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Don't be discouraged by episode count.
Story of Minglan can feel like it's on the slower side but every moment does matter. Minglan portrays a different kind of feminine strength than what we are used to seeing in historical dramas. She's not loud, physically tough nor picks fights with anyone. Her strength retains grace and class and most importantly, smarts. Her growth throughout the drama is very satisfying to watch. Gu Tingue is also a very lovable male lead. He never forces anything on Minglan and quietly encourages her to be herself and supports her when she stands up for what she believes in. I like how they start off as mere acquaintances but gradually start realizing how compatible they are.Everyone's performance in this drama is superb. And every character, including antagonists, has many layers and is not one-dimensional.
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Nice but a Bit Annoying Too
This is the first time I don't really ship the main couple. They were cute in the beginning, but that's before they got married to each other!!!The first half of the drama was good. Then Ming Lan got married to Gu Ting Ye and the ship sailed. I fast forwarded most of the episodes afterwards as I really couldn't get myself to care about the story of Ming Lan in the Gu Manor. Before they got married Gu Ting Ye told Ming Lan that they are going to live in their own place (to avoid clashing with Gu's evil stepmother). Yet, it never happened.
The palace story (which took place after the marriage), I also couldn't be bothered about. I find the characters in the palace as weakly written. So I fast forwarded most.
The only reason I did a lot of fast forwarding, instead of skipping those episodes altogether, was because I didn't want to miss out on the story of Ming Lan's first love, Qi Heng. My heart broke for him. Yes, he's a bit naive but he's a good man and he did all the right thing. I'm satisfied with the ending as he found his good match (who's tragically, in my opinion, much better than the heroine Ming Lan - maybe the writer also secretly doesn't like Ming Lan? Haha). He so deserves it!
But, I can't believe Molan could live "happily ever after" (meaning, not dead nor imprisoned) - she's as bad as her mother. She made sure all of the pregnancies of her husband's concubines/mistresses couldn't survive full term)!
My favourite character in this drama would be Ming Lan's eldest brother, Chang Bai.
Overall, a bit disappointed. The acting of the main characters are good though, so that's why I'm not giving it less than 7.
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The Story of Minglan had a lot of buzz going into it, due to the fact that it was 1) a Daylight Entertainment drama, and 2) it would mark the first time that the famous production company would team up with a female liu liang actress, which many saw as an acknowledgement of Liying's acting skills. Not to mention the source novel is quite popular. So expectations were quite high for the drama, especially with the dating rumors circling around the leads at the time. All things considered, this was quite the pleasant surprise. I was not fond of the director's previous works, but the scriptwriters have a good track record, and what we ended up getting was a gorgeous slice of life historical with colorful and memorable characters. It's so rare that we get historicals that are focused on the life of civilians outside the palace (though the palace does play a part), and it was refreshing to see the depiction of day to day life in the household of a low/mid ranking official, against the background of the Song dynasty.
Story:
I loved the first half of Minglan, probably even more after a rewatch. The portrayal of Minglan's journey from neglected child to a young adult yearning - but also fearful - for love was beautiful, as was the parallel of Gu Tingye's journey from rebellious and misunderstood son to a responsible, bold but loyal commander. The antagonistic relationship between the wives, the sisters, the idea of what a woman's role is...they were explored well and really fleshed out.
Romance isn't really at the center of the drama, but it does play an important part, and I absolutely loved how it was played out and how it stayed true to what we knew of Minglan and Gu Tingye's characters. Minglan had three suitors in her life, and as someone who has never really been put first by anyone, it really made sense that Gu Tingye, who was the only who went all out in pursuing her and actively prioritized her, would be the one to win her over.
That said, after the wedding, that's when things began to drag a bit. The episodes became extremely repetitive and drawn out (and Hunan TV probably has a lot to do with it), but the only times we saw the story being moved forward was through the episode previews. The stakes were higher, but rather than enjoying the ride, I often felt frustrated with the lack of plot movement. There was also less development in the couple's relationship, which fell a little stagnant until close to the end.
