This drama is uniquely beautiful.
I love this dramaCast and acting are so good. It is heartwarming, funny, heartbreaking and thrilling at the same time. FL makes me so mad at first but eventually her character is relatable as a modern person. Nan Heng, the ML, is such a good actor and he portrays the emotions really well. All supporting actors also did an exceptional work! The ost is sp sweet and i love the warm it gives at the end. I feel sad for General Chu because he deserves to be loved too but our choices definitely shapes our future so his ending is understandable. Kodus to all the staff behind this successful film. Wish to see more of the characters' story in the modern world.
P.s. to be loved by someone like Nan Heng is so precious. Everyone deserves that unconditional love.
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Best drama this year so far!!
Love this drama so much. So funny, it's like a breath of fresh air from same old themes. Love both leads as well. Some of you may dislike the FL, but girl, her actions are justified. She's just trying to protect herself and her family from events that are bound to happen as portrayed in the original script.As for both actors, a job well done. Of course, THE Liu Yuning, what else can I say and Li Yitong! She pulled Song Yimengs character so well. Comedy is also for her haha
Right now, I can't move on from this drama haha Even LYN said on his livestream that he cant move on from ADWAD and it ruined it for him. This drama set the bar so high that when he read other scripts, he just cant help himself to compare. So yup, this drama is highly recommended!!!
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This review may contain spoilers
The Greatest MASTERPIECE of all Chinese Drama ever
Li Yitong and Liu Yuning have the greatest solid acting performance in A DREAM WITHIN A DREAM. Such a cutest couple I ever seen even.Both superb chaotic CUTEST hilarious duo. There's a great Mystery capturing the Iconic Scenes by different angle of Camera. To the entire cast and production team, such as Excellent with wonderful OST of a Greatest MASTERPIECE of all Chinese Drama ever A DREAM WITHIN A DREAM perfect combination of powerful hardworking cast even to the BTS and Promotional presentation superb. Mega hilarious moment and uplifting each other with no one left behind ❤❤❤ Season 2 please ..Was this review helpful to you?
So much Fun
It's my first review, but I really need to say this series it's so much fun, I lough so much in some parts my belly hurts...It's very entertaining, it's a romantic comedy so it's suppose to be fun, it doesn't have to be logical, I can't understand the why of the bad reviews.
I loved all the actors, most of the males of the series are candy for the eyes, and so are the females.
I almost didn't see the series because of the reviews, but I am glad that I started, I couldn't stop.
So please give it a chance.
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Excellent in everyway
This is the first time I've given a full 10 for a drama . I am relatively new to cdrama and not writing in support of any idol I amGet through the first 3episodes, take it as a comedy,and it will get serious. Just relax and laugh with it
It shows that if you have been brainwashed and firmly stuck to a preconceived idea, you will be blind to all possibility and reasoning
The plot is really twisted and unpredictable. It'takes a genius scriptwriter to put it altogether and even able to put in lots of comedic twists while showing the essence of love, brotherhood and Wuxya honor
The actors are absolutely excellent especially the FL. The comedic timing,the various level of deliberate "fake coyness"and "acting within acting"is spot on. The ML too is excellent in delivery even behind a mask, using only his eyes and posture for different demeanour
The director and editing is excellent to weave various scene together without any draggy moments. Every episode is self explanatory and exciting
If you take it as a comedy and allow for some tongue in cheek moments , you will forgive some comedic moments, just take it for a laugh, don't take it too seriously and you will enjoy it but I can guarantee you the story and the plot is deadly serious and deep
I highly recommend this drama. Those bad commentators have not grasped the deeper aspect of the story and only understood very superficially
Even the OST is excellent which is rare for me to grade a 10
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This review may contain spoilers
When Comedy Turns into Coercion and Harm is Framed as Love
The trailer for A Dream Within a Dream promised a blend of sharp humor, intrigue, and fantasy flair — and with Liu Yuning in the lead, expectations were high. His past dramas have delivered both quality and emotional depth, so I settled in anticipating another hit. The first few episodes didn’t disappoint: hilarious scenes, chaotic disguises, clever banter, and a witty female lead.I was hooked.
But somewhere along the way, the tone began to shift — and not in a good way.
The show leaned heavily into gas-lighting, coercion, and guilt-tripping, especially from ML towards the FL.
His desperation, shaped by childhood abandonment and unhealed wounds, was real—but the way the story romanticized it was not. His fear of losing the one person who’d shown him kindness quickly turned into obsessive control.
Emotional pressure, confessions laced with guilt, and a sense of entitlement to love were packaged as passion.
FL Song Yimeng, was systematically stripped of her agency, gaslit and coerced by the ML and this was framed as romance.
A big part of the early charm came from the dynamic between the FL and the ML’s masked identity. But over time, what started as intrigue slowly blurred into manipulation. The show leaned into that ambiguity without fully addressing its emotional cost, which made the unfolding relationship feel increasingly uneasy.
