizing their strong brotherhood. Yoon-sung and Ha-yeon left a lasting impression on the audience through their memorable characters. Each of them remained faithful to their love interests despite it being unrequited.
I loved the scene where Sam-nom makes fun of the crown prince in front of Yeong and Byung-yeon while having a meal with them. That was utterly hilarious, and Yeong's reaction made it even more funny.
The show blended a variety of genres, including history, romance, comedy, action, drama, and politics. The first half of the show featured romance and comic scenes, while the second half introduced a more serious political plot. So it might be difficult to comprehend the complex politics by the sudden turn from the lighthearted part.
It presented Yeong's journey from being a carefree, mischievous crown Prince to a mature and wise leader of his reign. It navigates all the characters through the test of loyalty, sacrifice, and duty while ensuring the triumph of good over evil.
Due to its fast-paced execution, the show remained engaging till the end, making it binge-worthy, and concluded on a happy note for the main leads.
Love in the Moonlight isn’t just a story of royal romance; it’s about courage, self-discovery, and the fleeting magic of growing up. Soft, emotional, and unforgettable, this drama will leave you smiling through your tears, wishing to live under the same gentle moonlight.
What’s your take on Love in the Moonlight? Tell me your favorite character and scene in the comments below. Please share your thoughts or topics you’d like me to explore.
Love historic romance with palace politics? Check out my review of Bon Appétit, Your Majesty.
My Rating: 8/10
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