Love Like the Galaxy: Part 1

One of the best costume drama of the year 2022!

I just finished watching the last episode. Then I read many other reviews at MDL and there are very handsome reviews so I don’t need to go into the detail. This is so far the best drama of the year for me. I truly recommend all of you to watch this drama. It had comedic parts, some crying moments and of course some hart beating love moments when main CP crossed the path. I simply love actings by ZL and WL. Plus all other side performers made this drama much more interesting and rich in story. That’s why I kept watching some of my favorite episode over and over.

One thing I don’t quite understand is how come some reviews rated this drama so low while they haven’t even finished it. Some only watched 4 ep then dropped because it’s slow. Some are only less than half episode finished. I guess everyone have different opinion and thinking. I hope they will provide the final reviews when they completed. Hope they all like this drama since I am a big fan of ZL. This is my first time I truly enjoy the slow burned love in C-drama.

Finally, it’s indeed beautifully written and executed by the directors and performed by the actors and actresses. It’s rare to me that I enjoyed every single conversations and scenes. I didn’t skip a single scene of the drama.

I cannot wait for season 2.

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Warnings of triggers for certain audience. Zhao LuSi shines with Wu Lei in this masterpiece.

2nd edit : Now that I watched it to completion, I agree that THIS IS A MASTERPIECE and that the cast did (all) perform outstandingly.
Nevertheless, coming in as the "naive viewer", it took me some time to warm to it : Ep1 is okay. Ep. 2-4 are literally painful. Even on to ep.10 there's harsh beatings and mental triggers. Still the story seemed to change slowly for the better. The humor especially, black humor, buffoon humor, jokes, etc, peppered even the "painful start" to the story, which indeed was necessary to understand the dysfunctional military family, where the mom thought love had to come with taunts, constant belittling and beatings (though careful not to damage the goods, but at first sight, well....)
So I think this drama should come with strong trigger and PG warnings... It is not suited to everyone's taste, especially if one got lured in by the starry title, not knowing the story beforehand or at least some background. Some reviewers helpfully provided minute details and explanations which may help keep up patience. For once, let's thank the spoilers!
Once this is understood , one can get more easily into the story, admiring the superb acting, the spectacular cinematography, the excellent directing by Fei Zhen Xiang who worked skillfully with the cast and technicians, the humor and the slow burn volcano of sentimenys expressed through gazes and swift protecting moves on the part of general Ling Buyi (played by the godly fit Wu Lei, master of every martial art and riding, and literal Superman at times - though there are no fantasy elements and flying around on rooftops. Well, maybe one rooftop but when you'll get there you'll wow and chuckle along with glee !
I was watching on because despite her dire "education" at the hands of the feared mom, even bruised and battered, Zhao LuSi still shined. And not just a little. She is the superstar here !

So as I wrote I might about my initial review of the first episodes, I did progressively upgrade my opinion on the story (the initial painful part supposedly condensed the 20 first chapters of the novel). It did take me some time to get more wholeheartedly into the relationships.
But from ep 8 to episode 11, everything began to feel like a rollercoaster with addictive feel.
Despite the horrors of war the unfairness of treatment and the jealous girls taking every opportunity to pick on the undaunted girl, I began to laugh and tear up wholeheartedly for Cheng Shaoshang nicknamed NiaoNiao i.e. 'slender and beautiful" (played by Zhao Lusi), her innocent would-be betrothed Lou Yao and of course, the mysterious and dangerous general Ling Buyi, courtesy name Zisheng, nickname Shiyilang ( 11th son of the emperor, unofficially, because although he was treasured by the emperor, he was not from his blood family : he only had been raised in court together with the imperial brats because he was the surviving member of the emperor's deceased blood brother).

The emperor, his empress and his consort, are also important figures in this drama. They were modeled on the real historical emperor Guangwu of Eastern Han dynasty and his two wives and successive empresses: historical Guo and Yin. The unusual transition of having their first sons named crown prince without a great struggle is also interpreted. The emperor in this drama is benevolent as are his wives, but the children are unruly and sometimes vicious, used as pawns by elders who have their own agenda. Lin Buyi stands out impartially, as a "pillar of the state" resolving treasonous plots and old painful mysteries touching his own family.

Cheng Shaoshang is naive, but strong and unusual, so when Ling Buyi repeatedly catches sight of her and her shenanigans, the general (21 years old in the story) warms up to protect her and convince her of his love. It is not sappy romance. Shaoshang is perfect in his eyes only, but as his future wife, she will of course need instruction in a variety of matters and customs to negotiate the real dangers of living in the imperial court. And that is not easy since she had been left behind for over ten years in the deficient "care" of a grandmother who viewed her as expendable and an aunt who viciously mistreated her and made her into an unruly, semi illiterate wretch, only able to react with fights when picked upon. In this first part, she is only 14-15 years old, so of course she has trouble wrapping her head around what she could do, and what would be best.

