Shining as Each Other's Light
Love Like The Galaxy (星汉灿烂) is adapted from the novel of the same name (星汉灿烂, 幸甚至哉). Love Like The Galaxy narrative revolves around Cheng Shaoshang, daughter of the Cheng family, who was left by her parents when she was a baby; and Ling Buyi, a general who’ trying to unfold the conspiracy behind what happened in the past. The drama narrative then starts years later, during the return of her parents.Love Like The Galaxy storytelling is executed nearly to perfection; the story unfolds at a casual pace, with a gradual development of the characters, unravelling their background story and relationships. The drama also has an interesting storyline with a really well-conceived and realistically written character, every character is multi-faceted and complex, with their own background story. It also has a lot of interesting characters and relationship dynamics; their relationship dynamic is realistically and convincingly portrayed.
The first 10 episodes of the drama started off with a hint of comedic and light-hearted note, which is really pleasing. I absolutely adore the comedic elements in the drama with the storytelling approach. The drama's comedic elements are not forced nor cheap, it is genuinely light-hearted and funny, and I adore how they use wordplay. I especially love how Shaoshang is always on her wits to fight back against others who bully her or people around her. The first 10 episode shows Shaoshang's family dynamic, her relationship with her mother, father, brothers, and more. Some scenes were really heartbreaking to see but also heartwarming at the same time. Moving on, the drama gradually shows Shoashang’s growth, how she learns to rely on herself, find love and more. There are happiness, sadness, anger, disappointment and all.
It is comforting to see a drama that focuses on the family dynamics, not all on romance. I personally love how the romance between Ling Buyi and Cheng Shaoshang is taking time, instead of both of them falling in love at first sight. We can gradually see how Shaoshang starts to develop feelings for Ling Buyi because of his gesture and actions, which is more realistic. Though they have very different personalities, it is very pleasant to see how they learn to love, learn to grow up and face problems around them; they are made for each other.
The drama is directed by Fei Zhenxiang, who is known for directing Candle in The Tomb series. This drama is his first time directing a historical drama and he did a really remarkable job. He is able to show his unique and distinct style, and deliver the picture he has in mind. Also because of his experience in tomb raiding dramas, he is able to portray those bloody scenes really well.
Love Like The Galaxy also has really impressive cinematography and sets, it has beautiful wide shots, immersive tracking shots, and many more pretty shots. For now, I especially love the one-long take on episode 7 and the lantern festival shots! The shot is really fluid and immersive. Moreover, the cinematography and colour grading really reflected every atmosphere and situation, it will leave a deep impression on the audience. Through the cinematography and set, you can see that this drama has a big budget and it is allocated well. The fire during the lantern festival is not created using CGI, it is real, the production team spent 3 days creating a new building and for it to be burned down.
The characterizations of each role in the drama are immensely elevated by the excellent acting of Zhao Lusi and Wu Lei. They deliver such an in-depth and rich character arc, with a myriad of emotional expressions. Both of the actors are able to convey their emotions through micro expression and the way they articulate every scene is really praiseworthy. They have small actions that reflect their emotion, for instance, how Ling Buyi’s eyebrow slightly raised when he saw Shaoshang; and how Shaoshang looks away when she saw her mother being close to her cousin instead of her.
The character, Cheng Shaoshang was stellarly portrayed by Zhao Lusi. She did a very good job, it is unimaginable that others can pull off Shaoshang’s character in such a compelling way. Through this drama, she also manages to show everyone that she can also play dramas other than tianchongs drama. She manages to show the character’s sincerity, but also complex and intriguing at the same time, not compromising on what the character experienced. Zhao Lusi manages to infuse her character with kindness and righteousness, also with a sense of pragmatism. Throughout the drama, she also was able to portray layers of Shaoshang; Shaoshang’s facade of being ignorant and unruly but also her fragility and her longing to be loved by her family. Zhao Lusi also uses her own voice here, I love how she has this milky and soft voice that is really soothing! But also, because of her milky voice, some part with heavier elements makes falls short, due to her lack of emotional line delivery.
Wu Lei also did a very notable job! Seeing him in the drama, really makes me feel that he has really grown up, he is no longer the kid in Nirvana in Fire. Ling Buyi is a hard role to play since he has a cold and indifferent exterior, but at the same time he is also complicated, he is sincere and sinister at the same time. But Wu Lei managed to execute it to perfection with his articulation, bearing, stance, and his micro-expressions. He especially displays a remarkable line delivery, which shows Ling Buyi’s authority. Some might dislike how he only has this one expression throughout the drama, but I love it. Because you will gradually see how his character starts changing, how he began to smile more because of Shaoshang’s presence.
Love Like The Galaxy also has enchanting music scoring and realistic yet sweet lines. The drama has bold music scoring with traditional Chinese instruments that match every situation so well. The diegetic and non-diegetic sound is very fitting to every situation. Moreover, the dialogues in the drama are also very realistic. Though realistic, it still didn’t take away its romantic essence of it.
The drama also has some very interesting detail, such as:
1. Ep 11: Yuan Shen broke the shaoshang string while he was playing the guqin, foreshadowing that he’ll not end up with Shaoshang.
