Love Like the Galaxy 星汉灿烂 [2022]

[abs-oluteM]

3 hours ago, 40somethingahjumma said:

It's more of a growing up story where the FL has many different kind of experiences with all sorts of people until she reaches her happily-ever-after. Niaoniao has 3 main suitors so she will have different kinds of dynamics with each of them and go through the university of hard knocks in the meantime. 

I am finally beginning to understand the sort of trajectory the story is going for once I saw episode 10. Reading what you said and @Mizv's post in the spoiler , it means I have to adjust my viewing lens and expectations.  I thought it was going to be a rather straight forward romance with some distractions on the side. Nevertheless, it does make things more interesting. I like eps 10 to 12 - once NiaoNiao left her home and followed her uncle to Hua County. The adventure along the way sure beats all the Cheng family drama.  Plus , NN's mother and her tough love methods did not sit well with me. 

 

And more importantly , we got this...I need more! I thought this arrow removing scene was a great way to show the tension between the leads 

Spoiler

 

10 hours ago, IpohBanana said:

@abs-oluteM I honestly can't tell when it becomes a two-way affair. For now, even based on the trailers up to E24, it looks like LBY is the way expressing how he feels from his actions and words. She is still holding back.

True. So far up to eps 12 (for me), LBY has fallen for her. It does seem like she will take a while to recognise her feelings for him. 

[movingwheel]

@Yanai think i am going to love this roller coaster…. Thank you for this synopsis…. It has really made my day..

[abs-oluteM]

Oh my Part 2 is still being edited....I wonder when that will be shown 

 

This thread has some subs of their live stream.  Wu Lei is filming another drama & looks like Lusi in on holiday. 

 

 

 

 

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[IpohBanana]

@abs-oluteM the post-editing team must be busy erasing all the silly ribbons from their costumes (me rolling my eyes). Else I can't believe they would be so lax and still be editing at this juncture. sigh. I hope this doesn't mean the normal one-week gap is gonna be prolonged.

[mademoiselle]

@Tofu I'm all caught up now. What about you?

 

The reason I got interested in this drama was because of the highlight cuts I saw. Ling Bu Yi has the characteristics that I really like in a love story where the man only has eyes for one woman and he does everything in his might to ensure her safety and support her, quietly, without her knowing. He doesn't ask for anything in return. Other than that, the male and female leads have pretty visuals, the production value is high with pretty costumes and all. I'm also happy the voices aren't dubbed.

 

Ling Bu Yi must have known the Lou family's background to request the Emperor for an edict for Shao Shang. It will boost the Cheng's family's status in front of the Lou's. I also believe it indirectly gives a warning to the Lou family not to mistreat Shao Shang. Ling Bu Yi is going to battle so this is all that he could do for her before leaving, ensuring her marriage is smooth and happy. How can viewers not be moved by this?

 

The ending of E18, Wu Lei's eyes acting was very well-done. I'm looking forward to E19 coz this scene is sooo good...

 

I don't like how Shao Shang's mum behaves most of the time, especially her bias towards Yang Yang, but I understand her worries.  I quite like the actress as well. I don't know her but she stood out playing this character.

[abs-oluteM]

3 hours ago, mademoiselle said:

Ling Bu Yi must have known the Lou family's background to request the Emperor for an edict for Shao Shang. It will boost the Cheng's family's status in front of the Lou's. I also believe it indirectly gives a warning to the Lou family not to mistreat Shao Shang. Ling Bu Yi is going to battle so this is all that he could do for her before leaving, ensuring her marriage is smooth and happy. How can viewers not be moved by this?

This is why I Iove LBY! He was so gracious in this instance - this is unconditional love .  A Yao is like a small boy. But LBY is a real man. 

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I get why SS rushed into this engagement with A Yao. ( TBH it drove me batty sometimes that she kept mentioning his name! LOL) . She is not in love with him but she was moved by how well he treated her; she figured an "unlucky" girl like herself could not possibly do better. The attention and understanding  that she craved from her mother , she found it in A Yao. Plus he was her ticket out of  being disciplined all the time. Of course, at this moment headstrong SS thinks that she can handle the world & the Lou Tiger Den but I am sure she will realise that soon enough that the Lou family is far worse than whatever drama she faces at home. And because love is not the basis of her marriage to A Yao, she will bail out of it as per previews.

