The Story of Ming Lan (2018– ) User Reviews

Took a while for me to warm up to it but I ended up getting hooked!

[magnoliacream · 9/10 · 25 November 2021]

Another cdrama that I almost dropped but drew me in completely by the second half. I got deeply attached to the characters that are fleshed out well. Sheng Minglan (Zhao Liying) is a feisty, intelligent and sensible illegitimate concubine-born girl of a government official. Gu Tingye (Feng Shaofeng) is the fearless, roguish legitimate son of a Marquis. Qi Heng (Zhu Yilong) is the proper doted son of a Duke. All are lovable. Minglan has great chemistry with her main romantic interests. The villains are evil to the core, not realizing they're evil and shamelessly complaining they're the ones wronged, twisting things around. The schemes and intrigues, both political and personal, are well written and implemented. I felt like I was part of the scenes, witnessing innocent people being wronged, villains trying to weasel their way out of sticky situations and justice being served. A satisfying watch.

Compares favourably with Dream of Red Chambers!

[Tottie1946 · 9/10 · 30 December 2018]

Although I have not yet finished viewing all the episodes in this drama, it is obvious from the first 7 or 8 that this is a quality drama. Especially, regarding the mores and culture of the period. As I have yet to see all of the episodes then I must give it nine stars rather than ten. However, I have no doubt that after seeing all episodes I would give it a ten.

Feng Shaofeng will be familiar to many people who enjoy Chinese drama. His most well-known role is in the eponymous 'Prince of Lang Ling" TV production. Further, his performances in Tsui Hark's 'Young Inspector Dee" films has added to his reputation as one of the principle actors in today's Chinese Films. A further mention of Feng Shaofeng's virtuosity can also be seen as the sublime Monk in the equally entertaining 'Monkey King' productions.

In this drama he has an equally experienced female actor as his co-star. The inimitable; Zhao Liying. An impressive talent in her own right, Zhao has starred in many popular and critically acclaimed dramas. Many times being nominated and then won for her performances.

The costumes, mise-en-scene and direction all live up to making this one of the best dramas of 2019. I look forward to seeing further episodes of this excellent drama from China.

The setting and costumes were very careful

[gouoid · 7/10 · 23 August 2022]

Too many characters, watched the first time did not remember the characters, now is watching the second time... The heroine's acting is not good, and sometimes I am confused if I have a wrong understanding of the plot, and then go back ten minutes before to reconfirm.

The character setting of the hero has problems, early is a playboy, and later become a good husband.

You can't just watch five episodes and think you have it all figured out, keep going!

[ArtemisIV · 10/10 · 7 March 2020]

Anyone who hasn't watched past episode eighteen has no right to properly review this, in my honest opinion.

In order to really dive into this, you have to continue after episode eighteen-twenty and then decide. I know it's kind of a tall order for people who may not be invested initially to go for a full twenty episodes but it really is the kind of show you can't just watch five episodes and think you have it all figured out.

It's definitely a slow burn but well worth it. I've watched countless Korean and Chinese dramas and I can say that without a doubt this one is the most refreshing I've encountered. Seasoned actors that are very natural like, Feng Shaofeng, Liu Jun, Zhao Li Ying, Cao Cui Fen, Liu Lin and Gao Lu who shine in their roles. The lighting/cinematography is beautiful and relaxing and the family dynamics are so good. I wish blu-ray existed for this series. :(

Fantastic

[jossej · 10/10 · 1 March 2019]

I wrote both an article and a much longer review for mydramalist.

I don't think this show is for people who want action or more epic-ness like Eternal Love. This is a historical love story with meticulous attention to detail, character development, and growth. All the characters are important. It is filmed beautifully.

A lot of viewers have compared it to nirvana in fire in terms of quality. Others to masterpiece BBC pieces like Jane Eyre. It is incredibly done. I say give it ten episodes, if you don't like it, then maybe it isn't for you, but if it isn't your type don't give it a bad review--I only give dramas that aren't my 'type' a bad review if they do a poor job executing whatever plot device/trope/type of story they are trying to deliver.

Excellent drama

[joanne-78049 · 10/10 · 10 September 2019]

I was pleasantly surprised by this drama thought it was going to be one of those long winded dramas were i would skip episodes but far from it i watched the whole 73 episodes.All the actors were excellent especially the women jealously,envy,hatred and love you have it all in this drama . I would recommend you give this drama watch you will love it.

A bit slow, but good story

[s_thomas-57196 · 10/10 · 25 March 2020]

The start of the story is very slow. The director seems to try (too hard) to build the emotional connections of the characters. You need to watch until episode 20+ before it becomes very interesting to watch.

The ending is bad. It doesn't explain what happened to the Wang family nor to the 4th uncle of the Gu family who slanders Gu Tingye. But overall, it is 10/10.

A Masterpiece

[yosafatdaniel · 10/10 · 3 May 2020]

I have to be honest, at first, when I decided to watch this series, I have low expectation. But my God, how wrong I was. Story of Ming Lan is a masterpiece I love this drama; I love the dialogue, i think it's genius. I love the plot, the scheme. This series is so smart, it's almost similar to Nirvana in Fire but at family level and I really think that it's even better than nirvana in fire. I love when all the character make move, try to outsmart one another, and how they think ahead and plan every move.