2. Ep 12: Shaoshang used a shaoshang string to save Ling Buyi. The string was drenched in blood, which also becomes a red string, connection to 月老, god of love
3. Shaoshang and her fiancées carriage detail:
- Luo Yao-open cart. He won’t be able to go through wind and rain (difficulties)
- Yuan Shen-carriage. He sat in main seat (self centered)
- Ling Buyi-big stable carriage. SS sat in main seat, he sat on side guarding her.
4. Ling Buyi is often framed in a wide shot and positioned in a high place. Showing that he has high and influential power, but also makes him look lonely. And It was only after he met Shaoshang, that those wide high angle shots gradually lessens.
Love Like The Galaxy is considered to release early, they released the drama and also working on the post-production at the same time. LLTG team still did a notable job in editing, but I can’t help to notice that in the latter episodes the CG was not as good and as smooth as in the beginning episodes.
All in all, do give this drama a try! After watching the first two episodes of the drama, you'll find yourself wanting more. The drama visuals, story, and emotion will pull you in deep. And every episode keeps on getting better and better, with unexpected comedic and heartbreaking twists and turns. You would find yourself watching back some of the clips just to appreciate the dialogue and actions.
P.s. I also love how they especially edit their trailer, unlike other drama where they just edit a 1-minute scene of the next episode, LLTG team especially meticulously edit their trailer, leaving the audience to guess and interprets what is going to happen in the next upcoming episode.
“Might as well expect less from others, and be better to yourself. You’ll live more comfortably.”
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Entertaining & Good Chemistry Ongoing Review (Happy Ending Answer)
SLOW START:I am amazed that the drama follows the book's slow pace in the first 4 episodes. I was expecting less development of the CSS's family. The first 20+chapters of the book are boring so I thought they would just sum it up quickly, but they did drag it out a bit in slow motion. This will discourage some people who are used to quick-paced dramas. If you don't like wordplay or family (in this case females) bickering, then the first episodes will be painfully slow. However, the drama doesn't need to be abandoned because the later episodes will be better after the "main" characters come out. That being said, I have a feeling that the drama will be developed in a similar way.
It's a slow beginning, but they did try to make it entertaining. I think it's worth giving it a chance to develop the narrative (which although slow, is well-acted and filmed). The cinematography looks amazing so far.
If needed, you can skip the first 4 episodes: they are about a girl who was left behind as a baby because her family had to go to war. She was abused by her aunt and grandma. The story begins as her family returns home to find her grown up without education and fine manners.
The ML LBY came out in the first episode. He "met" CSS's hand. And the face-to-face meeting doesn't happen until episode 6.
PLOT EXPECTATION:
What this story is not about: politics & war (there is some, but it is about 1/4 of the story ... the other 3/4 is about women's and family drama). So it's always good to keep your expectation consistent with the perspective that this novel is about a girl, who is the main character; she has 3 suitors; her character matures as she makes her choices.
For those who expect a quick meeting of the main leads and a fast-paced romance, this isn't the drama. They don't "meet" right away. It's going to take time for her to like him. If you have seen The Story of Minglan, it's the similar vibe in terms of family drama. The focus will move from CSS's family drama to another family drama (the emperor's).
ACTING:
So far I really like the acting and funny moments (including the wordplay). It's a different type of drama. It feels like an artistic rendition rather than the typical C-dramas. If you like ZLS, this is a drama in which she shines because she can act in different stages of growth. LW's acting is not shabby either.
As you watch the drama, look out for the details in the words between the characters. The beauty of this novel/drama lies in the details and words and the interaction between people.
CHEMISTRY:
All the MLs have chemistry with ZLS. The looks (eyes) between them and her show how much they like her.
ENDING:
Happy Ending in the Novel. They didn't get married only talked about it in the epilogue. No actual ceremony. Let's hope the drama will script it in.
EPISODE REVIEW:
ep1:
The old lady who came to fetch CSS said, "If your parents love you, why did they leave you?" - This is the same question that CSS must have asked many times: it makes her feel unloved and orphaned.
When LBY heard the uncle say that CSS was without parents all her life, he must have already felt connected with her through their shared background: both grew up without parents.
ep 1-4
Not as good as could have been because of the excessive bickering. It sets up the storyline. Can skip over the high-pitched overdramatized bickering if you don't enjoy it.
Just finished ep6:
Amazing! They changed the novel. I love the change! It's more exciting/entertaining and makes more sense that she met all 3 on the same night! She still hasn't seen his face clearly, but he saw hers.
7-8
Episodes 7-8 didn't disappoint. Again, the script deviated from the novel, but it's all positive. VERY entertaining. I thought the cinematography and storyline had a Disneyesque quality: the filming of LBY with the black cape (a repetition from previous scenes) from low to the high angle from the back makes him look like a Disney character: intimidating, intriguing, and foreshadowing. The real voice of FL added to the fun and childish scenes. I feel she made it very believable and entertaining to watch.
TBH, I enjoy watching this drama more than reading the book. Although I laughed sometimes while reading, the drama brought out more of the comic element by providing not just the regular rom-com but also sophisticated irony, contrast, etc ... The director gave it a vibe of Disney's Cinderella and "Sense and Sensibility".
EPS 15-6
Again, I am impressed with the screen adaptation and the director of this drama.
An excellent screen adaptation of the novel to include more interactions among the male leads. I love that they are more central to the story and being shown at the same time so the audience can see how they treat her and how she reacts to their perspectives.
