Love Like the Galaxy: Part 1 (2022)

Whim turned into first love

Who would have thought that a whim would bring me to my all time favourite drama? Certainly not I...

LLTG part 1 took me completely by surprise. It had aired until episode 12 (still one of the best) when I started watching out of curiosity. The result was me devouring all episodes and meeting my first love in terms of drama. Part 1 focuses on the heroine Cheng Shao Shang, explores her family relationships and lays the foundation for a slow burn romance.

I want to start with the fact that LLTG deals with some serious themes disguised under humour. Cheng Shao Shang is the victim of systematic abuse at the hands of her grandmother and aunt. We're talking control through food deprivation and being left to die of illness. She has grown up without most of her basic survival needs being met.

As a result, Cheng Shao Shang has learnt the hard way that she can only rely on herself since other people, including family members, do not necessarily have her best interests at heart. Her choices and behaviour are not due to immaturity, but rather a consequence of the lack of physical and emotional security she has lived through for 15 years.

Zhao Lu Si's portrayal strikes a perfect balance between a Cheng Shao Shang who is alternatively cunning, stubborn, vengeful, at the same time yearning for affection and approval. Her complex acting has brought a flawed yet very lovable character to life, making me emotionally invested in this coming of age story. The heroine makes mistakes and grows gradually, as she goes through challenging life experiences.

LLTG is very much a character-driven drama. Part 1 highlights family dynamics underpinned by child neglect and discrimination, power struggles and hypocritical values. The beauty of it lies in that all characters have been performed in a strikingly memorable way. At least for one scene, every supporting character shines as if they were the protagonist.

Cheng Shao Shang develops a complicated relationship with her mother and hopes to escape the family environment through marriage. Early on, she meets 3 suitors, who each have advantages and drawbacks as potential husbands. All 3 also have complicated family backgrounds, which have shaped their views on love and marriage.

The suitor that stands out is clearly Ling Bu Yi, a quite dark character whose softer side only comes out in the presence of Cheng Shao Shang. Wu Lei shows a compelling performance which improved with every episode and also looked very competent in action scenes. His eyes are so expressive and they seem to effortlessly convey a myriad of emotions.

What I love about LLTG is that all characters are layered and their dialogues contain many nuances. One can watch episodes again and again and still find new details or an interpretation which was missed before. Cinematography is impressive as well and rendered key scenes even more impactful.

LLTG part 1 is a perfect 10 in my book, the first one I have ever granted to a drama.

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Hilarious Show with an Extraordinary Heroine That Won't Just Make You Laugh, but Cackle and Guffaw.

LOVED the acting, characters, humor, heart, love story as well as the mystery. There wasn't a wasted minute or bad performance during this show and it was a rare C-drama show that I wished every episode could have been longer. Though not just a romantic comedy, because there were some heavy, dark, serious, and violent parts, the humor was sometimes so funny that I found myself not just laughing, but actually cackling. Luckily I wasn't eating or drinking anything during those parts. Eat and drink while watching this show at your own risk for more than just one reason.

The heroine was amazing though ironically the story was centered around how her family and the people in her life thought she was anything but great (to put it kindly). I love that her story pulls at your heartstrings in a natural, sincere way instead of feeling manipulative and forced. I also love that she's kind but not weak nor a pushover. She's lovable, hilarious and so root-worthy. She pulls off the rare feat of being naive without being annoying or TSTL. She somehow manages to be very clever and yet unworldly at the same time in a very charming and sympathetic way.

Even with the high rating, I'm surprised the ratings and viewership aren't as high as Mr. Queen (at time I wrote this) because it's just as funny as that show and the story just as compelling if not even more so. This show was so good from beginning to end that I broke several cardinal rules to watch it and I am so glad I did. I usually avoid C-dramas because they can oftentimes be the same stories packaged with different actors and titles, thus repetitive and slow or have terrible middle and endings despite starting out really well. So I tend to wait until the show ends then check the spoilers and rating as it has saved me many wasted hours and unneeded stress doing that. However, the title of this show drew me in and the description as well as the ratings made me want to take the risk of watching this show before it ended and I'm so glad I did. Though there is a part two, it's so good that even if the rest of this show, meaning part two, is terrible, what's been shown so far is so good that I will not regret the time I have spent watching all the episodes so far.