This series is shot beautifully and they pay attention to every detail. if you want to know chinese custom, tradition, and how they lived at the past, you should watch this series. it's almost like a documentary. It's very different from the untamed or eternal love: ten miles of peach blossom (another series that I love) but Story of Ming Lan has its own uniqueness

My recomendation is try to watch 10 episodes of this series before you decide whether this series is for you or not

Heartwarming rewatchable drama

[nikidy-23373 · 10/10 · 9 July 2021]

A rewatchable Chinese drama.

This drama is 73 episodes so it requires a lot of patience to wait as the story unfolds from their childhood to adulthood. Very strong and intelligent female lead acted by the versatile Zhao liying who is a very good actress who always delivers as seen in her former dramas like boss and me, princess agent etc.

The real romance started at almost episode 40 but the couple had synergy and chemistry that made the unfolding romance worth it, You would confidently call this the baddass couple of the song dynasty era, the male lead is fastidiously sure of his feelings for the female lead once he set his heart of get her, it her or no other, they weather the numerous storms that came their way and even those intended to break them apart.

What i loved the most was that they had a mutually respectful relationship, Gu tinye a very bold, direct and straightforward man, despite his step mon spreading rumors about him contrary to his real character, despite his challenges with a concubine he got by helping a lady supposedly in need who bore him two kids and ended up running off with his son and his assets, the male lead had always protected and saved minglan all her life when she was in near death challenges and always wanted what made Minglan the female lead happy, he knew her challenges growing up as an illegitmate daughter in the sheng household and having to hide her capabilities in order not to stand out and be a threat and he always factored that into consideration before setting his heart on marrying her when his friend whom he thought had mutual affection with minglan got married to a princess, he made a gran scheme to get her even after marriage he wanted the whole world to give his wife the same respect accorded to him as a trusted aid of the new emperor, she always came first to him, he even handed all his asset to her on the night of their wedding with so much excited at him finally having a next of kin before consummation. Minglan on the other hand is always calm and together, never misbehaving or getting outrageous, at first respected her husband and was willing to accept anything in line with traditions like concubine etc which really always upset gu tingye who wanted his wife to be crazy in love and possessive about him, she gradually became more daring and jealous during one of their major challenges which pleased gu tingye more than the precarious situation he was in, the drama had a happy ending which made for a more pleasing watch.

Give Minglan time to reap a fantastic reward!

[corneilius_uk · 10/10 · 24 July 2022]

Where to start with Minglan. I get why some people find it difficult to watch, it is a complex story with many layers and sub plots which can take 20+ episodes to resolve, there is a massive cast of characters and if you have no understanding of how the marriage/concubine system worked then it can seem overwhelming trying to understand which siblings belong to which mother.

But

It is a compelling story of the daughter of an unloved concubine who dies in childbirth, leaving Minglan alone at a young age in a toxic household of competing wives and siblings overseen by a husband who is indifferent, mediocre and only concerned with social standing.

Luckily Minglan is taken under the wing of her grandmother who has powerful links to the palace, Minglan soon learns to survive by hiding her many talents and keeping her head down, out of sight out of mind could be her motto, but although quiet she is fiercely loyal to her family. Her mother's death is one of the most harrowing scenes I have ever seen (the actress playing the young Minglan needs special praise) but her relationship with her grandmother is one of the most heartwarming. They are inseparable.

I want to keep this review short but it's hard to convey just how fantastic this peice is in a few short words. Minglan is quiet and reserved, a loyal friend, and just wants a quiet life but when provoked to protect herself or her loved ones her response is brilliant, brutal and deserved. She uses her hidden intelligence to manipulate her antagonists greed to destroy themselves. She out plots the most seasoned plotters and gets dragged into deadly political intreague after marrying a man who she knew from childhood, who is even more calculating than herself, much to her shock.

I can't recomend Minglan highly enough, if you are looking for something light then this is not it but if you want to enjoy a complex story with time invested in backstories, with a great cast, amazing cinamatography and which is going to reward the effort in spades then give Minglan 20 episodes and be rewarded by a truly outstanding drama.

I understand the appeal but it just wasn't for me

[Bibiliography · 5/10 · 20 November 2022]

There was such a dissonance between the story and the actors. Did the director and casting unit not read their own script before they congregated 40-year-old men to play the role of boys on the cusp of manhood? I could forgive most things but this one issue completely drew me out of the story. To compound that, wardrobe choices in the first half had the men in ill-fitting clothing and atrocious hair pieces. Again, that diluted the authenticity of the story.

The best part about this was watching the family dynamic, especially Minglan's relationship with her grandmother. So precious. Likewise, Ming's sizzling relationship with Gu Tingye in the second half. So hot. Yet, even these couldn't offset the evil that permeated the entire story. It was too much and it dragged on for far too long. Yes I know, the villain is very villainy but did we need to see her repeat the same playacting over the course of 40 or more episodes?