Still, I loved the detailed glimpse of life in the Northern Song Dynasty, and most of all - Sheng Minglan, who was a wonderful protagonist.
Acting/Cast:
The drama was helped by strong performances across the board, anchored by Zhao Liying's wonderful take on Minglan. There was a quiet dignity in young Minglan, which became more of a forceful but steady quest for justice as the character grew up and realized she had to take action to protect her loved ones. Zhao Liying has a great ability to balance vulnerability with inner strength, and it shone in spades here.
Feng Shaofeng's Gu Tingye was also great, and it was a good reminder of the acting range that he possesses when given the chance. The Sheng family was a delight, with Liu Lin and Gao Lu in particular giving fabulous performances as the bickering wives. Cao Cuifen is my MVP though - I absolutely loved her performance and chemistry with Zhao Liying's Minglan.
Music:
Loved the instrumentals used, and the theme song grew on me over time.
Overall:
If you're a fan of Chinese historicals, would really recommend giving this one a shot. It's a lot quieter, and probably more slow-paced than what you may be used to, but it's a beautiful journey.
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In this series I really had a love-hate relationship. I could not wait for the next episode but sometimes I really wanted to flush him. First the chemistry / love between the main characters was just so nice to see. But then a bad thing..minglan was even so smart but was so stupid to her own man.De love between grandmother and 5th sister was so heartwarming to see.Minglan her in-laws was too bad also the devil women remained much to long in the series.
The whole series was really nice to see though I would rather have seen more about the marriage of molan. I would not want to look at this series myself again, just because for me the bad people stay in there too long. Another plus minlan her servants were really super sweet to her .. And the end was very nice and happy. Sorry for my bad English but you must have seen this series
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Most fleshed out series IMO
Before I start, I watched Story of Yanxi Palace then I watched this, I did the same thing again with the rewatch. I rewatched Yanxi & right after rewatched this again.I didn’t review this after watching it the 1st time. Now I’m reviewing after the 2nd watch.
Having watched both twice I still prefer Story of Yanxi Palace majorly because IN MY OPINION Wei YingLou is the greatest female character ever made anywhere in the world. Wei YingLou is everything i am. She’s so fearlessly badass, she’s extremely loyal to the people she loves and most of all is not shackled by useless emotions that have been designed & perpetrated to keep women obedient. She’s cunning and ruthless and that’s one of the reasons I love her. I love you forever my most iconic Imperial Noble Consort Wei YingLou aka Empress aka literal QUEEN.
MingLan was ruthless when she was pushed to a corner and she’s super smart and calculating, she knew to guard her heart, and I really liked her character a lot.
This series is the definition of character development. The main characters were so fleshed out (this is the most fleshed out character driven series I have ever watched) we knew who they were, what their motivations & desires were, their short comings and strengths.
Our power couple did turn out relatively well and “normal” when you realize that the both of them came from families that were competing for the worst family of the year awards. Gu’s family ended up winning the award in a landslide..
The only thing that irked me was that we didn’t get to see how Molan was treated upon entry into her matrimonial home, I badly wanted to see the shock/heartbreak on her face as she entered and saw a very pregnant concubine chunke (Sue me I’m petty like that). Also the demise of Gu TingYe’s stepmom was so anticlimactic. I feel she died so easily. I wanted her to experience real long drawn out pain/anguish but alas it wasn’t so, like I said sue me, I’m petty like that.
People need to stop telling women when and how to feel anything. A lot of men in this show & in the real world will be dating/sleeping with different women and not love any of them. When the women are now seeking for the men’s attention, these women will be called clingy (especially in C & K Dramas) but when a man falls in love with a woman she is automatically expected to reciprocate those feelings, like she should be grateful and happy that he loves her, (that was one the foolishness that pissed me the hell off in the VIKI comment section where I watched), the audacity of a woman to not reciprocate a man’s feelings simply because he’s handsome & loves her, gosh the travesty. *Insert sarcasm*
I do thank God I wasn’t born in that era because I know I wouldn’t have survived it, so in my opinion, the good/kind women of the era portrayed in this series are definitely the real MVPs.
