C-drama Love Like the Galaxy was high profile prior to airing because it was adapted from the novel by the same writer as The Story of Minglan and had two reuniting leads Wu Lei and Zhao Lu Si who costarred in The Long Ballad though not as the OTP in there. I got interested due to the bit of pre-airing controversy with some outfits and hairstyles upsetting C-netizens for resembling Japanese traditional looks. That went away after it aired but the initial reviews skewed negative – complaints about Wu Lei looking distractingly angular and skinny and Zhao Lu Si’s own dialogue reading and her acting as a 15 year old character. It’s now one week into airing and I’m all caught up and to my total surprise I kinda love it! Not all of it, I can understand the reasons for the complaints which are valid but I can get over it because the good stuff make up for it.
Wu Lei is killing it as General Ling Bu Yi with his acting and onscreen presence, he looks imposing and believable as a cold controlled general and his fast fascination with Zhao Lu Si’s smart, sneaky, and resilient Cheng Shao Shang is so swoony in the little looks and gestures. His voice and dialogue reading is also the bees knees. Zhao Lu Si’s less than ideal line reading and her softer cutsy own voice actually makes her character more realistic and relatable, I like it actually for the realness rather than how polished a dubbed voice would make her character who is not polished. The inter-family squabbles and conflict does take up a lot of time but it’s interesting but if you’re not interested FF and the story still makes sense and flows. The OTP is slow burn, like snail pace slow yet both leads keep the tension nicely coiled and their few interactions are enough to keep me invested despite the pace. I like this drama more than Zhao Lu Si’s last hit Who Rules the World and I didn’t check out Wu Lei’s The Long Ballad but that one was super popular then as well.
Loving this drama. So easy to binge watch. The cinematography, set, the acting. She is a natural and the real voice works. Wait for episode 12, the heat between the 2, wow. You can hear the heavy breathing in the arrow extraction scene. This is something that dubbing would’ve covered up. Hoping S2 will have a confirmed airing date so we can watch it back to back.
I love this drama too and I have watched Long Ballad and Who Rules the World.
Indeed they have very little interaction in The Long Ballad. So I am surprised to see their chemistry works here…
Yes the earlier episodes (up till Ep 5/6) were a bit draggy but somewhat entertaining…
I like Zhao Lu Si in costume / historical dramas…
I think using her own voice is fine as her character is supposed to be illiterate ..
..and indeed, Wu Lei is an amazing actor. 🤗
Glad to hear you are enjoying the show and that the criticism is dying down a bit. I’m personally really enjoying the show but I do agree it’s a slow burn kinda show. Finally it’s Tuesday’s with new episodes to look forward to!
@Visestan
Haha. Actually I am bias. I watch it because of Wu Lei and Zhao Lu Si. And there are some familiar faces around. Third uncle was Eldest Prince in Who Rules the World. I think we will be seeing the Crown Prince who was playing the Young Marquis in Rebirth. By the way, what will happen to her second suitor? The Scholar Yuan Shen…. I think her character Niao Niao has more chemistry with both General Ling and Yuan Shen….
Oh yes Koala now we have one thing in common – I do love this LLTG more than WRTW but not saying I dont like WRTW.
I love the slow paced of the love developments of the leads but you can feel that’s the building up is already there. It is just Niao2 wanted a life that’s simple and stable so she is really avoiding the chance of Buyi and she together.
Plandramastan
I think LLTG delves deeper into relationships, their thoughts and character growth; whereas WRTW is very much action oriented…. More Wuxia
Yes I agree with you. Niao niao might not understand her feelings yet. I think her “feelings” for Lou Yao are rather platonic…and she dismisses her attraction to General Ling as discomfort or suspicion
Starting to love this duo. I watched the Long Ballad and watched WU lei for the first time there…He is such a great actor , the role of the cold General Ling fits him well. Pairing with Zhao Lu Si is perfection!!!
I am not gonna stick with the Splendor drama that everyone loves but I’m bored at episode 15 so maybe I’ll give this a try. It’s been so long since I’ve stuck all the way through a C-Drama but I did like MingLan quite a bit.
Hahah. That’s where I dropped I think as well. I enjoyed it as the visuals were stunning.
LLTG and WRTW are totally different and i love both in dofferent ways. If WRTW is more political intrigue, LLTG focuses on family issues and i see ZLS nailing her role as someone who observes a lot of what is going on around her, and what she goes through her whole life as someone abandoned and unloved by her family, even her own voice accentuates her despair, her mumblings over her own situation actually helps us feel her sadness and the decision she took as a result.
I am delirious WRTW is doing well on Netflix and hoping LLTG will do equally well, if not better. I follow all ZLS’s dramas, and i see her getting better and better with every drama, different genre they maybe. I feel that she keeps growing and adding her uniqueness with each role she undertakes.
She was ezceptional in her role in The Long Ballad, which was the first time i noticed her acting, and since then i have watched all her dramas and movie. She was also exceptional in Dating in the Kitchen, acting opposite a senior actor, but she really balances him well.
I’m loving this drama too! Never judge a book by its cover. You have to experience it yourself. I actually find the family dynamics funny and entertaining because FL will do whatever she wants LOL. I would say Win The World is definitely better than The Long Ballad although Wu Lei’s character was great, I just can’t say the same about FL’s character.
The only thing I know about LLTG is the leads are perfect visually! That’s one main reason I love WRTW and DoS because of the superficial characteristic of the drama but their plot is also daebak.
I didn’t watch Reba and Allen Ren fantasy drama yet because it didn’t hook me up.
Yes, I agree with those saying Wu Lei is s great actor. He looks cold and detached but those little smiles and the softening of the eyes say so much. I can just feel the sweet sweet love waiting for the two lovers.
I’m at episode 12 and so far it is fanatic and can’t say much more on how Zhao Lu Si is now in my top 5 Asian actresses!
oh gosh this is my surprise of the year in cdrama land. can you believe this is the first time this director is directing an ancient chinese drama? he got famous off tomb robbery mystery dramas!
The earlier episode is mostly about each families dynamic which is less interesting than how our female lead building her own harem. I think it’s good from the start but the family drama just isn’t that interesting, although episode 6 is so satisfying.
Yes,I also really love this drama.
I have watched Who Rules The World and i really love it , i haven’t watched long ballad but i love both of them but i am thinking to watch .
And i think up to now this drama also really good, i am starting to love it so much and i am looking forward to it
I love this 2 couple i hope they have a happy ending
How I love this drama, it has all what you needed,romance, action, comedy that makes me laugh out loud. Love the actor and actress they are perfect for each other. So eager to watch them.
OMG KOALA THANKS FOR THIS. I LOVE THIS DRAMA SO MUCH IAM OBSESSED ! Wu lei and Zhao Lusi chemistry is off the chart im having butterflies in my stomach eveytime theyre together.
I read LLTG novel 1&2. I was engrossed and drawned with that shed tears one whole night and even watching the drama my heart aches for Zeshing and Shaoshang. Can’t control my eyes and felt sad. The two chatacters captivated my heart and for the first time in my life that I couldn’t forget evert minute of their happiest, sadness and unbearable break up. Even in ep 1-22 i already shed tears . Oh how much more in the coming days😍😍😍😢😢😢❤️