I binged watched it and I was not bored once. I can re-watch it all again easily. I didn't like the violence and abusive behavior but I FF those parts and still got the gist of the story and enjoyed the rest. I cannot wait to watch part two and since this show was such a huge hit in China, they decided to release the second part immediately so there's no interruption between part 1 and part 2. I will definitely check out the two main leads' other highly rated hit shows to help me with the wait in between episodes.

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Y'all have to give it a try, coz it's really something not to be missed!

The Most Fantastic Drama in 2022.

Served with stunning quality of aesthetic beauty. Both in terms of story, production, cinematography, music and the selection of roles are completely fitted all.

The combination of fresh witty humor, suspense of conflict, mystery, and a sweet love story full of complications is mixed in a naturally flowing and interesting plot.

Not too many skin ships happened, but the chemistry of the both main characters of FL/ML felt so strong as if they were on another level of romance.

I have watched it many times, and there are always new surprises that I get in every detail, binding each scene of the drama to my memory.

Y'all have to give it a try, coz it's really something not to be missed!

Happy watching!

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A mind blowing adventure thats truly worth 56 ep.

Wow talk about an exciting drama that included all A+ actors and actresses that i could feel what they felt while portraying there characters. There are many episodes that you just laught at and it broke the tension of the sad ones. As normal all the princess were spoiled and full of themselves and put down or hurt anyone that spoiled there plans. Especially Cheng shaoshang who was a thorn in everyone side due to Li Buyi/zisheng/Huo wusheng falling in love with her. Im a fan of Rosy Zhao as an actress and how well she portrayed her character. I am also a fan of Leo Wu and again another amazing actor that didn't fail in portraying his stern and powerful persona. I loved his 2 side kicks Qi and Fei who would go thru thick and thin with him and protect her at all cost. There were so many different characters and back stories to each family and the writers did an amazing job bringing it all together. A must see.

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One of the Best Cdrama of All Time

LLTG for me is one of the best historical drama of all time…From the script, cinematography, fight scenes, funny moments it really are soooo amazing…The producers of this epic drama did a great job in choosing actors that really suit well in each and every character they portray…One of the main reason why this drama is sooooo successful is because of over the top chemistry of main leads Wu Lei and Zhao Lusi…One can’t really help but wish that they could be ending up together in real life too….Their explosive acting and chemistry onscreen made this drama sooooo freakingly successful. Hoping Wu Lei and Zhao Lusi would be making another drama in the future where they would be eventually having their wedding scene together…Though LLTG has a happy ending, it would be nice if Director Fei gave us a short glimpse of their wedding scene…Anyways, doesn’t matter what genre as long as i could watch them together in one screen.

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The tale of two scarred people

Love Like The Galaxy is the tale of two scarred people.

Chen Shao Shang was left behind as infant by her general parents and was subsequently mistreated by her aunt and grandmother. As for Ling Buyi, he's the nephew of the late and famed hero General Huo, and was brought up by his mentally ill mother.

While CSS is criticised by all for being unladylike, scheming and uneducated ; LBY is the most sought-after bachelor of the capital because of his achievements in the army and his close and intimate relationship with the ruling emperor.



THE STORY

I had previously watched and loved The Story of Ming Lan which was penned by the same author for several reasons: first, because it was an epic (and ironically, realistic) love and family story within a typical Song household; and second, because it was the right mix of slice-of-life, romance and political themes in an historical drama. Well, in Love Like The Galaxy, it was once again the perfect balance between these different genres. One could easily sense it was the work of the same author but each of those stories still holds their own essence.

It was a well-woven tale in which we saw the characters grow and change over time.

It was all magnified by the work of the director who gave us great visuals. It was grand when it needed to be, poetic when it needed to be and melancholic when it needed to be.
Additionally, the fight scenes were so well choreographed and filmed that it reinforced the fact that LBY was the capable and gifted general we were told he was ; CSS was so magnificent in her various attires that we understood why she said to be this great beauty.

On the characters now.

THE CHARACTERS AND THEIR DYNAMICS

CSS reminded me of Antigone who is someone wants everything in full without compromising on anything. In Jean Anouilh's play, Antigone tells her uncle something like this "I want everything, now and in full, otherwise I'll forsake it" [approximative translation]

CSS is someone who is convinced her life is cursed. She wants to live her life on her own terms, unrestrained and without compromising on anything.

Despite her being uneducated, she's smart and mature because of the life she was made to live due to her aunt's mistreatment.