If indeed they had such evil vile scheming women then in that era, then damn, too bad, because it seems like women supporting women have been a farce since the beginning of time & I can’t see any end to it. At least that time they were not dressing it up prettily like they are now. #MeTooMovement my ass.
All that being said, shoutout to MingLan’s girl squad they were literal goals. I loved each and every one of them.
The best scenes were when the sisters (Big Madam and Madam Kang) fell down (happened at different times/scenes) Gosh I watched those several times.
Nanny Chang’s rant to Madam Kang that caused her fall was so epic, it was a masterpiece.
To end this, it was a really good series and I will be back in a few years to rewatch again.
But for now, adios to my scheming power couple…..
Rewatch Value 10/10 ( I have watched twice and will rewatch again)
Overall 10/10
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The Story of Ming Lan - Review
The Story of Ming Lan - one of ZLY's best dramas. The story is smart, has a great message, and great script. Some of the lines, especially Ming Lan's are really wise, and like quotes. about life about everything. It's a long series, with 73 episodes, but i didnt get bored of it. I'ev watched it 3 times and still find it so wise and interesting. the proper male lead doesnt properly come in until nearly halfway through the series, and they dont actually have any intimacy until the last 20ish episodes, but there is so much going on at the same time, but i can still easily understand it. I dont know how the director did it.Was this review helpful to you?
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Stunning story and acting one of my all time favorites!
Let me first say before going into the details that this drama is recommended by me and I'm 100% sure you would rewatch it if you have time.Music:
I don't have to say specifically what parts of the music were nice and where there were nice 'cause without a doubt all the composing and directing was beautifully done. The music matched perfectly with the scenes which was simple yet elegant, allowing you to feel and understand a lot about the culture of that time alone. It did not have too much of the factor that most music have nowadays, which is used to attract the younger generation or the audience of ages 20-30, which made the whole drama and itself more distinguished and refined.
But of all the music present in the entire drama I especially loved the opening OST. And after experiencing all of it yourself you too will love it.
Story:
The story moved perfectly even during the time skips, the way it transited from one year to another was done effortlessly and did not show or allow myself to ask questions such as How many years has it been? Did the years change? Was that all a flashback? etc which I feel curious about in such transiting moments.
The plot was of full of entertainment in terms of comedy, romance, politics and life. But to say it depicted life, it cannot be considered, as it was still a bit romanticized to call it as such and had elements that can't sometimes be considered to be present in all lives. But it was still a very good depiction.
Though the drama was lengthy and had over 78 episodes it neither felt dragged or over written.
It showed the life of the people of that time, the politics, how a family was run and all the problems faced by a woman at that time. It didn't feel heavy or tiring in the middle of the program and there weren't many unnecessary misunderstandings which made the plot flow properly with a clear picture and wasn't confusing some parts.
The whole story revolves around The FL's family mainly and also the other two ML's families, didn't feel rushed and showed a vivid picture of sacrifice and the trials that one family faces in those times.
I especially loved the relationship between the FL(ming'er) and her grandmother specifically the part of Sheng Ming lan (FL) marrying Gu Ting ye, the way her grandmother cried out tears got me myself crying along with her which was very heart touching moment and showed how mush she cared for Ming lan (FL). The FL found solace in her grandmother, though not her own biological one but acted as one in her heart, as she lost her mother at a very young age. I also loved how the FL's father always concedes to his legitimate wife. These added more heartwarming scenes and comedic factors to the whole of the story. I didn't feel pressurized when watching it which was another point that rather made me appreciate the whole work as most of the other dramas just have me worried and anxious so it felt nice for a change to watch something with a pleasant and a subtle storyline.
After watching the whole drama I found myself pairing both the MLs (Ming Lan and Gu Tingye) but to my surprise they're actually married in life too!
And of course like the other dramas that I've seen this too has a happy ending.
