The Story of Ming Lan (2018)

Family feuds, women's and men’s social ambitions. Beautiful production and story!

This drama is one of the best family period dramas I have watched.

Funny enough, around episode 15, I almost quit. I wasn't sure to be able to watch 73 episodes of women's fights. So I fast-forwarded and stopped at the love scenes. Then, I went back to where I stopped to continue the story. The more I watched, the more it became addictive. I think the turning point was when ML explained his strategy to marry her and her true personality came out; No longer a doormat but a very smart strategist knowing inside and out how to survive her family and in-laws. The chemistry exploded on my screen, I was hooked.

This drama is far from being a typical romance drama. It portrays the harsh reality of women's lives, including the hierarchy, jealousy, hate, nasty stepmothers, loving grandmothers, nannies, children, maids, sisterhood, concubines, and complicated relationships with men. The drama also sheds light on the forced marriage, ambitions, and clans, and how men were granted the freedom to have mistresses ranging from prostitutes to bed chambers to concubines, to first spouses, heritage, and succession. Moreover, it highlights how women were conditioned to submit to strict social codes and family hierarchy, and how their lives were tightly supervised.

I was completely engrossed by the transformation of the main female character in the drama. She started as a meek and submissive young woman, but as the story progressed, her true strength and determination were revealed. It was impressive to see how she fought tirelessly for her husband, child, and loved ones. Every aspect of the script was so well thought-out and executed that it felt entirely believable. The attention to detail was exceptional, and it allowed me to immerse myself completely in the past. The film provided an authentic glimpse into how families were structured and how people lived together, following strict rules and structures. Overall, it was an incredibly fascinating experience that left a lasting impression on me.

The love story was a complex and multi-layered tale of two individuals who were deeply in love with each other, but their relationship was plagued with challenges. There were moments of pure cuteness and loveliness, but there were also times when it was enormously frustrating to see them struggle. It was evident that their love was genuine, but it was also clear that they were conditioned by their childhood experiences and societal expectations, which made their relationship complicated. The man was like fire, passionate and intense, while the woman was like ice, calm and collected. Despite their differences, they remained committed to each other, and their love was the glue that held them together. There were a few instances where I chuckled at the adorable moments they shared. However, their story also highlighted the gender-based differences in status and the societal pressures that come with it. Overall, it was a beautifully written story that portrayed the complexities of relationships and the power of love to overcome challenges.

The performance was absolutely stunning! The actors and actresses involved were all seasoned professionals, and their skills were on full display. As always, I found myself completely smitten with the two male leads. It's hard to pick a favorite between them, but the ML was particularly adorable, especially in the way he portrayed his deep love for his spouse.It was crystal clear that respect was the foremost priority, and love was considered an exception.

I easily recognized two highly talented actresses. The first one played the lead role in "Princess Agents" - a drama that I absolutely adored, except for the lackluster finale. The second actress, who played the fifth villain princess in "Love Like the Galaxy", also showcased her remarkable acting skills with a completely different character. I must say, I was thoroughly impressed with both of them! I must emphasize that every actor in the drama was exceptionally great, despite the fact that the male leads were outstanding. The grandmother's portrayal was particularly touching, and it was hard not to have a soft spot for her.

I must admit that I am usually very critical of scriptwriters and directors, but in this case, I must give credit where credit is due. The plot was easy to follow and everything made perfect sense, making it a truly fluid and enjoyable experience.

I was impressed by the thoughtfully chosen music that complemented the atmosphere without being too loud. Additionally, I couldn't help but appreciate the attention to detail put into every aspect of the production, from the intricate houses to the stunning costumes and sceneries. It was truly a feast for the eyes and ears.

This reminds me of other family period stories that I also recommend. They are completely different stories but similar with in-depth conflicts and heavy social hierarchy and rules: “New life begins”, “Royal Feast” and “Chef Hua”.

This drama was very complex and gave me a full overview of how women and men lived and survived.