 

It is clear to everyone, that our 4th Lady Cheng is special to LBY. Surely SS who is very bright  and quick at reading between the lines can sense the special treatment he gives her. Does our LBY shake her heart? I think he does. I feel so because each time he comes to her rescue or goes out of his way to speak to her, she overreacts by talking about her & A Yao. She is trying to bury those feelings if you ask me. After all , she was so confident about her engagement to A Yao and won't want her mother to be right. 

 

(For once, I agree with her mother's judgement. What I don't agree with is how her mother communicates these things to her. Even 3rd Aunt had reservations about SS marrying Yao but the aunt doesn't say things that will make SS go on a defensive mode. )

[Lodestar]

Finally caught up with the latest epis & I have lots of thoughts about the 3 suitors & CSS's feelings towards them.

 

LY- He is a wet behind the ears guy who has never had any individual achievements nor has any authority in his life. The Lou family is heavily biased towards the primary branch ie. 1st uncle who is the grand tutor at court, 1st aunt & their children. The sons of the 1st family are employed in official positions even if they are not exceptional while the eldest son of the 2nd branch is exceptional but not allowed to take up official position. So LY & his fam is constantly degraded at home. He was engaged to the daughter of an influential officer who also constantly degraded him. So when he saw CSS one upping his fiance & defending him, he put CSS on a pedestal. He truly respects & appreciates her but he is not sensible enough to completely understand her. He is naive enough to believe that he can become independent from his family & give CSS the freedom to be herself. He himself is also changing due to CSS's influence. He wants to be a better person for her. But he is essentially a rule following individual. He doesn't have the mental or emotional maturity that will be required to handle CSS, his family or societal pressure. He is a nice guy but just not the right person for a strong woman like CSS.

 

 

YS- I really do not like this character. His vain, pompous nature is off putting. In addition he constantly puts down others including CSS. He was impressed by CSS's intelligence in solving his riddle, saw that she was pretty & she refuses to be impressed by him. I don't know if he appreciates any of CSS's qualities at all because he is constantly insulting her & imposing on her. He is really intelligent & influential but too prideful. This guy is a no no for a woman like CSS who has low self esteem. Their bickering is just unpleasant to watch because of that. 

 

 

LBY- He is a straight shooter. He is intelligent, influential, wealthy but that is not the reason why he is the best match for CSS. An independent, progressive, strong woman like CSS requires an equally strong partner who will appreciate, encourage & go against the prevalent society to let her be herself. And LBY is that man. I really like the progression of his love for CSS. He really likes her but doesn't consider to woo her without any reciprocation from her. He is satisfied if CSS is happy even if it is with someone else. He also goes the extra mile to improve her standing in society. He has tested CSS's feelings towards him for quite a while & he has seen her not reciprocate. So that is why he doesn't initiate anything. A man who can take a no as an answer is always high in my ranking. 

 

 

CSS's feelings towards these suitors:

 

LY- She feels he is a nice guy & obedient to her. He appreciates her. So what if he cannot protect her- she can protect him. She is the protector in this relationship. I don't know if CSS is underestimating the dynamics of the Lou family or if we are underestimating her ability to handle them. I am of the opinion that she can handle them based on what we have seen of her character throughout the show. She is just being too optimistic about being able to get away from under the family. But really it will never be a relationship of equals. 

 

YS- CSS really dislikes him. She disliked him since the moment she knew about him. She doesn't respect him or his intelligence & achievement because she sees him as mean & arrogant. He constantly insults her just like her mother & that is not the kind of person that she would choose as a life partner. I am totally onboard with CSS on this. 

 

LBY- I think she admires & respects him. He is a hero to her. She first saw him when he rescued her from fire. Though she does grumble about him but she does that because she sees him as an authority figure. LY is a buddy, YS is an ass who wants to dictate her but LBY is on another level. She doesn't consider herself to be a suitable partner for him. She knows herself & knows that he is a royalty. I think her emotions & feelings for him are far more involved than what she realises. She deliberately deflects anytime he shows interest in her or when her family or anyone points it out to her. I think she just doesn't want to get her hopes up. Her low self esteem doesn't allow her to even go in that direction. LY is a defence she uses against him. She has set up a plan in motion with LY & giving it her 100% because she does care for him at least platonically. 

32 minutes ago, abs-oluteM said:

This is why I Iove LBY! He was so gracious in this instance - this is unconditional love .  A Yao is like a small boy. But LBY is a real man. 

