Love Like the Galaxy: Part 1

Ups and downs but hey we got there in the end!

Literally just finished ep 27 and I'm glad Part 1 ended like that.

NiaoNiao the poor girl has gone through it. She's being beaten down constantly. So many times she's in a no-win situation with the way people judge her and it just sucks. Even if people think she's a tough cookie she has a very sensitive soul.

My main issue with the show is probably the editing/pacing especially when it came to NiaoNiao and Ling Buyi. They had great scenes together but personally to me it was still lacking. As an audience member I was still mourning her having to breakup with Lou Yao like their puppy love was so precious! Ling Buyi springing up the proposal and kinda forcing it with the help of the emperor outta nowhere was frustrating so I am actually glad she fought him about that. Sir just because you like her doesn't mean you get to decide for her. So the last episode making it so she's the one who finally decides and thinks about how she truly feels was nice.

I did not want to make it a long review and say a bunch of spoilers but if anyone is reading this despite my little complaints I think you should still finish part 1 and you can decide whether or not to proceed!

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“Must Watch” for a Reason!

**This review is for both Part 1 & Part 2. Spoilers given later with episodes numbers are referencing this as one drama, not two separate parts.**

Being totally honest, I actually dropped this years ago after only about 8 episodes. I really wanted to watch it because I’m a fan of both the main actors, but I just couldn’t handle how horrible the FL’s mother was to her. But I’ve been on a historical drama binge watching journey recently & this one ALWAYS gets recommended so I thought, “you know what, let’s just give it another try.”

And I’m so glad I did because wowza - this is absolutely beautiful. I now understand why it’s labeled as a must-watch for drama lovers. If you’re like me & have been hesitating for whatever reason, I recommend you just give in & press play so you can experience the beauty for yourself.

It’s a very well done drama. The storyline & pacing are both great (keep in mind that, all together, this drama has 56eps so it’s not going to be fast paced.) There’s a lot of character growth for multiple people, not just the Leads. There are numerous schemes & endless plotting by so many various villains. There’s great slow-burn relationship development. Because there are so many episodes, it allows time for things to really build & progress, giving us a fully developed story rather than just bite sized pieces that make us fill in a lot of holes. (Not that I mind shorter dramas, I’m simply stating facts.)

It’s ultimately the story of a girl who was left behind as her parents (both generals) went to war & the general who falls in love with her at first sight though he’s harboring some pretty big secrets. Neither is perfect; both are flawed. But love doesn’t require perfection, thank goodness 💕

She was raised by her paternal family who mistreated her daily so she’s grown up relying solely on herself for anything she needs. He has a tragic past & his position makes people wary of him. Neither is quick to trust nor does either find it easy to rely on others. But they form a connection during both traumatic moments & humorous ones. When they choose to be together, regardless of their issues & doubts, they form a bond with a depth neither ever imagined; they discover a love the likes of which they weren’t sure existed. Their relationship is tested many, many times. By delulu love rivals & jealous “family” members, as well as political schemes & royal demands. This duo faces a LOT on their journey together, then even more during their 5yrs apart. They do not have an easy & blissful romance, but rather a love that’s forged through trials & tribulations. But it’s a love they both fight for, protect, & long for when it’s lost. Then it’s one they cherish when they have each other back again. (Which, small complaint, it really would’ve been great to see more happy & lovey moments of them after all the baddies are eradicated.)

So, yes, I loved this drama. I liked part 2 more simply because the Leads are a couple then, but part 1 is also filled with many meaningful & memorable moments too! And it’s not just the Leads that I enjoyed, but other characters & aspects as well:
- The oft-times hilarious, matchmaking emperor
- The respect & friendship of the empress & concubine
- The fact that ALL the villains are dealt with one by one throughout the show
- The FL’s brothers & the way they always include, love, & defend her
- The ML’s bromance with his two most-trusted soldiers
- The additional details given in the subtitles (at least on Viki app…)

There’s so much to love about this show! I highly recommend it for fans of the historical genre. Yes, there are hecka toxic characters (& yes, the FL’s mother stays that way for the majority of the show. I get that she doesn’t know how to be a mom to a girl but seriously - that’s no excuse for her abuse!) And there are annoying characters (I’m looking at you, Mr. SML. Just go away until you can leave the FL alone, please!) But there are many really lovable characters too! So push play & enjoy this beautiful journey.