Jane Austen's vibe is obvious and consistent as the actors curtsy to each other and politely nod their heads. The director is able to get the actors to perform their roles perfectly. It's funny but not to the point of being ridiculous. The humor has a tasteful vibe. When the grandma's dramatic role is not being overplayed as in eps 1-4, she also has the vibe of JA's old dames.
I also love that ZLS can bring out the little girl vibe. Although she is young (but not that young), she brought out the innocence of a 14-year-old at times and makes you feel like yeh, I could believe in her silliness, idealism, and audacity. I think her real voice and acting make the role so believable even though she doesn't look 14 years old.
17-18
If I were reading Episodes 17-18, I would be fast-forwarding them to the next best parts. It's so painfully slow to wait for next week's episodes! I guess the story is not moving fast enough because it's still evolving around similar plot lines and conflicts: engagement, family fighting, LBY's unrequited love, CSS still needs to fight for herself without getting new skills.
It's like a video game level: she's not getting any extra skills or new conflicts to move on to the next level.
However, it's fun to see the dynamics of different families.
In these episodes, we can see that she's going to have a tough battle against the Lou family. Everyone can see it except CSS. Why? In her insecurity (worrying about not being able to find a suitable husband - Lou is the only one who asked her to be his wife), CSS thinks this is as good as it's going to get for her. She's a young teen. She's full of insecurities due to abandonment and lack of love. She doesn't know what love is. She is only concerned about having independence through being married to an easy-to-manipulate husband who will support her projects. But she doesn't realize that behind the husband is actually a formidable family.
These episodes are fun to watch to see the dynamics of Chinese families. The princes showed up in episode 18 in which you can see the contrast between the crown prince and the 3rd prince. It's foreshadowing who will rule at the end.
The next episodes will be more fun when she becomes engaged to LBY. It's a new plot line involving a new mentor (empress) and a matchmaker (emperor). It will be less frustrating to watch because CSS is getting new skills and love from her mentor. She has a stronger fiancé who supports her.
19-20
Breaking up is hard to do so CSS refuses to accept the verdict that she has to give her fiance, Yao, to the He daughter. Yao and CSS promised to stand against the world. Here we see that Yao actually has a backbone. His relationship with CSS has matured him and inspired a devotion that stands against the bullying of his family. It's a foreshadowing of a decent man and friend that he will become at the end of the story.
In this episode, we see that the relationship between mother and daughter is progressing ... also more disclosures about LBY's past.
One thing I noticed about this director is his use of repetition to emphasize the point: My favorite part about these 2 episodes is the last scene: LBY said, "No need to fear. I am here!" This is a repetition of what he said when he rescued her before. It just emphasizes his devotion to her.
21-22
Finally, the plot moves on! I felt too much time was spent on the first engagement. I would like to see more time spent on CSS and LBY's story. At least now, we are heading in the right direction!
She breaks her engagement with Yao. From here on, LBY will become the main man in her life. This marks the beginning of her exposure to life in the palace.
She overheard a conversation about overthrowing the crown prince. LBY saves her and starts to become involved in her life.
Overall, the plot is moving on. I wish they would not drag on with the grandma's scenes. At this point, I tend to get impatient and fast forward her scenes.
The emperor, on the other hand, is a lot more humorous. His involvement in LBY's love life is hilarious... the scene was fun to read too.
23-24
The script modified the story but it sounds reasonable. Here is where the LBY asks the Emperor to represent his parents and ask for CCS's hand in marriage. She took a chance and said yes. Why? She was touched by his sincere declaration that she is a special lady who is fit to be his wife. No other will do.
25-26
Excellent job in both scripting and directing. Really loved these two episodes, especially the humorous ending of 26! This was not in the book but the script again exceeded my expectation. I loved the way the director showed humor, not just through words but also through the filming angles and the closeup of movements!
In episode 25, CSS had to deal with the gossip and LBY helped her to silence the vicious girls. She realized then that she is solely dependent on him to give her power. And by relying on him, she loses her independence.
27
The hilarious episode shows LBY taking over Cheng's family in a military style.
28
Love doesn't conquer all ... Adjustments and compromises are required. I find this scenario to be very realistic. Romantic love is balanced with conflicts and character development. I like how smoothly the script transition the story to the Palace.
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Love as vast as the Milky Way
Love Like The Galaxy was one of my most anticipated c-dramas of 2022. Because of China's new rule that dramas cannot exceed 40 episodes, the drama is divided into two parts with 27 and 29 episodes each. I had high hopes for this drama because of its star-studded cast and intriguing storyline, and it did not disappoint!STORY AND CHARACTERS
Love Like The Galaxy is based on the novel 'The Stars are Brilliant, Fortunately Even Wow,' written by an author going by the pen name 'Guan Xin Le Luan,' who also wrote the novel that was adapted into the popular historical C-drama 'The Story of Minglan.'
Love Like The Galaxy is a story about love and its importance in all aspects of life. Insecurity and vulnerability can result from a lack of love. This was the case with Cheng Shao Shang.