Did we need all that back and forth at the Gu mansions? Did we need to see the minutiae of their daily lives, especially the ubiquitous eating? Did the characters in the Sheng family have to speak obliquely when they all could have benefitted from some showdowns and home truths? Minglan's father was a waste of space and to think three women were actually fighting over him. Why would Tingye risk the lives of Minglan and his children just to save the Emperor? Have the heavens fallen?

Seventy-three episodes is a lot no matter how lovely or compelling the story and sadly this drama was unconvincing.

BS re-edits

[ElliesWonder · 4/10 · 25 February 2019]

Watched up to episode 5, and I lost all my interest. The beginning was okay, cinematography filmed beautifully. But the acting and plots were so drama and mechanically. Also, costume is cheesy, actors always dressed in white and sew with cheap white fur, the shiny fabric (silk?) was available everywhere, even servants would dress in silky clothes. Another thing that upset me the most is many actors have a modern face, and ediors tried very hard to film them in an instagram filter tone; the entire thing is not matched, and the dark lighting also a big No No.

Not to mention the plot is nonsense that grownup teenage boys and girls wen to school together in the Song Dynasty? (Song was the dynasty inspired the idea that women should have tiny feet, and widows can't remarry. And Chinese ancient culture has a rule that "Boy and girl age seven (serve) different seats." Hence this schooling together is totally illogical.)

The little girl, small Minglan in the beginning has great tearful acting, her tear breaks my heart. The girl's performance and adults are simply two extremes. The grownup Minlan is so depressed, I have no interest to watch a bitter hardship story. Besides, many characters are lacking individualities, plot device is straightforward without logic most of the time.

After I gave up the tv drama, I read some reviews and found many readers dislike the drama when it compared to the original novel, and some novel contents from those reviews shows a great story was untold. Hence it brought me to the original novel, and the original story was so fascinated. The story is completely different from the tv drama. The novel tells the story of chooses, how they made the chooses, and what the chooses bring to them. Everything happened for reasons in the novel, unlike the Tv, the main concept of this drama has nothing similar to do with the original novel, the editors already created a different story - a story that I am not interested and only endure to ep 5.

Seriously Flawed

[sarsoory · 5/10 · 25 December 2022]

There are a few flaws to this cdrama that I consider fatal:

1. Generally, if a script has the bad guys outnumber the good guys, there must be some other redemptive quality to the program. I could not find one here, and the never-ending parade of sinister, criminal, and/or heartless characters was overbearing and dreadful and eventually became tedious and uncreative.

2. Unless the protagonist is a comic book superhero, the protagonist should not have an endlessly bountiful supply of skills, strengths, and intelligence. Here, the central character Ming Lan has nearly all talents imaginable (of intelligence, scholarship, bravery, athleticism, and she even deftly uses a sword one time, and she can apparently read all people except - rather absurdly - she can't understand what her husband wants), and the story has her exhibit that abundance of talents in ridiculous and incredible ways - including, for instance, having her instruct trained military men on how to fortify her home against invaders and telling them when to shoot their arrows. Absurd. She is also put in numerous situations where she is advising other characters as if she alone has the intelligence to solve each of their problems, no matter how much more they may know about their circumstances than she possibly can. Again, absurd. It would have been much better for the script to have given her a reasonable and believable amount of strengths and talents, and put her in positions where she combined those strengths and talents with the strengths and talents of others so that, as partners or as a team looking at things from different perspectives, they could solve their problems. But while this occurs a couple of times, it is rarely the case. Instead, there are even situations where she acts alone according to her own stratagems and doesn't even consult her grandmother, who had raised Ming Lan and we are made to believe is a large reason why Ming Lan is so capable and intelligent. This is not a good example of wise or skillful behavior.

3. The script constantly harps on filial affection and duties and respect for elders being prevailing social norms (norms that can even be enforced by law at that time), and it gives its central character Ming Lan an understanding of right and wrong, propriety, etiquette, etc. Yet, despite this, the central character in several situations speaks and acts condescendingly towards elders, including elders in her family and, most prominently, towards her father. The way she manipulates him and talks to him in a patronizing manner when trying to deal with his wife's family is repulsive. And also not believable. For a character who is supposedly so intelligent but also so proper, the scriptwriters should have had her act differently - in a way where she persuaded her father of how to act without being controlling and condescending - or found another way to achieve her ends without being rude and patronizing and thinking that she alone has all the answers. I don't know what lessons we are supposed to draw from this exhibition of poor behavior - particularly, as we generally know that truly intelligent people are modest, have humility, and respect others even when they disagree with them. The ick factor, combined with the unbelievability resulting from the contradictions in the main character's personality, is just a turn-off.

Not to mention the many scenes of whining or fake crying or fake wailing by women (do the scriptwriters hate most women to produce this many horrid images of them?). These scenes quickly become tedious and a nuisance. Also, not to mention the many instances where a dilemma faced by a character is nearly magically solved by the appearance of some savior person, tool, circumstance, etc. That was not hinted at in an earlier part of the script to make it even remotely believable.

For all of the above reasons, I currently hate myself for wasting so much time watching this dreadful show and am beating myself up for having listened to all of the positive reviews out there. This drama is no Nirvana in Fire. Not even close.