Oh, Moon Lovers... Where do I begin?

I remember when this kdrama came out in 2016, there was high expectations not only because it was a remake of a famous Chinese drama, but more so because of its star-studded cast. At the time I didn't like sageuks, especially ones where the lead actress has multiple love interests. I only gave in now because of my conversion to being an EXO-L. Lol. So I watched because of Baekhyun, stayed because of Kang Haneul (at least during the first half), and reluctantly finished the series because of Lee Joongi, who is truly too good for this problematic production.

The story was all over the place. It picked up at ep 11, went back to being messy from eps 12-14, improved from 15 onwards but ultimately plummeted to a lackluster finale. What a disappointment. And to think that this was a pre-production -- meaning the writer(s) could have better written the ending.

Despite the bad writing, plot holes, unanswered questions, and unsatisfactory acting (from anyone but LJG), the show had its fine moments, namely its death scenes. Every death, at least the ones that mattered, was designed to make the viewer cry. Once that "death soundtrack" plays, the waterworks inevitably begins.

I can't overly state just how impressive Lee Joongi's acting is. He was consistently good. What a waste of talent. Can't say the same for IU, or even Kang Haneul, but I do think the actors are not solely to blame. I can also understand why many criticized Baekhyun's performance here but his final moments were unforgettable; he stepped up when it mattered.

TL;DR -- I don't recommend watching this. Imagine investing 20++ hours of your life and getting that ending. ???? If you just want to see good performances of these actors, they have plenty of other shows which won't disappoint you.