Cheng Shao Shang is the daughter of Colonel Cheng Shi and Xiao Yun Xi. Her parents left her behind after her birth to fight in the war. She was raised by her grandmother and her scheming aunt into what was supposedly a good-for-nothing. However, she is not a useless person. She pretended to be ridiculous and absurd but was extra cautious and meticulous to protect herself. The lack of parental love, as well as lack of love from those who raised her, made her think that there were more people who despised her than loved her, and this made her feel unsafe. She does, however, have an amazing brain and enjoys building things. She is not at all ladylike. This adds to the intrigue of her character. She longed for her parents to return from the war so she could live a happy and carefree life, but she had no idea that they would never be a family again because of their estrangement from one another. Despite the fact that her brothers and father immediately loved her, her mother, Xiao Yun Xi, was slightly annoyed by her un-ladylike behaviour and took to regulating her. This did not sit well with Shao Shang. She was obstinate, just like her mother. She despised being regulated or mocked and seeing others bullied. With her amazing wits, she is always ready to fight back against anyone. She is always willing to harm herself in order to help others. She is honest and admits her mistakes, even if it means getting punished. However, this does not mean she did not attempt to avoid punishment. Once, she even ran away from her home to avoid punishment!
This drama also shows the importance of expressing our feelings honestly and openly, because you may not get another chance if you don't seize the one you have. This was the case with Ling Bu Yi.
Ling Bu Yi is the emperor's adopted son. Ling Zi Sheng is his courtesy name. He is a General who is attempting to uncover the conspiracy behind what happened in the past. Ling Bu Yi is an efficient officer with a strong sense of duty. He is both passionate and menacing. He also has sharp wits and is not easily fooled. In some ways, the female and male leads are similar: they are both extremely stubborn and witty. He is cold and ruthless, and he rarely smiles. He regretted not expressing his feelings for Shao Shang because of his introverted and commanding personality. He was unable to express his feelings for Shao Shang because of his introverted and imposing personality. He did not seize his opportunity, instead allowed others to do so. Bu he is not like this when it comes to his job. He never leaves a coin unturned and alway seizes all evidences he can get.
CAST AND THEIR CHEMISTRY
This drama reunites Leo Wu and Zhao Lusi, who previously worked together on the drama 'The Long Ballad,' though not as a CP. Zhao Lusi and Leo Wu did an excellent job portraying the characters they were given in this drama. They convey the characters' complex emotions beautifully and sincerely, taking great care not to leave anything out.
It is common knowledge that Zhao Lusi has incredibe chemistry with who ever she is paired with. But, this drama is evidently a slow-burn and therr isn't much progress between Cheng Shao Shang and Ling Bu Yi in this part 1. But, even though they didn't have many interactions in the first few episodes, we can still sense their chemistry. And it grows even more with each episode. Furthermore, their interaction appears to be natural and realistic and the tension between them is interesting to watch.
WHAT I LIKED:
We are promised a very entertaining and enjoyable show from the beginning of the drama. One of its strengths is the occasional comedic scene. At times, it may appear that this show is even more comedic than a true comedy drama!
The drama begins on a lighter note and stays that way until episode 10. This helps the audience in understanding the flow of the story and getting to know the characters well. Unlike in other historical c-dramas, the numerous characters are not introduced right away. On the contrary, this drama introduces the characters at a slow but not too slow pace. As a result, there is little to no chance of the audience becoming confused.
Each role is meticulously portrayed so that the audience can visualise them alive. The characters are three-dimensional and multi-faceted. The screenwriters have done an incredibly good job.
The drama's cinematography and costumes are both fantastic. The colour grading in scenes such as the lantern festival and the aftermath of the battle with the bandits leaves a lasting imprint on the viewers.
The music in this drama is fantastic! The music scoring used corresponds to the situation and atmosphere of the scene in which it is played. The final theme song, 'Splendid Stars,' is very soothing and pleasant. The music and songs help the audience get into the mood and feel of the drama.
WHAT I DISLIKED:
There are not much things I disliked. But, here are the two things that annoys me the most:
The lack of interaction between the main characters and some of the other characters causes the characters to feel distant at times. The main characters require more interaction because that is what we as viewers expect from a drama. Hopefully, we'll see more of it in the 2nd part of the drama. There are another 29 spisodes to quench our thirst!
There are too many irritating characters in this drama, such as Cheng Shao Shang's aunt and grandmother, as well as some other female characters who constantly irritate Shao Shang or who have feelings for Ling Bu Yi. Even though these characters are common in dramas, they are abundant here! Even Cheng Shao Shang's mother can be annoying at times! Thankfully, they only little screen time! However, we are indebted to them in some ways because they were the source of some sweet moments between Shao Shang and Ling Bu Yi that almost made me swoon.
OVERALL
With its occasional comedic scenes and small twists and turns, as well as its star-studded and talented cast, their wonderful chemistry, and amazing cinematography and music, this drama sure can keep you fully immersed in it, making one unable to escape. I can give this drama a strong 9 out of 10, taking everything in accordance. The only reason I knocked off a point from it's rating is indeed because of the lack of interaction between the leads. Hopefully, it get better in the next part!
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1Mother most foul.
