Hu Yao Xiao Hong Niang: Yue Hong Pian

I am an anime fan. When my friend told me that the Fox Spirit Matchmaker was going to be made into a TV drama with real people, I didn't have any expectations for the drama at first. One of the key factors that draws me to a movie or TV drama is the appearance of the actors. I watched Fox Spirit Matchmaker Red-Moon Pact because judging from the trailers, there are many handsome actors and pretty actresses in it. After watching the first few episodes, I am addicted to this drama! The adaptation of this drama is logically smooth and harmonious and is not too different from the original work. The script is solid, the foreshadowing is coherent, and the settings of each character are clear. From what I have seen so far, the production and casting of this drama are all good. I especially like Dongfang YueChu played by Gong Jun - he is the comic YueChu I have in my mind!

Great actors can convey so much with just a glance, a stare, or a well-timed tear. Gong Jun can steal the scenes with only his eyes. I have watched several of his dramas and I think this is his best costume drama.

I really like DongFang Yuechu's interactions with Tushan Honghong (and his spirit friends in Tushan as well!). Both main characters are very fleshed out. The special effects are very well done. The firework scenes are beautiful. The colorful costumes are very fairy-like, and the make-up of the fox spirits in Tushan is very pretty. However, the screenwriting of this drama is a bit weak as there are bugs in several scenes (1-star deducted from the full mark).

Fox Spirit Matchmaker Red-Moon Pact is a long-awaited drama that broke the iQIYI pre-broadcast reservation record. It didn't disappoint me. The acting is top-notch, the sets are gorgeous, the costumes are stunning, and even the OST soundtracks are beautiful. The male lead, DongFang YueChu, is simply amazing - the actor (Gong Jun) is certainly handsome, but what really attracts me is his masculinity, wit, sincerity, and confidence. His love and devotion to his Lady Fairy is one of a kind and very different from the typical love relationships/stories in other Chinese dramas. I finished watching 14 episodes and am excited to see how YueChu become the leader of Yiqidao Alliance and avenge the murder of his parents.

I was concerned about the special effects of this fantasy drama, as many fantasy dramas focused so much on their special effects and forgot the importance of the storyline. Fox Spirit Matchmaker Red-Moon Pact has balanced the special effects and storyline well. As a viewer, I am drawn by the beautifully designed special effects, but not losing interest in the story. The plot is also realistic that a child adopted by the Chief of Fox Spirit can develop a relationship with her. The inner debates of YueChu in finding out the kind of relationship he develops with HongHong is very realistic. It's exciting to see how YueChu's struggles to discover the ultimate truth. On the flip side of the story, HongHong struggles at the same time in accepting her feelings for YueChu and YueChu's feelings for her. How two of them grow as they struggle together will be something that I look forward to seeing.

I have finished the ten episodes, and found the drama quite intriguing. Fox legends are typical Chinese legends, dating back to the days of Da Yu, one of the nation's ancient tribe heroes. There are many Chinese literary stories based on foxes from Qinqiu Mountain and Tushan Mountain, with the focus on the relationship between foxes and humans. It is interesting to see the human character in the dama as kind of Chinese swordsmen, different from the traditional scholars who are physicially weak. Yuechu, the hero is a very lively, active, audacious and broad-minded guy, and he is funny. His feelings for Honghong, the fox who has lived for 1000 years and raised him up, reminded me of the Oedipus complex, as his mother died for him when he was a kid. But the transformation is natural and well-blended into their common adventures and growth.