I would say that this is one of the only historical dramas that I have watched that is truly character driven. There are plenty of those long, high production dramas that star a female lead and follow her life (and whose name is the title of the drama), but they often become side-tracked by palace intrigue, wars, blood-shed and tyranny, etc., and their tone changes dramatically. That, or they are about revenge.

From the beginning, the pacing and tone of this show is just totally different from most other dramas. The focus is on the households and the injustice and strife occurring within families. In that way, it reminds me a little of Jane Austen, if she cared more about politics. The pacing is very slow but the more I rewatch it the more I enjoy it, and although there are perhaps some episodes that drag later on, it doesn't really bother me because I think the actual scenes are so well-crafted. There is so much subtlety, double meaning, and silence in these conversations between characters. So much is said with so few words. I think that's partly why it is such a rewarding rewatch: there are plenty of details I didn't catch the first, second, or even third time around.

Our female lead is unique in that she is smart and careful, not recklessly bold and 'spunky'. She has had to learn to take care of herself, blend in and curb her talents so that she isn't destroyed by her own family and the society around her. However, underneath her well crafted demure mask she is quick-witted, sharp-tongued, brave and fierce. Watching her grow into a woman and come into her own and use her abilities to protect herself and those she loves was so fulfilling and satisfying to watch. That's what I mean when I say that this is one of the few dramas that is truly CENTRED on the female lead: the story is about her development and how that affects the plot, not on how the outside world shuffles her from place to place and ups the drama.

Now, I know that the Story of Minglan does (mild spoiler alert!) feature palace politics, especially in the latter half of the drama, but I think it's handled in a much more personal and realistic way than in other dramas. Minglan at no point sets her sights on becoming the empress or taking over the kingdom, she never discovers her hidden royal parentage, nor does she end up with a man who secretly wants to overthrow the kingdom. Sure, her husband ends up being a very significant figure in the political/military world, but it feels realistic and in general not over dramatized. This show usurps the usual tropes by showing how their position in society is stressful, by focusing on taxes, fraud, the duties of the household, the actual topic of concubines, etc.

I think the greatest difficulties when getting into this drama are the number of characters and their connections to one another, the pacing and understanding the rules of the world (something that was totally foreign to me, like the topics of second and third wives and the standing of their children, the actual relationship of parents to their daughters after they get married off, the intricacies of social standing and what was socially acceptable for women vs. men to do, the way that people courted each other, what was deemed a good match, etc.). I also think that there is no drama that needs to be above 50 episodes. At 78 episodes long, I think there are definitely things in The Story of Ming Lan that could have been cut. But honestly, even when the pacing is slow or the writing could have been tighter, I still found the story to be engaging. I didn't use the fast-forward button, even during more meandering storylines. Once you've gotten used to the drama I think this is one of the most satisfying and rewarding dramas I have ever seen.