I prefer to review c-dramas that are arbitrarily split in two parts to circumvent episode caps only once, after the entire story has been told. In this case, I am making an exception because Part 1 is largely a family drama that focuses on a difficult mother daughter relationship. This Part 1 review will evaluate that aspect of the story and defer a full discussion of the romance to Part 2.Cheng Shaoshang is a grey character - a thorny, defiant, scheming and distrustful Han Dynasty fifteen year old. She is left to fend for herself while in the care of abusive but not smart relatives while her military family is away defending the country. She runs circles around them and grows up to be distrustful, cunning and unrestrained. When her parents return from the battlefront, they are appalled to discover a lovely, wild, uneducated child, shockingly unschooled in the etiquette expected of the young daughter of a newly minted marquis. Her mother, a fearless, decorated general finds in her recalcitrant daughter a greater foe than found on any battlefield. The mother daughter conflict is the guts of Part 1 and drives most of Shaoshang's actions and decisions.
As a fan of grey characters, I like Shaoshang's character design a lot and Zhao Lusi delivers a very empathetic and charismatic portrayal. While there are better actors, what makes Lusi special is she is very, very funny. Even though there is a recognizable pattern to her comedy, her timing and delivery is more refined with each drama. Underneath the humor, she shows us that Shaoshang is a sad person who refuses to weep; adroitly infusing a note of loneliness, false bravado and vulnerability. This makes the character extremely empathetic, to the fault of being overly so. Lusi seems less comfortable articulating Shaoshang's many flaws, which are glossed over hastily and in a muted tone. As a result, Yuanyi's insistence on harshly taming her daughter's "harmless mischief and high spirits" comes across as heartless and misguided. A more balanced depiction of this relationship rather than one where the mother is so unambiguously the villain would be more interesting and realistic.
One of my biggest issues with the character writing is how main characters, especially Shaoshang are elevated by diminishing other characters, particularly her mother. Their forced separation from birth and subsequent alienation and resentment deserves compassion on both sides but is written in a way that consistently only assassinates the mother's character. After suffering through many of their blood boiling disputes, I was pleased to see Shaoshang get some inkling of what her family went through after Hua City. And I thought she won her mother's grudging respect and approval in how she dealt with Lou Yao. So I was just gobsmacked and revolted by how her mother inexplicably smacks her down in front of the entire court. This is all so that Ling Buyi can gallantly come to the rescue by praising her to the skies as the best lady in the capital. Which considering how awful the other ladies in the capital are, is hardly such a great compliment. After the initial cheap thrill, it looks very high handed and coercive on Ling Buyi's part. It also undoes the hard won truce if not tentative mutual understanding between the mother and child. I don't need them to ever see eye to eye or become best friends but it is disappointing to see Shaoshang's nemesis in Part 1 reduced to a two dimensional mother most foul.
What I can praise is how Shaoshang is lifted up by her intelligence, courage, compassion and her ability to do the right thing even at great cost to herself, which we see in both the Hua City arc and Lou Yao arc. Unfortunately in the latter half, Shaoshang is propped up largely by kicking other characters down. I have never seen such a long list of repetitive, nasty and screechy female characters in a drama. They are all cardboard copies of each other - bratty, rude, stupid, arrogant and in love with Ling Buyi. The mothers are all older and uglier versions of their daughters. I don't enjoy watching women doing their worst to each other. Nor do I like that they are repeatedly dressed down by men, even when it is Ling Buyi and it is well deserved. Sure it is very satisfactory in a low way but it is also frustrating and with repetition, boring. It is very disturbing that with few exceptions (Qi Qi and third aunt), the likeable characters in this drama are all men.
Despite a few thrilling knight in shinning armor moments, the romance is only set up in Part 1 with little real development. Shaoshang's main purpose is to gain freedom and escape her mother's eagle eye and she views marriage as the means to that end. None of her suitors are that compelling and their courtship methods are so appalling they are comical. Lou Yao trails after her like a lovesick puppy, willing to wait on her hand and foot without realizing that women don't need to marry doormats or servants. Yuan Shen's retarded strategy seems to be to make her hate him and pray that hate turns into love. But Ling Buyi is the one that just takes the cake. He makes sure her parents, no, the whole kingdom, knows she has seen him nekkid and failing that, makes her an offer she can't refuse. Who ultimately prevails is pretty much a foregone conclusion with the casting of Wu Lei, which is also a bit of a shame. I'd enjoy it more if we are kept guessing for awhile and there is genuine competition among worthy suitors.
We don't get to see enough of Wu Lei or the romance as Part 1 is mostly Shaoshang's family story. However, there is enough romantic fan service that shows Wu Lei's chemistry with Lusi is promising. While Wu Lei looks incredibly hot as the cold and intimidating general Ling Buyi, initially he appears stiff, like he is trying too hard to project gravitas. He improves noticeably later on when he relaxes his face muscles and his character is humanized by his sidekicks Liang Qiuqi and Liang Qiufei or Tweedledee and Tweedledum. Tweedledum is my favorite side character; his vivid facial expressions in each of his interactions with Ling Buyi have me rolling with laughter. Indeed what really livens this drama's slow burn pace is the humor which also brilliantly amplifies character traits. It is a poignant reminder of how funny and ferocious Wu Lei's Fei Liu was. I had long forgotten how good he is at humor. I look forward to seeing more of Ling Buyi's story as well as genuine relationship development between the leads in Part 2.
If I were to rate Part 1 solely on the mother daughter relationship, I would only give this an 8.0. What makes me mad is this had a lot of potential and we really don't get that many good historical mother daughter character stories. Instead the mother is written to have so little redeeming value it just ends up being a giant waste of emotional energy. But I will throw in another 0.5 to make this 8.5 because apart from the first four episodes which were an aberration, I enjoyed the comedic moments immensely. I may have given this a 9.0 without the many nasty, noisy women.