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I get why SS rushed into this engagement with A Yao. ( TBH it drove me batty sometimes that she kept mentioning his name! LOL) . She is not in love with him but she was moved by how well he treated her; she figured an "unlucky" girl like herself could not possibly do better. The attention and understanding  that she craved from her mother , she found it in A Yao. Plus he was her ticket out of  being disciplined all the time. Of course, at this moment headstrong SS thinks that she can handle the world & the Lou Tiger Den but I am sure she will realise that soon enough that the Lou family is far worse than whatever drama she faces at home. And because love is not the basis of her marriage to A Yao, she will bail out of it as per previews.

 

It is clear to everyone, that our 4th Lady Cheng is special to LBY. Surely SS who is very bright  and quick at reading between the lines can sense the special treatment he gives her. Does our LBY shake her heart? I think he does. I feel so because each time he comes to her rescue or goes out of his way to speak to her, she overreacts by talking about her & A Yao. She is trying to bury those feelings if you ask me. After all , she was so confident about her engagement to A Yao and won't want her mother to be right. 

 

(For once, I agree with her mother's judgement. What I don't agree with is how her mother communicates these things to her. Even 3rd Aunt had reservations about SS marrying Yao but the aunt doesn't say things that will make SS go on a defensive mode. )

I mentioned the same thing about CSS deliberately denying her feelings for her. 

 

I just cannot with her mother. Her behaviour towards CSS is deliberately mean & that I cannot accept. Yes she is right about a lot of things especially wrt her marriage with LY but she is so demeaning to CSS that I then automatically want to go against her just like CSS. I cannot understand whether the sky will fall if she appreciates CSS for once. Her preferring the docile YY is one thing but pointedly making CSS feel less than YY is just wrong on all the levels. She wants understanding & respect from CSS when she herself cannot do the same being a mature adult.  

[abs-oluteM]

17 minutes ago, Lodestar said:

She deliberately deflects anytime he shows interest in her or when her family or anyone points it out to her. I think she just doesn't want to get her hopes up. Her low self esteem doesn't allow her to even go in that direction. LY is a defence she uses against him. She has set up a plan in motion with LY & giving it her 100% because she does care for him at least platonically. 

Completely agree with your post. And yes it is so true that she doesn't realise her own worth as a person - that's why she would not even entertain the thought that LBY treats her differently. Which was why I so love the ending scene of episode 18. What he did here for her here was so important on many levels. This is something I wished her mother did instead. He made sure that she would be respected and not bullied in the Lou household. Listing her accomplishments here is to remind her that she needs to value herself better. 

[Lodestar]

1 hour ago, abs-oluteM said:

Completely agree with your post. And yes it is so true that she doesn't realise her own worth as a person - that's why she would not even entertain the thought that LBY treats her differently. Which was why I so love the ending scene of episode 18. What he did here for her here was so important on many levels. This is something I wished her mother did instead. He made sure that she would be respected and not bullied in the Lou household. Listing her accomplishments here is to remind her that she needs to value herself better. 

 

 

I would be happy if the mother stops berating CSS in the same breath as praising YY- that is how low I have set the bar for the mother 😂. Her mother doing anything for CSS on the level of LBY is practically impossible because she is more interested in being blindly obeyed & telling I told you so than trying to salvage her relationship with CSS. 

 

 

[Tofu]

During the dinner in episode 15, it was nice to see how all of them viewed love. CSS and LY are lost in their own little world -- the ideals of what they believe to be love. I agreed with what everyone has said about CSS. She knows she's a little rough around the edges and worries there will be no one for her. She doesn't love LY, she just doesn't want to be alone. For LY, he's timid and feels like he needs someone like CSS to stand up for him. He doesn't love her, he loves that she will fight for him....something he can't do for himself.

 

LBY is very grounded but also intuitive. As much as I loved when he said if heaven is fair it wouldn't separate two lovers, I loved hearing his perspective on the teacher's and third aunt's relationship. The third aunt spent seven years showing the teacher her affection while he spent those years ignoring her. He had a duty to everyone but her. I'm glad she finally realize she would never be his priority and broke off the engagement. LBY is right that this courage of hers was to tell him that he shouldn't insult the love she had for him all those years. 

 

@mademoiselle I am caught up now too! So much for watching this slowly. 

 

Parts of Wu Lei's interview translated.