I love smart characters especially when we witness how smart and wise they are by their actions and thought process. And in regards to CSS, I have to admit that I just loved how vindictive she was and how she always gave it back.

As for LBY, I must say that I was enamored with his character from the get go because I love powerful and smart male leads. But in his case, I also loved how we were shown his dark side at times. It was an aspect of his personality everyone was aware of and which gained him the reputation of being a sinister and ruthless general.
His character could seem one dimensional at first glance, but he had many layers that were peeled along the way and which let us see what and who he really was what actually deep down.
I so loved the contrast that was shown with his character : sweet when he was with CSS and cruel when he dealt with his opponents.


The two leads were alike and different in so many ways and it's why theirs wasn't a relationship that formed straight away and why it was so fulfilling to watch their relationship evolved and strengthen along the way.
The actors suited each other so well and they managed to bring out the chemistry of the characters on screen. We could feel the attraction and love between them and understand why they were each other's endgame.


Indeed, both CSS and LBY were both alphas in their society and thus attracted the attention of many admirers. CSS's other suitors' characterization (which isn't a surprise as it was also the case in The Story Of Ming Lan) was well done as they didn't solely exist because of their relationship/infatuation with the FL and each of them had their own strengths and weaknesses which made their relationship with CSS special. One could understand the relationships that developed.


Overall, I would strongly recommend this drama as it's a real page turner. It's an easy watch as one wants to see what will happen next. It's not a predictable story and furthermore, it's well-written and the characters are endearing.

I recommend this drama to those who love inner court dramas like The Story of Ming Lan and The Sword and The Brocade ; smart heroines like the two precited dramas, The Story of Yanxi Palace and The Court Lady ; sassy heroines like The Story of Yanxi Palace and My Sassy Princess ; dark heros like Goodbye, My Princess

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I love it

I love this drama, the casting is amazing, beautiful cinematography, and sizzling chemistry between the leads. I really hope it has a happy ending and that their relationship stays strong . It’s a slice a of life and similar to story of minglan, our female lead is cute and didn’t learn proper manners because her parents were off to war and her grandmother mistreated her but she’s very smart and knows how to act mischievous. It made laugh and cry , can’t wait to see more.
I have never seen a good emperor like this in any dramas I’ve watched so far, he’s a fatherly figure and treats the male lead like his own son and chips the Fl and Ml

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Best Costume Drama of the Year

I didn't plan to watch this drama initially because although I knew the leads, I hadn't really cared to watch any of their previous work but the trailer was so beautiful that I just had to put it on my watchlist. I'm happy to say that this has become my second favourite Cdrama of all time.

Even from the trailers, it's so easy to see the amount of resources put into the show. The cinematography, sets, lighting, costumes, colour grading is EXCELLENT! All these things would have meant nothing if the actors were terrible or not good enough but they have been simply amazing and I've become a devoted fan of everyone of them (including the secondary characters). It's like everyone was putting their best foot forward in this drama.

The story is very engaging and although I've seen complaints from other watchers about its slow start, I didn't feel that way to me as I felt the pacing was good enough. The wait for new episodes was somewhat excruciating because the plot is SO good even though the stakes aren't particularly high.

The chemistry between the leads is AMAZING and so sweet, I find myself smiling so much that my cheeks hurt everytime they're on the screen. Even though their romance is a slow burn, it's the best kind of slow burn because you can just see the sparks sizzling between them.

The only complaints I have are rather minor- a particular (comedic?) scene between the leads and a spooked horse and the use of rock music as a background ost in a period drama. They don't affect my enjoyment but they kind of throw you off considering the setting of the show.

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Very Uneven

What is good about this series - the general story, some of the writing, the second ML and many of the supporting cast, the look of it - is very very good. What was bad - the rest of the writing, some of the characters like the mother were totally plot-driven and nonsensical though the actress did her best - and the ML who is goodlooking but may be one of the worst actors I have ever seen in a major production - was really incredibly bad.
The FL, I can see why she is so popular, she is a good if not great actor but had a very appealing onscreen charisma. I'm not sure if she is dubbed, but her voice is also extremely lovely.

