[Current Mainland Chinese Drama 2019] Love By Hypnotic 明月照我心

[whome]

This drama has so much kiss scenes! **not complaining though** but holy cow, it's like a kiss scene every other episode or so sometimes!!! But I do love the leads chemistry!!! Thought I read somewhere that this drama was Allen Fang's first onscreen kiss.

[angelflower]

@Ellie Toh Aha~! That's who he was lol. I thought he was familiar but I couldn't place him (too many of these costume dramas in a short period of time haha). Thanks for solving the mystery!

 

I haven't been watching the latest episodes (think I'm up to 20 atm) because I've been shoring them for some reason. Anyway saw in the previews that Wang Ye is forced to marry a 2nd wife (!!) which he can't refuse because it's an order from the king. Can't wait to see how Ming Yue and him get past that, as I'm sure they will.

 

Also saw later previews that has Yunsi causing problems by being that 2nd male lead who refuses to take no for an answer... think it's time for me to watch the episodes again haha.

 

Oh! I saw another video that showed Alen Fang playing the piano as he sings the insert OST and the flute! What a talented man! 

[raziela]

Enjoying this drama. I like that from the introductory episodes they were smart enough to realise working together and presenting a united front to outside parties was in their best interests. Both the leads are doing a very good job. I am surprised this is the lead female's first drama ever especially with all the skinship.  They have great chemistry (and kisses), plot is interesting and very, very funny at times.  I appreciate the gradual development of their relationship aside from the use of the hypnosis and find the ways Li Qian's subconscious comes alive with his real desires when he sleepwalks hilarious 

 

Supporting cast are good too from the supportive sister-in law to Li Qian's friends. I especially love the adorable servants of the Prince and Princess: Tan Li, Di Wu Cheng and Que Yan. They add a lot of enjoyment to the plot!

 

Budget obviously isn't the largest but the costumes are nice (apart from the obviously cheap wigs) and sets are pretty good. Well, after the shoestring budget of The Eternal Love (by the way, I have seen comparisons to that drama but I much prefer Love By Hypnotic) almost anything looks luxurious in comparison 

[bluehibiscus]

I prefer Eternal Love even though its obviously low budget (cheap sets and costumes) was off-putting and its soundtracks were very memorable. I’ve compelled myself to watch 6 episodes of Love By Hypnotic and still don’t get reeled in.

[suzy0604]

Game time!

 

Anyone who could count how many times the leads kiss (including smooch, deep kiss and borderline making out-did u notice wangye uses his tongue in one of the scene )?

 

I have just finished watching the last ep (without sub). All in all, I really like this drama. Its fluffy and sugary sweet! Plot wise, there are a lot of plot holes, and overused plot device such as obssesed love rival/second lead, power struggle, revenge, etc. but what sold me was the chemistry of the leads, the friendship between wangye and his bros (they even coach wangye how to consummate his wedding..lol)

 

[GiaGia]

Just finished ep 1, the leads are cute^^. I can see their chemistry in ep 1 already! Is this drama going to be like, the leads were lovers in the past just based on the summary, sounds like that?

[bluehibiscus]

@rosierosieI think the female lead and the second male lead were

Spoiler

former lovers but she was hypnotised to forget their love.

 

[raziela]

17 hours ago, bluehibiscus said:

I prefer Eternal Love even though its obviously low budget (cheap sets and costumes) was off-putting and its soundtracks were very memorable. I’ve compelled myself to watch 6 episodes of Love By Hypnotic and still don’t get reeled in.

I just could not get into the story in Eternal Love. I think part of that was the off-putting cheapness of drama which made it seem almost like a farce or parody .  Also I personally am not a fan of the stories where a character takes over someone else's body unless they are very well-written (like Startling by Each Step) and I didn't think this was.  I felt some of the things the female protagonist did with the body was very morally questionable and I just didn't like her character much, then all the weird magical, fantasy stuff that happened at the end was just 

 

6 hours ago, bluehibiscus said:

@rosierosieI think the female lead and the second male lead were

  Reveal hidden contents

former lovers but she was hypnotised to forget their love.

 

 I think this too  That's so sad and manipulative. .

Spoiler

Poor Yunsi and Li Mingyue.  I wonder how she will react when she finds out.

 

[bluehibiscus]

2 hours ago, raziela said:

Also I personally am not a fan of the stories where a character takes over someone else's body unless they are very well-written (like Startling by Each Step) and I didn't think this was.  I felt some of the things the female protagonist did with the body was very morally questionable and I just didn't like her character much, then all the weird magical, fantasy stuff that happened at the end was just 

 

 

Hey, Startling by Each Step is one of my favourite dramas. I also had initial difficulty with the contemporary brashness of the female lead character in EL when she took over the body and yeah, what she did with the body at one point was morally questionable. Similarly, I’m not really comfortable with MIng Yue’s lack of compunction in hypnotising others to make them do things her way (eg her maid and the male lead). I feel that is morally wrong. The chemistry also pales in comparison and I’m not really impressed by the male lead’s acting. I think that is why I’m not enjoying the show.