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First time watching: Feb, 2019 Rewatch: Jan. 2024 Still fantastic!!!!

This is an amazingly well told story about a girl named Ming Lan. Don’t expect a torrid romance; the lead couple’s relationship takes time to develop but, once it does, it gives way to a great fusion of mind and soul. Understanding, and remembering throughout the drama, that Ming Lan grew up holding back her real emotions while cultivating her intellect, will be less frustrating. This drama has everything, from an excellent cast to cinematography, choreography... but what makes this drama great is the way the story evolves and how Ming Lan and Gu TingYe become a powerful force of love and brilliant minds working together, and sometimes, apart. Take your time and be patient because, although the drama can be considered slow paced, every episode really brings out all sorts of emotions. Enjoy it!

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Downton Abbey set in Traditional China... but better!

This is a literary romance soap opera for adults. Not for young adults, like most mainstream Chinese romances are, but for adults. With a Male Lead who is realistically flawed and not some dreamy perfect blank slate female fantasy. (Although the second Male Lead gives us that, for the inner teenage girls in us who want it – and it doesn't hurt that he resembles a young Tony Leung and is very easy on the eyes!)

I also appreciate that Ming Lan isn't a complete unabashed Mary Sue who excels at everything, with every male character admiring and falling for her. Ming Lan is frequently berated and punished for her perceived wrongdoings, some people think she's incapable, and she doesn't win every single conflict she's in (unlike Liu Yifei's Zhao Pan'er in A Dream of Splendor, whom everyone thought was formidable and always got the last word against her detractors – though I loved Zhao Pan'er too, it did seem a little annoying / unrealistic).

The other supporting characters too are believably flawed, like Ming Lan's sisters and their legal mother, and contribute to a rich story world.

I'm 20 episodes in and I haven't spotted any flaws (other than maybe a few too many hysterical-threatening-suicide scenes from the excellently manipulative villains and I completely feel the other reviewer who wrote that she fast-forwards through those scenes; and the unrealistic fight scene on boat early on). I already know this is going to be the best Chinese serial I've ever watched – yes, above Nirvana in Fire, A Dream of Splendor, and Extraordinary Attorney Woo, which all didn't even break 9.0 for me even though I enjoyed them tremendously for the most part. What elevates The Story of Ming Lan above is that for our main leads, their battles consistently feel hard-won and nobody just gives them a free pass, which is what bothers me in many of the shows above – after a certain point it feels like the writers gave up and started solving their problems a bit more lazily.

To elaborate a bit on my comparison to Downton Abbey – another reason I think is the deliberate distortion of the peerage system used in The Story of Ming Lan. In the Song Dynasty, aristocratic titles (like the earls 伯爵, marquises 侯爵 and dukes 公爵 used here) were not hereditary. The system in this drama, where the male heir will automatically inherit the title, is actually more similar to the aristocratic system in Britain, hence my nod towards Downton Abbey and other historical British romances like Bridgerton, et al. I don't mind that the creators made that choice because it certainly makes the stakes higher for a good elitist romance story, but just be aware that it's historically inaccurate.

Note: I haven't finished watching the series yet but already had several thoughts about it so I wanted to write them down. Will update when I finish all episodes.

Update: I finished the series and found lots more to love since my original review. I loved the slowly developing intimacy between the leads, which feels hard-earned after their initial struggles and miscommunication early in their marriage, which feels like relationships in real life where you have to learn to adapt to another person's communication style and emotional needs. Other than a few quibbles about repetitive tropes of how villains plotted against our main characters, it was pretty much a perfect series for me and I'd rewatch most episodes in a heartbeat, which is not something I could say about any other Asian drama I've watched.

Themes explored in this drama:
1. Evil concubines
You could argue that main wives can be equally evil in this show. But I feel like every time a concubine has an devious scheme to undermine a main wife, we see it onscreen – whereas every time a main wife (outside of Sheng family) oppresses a concubine, it happens offscreen... shows where the true perspective of this show lies.