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‼️ SPOILERS OF SOME OF MY FAV MOMENTS/SCENES INCOMING!! STOP READING NOW IF YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW!! YOU’VE BEEN WARNED! 😉‼️

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EP.12 - FL giving ML medical aid for the arrow in his chest. Eyes don’t lie… 🫠
EP.24 - ML’s speech & defense of FL against her mom; their engagement
EP.27 - the drunk piggyback ride. OhEmGee 🤣
EP.29 - the rooftop forehead kiss *swoon*
EP.34 - concubine dealing w/ ML’s “stepmom” & the wicked old royal lady 🙌🏻
EP.36 - ML teaching FL self defense moves
EP.45 - FL’s brother’s “wedding” while in prison - precious!
EP.47 - Leads biting each other to seal an oath 🫶🏻
EP.48 - FL’s family helping her fight to save ML
EP.49 - FL getting ML on the horse. ML sacrificing himself off the cliff. Emotions!
EP.50 - ML not letting them take the string off his wrist even while unconscious, but finally loosening his grip when FL plays flute to soothe him
EP.53 - ML saving her from runaway carriage & refusing to release her as they cling to the mountain 👏🏻 Empress’ final moments (cried so hard!) 😭
EP.55 - that hug upon realizing ML made it out alive…🔥
EP.56 - FL’s whole family riding through the smoke as one to save her, all unsheathing their swords?! Wowza!! “Who dares to harm my Naio Naio?” Perfection! Also, the emperor’s temper tantrum at not being at the wedding, hahahaha!

Feel free to share your favorite moments with me!!

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-⬇️ M O R E 🚫 S P O I L E R S 🚫 B E L O W ⬇️-


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The things I always want to know 😏😉…
- First(real)Kiss : ep.34 💋
- Together : ep.28 👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏻
- BreakUp : ep.51 💔
- BackTogether : ep.55(end) ❤️‍🩹

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A great first part but ultimately incomplete

First I have to mention the cast. This cast makes me want to go back to my previous reviews and reduce the star rating I've given to other dramas' casting. The casting in the drama is SOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOD!! I wish there were a once-in-a-decade "11 stars" option. Every single role was cast perfectly and the actors were perfection in their roles. Seriously, I have never watched a better cast drama than this. And a special shout out to the dude who played the emperor. He was an absolutely delight and perfect in his role.
I'm writing this review after watching part 1 and 2. If I'd written this before watching part 2, this would've been a 10/10 drama. As it is, and after watching the second part, I now see the flaws in the story of this show and it is no longer a 10/10. More details in my review of part 2.

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It was good but not great

I found this drama while doing a random drama search. I am relatively new to c-dramas, but I have seen Zhao Lusi and enjoyed her in Dating in the Kitchen.

I was immediately sympathetic to Zhao Lusi's character from the first episode. I loved the progression of her character in LLTG part 1 (not so much in part 2) Personally, I preferred Shaoshang's interaction /banter with Yuan Shen over Zisheng.

I wish we saw more of Wan Qiqi, as she was a favorite character of mine.

I also wish the story dealt more with the betrayal by Shaoshang's mother- her mother knew of the mistreatment for 15 years and she did nothing because it served her purpose of sowing discord between her husband and his mother. It felt as though we were just supposed to accept it. Later on, her mother does try to make amends for other misdeeds but it's not enough.

Overall, I enjoyed this drama

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Love is patient and enduring

This is a two-season Chinese historical drama that intricately explores love, family, politics, friendship, betrayal, and forgiveness. The title itself, 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝑳𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒙𝒚, 𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒔 𝒂 𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔: 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒗𝒂𝒔𝒕, 𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒕, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒙𝒚 𝒊𝒕𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇. 𝑨𝒔 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒎𝒂, 𝒕𝒘𝒐 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒆: 𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆. These are not just romantic ideals, but emotional strengths the characters must develop to survive and grow.

Interestingly, the drama also showed that love does not always triumph over revenge. You may truly love someone, but when the scars run deep, sometimes the desire for justice—or revenge—outweighs forgiveness. Not everyone can forgive. And that’s reality. Life operates on cause and effect. Every action, whether good or bad, has a consequence. I hope we all strive to choose kindness—for ourselves and others.

I decided to watch this series because of its high ratings. But watching it reminded me that every viewer sees a drama differently. What works for one may not work for another. And that’s okay.

The story weaves together a lot of elements: family dynamics, political schemes, friendships, and love stories. The relationships between characters are complex and emotionally charged.

However, I found the political storyline quite dragging at times. I often skipped those parts because what really kept me watching was the romantic development between the male and female leads (ML & FL). Watching how their love story would unfold and survive each trial was the real highlight for me.

If you're not into political plots in dramas, this might not be your cup of tea.

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝑳𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒅 :
✧ 𝐄𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: villains are exposed, justice is served. This makes every episode satisfying to watch and keeps the momentum going.

✧ 𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬: Just when you think things are settled, another enemy appears. Some characters you thought were good turn out to be the real antagonists. It keeps you guessing.

✧ 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: The romance between the leads isn’t straightforward. It’s full of trials—both external and emotional. But that’s what makes their relationship feel real and earned.

✧ 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬: The drama shows real-life family issues that teach us about forgiveness, sacrifice, and letting go. These moments often felt very grounded and relatable.

"𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒅𝒅𝒔" — this could be the core message of the show. While the world around the characters is chaotic and sometimes cruel, love, in its many forms—romantic, familial, platonic—remains a powerful force. But the drama doesn’t shy away from showing that forgiveness isn’t always easy or possible, and that revenge can sometimes feel more righteous than love. That complexity is what makes this story resonate.