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BEST DRAMA OF THE YEAR?! MUST WATCH IF YOU HAVEN'T STARTED!
Love Like A Galaxy is like a drink of coffee or tea in the morning, something you need to start your day. It can be quite addicting to watch!This family-centered drama is highly recommended for everyone because its humorous, relatable in certain ways, even the banter between female characters are fun to watch! It feels as if you're part of the family, watching Niao Niao develop into more understanding and mature character as the story continues on.
Niao Niao aka Cheng Shao Sheng is the youngest of her family, illiterate due to not being raised well by her aunt and grandmother while her parents were away at war. I persoanlly like her personality, despite not being educated academically or in mannerisms, she has a strong, willful, curious and carefree personality. She says what's on her mind, is quite street smart which is something you need to survive in that time. She will fight back if someone hurts her in any way. This quality trait gained a few admirers. She's definitely one of my favorite characters in this drama. Acting wise, very natural and definitely cemented my love for Zhao Lusi as an actress!
Ling Bu Yi is one of the strongest and youngest military general in this drama. He has connections with the emperor who treats him like a son. Its quite endearing. His entrance is always dramatic which adds some flair to the scenes. haha He says that if he lays his eyes on someone he fell in love with, he will treasure and cherish her forever. That person is obviously Niao Niao. He's always there to rescue her, protect her from harm and evildoers. However, he has a revenge story that he's constantly looking into, getting his hands bloodied for the emperor or for himself. In a way, he has a cold heart for criminals, and his, suppoesdly, parents, Fear not, his heart is giggly and warm for Niao Niao despite the ice prince demeanor. He gives no shits to people who hurt NN or is obviously trying to take advantage of him or use him. And I love it! xD In terms of acting, Lu Wei did a great job because characters like Ling Bu Yi is known to be stoic, and indifferent but how far do you have to go to keep up the stoic expression? It gets exhausting after a while. The way Lu Wei acted as the cold general is quite different, he gives the character subtle expressions, it tells the audience he's not stone cold either. I suppose I like the subtley of the warmth Lu Wei gave to Ling Bu yI .
Other character(s) I enjoyed watching is Wan Qiqi. She's my favorite support character, the actress, Zhang Yue, played her character so well!! I cannot give her enough praise! Wan Qiqi is Niao Niao's good, or possibly best friend at this point. Their fathers are close hence these two became friends as well. Wan is that friend who stands up for you if some bish is bullying you, its quite fun to watch! This is why I think the female banter in this drama is enjoyable because Wan is able to argue with a sharp tongue. Niao Niao is able to defend herself as well but Wan is more passionate in defending her bestie. Roasting her enemies just by talking back, its hilarious! Her expressions are fun to watch as well! Its so natural, you'd forget she's acting. haha The subtlety of her expressions is quite comedic espeically when Wan doesn't take notice of Niao Niao's second older brother. hahaha I really enjoy her character! I hope to see a happy ending for her!
The emporer is another note worthy support character because he would did anything for Ling Bu Yi, plus the fact that the biggest shipper of Niao Niao and Ling Bu YI, its fun to watch him give leeway to NN because he adores her for LBY. All because LBY has fallen in love with NN. haha
The rest of the cast are amazing actresses and actors, not one person is out of place in this drama and I love it so much. Especially, when there's subtle moments of parent & Niao Niao having similar traits, its funny. Albeit, her mother isn't the best mother because she clearly isn't fond of Niao Niao's mannerism and behavior.
I gave this drama a 9.5 because the music didn't stand out to me, but regardless 10/10 drama would highly recommend if you like historical settings of China, female bickerings, schemings, smart female lead, slow burn romance but the rest of the cast will make you enjoy the progress regardless.
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CINEMATIC ART at it’s finest
Final review- ZLS and WL at the top of their gameI have never been so invested in a drama, either Chinese or western as this one. When I read the imperfectly translated book I already know that if the adaptation is done accordingly, in all honesty, will be hard for any series to beat this in 2022.
But this adaptation has completely blown me away and exceeded all expectations ~ the sheer beauty of this masterpiece is the truest meaning of CINEMATIC ART at its finest..bar none ( in my humble opinion )
Everything from the brilliance of director Fei, ACTING , screenwriting, cinematography, OST/instrumental music, set designs, costumes, lighting, attention to details..is just sheer perfection.
As this Epic historical drama continues to unfold, with the compelling scenes and arc yet to come, I can say with confidence that Cdrama is entering a new ERA with XHCL “ Splendid Stars” setting the highest STANDARDS for everyone to follow . without a doubt, this will be a classic masterpiece ~ one for the ages.
“ The whole is greater than the sum of it’s parts” I hope the audience can be respectful of the effort set forth by the whole production team and do not get negativity or hate of particular actors influence their rating.~ tysm and enjoy ❤️?
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This review may contain spoilers
Truly a MASTERPIECE
If you are looking for a cdrama unlike any other~ then you will not regret trying this one!!!It’s a historical costume drama set in fictional Han dynasty.
The hero and heroine have broken childhood and fate brought them to each other. one has a family but abandoned from newborn and has never experienced love and does not know how to love. While the other one was orphaned and adopted by the emperor who treats him better than his own blood due to filial piety, sorry don’t want to give spoilers.