Acting& Characters:
Now I don't have to say much more about the acting, from what I've stated above I can conclude that both the acting and characters were written and acted perfectly. This added the show another charm that most dramas don't have.
The dramas nowadays released focus more on the MLs in the entire show and don't give a platform for the supporting roles and cast to showcase their characters more vividly and in depth or just don't show the importance of them regardless of whether it was intentional or not. When I found this point in this drama I observed it had more people liking it including the audience that most dramas couldn't reach out to.
The participation of most of the cast in the story gave it a feeling of more in depth and detail ness that made it seem complete and enjoyable.
Overall it was an elegant yet simple story and wasn't overbearing and is definitely a classic in my watchlist!
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After the hype, I was underwhelmed
I have heard about this series since I started watching CDramas about 3 years ago. I tried twice, and this time got farther than 2 or 3 episodes and managed to watch the entire series. I like these long dramas - you can get invested in the characters, and be immersed in the story which has time to explore many arcs and aspects. The story itself was interesting enough for me to keep watching till the end. It was hard for me to keep track of the characters (who were not main characters) but whose story arcs got thrown in for some reason or another. Brother this one, cousin that one, fourth, second, eighth, you get my drift... that was a bit confusing at times. Then the little plot holes that had people coming in and out for no apparent purpose, and then left us wondering what happened to them in the end (especially when they deserved some comeuppance).I really gave the drama a chance because I had just watched FSF in Shining Just for You - and I liked him in that one, and I liked him in this one too. His character took a little getting used to, but he played it well. He (and so many of the other actors) played their roles so well that you liked the ones you liked and despised the villains. I found myself yelling at the screen when characters like Minglan's father and stepmother were on - and Gu Tingyu's stepmother (probably the most evil character in this). Some characters could have been developed a little more - and a little more attention to other relationships would have been better than the boring court/minister scenes and the battle/war scenes. A lot of time was wasted on the concubine's fawning on Father Sheng - and his stupid obsession with the family reputation. Same with his wife's obsession with petty revenge and spite. Still, it made for emotional watching - even if that emotion was disgust and frustration.
The chemistry between the ML & FL lead was obviously there given their real-life situation (which sadly ended). But I have never been a big fan of Zhao LiYing. She did a much better job in showing her emotions in this one, but she's just not high on my list of actors (apologies to ZLY fans). I loved the characters Grandma Sheng and Nanny Chang. Loved Shitou and Chang Bai.
It was hard to digest the conditions that women endured in that era - always hard to watch because these roles are based on historical facts. But I know that these are stories, not real life. Still makes for a lot of mixed reactions.
I enjoyed the series. Hope for another long drama soon. However, wouldn't re-watch this. After a while I was fast-forwarding through some of the scenes which I thought were repetitious and unnecessary, or when a character came on who I didn't know or recognize - but realized had a side-story that really wasn't important to the main story.
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First, the characters! Ahh, I live for the character development here! Contrary to my previous expectations, everyone in the drama is fleshed out, flawed, and so very human. From pesky villains to even our beloved protagonists, the show breathes life into them by artfully showcasing the motives behind their actions and allowing characters to be changed from their environment. Also, kudos to everyone who acted in the drama! I can’t count the times I’ve laughed, cried, got angry, and laughed again.
Our female lead Minglan is my ideal protagonist character. Many dramas boast of “strong” female characters, but I have seen few that truly back up their claim. While Minglan may not be physically strong, her temperament, composure, and intelligence is more impressive than any martial arts sequence I’ve seen. Others may choose to directly confront their enemies in a show of valiant bravery. Not Minglan. On the inside, she’s as crafty as fox, but on the outside, she maintains the facade of a dimwitted lamb. Protagonists often remain as static character, but it is quite refreshing to see Minglan mature and learn to confide in others...
And here comes the romance! Please don’t give up on our male lead Gu Ting Ye! You may have your doubts, but he also undergoes a change (a rather drastic one) that will make him a perfect accompaniment to Minglan. Honestly, these two are a match made in heaven. Watching the two on screen always made my heart warm. No cringey teen romance here! With that said, however, don’t focus too much on the romance! It takes a side seat to the plot and characters.