2. TBC

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Grande fresque historique vue des cours intérieures

J'hésitais à me lancer dans cette grande fresque historique de 73 épisodes, malgré les commentaires si favorables. En général, elles tournent autour des intrigues de cour, des luttes pour la succession, avec des complots complexes... Dur de tenir sur la durée malgré le talent des acteurs !

MAIS
- Le point de vue de ce drama est original, car on suit cette histoire avec une vision essentiellement féminine : la vie dans les grandes familles chinoises vues de leur cour intérieure. Et les combats n'y sont pas moins féroces que sur les champs de bataille !
- l'histoire est bien construite, (relativement) réaliste, sans longueur.
- les acteurs sont géniaux et on rit, on pleure, on se bat avec eux.
- Le CL est hyper attachant, même si la pudeur de l'époque n'est pas très favorable aux "sweet moments".

Conclusion : n'hésitez pas et regardez ce chef d’œuvre !! (que je visionnerai certainement à nouveau, malgré sa longueur, car des séries de cette qualité, on ne s'en lasse pas :)

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The Brilliant Female Lead

I feel lucky and happy to able watching this masterpiece haha. First of all, sebenarnya saya tidak terlalu suka drama politik, namun setelah nonton episode pertama, jadi nagih dan keterusan. banyak aspek yang saya sukai dari drama ini, ceritanya sangat detail dan aktingnya juga apik, banyak hal baru yang saya pelajari dari drama ini seperti kedudukan antara istri sah dan selir, bagaimana nasib anak-anaknya nanti. Selain itu, musiknya bagus dan bikin terngiang-ngiang, saya sampai memasukkan ke dalam playlist saya karena shooting banget di telinga, kostumnya bagus semua, rapi. setting tempat juga apik meski di paruh pertama kebanyakan di rumah minglan terus hehe.
karena minglan ini anak dari selir bukan istri sah, jadi sering mendapat ketidak adilan. sebelum ibunya meninggal cuma pesen agar dia gak nunjukin kecerdasannya, pdhl minglan ini pinter banget. nah ini yang saya suka dari drama ini, tokoh perempuannya gak menye2 minta ditolongin terus haha, ini strong woman yang pinter bikin taktik, minglan kepribadiannya tenang, tapi ternyata sedang mikir jalan keluar. neneknya juga sayang banget ke dia. untuk kisah cintanya sendiri dengan suaminya dimulai dari episode 45 keatas haha, harus sabar nunggu kisah mereka, tapi mereka sweet banget, suaminya cinta pol, karena itu gak mau punya selir lagi karena minglan aja cukup.
dan diakhir nanti bakal ada plot twist yang bikin hahh hahh sendiri wkwk, suka banget drama ini karena slice of life-nya dapet, minglan adalah tokoh yg gak ingin merepotkan siapapun dan bergantung pada orang lain. cerdas dan tidak mudah ditipu. this drama is such a heartwarming show. and I feel empty after this last episode. everyone has their happy ending. Masuk ke list rewatch bersama Joy of Life. sesuka itu. ^_^

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Uma história surpreendente!

Eu já assisti esse dorama faz muito tempo, mas eu sinto que deveria falar o quão incrível ele é. Esse dorama, ao contrário de muitos, mostra personagens complexos (que não são totalmente bonzinhos ou mauzinhos), são simplesmente humanos. A protagonista é incrível, nessa história ela realmente conseguiu atingir o que era necessário. Já o protagonista é um pouco "decepcionante no início" mas logo depis no decorrer da trama ele mostra uma evolução fenomenal. Uma das coisas que mais gosto dessa série é que ela foi "ao máximo" coerente com a época que era retratada. Tudo era muito coerente. Discursos inteligentes e bem executados. Roteiro que lhe faz preso até o último segundo (com exceção dos primeiro episódios que são um pouco tediosos). Enfim, vale muito a pena. Queria assistir novamente como se fosse assistindo pela primeira vez.

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