[raziela]

51 minutes ago, bluehibiscus said:

Hey, Startling by Each Step is one of my favourite dramas. 

A classic!

 

51 minutes ago, bluehibiscus said:

 I also had initial difficulty with the contemporary brashness of the female lead character in EL when she took over the body and yeah, what she did with the body at one point was morally questionable. Similarly, I’m not really comfortable with MIng Yue’s lack of compunction in hypnotising others to make them do things her way (eg her maid and the male lead). I feel that is morally wrong. The chemistry also pales in comparison and I’m not really impressed by the male lead’s acting. I think that is why I’m not enjoying the show.

I agree about the hypnotising.  I nearly dropped the drama after the "date" because she went too far after she had promised him she wouldn't but it seems she has learned her lesson and she hasn't used hypnotism on him since without his permission. I like their chemistry but, of course, that is subjective.  I wasn't wild about the chemistry in The Eternal Love even though most people seem to rave about it.

[bluehibiscus]

Did no one else find it weird that both Ming Yue and her brother recognised LQ as the guy who saved them from the assassination in Ep1 even though they never saw his face with his mask removed?

[GiaGia]

15 minutes ago, bluehibiscus said:

Did no one else find it weird that both Ming Yue and her brother recognised LQ as the guy who saved them from the assassination in Ep1 even though they never saw his face with his mask removed?

haha I didn't noticed that. But, yeah that is weird how they recognized him without his mask? Not sure if intentionally done, or mistake there?

 

Well, I'm on ep 13 and finally 2nd lead appeared in ep 11. I haven't seen this actor, and he is quite handsome! I'm dying to see MY and Yunsi love story! So far, it's funny; but I hope the plot picks up soon. 

[vintage_chutzpah]

the plotline sounds light, fluff and fun! subs are until episode 26 already! worth it? am i going to get bored?

[lovehuche]

I saw the preview of last episode and FL hair turned white .  I only watched to ep 20, then I saw preview of political and it turned me off not to continue.

[lovehuche]

 

[raziela]

On 11/14/2019 at 3:28 PM, vintage_chutzpah said:

the plotline sounds light, fluff and fun! subs are until episode 26 already! worth it? am i going to get bored?

I'm up to episode 30 and I would say it is exactly that: light, fluff and fun.  There is a bit more politics and conflict in these later episodes too. It has its flaws but I like the drama.  At the moment I would give it 6 or 7 out of 10.

[lovehuche]

13 hours ago, raziela said:

I'm up to episode 30 and I would say it is exactly that: light, fluff and fun.  There is a bit more politics and conflict in these later episodes too. It has its flaws but I like the drama.  At the moment I would give it 6 or 7 out of 10.

I felt that the later half of the drama is to much political fighting for my taste.  But I love the two leads so I will go back to finishing it.  

[grace anne]

Can I just say this historical cdrama has more kisses than some modern cdrama and kdramas combined  lol, I'm just really surprised....and there's just you feel that both leads feel comfortable in their kissing scenes that it doesn't feel awkward  at all 

[raziela]

On 11/18/2019 at 5:28 PM, lovehuche said:

I felt that the later half of the drama is to much political fighting for my taste.  But I love the two leads so I will go back to finishing it.  

I kind of agree but I think the drama couldn't go on with episode after episode of relationship fluff so they had to introduce some drama.  At least it helps for the character development of the leads and many of the other supporting characters at least.

Spoiler

and we finally get rid of Yunsi lol

 

On 11/18/2019 at 7:59 PM, grace anne said:

Can I just say this historical cdrama has more kisses than some modern cdrama and kdramas combined  lol, I'm just really surprised....and there's just you feel that both leads feel comfortable in their kissing scenes that it doesn't feel awkward  at all 

So true!  One of the things I like about this drama is it's refreshing to see a story with a young couple who are happy, in love and attracted to each other and act like it! They are young and in their honeymoon period, they are  even *gasp* having sex and enjoying it and the drama isn't afraid  to let us know

 

So refreshing compared to so many other C-dramas where you have young couples who are supposed to be in love but barely ever touch or the actors are so prudish even the rare kiss scenes are awkward to watch.

 

I also like that aside from all the hypnosis and sleepwalking and plotting for the throne and jealous second leads  subplots the story is actually pretty simple.  It's about two very different people in an arranged marriage who get to know each other, fall in love and find a way to make their relationship work despite the differences in their personalities.

[themarchioness]

1 hour ago, raziela said:

One of the things I like about this drama is it's refreshing to see a story with a young couple who are happy, in love and attracted to each other and act like it!

 

Hmmm... you're enticing me back in with this comment.  LOL.  I was eager to give it a try as teasers I'd seen promised a lot of cute hijinks and whatnot, but after 6 episodes... I don't know.  I felt very bored.  Everyone else was loving it and so I figured it was me, but I put it on pause anyway.  Maybe I need to give it more of chance?