Spoiler

 

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@mademoiselle Was this one what you saw? Hahaha!

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[Tofu]

From the novel:

 

Spoiler

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

By the way, if anyone cares about Douban scores, the drama opened up with a score of 7.4. Usually when something is rated around a 7, it means it's worth a watch. 

 

Wu Lei is so handsome. 

 

[Tofu]

I'm not surprised to hear that they have not finished editing. The drama wrapped up filming in December. There are so many episodes in the series that I'm sure it's taking time to go through it all. Hopefully, the slow release gives them enough time to edit so the gap between both parts won't be insanely long. 

 

[mademoiselle]

@Tofu Yeah so much for taking it slow. I guess I'll turn to the novel to "kill time" while I wait.

Yes! It's that photo!!! Hahahahahahaha Isn't it hilarious? 

And noooooooooooo to the spoiler you posted. I don't want moustache Wu Lei!

Sigh, there are waaaaayyyy too many words and chapters for me in the novel to catch up to the current episodes! I want to read it from the beginning but also is going around chapters looking for Ling Bu Yi and Shao Shang's parts. Ahahahaha! The story after the 5 years is going to be squeezing on my heart, yet I know I'll enjoy it in the novel ahahahahahahaha!

 

You know, we all think Lou Yao and Shao Shang are young and naive but turns out according to the novel, Ling Bu Yi is only 21 years old at the time he proposed to Shao Shang. He's just as young in my eyes (to this modern Noona anyway)! But obviously going through what he had gone through (losing his family and the war) and educated in the palace, he's more mature than Lou Yao.

 

As for Yuan Shan Jian, I think he's skeptical and doesn't trust love due to his own family background. He's childish too, because he acts like boys from primary school who teases the girls they like rather than saying nice things to them. I also think he is in denial about his feelings for Shao Shang, denying her, picking her flaws to convince himself she's not worthy of him.

 

Edit: I'm a bit confused of the starting of the novel. Also, is this originally a time-travelling thing coz one chapter the novel had Shao Shang thinking to herself about writing English!

Edited July 17, 2022 by mademoiselle

[40somethingahjumma]

It's probably not said enough but this is actually a really funny show and the humour covers many aspects. There are some hijinks obviously but a lot of it comes from the subtext because of strict adherence to conventions and regulations. Despite some angst mainly associated with Ling Buyi pining over Niaoniao, the last few episodes have more than a few laugh out loud moments. Episode 17 was really funny. I find the emperor quite funny too by the way he nags at Zisheng about marriage every which way he can. There's a nice competition going between A'Yao and Zisheng's "talk too much" sidekick as to who is the most clueless about what's really going on.

 

Although Niaoniao handles herself well on a visit to the Lou household for the first time, it still troubles me that A'Yao is so easily outmaneuvered by the people around him. If a man can't even protect his wife and relies heavily on her to deal with troublesome relatives, how can he be man enough to be a magistrate or any kind of official where he has to make tough decisions on a day to day basis? Maybe this is too logical for a couple of youngsters. To be frank, I don't know that I want A'Yao marrying my daughters either certainly not until he's proven he can stand on his own two feet. A nice man is not necessarily husband material for the long haul. He's too much in awe of her and rather too compliant. On a lighter note, I laughed out loud both times when Qiqi implied that A'Yao is nothing more than a glorified maidservant. 

 

I am so annoyed with A'Yao. If he were a more thoughtful man he wouldn't have even contemplated marriage so soon especially just after breaking off with He Zhaojun.

 

It's obvious that Niaoniao has doubts and tries to brush over them by using A'Yao or the marriage. She's not in love with A'Yao but with his compliments. Yes, she's trying very hard to stay committed to the process but time is proving that marriage to A'Yao is not as straightforward as she thinks. It isn't just about the two of them because it really does involves the entirety of two households and maybe even the well-being of the state as well. 

 

I wish Zisheng wouldn't be this selfless but he's found the one and only woman that he'll ever love. I guess he's off to deal with an insurrection that's fraught with risks. He obviously thinks that there's a possibility he might not return so he's doing whatever he can to protect Niaoniao to the last. I know that he serves as a contrast to A'Yao but I wish it weren't so stark because it's not helping me like A'Yao in the least. Yuan Shen is at least good for laughs. 