The road to love for these two is not an easy one, so it is a roller coaster ride. But in the end, because of deep love for each other and the love shown by people who really cares for them, they became WHOLE again.
Love story is so Romanctic and so touching whereas the hero is not trying to change the heroine in spite of her imperfections but accepts her wholeheartedly for who she is and then brings out the best in her.
Having read the book, I am quite impressed with the adaptation, the novel is already great and for the drama to make subtle changes where the book is lacking…simply amazing !!!
To sum it up without giving too much spoilers, this drama has:
- REALISTIC characters
-Deep, complex plot and intelligent writing
- author is the same from Minglan~ but this one she elevated her standards even more
- story is very dynamic: deep love, loyalty, mystery, investigation, revenge, full of blood and not just your typical romantic love story
- Excellent direction, cinematography, screenwriter from the rise of the phoenixes
- the best production team and supporting cast
- and best of all: 2 of China’s youngest and finest stars in Zhao Lu Si and Wu Lei> both nailing their characters to a tee
In my humble opinion this is the first cdrama at it’s finest . In my books it is already a CLASSIC and one for the ages … and the best part is yet to come, just EPIC
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This review may contain spoilers
THE BEST DRAMA THAT MAKES ME UNABLE TO MOVE ON
Well, I want to talk a little about this Chinese drama. Hmm.. to be more precise, I failed to move on with this drama. This is the first drama played by Zhao Lusi and Leo Wu Lei.At first, I wasn't interested in watching it. But when I saw the trailer on Twitter, it was interesting. Finally I decided to watch this, full 27 Eps for part 1 and 29 Eps for part 2 with a duration of about 45 minutes for each episode.
This drama tells the story of two main characters, Cheng Shaoshang (played by Zhao Lusi), and General Ling Bu Yi (Leo Wu Lei) who was fall in love at first sight with Shaoshang.
Cheng Shaoshang is a young girl who has been abandoned by her parents to the battlefield, and has to experience toxic parenting by her own family (her grandmother and 2nd aunt) for 15 years. Since birth, she has lack of love and affection has made her grow into a pragmatic and insecure girl to choose a husband. While General Ling Bu Yi was the God of War of the dynasty at that time. He has a strong character, very ambitious, dominering, schemeing and daring greatly. On the other contrary his so lovely and very romantic to Shaoshang.
Okay, I can only briefly provide an outline of the story. In view of the fact that if there are too many spoilers for others, who haven't watched it yet.
Honestly, I've always been interested in Chinese dramas with historical and action themes. Because their production is very intentional, in terms of costumes, setting, player characters, and effects. And of course the soundtrack.
It's great, the production of the costume part is really cool and unique, adjusted to the time setting of the story. Salute to the detail and effort they give for each costume in this drama.
In terms of the background of the place, it's really cool to choose the place and the interior details used. Not only that, the background of the place is taken from outside too, the setting of the situation is really cool. Demonstrate the professionalism of the production team.
The setting of the place, in my opinion, cannot be separated from the properties in it. And... it's always a cool property. The properties are thought out and carefully prepared down to the smallest detail, which may appear fleetingly in the scene. As for effects, the effects used feel on point adjusted to the situation and conditions of the scene being displayed. In certain scenes it's so beautiful it even seems like CGI.
The original soundtrack is a simple but the best. What makes me fall in love with Chinese drama OSTs with historical themes, where there are always instruments from traditional musical instruments in it. It's like making peace your heart and mind cool.
Apart from the name of the main character, all the players have their own character strengths. They can highlight the strength of their characters even if they are just supporting actors.
Last but least, the coolest scene throughout the drama. Hmmm.... that's a lot. Hahaha. There are many cool and memorable scenes in it. For me personally I really like the scene at the lantern festival, and the scene where CSS and General Ling meet in the ginko tree forest.
All in all, this drama is really cool, even for the first part. Until I was confused about what to write, I was too speechless. And I still watch the drama again. Hahaha... I'm in love with this drama.
For those of you who want to watch the drama, you can watch it on the WeTV application. Really have to watch it!!!
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And the production quality is totally up there with the best of what money can offer in C-drama land, none of the xianxia nonsense where most of the money seems to have been flushed down the drain with shitty CG and overpaid actors.
And the story! Gosh the story, I actually started reading the book after the first week because it got excruciating waiting for the new episodes - and that, ladies and gentlemen, is when you know I have it bad. The adaptation is stellar so far to kudos to the scriptwriter and director for knowing how to keep the story tight and the plot moving, but making sure the swoony scenes between the OTP are still present, and in some scenes, even one-upping the book version. Can I also just say that Wendy might be the OTP's major shipper in reel-life, but the director plays no small part in shipping the OTP too in the way he crafts each exquisite scene!
The chemistry, my god. So restrained, but filled with so much wanting and frisson, yet innocent and chaste as fitting for the characters' age/context. It made this 'jiejie' smile and squee at this redemptive first love unfolding on screen. I've been following every behind the scene clip and those who understand chinese, please go watch the livestream playback of both leads on weibo - it'll have you smiling so hard the apples of your cheek will hurt so bad. (^з^)-♡Chu!!