As for the story, I fear I’ll get too excited and just blabber out spoilers, so I’ll just say this. Other have said that the pacing is rather slow, but I feel like it was perfect! No parts were rushed and each scene had a point in the drama. You won’t feel the need to skip at all, so don’t fear the 73 episodes! In fact, I could go watch another 73 episodes lol.
While I love this drama to bits, I won’t say that it doesn’t have any flaws. Minglan does get through her problems a *little* too easily and her villains weren’t as terrible as some others, but other parts of the drama were so outstanding that those points didn’t matter that much to me.
Anyways, congrats to whoever made it this far and bore with my vomit of words. Now, cast away your doubts and go watch Story of Minglan!
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Life's Lessons Learned in a Well-told Story
Yes, 73 (on Viki) but really 78 (?) episodes are long.Yes, you've been burned by long episode cdramas before and have been burned, so you're wary.
Yes, it's a 10 star story line acted so perfectly by so many actors.
Yes, it is worth it.
* edit* OMG, this story will STICK with you, wow. I came back to edit my review after I thought, "no way am I rewatching something this long" when rating it with a rewatch value of 2 stars right after I watched it. Sadly, I then went from snack drama to fancy drama to heavy drama and couldn't find anything as almost perfect as this story-wise so guess what? I started rewatching it. The MC just slaaaay this thing, guys. Oh, by the way: I don't think this was dubbed, which makes it feel more authentic to me somehow.
I won't give a synopsis since other reviewers have done so well already BUT I wish I knew a couple of things going in, so here goes...
1) Yes, there is a romance but it's more of a love story that grows as the characters grow together so it doesn't start until after episode 30.. Since both the ML & FL's characters are complex and unique, the first half of the drama explores the experiences that shape their perspectives and world-views before they start their household together in the 2nd half. His pursuit of her is really cute because of how he handles/massages/coaxes her into accepting him.
Some people compared it to P&P but aside from the social climbing & backstabby gossip mongering of drawing room witty repartee, I don't see any Austen here. Maybe the fact that it satirizes the prestige of social class & snobbery with & between families, marriages included, okay sure. But that's about it. The ML is not a tsundere--actually the FL is the one w/the uncrackable cold exterior. Both characters are strong, intelligent, independent-minded individuals who are also courageous, tenacious and refuse to shirk responsibilities. They are both pretty awesome in their own right. Even better? The ML recognizes the absolute GEM that our FL is early on but has circumstances and then reasons for not pursuing her until later. (I'll be honest: I didn't like him for her at first but that's only because they weren't right for each other then & hadn't figured themselves out yet; there was an ick factor in his background for me but I understood how he needed to learn from that experience, so I rolled with it but it was pretty painful. Ack.) By the end of the drama, you felt like they were formidable either together or apart. A serious power couple. I didn't find the romance super compelling (little to no wooing since he kinda master-minded their marriage) but I liked their relationship a lot & thought they were a great bonded couple once they got married.
2) You might get bored in the beginning but STICK WITH IT. The reason why you spend so much time in Ming Lan's childhood home at first? To get to know the people that teach her the difficult life lessons that seem to reoccur later in Ming Lan's life. The ones that roll and twist you through dialogue and action like an ever-churning whirlpool. You're slowly getting sucked in, okay? The story is sooooo well written. You have to settle in and just wait for it to build all of these layers in each of the characters, so it just feels slow at first because it IS. Just have faith & pay attention because the eventual pay-off is worth it. Once you hit episode 30ish, you will want to have a weekend to kill off the last 40 episode---yes, the rising action & climax of the show is that perfect that you don't want to tear yourself away from watching it unfurl in one long arch. The tie-up is perfect, too. No loose ends. Each of these characters were so well-crafted that I was never tempted to skip (well, maybe a couple of times tbh) & because the story really is about Ming Lan & HER family (which also later becomes her & her husband's family as well) you have to watch through so much of the earlier interactions to understand how everyone is interconnected.