I started to understand somewhat better the rigid warrior mom, although without warming to her, and to admire the young lady's resourcefulness and cold-blooded resolve. Of course, she'd be the perfect partner to the general, although she still did not realize it. His respect and care was wonderful. The other young men who chased her all had different agendas and personalities.

To sum it up : LLTG is a complex story, a dive into a distant but lesser known part of ancient China through a wonderful and engaging story of a woman's struggle in an age where freedom had other meanings than today, but where upbringing and social awareness are likewise crucial. The hilarious parts provided a well-needed balance. The first images were a bit baffling and it took a while before the drama at last gave some clues about why general Ling's suddenly turned to focus on general Cheng's wild daughter . Slowly, clues were added, the story got more and more interesting. and I had to alter my initial too lukewarm assessment.
The climb to the extraordinary episodes 24 and 27 was a surprisingly quick one. Once rolling, this drama takes away the audience like an avalanche, and both young (not too young as per warning) and older viewers fall into its thrall.

Following the ardent wish of the hundreds of millions who gathered for this drama as it was being released, part 2 started seamlessly after the end credits of part 1 : it ought to have been a 56 episodes one but for administrative reasons, a "part 2" label was slapped on, midways. It would be inconceivable to leave after part 1 or view the parts independently. The drama stays at time of writing on top of the charts in China and I wholeheartedly agree.
This might be the best one for 2022, in its fictional & historical genre.

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Great storyline, Great characters

What great storytelling. With this show, you can't help but feel immersed in the plot and get yourself attached to the characters. The main leads do such a good job playing their roles and do a great job portraying their characters. I love how different the ML and FL is in personality--one is strict, firm, ruthless, cold, and act with authority while the other is more relaxed, easy-going, free, nonextreme, good humored, and act without much care. As opposites are they are, you can help but root for their love to grow. It's so fun seeing how their relationship grow and I look forward to every scene of the leads together. My favorite part of the show is witnessing the change of the ML in the way he acts around the FL. The FL eventually starts to discover her own feelings and thoughts regarding love. Very wonderful show with lots of interesting plot points. For me, although the romance is more slow-growing and subtle than some other shows, I enjoy it. I like watching how their relationship slowly progress and bloom. Can't wait to watch part 2!!

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Too good...

The storyline was amazing. The FL and ML have great chemistry, even their eyes and expressions are on point.

I've been a fan of ZLS for a long time and this show made me love WL, too. I really thought that YY and ZLS's chemistry in WRTW is undefeated but the chemistry of these two (WL and ZLS) in this drama is on another level. ZLS's acting is so good (she becomes really pretty too) and WL is strikingly handsome.

I almost cried in the scenes where Shaoshang felt insecure because of her mother. Too heartbreaking. I also laugh every once in a while (fun scenes), oh this show is making me go crazy. This drama is surely a full package.

The cinematography and music work hand in hand. All the actors (literally the actors, Leads, SLs, and extras) are amazing. They just matched.

The story is not slow-paced nor fast, JUST ENOUGH for you to be invested in it.

I'm now watching Part 2 and after ending every episode, I can't wait to watch another episode. This is the only drama where every scene is so good (haven't used the forward button at all).

I just really hope this has a Happy Ending!

I'll definitely rewatch this! 1000000000000/10 - Recommended 100%!

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Superficial and boring story

It's a dorama with ups and downs, prevailing the lows. At first I wasn't enjoying the dorama at all. It took him a while to get in and get interesting. They focus a lot on dialogues and everyday family matters and that was leaving me impatient. There was even almost an entire episode that they spent just discussing about a ✨table✨, a subject that was totally irrelevant to the story, that classic sausage filling. Only after the first 4 episodes did it start to improve and the story began to engage.

However, back in episode 22 the story began to decay again... with many dialogues and scenes that were not missing and were disposable. Most of the parts were dragged and superficial.

For me, the chemistry and development of the main couple was very failure. Although the protagonist was very intelligent, she was also very childish and naive, which for me did not match with the serious and mature general. In my view, A'Yao would be the perfect match for the protagonist, the two were very similar, they were in similar phases and were much more aligned as a couple.

As the dorama passed, I was increasingly losing the desire to see because of superficial dialogues and entire episodes that added nothing to the story. I think the dorama lost the timing and sinned in the number of episodes (about 20 would be enough). I had to go through several parts to be able to finish! For me, it doesn't reach the feet of, for example, lost you forever, story of kunning palace, till the end of the moon and love between fairy and demon. It's just a series to watch without paying too much attention and to pass the time. I wouldn't recommend it.

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Starts slow but stick with it! It gets so good!