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Best historical C-drama 2022
This is so far the best historical drama that I watched (repeatedly hahaha). I love both the main leads. Zhao Lu Si as beautiful and clever Cheng Shao Sang really bring the story life and close to our heart. This girl show how powerful and independent a woman can be eventhough raised in difficult situation during war time. Being pulled in to the royals power struggling by her beloved one The Charismatic and Powerful General Ling Bu Yi played by Leo Wu, Our little cute heroine show bravery, integrity and we can see how her character develop during the series.I need to give my big applause also to Leo Wu (Wu Lei) who portray General Ling Bu Yi. Not just handsome, his acting is superb. If you see how clear his facial expressions portraying how General Ling Bu Yi felt in each episodes, his 110% effort in the fighting scenes, this prove Leo Wu is an A class actor in such a young age. General Ling Bu Yi who have conflicted heart between love and revenge, this character I think will always be a legend in C-Drama until many years to come.
Standing ovation also for Director Fei who have succesfully direct this wonderful drama. Romance, Family Issues, Betrayal, Royals Feud, and Wars are all nicely wrapped in smooth story telling and beautiful scenes. Selection of the casts is also superb, each casts really played well like melodius ensemble that compliment each others. This is the first long drama (56 episodes) that I watch continously without skipping ! And I even repeat again some episodes to appreciate the dialog.
Watching this drama starting my shallow obsession to watch C Drama again ?hahaha… . I am now a confirmed fans of Zhao Lu Si ?. All of her drama are already kept in my play list.. Plus I ship this WULU CP ?? so hard ! I would love to see them again together in the next drama. ??
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This review may contain spoilers
LLTG BRAVO!!!
This drama really deserves a loud of standing ovation!!! BRAVO!!!??✌???????
All in all terms of production, story, acting & cast, visual FX, and OST are presented at a superlative level that is so catchy, artistic, and enthrall.
The cinematography is very impressive. It's like watching a movie. I watching this on the big screen; the bigger the better. Kudos to Director Fei, great attention to detail. The coloring is absolutely well done.
The slow romance between Ling Bu Yi and Cheng Shao Shang (Niao Niao) is unbearable, both are too adorable. Where ML was captivated by FL, and fell in love at first sight. But on the one hand (LBY) has never experienced a romantic relationship, and on the other hand (Niao Niao) is even 'blind' about what love means, because of her background as a child that has never been loved and cared for. I crossed my fingers and toes that this love would be deeper than a light romance. Especially when I pay attention to the two main characters, Leo Wu&Rosy Zhao, their compatibility and chemistry was clear on another level of romance.
After all, I also enjoy Lou Yao as Niao Niao's "first love". Even though it wasn't 'true love' to Niao Niao (and Lou Yao?), they pampered each other, filling their loveless hearts with respect. It is pure and sweet as long as it lasts.
Supporting characters that I really like: Emperor (I think besides director fei, Wendy is the main shipper of Yishang Fufu), Granny Cheng (Her comedy scene really broke the ice, so hilarious), Yuan Shen (LOL). A-Fei&A-Qi (Both are a complementary combination, like a container and the lid). I also miss 3rd uncle and 3rd aunt of the Cheng Family.
Almost all parts of the story and scenes in this drama are excellent, and draw us attention so stickly. However, there are some scenes that are memorable and attach in my memory, either because of their artistry or cos of their material dialogue, or by the combination of all the best qualities in them.
My favorite scenes:
• Scenes on the night of the lantern festival.
• The scene of the bridge collapsing in the Wan residence.
• The scene where Shaoshang pulled an arrow from General Ling's chest using her Shaoshang's string.
• Scene in the Gingko forest.
• The scene when General Ling proposed to Shaoshang in front of the public and the emperor.
• The scene of the Cheng Family training in the military with General Ling.
• The scene of NiaoNiao getting drunk and being carried home by General Ling. etc.
Hahaha ... I think almost the whole scene is so imprinted on my memory. Oh my God... I don't think I can be helped anymore.
(つω`*)...??? ♡～v(￣∇￣)v♡
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Action, romance, comedy, family- THIS HAS EVERYTHING
You would think that with a drama as ambitious as this one to cover all grounds of what makes a good drama a good drama, it would lose itself somewhere in the epicness and spiral out of control. Spoiler alert- it doesn’t. It just gets more and more and more awesome.Admittedly, the first half is pretty slow, as others have mentioned, but patience is nothing but a virtue. The explosion when the main leads (finally) get together is well worth the wait- and I appreciated the way their relationship progressed at its own pace.
The HUMOR, by the way, is something I don’t see talked about enough. This is possibly the FUNNIEST historical drama I have ever watched, and it comes from ALL the characters, not just the token funny guy (though this has that too). The paternal grandma Cheng is just too funny, despite all her shortcomings.
The portrayal of family that comes mainly from the relationship (or lack thereof) between Shaoshang and her mother is an emotional one. I cried SO many times over it because it was so damn relatable and it wouldn’t stop hurting. It’s honest and raw and doesn’t show any mercy. On the other hand, her father is an absolute gem. Her brothers, as well, are amazing.
Chemistry between the two leads are off the freaking charts. You’ll get to it in part 2 ;)
Anyway, I’m gonna go finish the rest of part 2 and come back to finish this review later if I remember to! Toodles!! (All you need to know is that THIS is the 2022 cdrama for me!)
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