Fav Historical Dramas

What can be said about this drama that hasn't been said already? Four years in, and Nirvana in Fire remains the Undefeated, the Legendary, the Incomparable King of all Asian dramas. There has never been one drama with this level of class and sophistication in writing, acting, directing and producing as Nirvana in Fire. It was perfection from start to finish. This is a story of triumph in the face of injustice, of vindication after inconceivable betrayal, of a mysterious but genius strategist and his team crafting careful and brilliant political stratagems to crown an upright but overlooked prince into a Crown Prince and later into the King. This drama is an absolute gem and a gift to the world.

When I first watched The Story of Ming Lan, I almost couldn't believe my eyes! I've been waiting for four years for a drama that could come close to rivaling Nirvana in Fire's perfection and here it is! FINALLY. The engaging story, the winsome characters, the brilliant acting, the exquisite sets and aesthetics,  the impressive quality of its production -- they all combine together to make The Story of Ming Lan into a glorious and spectacular emotional rollercoaster journey. However if there is one flaw to this drama that bothers me, it is the pacing. The first 20 episodes could probably be cut down to 10-15 episodes. I'm guessing that was probably the reason why this drama received lacklustre response at first, many viewers who tuned in to watch were initially turned off by the incredibly slow pacing. I'm glad ratings eventually picked up towards the end because this drama deserves all the raves and applauses.

Nirvana in Fire 2 took place 50 years after the events in NiF1 with different casts and storylines. I was apprehensive at first because NiF1 was universally so well-loved and cherished but was comforted by the fact that the sequel will be handled by the same production that did NiF1. Nirvana in Fire 2 has a different theme and vibes compare to its predecessor. This sequel's theme of palace intrigue, loyalty to the Royal ruler, etc were more similar to other Chinese political/historical dramas but if we were to compare it with its peers, NiF2 will still rank No. 1. Such is the quality of this production team. Liu Haoran was a new fresh face to me, but he did a splendid job as the leading actor especially when you consider the emotionally-taxing scenes he did in the second half of the drama and the fact that he had to act alongside veteran and more respectable actors (which usually tend to highlight even more a young actor's lack of talent or experience).

While the quality of production is at par, the story in the 2nd half of this drama was too bleak and heavy which made you as a viewer feel down. NiF1 theme of underdog winning the ultimate race to the Crown and slowly approaching triumph as the drama progressed made viewers feel inspired and giddy with excitement despite its heavy theme. There was a lack of balance of this in NiF2. Nevertheless, this is still an amazing drama with solid casts and story which is why it is my No. 3 all-time favorite historical drama!

This is still the best saeguk that has ever come out from South Korea. The ultimate classic. It is important to remember that this drama was made before South Korea was ever known for their export of dramas (In fact, Jewel in The Palace was the drama that was mainly responsible in starting the Hallyu, effectively catapulting South Korea globally into the eyes of the world.) which was why their meticulous attention to details into the royal cooking, well-written plot and acting were even more impressive!