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I Feel Cheated by the Production

I am writing three episodes before the end of the season.
Yesterday I watched the trailer again, which is full of suspense, action, fighting, emotional suspense and gives the impression that the viewer is in for something exciting, full of dangerous adventures. The trailer depicts an ML gripped by a lust for revenge and a wise FL who supports him intellectually and emotionally. The trailer is badass. Meanwhile, what we received in the first season....
I haven't read the book and I'm not interested in whether the drama is faithful to it. I have the drama itself before my eyes and it was a huge disappointment. The trailer promised me something juicy, and what I got was a boring story about second and third plan characters. Do I really have to watch the problems of FL's aunts and uncles instead of the story between ML and FL? After such an excellent trailer, I just feel cheated. I feel as if someone promised me a ride on the world's biggest roller coaster, and after three hours of waiting, took me on a steam train ride.
The drama is played well. I have no complaints about the visual side. There are some very funny situations and intriguing characters. An average of five minutes per episode is really great, but the other 35-40 are nightmarishly boring. Instead of these almost 20 episodes of introductions, it would have been better to give three juicy ones. The proportions between the main plot and side plots are just very badly distributed.
As for the music, unfortunately, it clearly lacks originality.
Since the trailer fooled me into thinking that this would be a drama where something would happen, I feel cheated by the producers. If they had not lied, if they had said from the outset that this drama would simply be about the problems of growing up as a teenager, my rating would have been higher.

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A MUST-WATCH, SLOW-BURN ROMANCE DRAMA!! <3 SO GOOD I PAID FOR TENCENT VIP!!

SO...I am currently watching part 2 of this drama and all I have to say so far is that this drama is AMAZING and you must give it a try! It's been a long time since I've watched a drama this good.

The last drama I had watched of Wu Lei or Zhao Lusi's was 2021's 'The Long Ballad'. Although I loved that drama (and both WL and ZLS played their characters very well!), to be honest, I was not planning to watch this drama. That was until I saw the trailer. The trailer was incredibly funny, WL was so so handsome, and the drama gave me the sense that there would be a great plot. Well, I was correct on all three things! While some viewers complained that the first 4 episodes were boring, I personally LOVED them. They are so important to setting up the FL in the story so viewers understand her background.

A lot of viewers also complained that the romance is too slow. While I, like many others, love the romantic scenes, I would much rather have a drama that has a good plot and romance that feels authentic & realistic than a drama where the main leads fall in love quickly, then lots of annoying drama happens. Every time a romantic scene happens, I sit there squealing at my iPad. It's like being awarded a piece of candy, haha.

Like the headline says, yes, I did pay for VIP for this drama. I initially started watching this drama on YouTube, but I found the airing schedule to be too slow (they release one ep per day Tuesday-Saturday). This is the FIRST drama I have spent money on to watch episodes "ahead of time". Totally worth it, since now I can participate and read spoilers in the MDL discussion sections without actually spoiling myself too much.

Although there aren't too many OSTs in this drama, I think it actually makes the acting and emotional scenes even more impressive, since the actors cannot depend on the music to elevate the emotions. This just shows how amazing the acting is. As Cheng Shaoshang, I feel that ZLS has nailed her role perfectly. If you watch the BTS of this drama, ZLS's personality is so similar to CSS. It's almost like this role was made for her! WL has also done a great job as LBY. I'm so impressed by how expressive his eyes are, especially when he looks at CSS. You can literally *feel* his gaze softening...ugh, so cute <3 The supporting cast is SO AMAZING as well! I love the siblings, Qiqi, LBY's guards, the Emperor, Empress, Consort Yue, etc. etc. I am sure I'm forgetting the other wonderful characters!

Overall, I cannot overstate how much I am enjoying this drama so far. It has great cinematography, great acting, and a fantastic plot. Pacing is also great so far. I still have around 20 eps of this drama left, but by like ep 8 of this drama, I could already tell it was going to be one of my all-time favs. It is so amazing & I really hope you give this drama a try! You will not regret it :)

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YOU SHOULD WATCH THIS DRAMA !!!

OH MY MY.. I knw when i watched the trailer it must be anticipate drama of the year, you can looked the cinematography,acting all cast chemistry from ML and FL. Their both its amazing. But after I watched from 1ep until 24. Its blow my mind i never expected if this drama will be another level of S+ drama. I meant like I had watch lusi drama before (WRTW) It good anw but imo not impressed me at all.
LBY character its too strong but his eyes cant deny that LBY likes CSS so much. I read some comment on part 2 LBY will left CSS for revenge for 5years,its rude. But i cant wait for how their love to be grow.

ps: it my 1st time to write a reviews. but its truly my honest opinion

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