Love Like the Galaxy / 星汉灿烂·月升沧海

I liked Love Like the Galaxy, but good lord, it is LONG. 😭

56 episodes.

And unfortunately, I felt all 56 of them.

There is genuinely a good story here, and one of the things I liked most was the character growth.

Cheng Shaoshang starts off stubborn, defensive, impulsive, and basically operating on survival instincts because of how she grew up. By the end, she has matured a lot without suddenly turning into a completely different person.

That part was done really well.

And then we have her mother.

🙄🙄🙄

I really disliked how Xiao Yuanyi seemed to like Yangyang more than her own daughter.

I understand that Yangyang was obedient, educated, polite, and basically everything Shaoshang was not.

BUT MA'AM.

Part of the reason Shaoshang was difficult was because you left her behind. 😭

She grew up neglected and mistreated, and then her mother finally comes home and seems more impressed by the cousin who behaves like the perfect daughter.

Girl.

Your actual daughter is standing RIGHT THERE.

Yangyang herself was not even the problem. My issue was Shaoshang constantly being compared to her.

Shaoshang is independent, suspicious, mouthy, emotionally guarded, and ready to fight somebody before breakfast. 😂

But there is a reason she became that way.

Her relationship with her mother improves eventually, and the family growth is actually one of the better parts of the drama, but Xiao Yuanyi had me irritated for a LONG time.

❤️ Cheng Shaoshang & Ling Buyi

Now THIS relationship is complicated. 😂

Ling Buyi falls first and falls HARD.

Once he chooses Shaoshang, he is basically done shopping around.

We love commitment. ❤️

He is extremely protective and devoted to her, but he also has that annoying habit of deciding what is best for Shaoshang instead of actually telling her what the hell is going on.

Sir.

COMMUNICATION.

PLEASE.

That becomes one of the biggest problems in their relationship.

Their chemistry is strong, though, especially once Shaoshang genuinely starts returning his feelings instead of feeling like she was thrown into an engagement by everybody around her.

There is actual romance, kissing, protectiveness, jealousy, affection, and emotional payoff before the ending.

So at least I did not watch 56 episodes just to receive one forehead pat in the finale. 😂

💔 The Breakup and Separation

Unfortunately, we DO get the thing I hate.

A major breakup and a LONG separation.

Ling Buyi's revenge, secrecy, and decision-making eventually destroy Shaoshang's trust.

She considers their relationship over.

And then...

FIVE YEARS.

😭😭😭

Five whole story-years apart.

WHY.

Why are we doing this after I have already invested approximately seventeen business days watching this drama?

They eventually reunite and reconcile, but that huge separation definitely hurt the romantic payoff for me.

This is not one of those dramas where every disagreement should be labeled a breakup.

They have earlier fights and serious relationship conflicts, but the late split is the actual major breakup/separation.

🌟 Character Growth

This is probably one of the drama's strongest points.

Shaoshang's growth works because she does not suddenly become meek, obedient, or completely different.

She learns.

She matures.

She becomes more thoughtful.

But she's still Shaoshang.

Ling Buyi also has to learn that loving somebody does not mean making every decision for them because you think you know best.

His revenge and secrecy cost him years with the woman he loves.

Actions meet consequences. 😂

Even Shaoshang's family eventually comes to understand her better, especially after spending so much time trying to force her into being the daughter they thought she should be.

👩‍👧 Mom vs. Yangyang

Yes, this gets its own section because it irritated me THAT much. 😂

Yangyang was calm, obedient, educated, and easy to parent.

Shaoshang was...

Shaoshang.

😂

But again, Shaoshang became that way partly because the adults in her life failed her.

So watching Xiao Yuanyi come home after YEARS away and basically act like:

"Why can't you be more like your cousin?"

MA'AM.

YOU MISSED THE ENTIRE TRAINING ARC. 🤦‍♀️

Their relationship eventually improves, and I liked the growth that came from it.

But the favoritism absolutely annoyed me.

🏯 Plot & Pacing

The revenge, political, military, and family storylines are actually pretty strong.

There is more going on than just romance, and the main characters both have real individual arcs.

But again...

56 episodes.

Somebody needed to walk into the editing room with scissors. ✂️😂

There are stretches where I felt like a conflict could have ended several episodes earlier.

The drama has good material.

It just has SO MUCH OF IT.

That is probably the biggest reason this stayed at 3.5 instead of reaching 4 stars for me.

Ending — Happy Ending ❤️

Cheng Shaoshang and Ling Buyi/Huo Buyi reconcile and end alive and together. Their late breakup leads to approximately five years apart. No completed on-screen wedding is shown.