3) Everyone's acting is bad a**. I am seriously impressed with so many actors & actresses here. The crazy women are realistically batsh*t crazy & as antagonists, terrifyingly unrepentant. They were crafted with just as much love as the protagonists and so they are just as complex. I would say this drama has a powerhouse of female actresses killing it in so many different ways. Every character that was close to Ming Lan had a point of view that was so understandable I developed some empathy for them. Even the most hateful ones, which was unexpected.
4) The story is well-detailed and rich, like a tapestry. Layers upon layers upon layers. It is enjoyable just for the fact that it's a seriously well-told story. Once I committed to Ming Lan's story, I didn't feel the need to cheat on her. I didn't hop back to watch another show I had started and stopped or felt like I needed to take a break with something else for a while. Once this story catches you, you are just along for the ride. For some it may be earlier than Episode 35, but at that point you really can't stop yourself from hitting "next" over and over again because you can't wait to see what's going to happen, oh-my-gosh what are these characters are going to do & how the antagonists are going to get their just desserts in the end. Because they do! Karma smacks the serious sh*t outta them. It's SUCH a smart show, too!!!!
Music was decent. Really just a couple over played songs but at times employed effectively.
**Edit** I've already gone and rewatched this when I REALLY didn't think I would. I kinda missed them. *sniff* So....yeah, I originally thought I would rewatch from episode 53 on (when it really picked up action-wise) but I ended up rewatching from the start of the love story, around episode 30ish.
Basically...
Yes, you should watch it. ;p
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It's a marathon not a race. Take your time and enjoy the journey
I'm so glad I was able to binge this show. 70 smt episodes sound daunting, but honestly by the end, I was a little sad it had to end. The show is so empowering for me as a woman. In a time where women have so little control over their lives and everything is dependent on their marriage prospects, family prestige and who they were born to . In a time like this, these shining examples of the smart, strong women who use their brain and strength so take care of their family and become the force behind the stability of their clan thanks to their ability to properly manage their household. Ming Lan is of course the best one, but I'll get to her later. I just love the entire journey of how some women made the decision to use schemes and immoral means to get what they want and suffer the bitter end and others use their own strength and brain to make a difference in their own life. Ming Lan is easily the best FL there ever was. It's not too often do we see a drama that completely focus on the journey of the FL, but that's what this is. It is so so refreshing to see. You might find her too quiet at the start, but you would be dead wrong. Years of suffering taught her to keep her mouth shut when she needs to and use her own way to get her justice. She also has grandma who taught her how to be a smart woman. Her love story is also very real and interesting. She got a great husband in the end, but the journey of their love is so realistic but full of affection and romance as well. Ming Lan is a great character. Always needed to be strong also became her weakness, as she's unsure on how to truly depend on the man when loves. She's so independent and has suffered so much after her first puppy love and life as a concubine's daughter. That's why she has a hard time truly learn to rely on her husband. That was the main hiccup after they got together, and it was so beautiful to see how her husband take down her wall gradually and she learn to be vulnerable with him. His reaction to it is also amazing. They're an amazing pair (on and off screen!). I love most about Minglan is she knows when to keep things to her self but make no mistake, she will not forget the injustice she faced. She's just smart and knows when to wait for her opening. She rarely truly lose her composure but she will make the guilty pay justly for their sin. She seems cold but she is actually a very loving person. Once she love someone, she will make it her business to be there for them and help them get some justice one way or another. It's refreshing to watch such a sensible and no nonsense female lead while still making sure we all see that she is a warm person. The show is a journey into the life of this tenacious, strong and woman and a look into the lives and politics of these prestigious families. Take your time to watch the conversations and after a few episodes, you'll start feeling like you're getting the tea of these families' secrets and rooting for our protagonist as she rises and find her happiness. It's very satisfying when the vile people get their retribution too.Was this review helpful to you?