 

Okay... kissing compilation... spoilery... watch at your own risk

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Edited July 17, 2022 by 40somethingahjumma

[Tofu]

This is hilarious, hahahaha! I feel bad for them. It must have been a long shoot. 

 

[Tofu]

13 hours ago, 40somethingahjumma said:

I find the emperor quite funny too by the way he nags at Zisheng about marriage every which way he can.

This edit someone made of the actor who plays the emperor is hilarious! 

 

[40somethingahjumma]

@Tofu

The emperor is the captain of that ship undoubtedly. LOL. 

The man is far more worried about Zisheng's marriage prospects than he is about losing his throne.

[IpohBanana]

@Tofu the Emperor is so handsome !!!!  sorry, I know that's not the point.

Ooh, I've had that feeling before from kneeling down and getting numb in my legs. Makes me wonder how people managed those days and I can understand now why dramas depict Koreans (women particularly) sitting with one foot on the floor, in a bent position.

 

@40somethingahjumma lately, I've watched Emperors who don't behave like typical Emperors, this is one, the other is the one that was in a Dream of Splendor. Looking at how he harps on marriage, I'd say he's more like the expectant father-in-law/father than the Emperor. He seems to have very few worries about the country's state of affirs, maybe because everything is being handled for him by LBY (tis like the CEO who has delegated everything to his C-suite). I've yet to see an Emperor who forbids a General from going off to battle again, lol. Thanks for the video, not quite parakeets kissing, and not quite setting me aflame. There's this one scene where she's staring at him,ooh... that look in her eyes, I swear I got taken in for a moment.

Edited July 18, 2022 by IpohBanana

[abs-oluteM]

Can someone enlighten me? This is of course a work of fiction so I am guessing there's no exact dynasty that they are following right?  But I was somewhat taken aback at how close LBY is to the Emperor, that he is resting in a chamber that is not too far away from where the Emperor is. When the Emperor talked loudly to motivate LBY to do something, the latter could here the former so clearly. LOL

[IpohBanana]

sorry folks, I've just got to get this off my chest... the OCD in me is deeply concerned with how dirty their clothes are getting from being dragged all over the place, 

 

It's from 1:10 of this video

 

was the costume designer so besotted by the trains in wedding gowns or Western medieval gowns? 

 

You can see a few samples here of the train-like gowns they don..

 

on Old Madam Chen (and clearly the dirt-stains)

 

Chen Yang (such a light coloured cloth)

 

even on the Eunuchs..

 

 how much washing did they have to do???

[40somethingahjumma]

@abs-oluteM I've heard that this is supposed to be set during the Han dynasty. 

The clothing and hairstyles seem to reflect that.

 

@IpohBananaMy first thought was the same as yours -- the emperor without the facial hair is easy on the eyes.

[40somethingahjumma]

Okay here's another one that popped up on my feed. Features another kissing scene which I haven't seen before. A tad spoilery but beautiful to look at. Very epic with the OST in the background.

 

Spoiler

 

 

[OsmanthusTea]

I binged watch it the moment I landed so I'm up to date with the eps. WuLei has matured greatly. For such a young actor he had mastered the essences of acting. His micro expression and eyes acting will put some more senior actors to shame. I can see that Lusi also improved greatly. She is a very natural actor.

 

I can understand why Niao2 preferred Yao. He gives her what she is starving for for a  long long time,  love and affection. The kind that slap hard grandly right to your face. Not the quiet one like from LingLing and Mother. Being a blunt and unrefined lady, she has difficulty in understanding and feels such subtle feeling. 

 

@abs-oluteMThe drama is set in either Qin or Han Dynasty based upon the clothing and hairstyle (Qin and Han were side by side in chronological order hence the similarity). I remember Painted Skin The Movies have the same styling.

 

 

Edited July 18, 2022 by OsmanthusTea

[abs-oluteM]

@40somethingahjumma I can’t see the video you posted- restrictions in my region 

Is this the one ? Gosh , when can we see these scenes ? 
 

Spoiler

 

@OsmanthusTea   To play a stoic character like that is not easy . Change of emotions must be done very subtly  & I do think Wu Lei is  doing great 

 

New episodes tonight! But gosh S1 will be over soon isn’t it ? Will leave us hanging? 

[Tofu]

@abs-oluteM The video @40somethingahjumma posted was the music video! They released it today and it had so many great scenes. I can't wait to see them! 

 

I know @mademoiselle is looking forward to this scene.