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"Love Like The Galaxy" is a drama about Shao Shang, a young girl who has been trapped in a deserted place for almost her entire life. Her parents didn't know about this, as they fought in wars and left their daughter in the care of her grandmother. When they return and find out the truth, they immediately bring her back.

Shao Shang had to change in order to survive, no one cared about her, so she did what she had to. She is an amazing character who doesn't follow anyone's rules and tries to live life to the fullest, and that's what catches the attention of Bu Yi, a cold-blooded general who takes an interest in her.

The romance is the highlight of the drama, Shao Shang and Bu Yi are literally perfect for each other. In this first season, we see their relationship grow and that was the best part, seeing them slowly fall in love, which reminded me of "The Story of Ming Lan" and "The Sword and the Brocade". It's more than just a romance, they create a bond first. Literally, Shao Shang rejected Bu Yi until the last episode because she thought he was trying to control her, but that wasn't true. Bu Yi was just trying to help her, to be by her side, all his actions were demonstrations of love for her... thank God, she finally understood that.

Lou Yao wasn't really the right person for her, the two were sweet together, but Shao Shang needed a strong person by her side, someone who could accompany her through life.
I loved her revenge against the mean girls, it was so satisfying to see them fall into the water and Shao Shang just laughing, pretending not to know anything.

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Amazing FL, very good character

I just finished Love Like the Galaxy, and it's truly a great drama. Before talking about the drama itself, I want to highlight the incredible acting performance of Zhao Lu si, which easily contributes to 90% of the show's success. She portrays her character so brilliantly and convincingly!

I also really liked the Emperor's character. It's a refreshing change from the tyrannical and/or overly strict rulers we often see. In this drama, the Emperor is genuinely likable and often very entertaining, which makes him a particularly enjoyable character to watch.

As for the drama itself, I loved watching the female lead with her "I don't know the rules, and I'll do whatever I want" attitude. That's mainly what kept me binge-watching episode after episode. I found the story very interesting for the first 30 episodes, but I lost interest a bit during the next 15. The way the plot developed started to bore me somewhat, but the final episodes were very enjoyable.

To conclude, I had a really great time watching it. It's not an absolute favorite of mine, but it's definitely a high quality drama, carried by a truly outstanding actress.

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The Politics Are More Interesting Than the Romance

Overall, I love the casting, cinematography, sets, costumes, and the way the drama is directed. You can definitely tell that this is a high-budget production.
For Part 1, the story mainly focuses on the FL’s relationship with her mother, along with some of the ML’s secret investigations. Even the romance seems to be used more to explore the FL’s relationship with her mother. The development between the ML and FL is a bit lacking, though, and there aren’t many scenes showing their relationship.
Honestly, my expectations based on the drama’s title are pretty much gone. The way I’ve seen people review this drama on social media also doesn’t really align with the drama itself. A lot of people describe it as a love story, especially focusing on the general’s unconditional love, but the political aspect is barely mentioned at all. I only discovered how politically focused this drama actually is after watching it myself.
The politics in this drama are much deeper than I expected. For me, the most interesting part isn’t really the ML and FL’s storyline, but the messy political situation in the newly established kingdom and how the emperor manages to keep everything under control.

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I'm still new to Historical Cdrama but really liked this one. I really liked the main characters who are flawed. Both of them at times come across as Selfish and it's nice to see that instead of perfect characters. Their childhood and circumstances play a huge part in shaping their personalities.
And their relationship took it's time to develop even though the ML falls for the FL early on, there is the fact he doesn't really understand her and when she brings it up, I like the way how he takes some time and comes back to her and explains things. At the same time even she introspects and wants to give it a chance.

The Emperor was amazing and the 2 Empresses ( I am gonna consider both of them as Empresses only) are amazing and their relationship with the Emperor and each other is shown realistically but I wish this extended to other female characters.

Things I didn't like - The amount of screeching by women characters. Even the FL's mother who is supposed to be in the military and who I think can easily order (control) people with just a look at times screeches.
There are a lot of female characters who are just reduced to be evil and manipulative (in a comical or dumb way) and the whole women being women's worst enemy ( even though we had one amazing Empress relationship) was way OTT.
The amount of time they spent on this, they could've shown it on the actual villains of the story.

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Love Like the Galaxy is a beautifully made drama with strong performances and a well-developed story, but it’s one that takes its time — sometimes a little too much. What really stood out to me was the acting. Both leads did an amazing job bringing emotional depth to their characters, and their chemistry felt genuine and layered.

The romance builds slowly, and while I appreciated the emotional complexity and growth, the pacing occasionally felt long and dragged in parts. Still, when the story focused on the relationship itself, it was deeply engaging. The emotional tension, the misunderstandings, and the gradual shift from distance to closeness were all handled well.

The female lead’s journey was especially compelling — watching her grow, learn, and stand up for herself added depth to the story. The male lead’s devotion and intensity made the romance feel meaningful, even when the plot slowed down.

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