I honestly didn't know if I could stick with it after the first 3-4 episodes. This drama starts very very slow but now I am absolutely hooked! The cast is excellent! Great acting and chemistry from pretty much everyone in this cast including the supporting actors, but especially from Wu Lei and Zhao Lusi. These two are 100% compatible in looks, age, acting skills and chemistry! Every time they share the screen, it's something special. I wish there were more SS and LBY scenes. Never read the book so I'm not sure how true they are to the characters, but I am very impressed with both their acting. They are able to convey so much with subtle expressions and eye contact.

The story is also quite refreshing and original. This is a drama sprinkled with just the right amount of comedic elements to make it fun to watch! I really enjoyed the scrore and cinematography as well. I had really high hopes for Who Rules the World but was actually quite disappointed with the overall story/production. Love like the Galaxy is actually a much richer story and seems to have a better production, director and team behind it. If you watch the BTS, you will see the entire cast/crew seemed to have the best time filming this and the resulting work they put out reflects that. Can't wait for part 2!

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The brightest stars on Tuesday to Thursday!

Every episode of this series had me completely hooked. The production is excellent for a S+ drama; it is unquestionably not a lousy drama. I adore how it addresses family issues that occur frequently in real life. And I also particularly enjoy the drama's comedic elements because they give it more flavor. The development of the relationship between the male and female leads is also extremely logical and follows the natural course of a relationship. The plot has a characteristic that sets it apart from previous historical dramas that I've watched. Not to add Zhao Lusi's flawless portrayal of Cheng Shaoshang in her performance. Her facial emotions are incredibly detailed, and she has the ability to make you both laugh and cry. Wu Lei's acting is also excellent, although occasionally he comes off as being too tense. Wu Lei and Zhao Lusi have incredible chemistry together.

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Love and revenge story

I am delighted with this drama. The plot is slow in the beginning, there are a lot of details and I know it is not for everyone, especially for those impatient and fans of short wuxia stories that more or less resemble each other. Such viewers quickly give up and give this drama low ratings, which is very unfair on their part. This drama is much more complex than it seems at first glance. ML carries the burden of the secret of his true identity and the desire for revenge, which at first glance makes him cold, rude and a little scary, while FL, despite her youth, has gone through very difficult times. And in fact, the two young people are cordial and eager for the love they lacked while growing up. They have similar characters, stubborn, persistent and cannot stand discipline and rules. The beginning of their acquaintance was very interesting, but I believe it will be even more interesting to observe how the coexistence of two similar, yet different personalities develops.

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Not what I was Expecting, however still great! (updated)

Hi peeps,

Have been waiting anxiously to watch this series. Like many people I haven’t read the novel but the FL:ML is the reason why I’m watching so I’ll give my 2 cents on the series thus far: please be warned of small spoilers ahead.
(Will aim to keep minimum promise)

STORY: I know some may find the slow, but I love it. It develops the characters more and gives the audience a real feel of what’s to come so when it happens OMG effect. In terms of ML:FL interaction, honestly very little so hard to say here. In terms of development of story, I find it amazing how a cold hearted guy that fears no one even royalty is actually quiet similar in mindset as the FL, where she fears no one in her family especially her mother. (Personal note I’m hating on FL mother atm, she’s so one sided and shows no love for her own she hasn’t seen for 15 years, her way of teaching and doing what’s best is absolute shhhiat - subjective view here).

UPDATED: From episode 10 onwards the story changes and gets very in-depth. Main FL uses all her instincts and tact to stay alive whilst ML uses his experience and skills to save FL. (will update more as more eps come out)

ACTING: I couldn’t believe how fast Rosy can speak like omg, also I loved her character, I’m so used to seeing her in other roles where she is the cute and whitty one, not in the series, wow she can act, can be cunning and strategic just to survive. I wasn’t expecting to see this side of her at all. As for ML, his dominance is just amazing, very cool persona and he can act too, wish he had more screen time. However I’m sure that will come later in series. The supporting cast is great too I love how the servants played out and all other remaining family characters it blends in well.

UPDATED: From episode 10, the acting from both ML & FL steps it up hard, however personal view, FL is absolutely amazing, especially seen previous series from FL to see her able to act like really shines out.

MUSIC: I didn’t find that appealing cos I believe there isn’t much music to be had so far so sorry to anyone that likes the music but I find it at odds with this story so far, maybe it will change hopefully.

REWATCH: Until I get more eps, I am not sure as at the moment I’ve seen each episode twice already so I do not know if I would want to rewatch this again, this is one of those series that I would pick out which eps to watch once completed rather than watching it all again.

OVERALL: so far it’s not bad, it’s not great either however cinematography wise and acting is great, story is slow but according to most people that has read the book it is like this to begin with. My take is if you like the FL and ML in other series this would be probs the main reason to continue watching. Otherwise for others I think peeps may wait till the whole 27 eps for season 1 to be finished before continuing on. However I will watch as soon as its released as I’m a fan of the main actors.

Will update more as series goes along hope it’s helped new peeps thinking of watching this series

Thanks all,

Shing

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