This show is known for parodying common tropes, and the background music clearly signals the humor. But unfortunately, the emotional abuse patterns weren’t framed as parody — they weren’t treated like a trope. Instead, the abusive ML was suddenly reframed mid-drama as a lovable, wounded hero. That’s where the cognitive dissonance hit hard. Framing harm as love just doesn’t sit right.
One of the few bright spots was the second couple. Shangguan He and Song Yiting were charming, grounded, and refreshingly different. Their relationship brought humor and warmth. A welcome contrast to the heavy-handed emotional entanglements elsewhere.
There were moments of brilliance, like the rare glimpses into 2ML Chu Guihong’s inner world—his grief, his loyalty, his silence.
And the drama had something to say about loneliness, power, and the hunger to be understood. But those threads were buried under a love story that mistook trauma bonding for destiny.
Visually, the drama remained polished throughout. The cinematography was consistently striking. Even as the emotional arc felt off, the visual storytelling stayed sharp and atmospheric.
The OST matched the tone shifts — comedy, lyrical, haunting.
If they’d just owned it as a ‘FL falls for the villain’ trope, it honestly could’ve been a 10/10 for me.
I've watched 32 out of 40 episodes.
#CognitiveExplorer
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The story woul've been perfect if not for the FL and her actress.
I did my best to like the FL and her actress, but I only felt pain for the ML the more I watch.More than halfway through the series and the FL wa still a self-righteous, narrow-minded, person. She's indifferent to people's feelings and would would only sympathize when it's convenient for her. She truly believes that what she thinks and says about the characters in the script are the 'right' thing just because they were written that way. Not even halfway through the series, she have met more than 10 characters who did not 'act' the way they were written she's still adamant on believing that script would be faithfully followed. By the number of things that already happened at around the 10 episode mark, she would've realized that the goal (or was it?) of the script is for the ML and the FL to end up together. From then on, instead of going against the script, she could've thought of ways to safely go through the script by tweaking some things without conpromising hers and others' safety. Instead, she just made things more complicated and hurt the ML with every word she breathe (exaggerated ik).
You know how we can ignore that a person is acting and just think of it as a real emotions and the characters are real people? Yi Tong performance is not it. Her acting screams 'fake', aside from the indifferent side of the FL which she portrayed perfectly. Nan Heng's actor (I'm not good at memorizing Chinese names, sorry) can portray more emotions with half of his face covered compared to Yi Tong whose whole face is exposed in every scene. I'm not a hater, just a disappointed watcher.
The story is good, and the characters (both main and support) have substance. I would've given this series a 9.5 if not for the FL and her actor's performance. The 0.5 deficit is because of the hairnet clearly seen in an episode (It's from a close up frame in either ep. 17 or 18 where Nan Heng is provoking Guihong by hugging Yimeng at the royal stable).
Lastly, the ML. I only feel pain for him everytime the FL speaks either to his two identities.
As for the ending, just watch until the end.
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Best Chinese drama in 2025
This is best Chinese drama which I have watched in 2025 till now it's so amazing and funny elements are not exaggerated but it's so stable and fulfilling 😊✌🏻....Best liu yuning drama for me....
Can't say anything about future episodes but till now this series is amazing 🫸🫷
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You'd think it's the usual person entering a book story, but this really had a lot of twists and very funny scenes. Haven't had a laugh like that in a while!
I also love the ending! I was waiting for it and they did it nicely!
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Sweet, pretty and just what you need to feel better.
The story doesn’t start very strong, but it gets better as it progresses; the second half of the series is more engaging than the first. The series could have spent more time exploring the relationship between Nan Heng and her father, as well as the circumstances surrounding Guihong’s death, instead of rushing through these parts. The sudden change in the emperor’s attitude towards Nan Heng is also a weakness. However, the chemistry between the actors, the music, set design, and costumes are very well done and creative, making watching the series a pleasant and enjoyable experience.Was this review helpful to you?
This drama pulled me in with its strong production, incredible acting, and emotional intensity. From the costumes to the visual effects, it was clear a lot of care went into the details—and it absolutely paid off.
What stood out the most was the way the story blended heartwarming moments with dark, tense plot twists. The performances—especially from the second male lead—were powerful enough to make me actually frustrated in the best way. The story tested loyalty, fate, and personal growth, and it really got under my skin.
While I had some issues with the main female character’s treatment of others at times, the side characters absolutely stole my heart. In fact, one particular couple became my favorite pairing of the entire show. They were written with such chemistry and strength that I found myself replaying their scenes more than anyone else’s.
The emotional payoff was worth the build-up, though there were moments I wish had more closure. Still, this drama offered a meaningful look at agency and destiny while keeping me on the edge of my seat.
Would recommend if you enjoy:
✓ Time-bending stories
✓ Emotional character arcs
✓ Beautiful visuals
✓ Romance, betrayal, and redemption
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I loved the entire show.
I loved everything about this drama. the story was pretty unique. it kept me engaged the entire time and I wish I could watch it again for the first time again. Liu YuNing did it again! he’s such a great actor & had great chemistry with the female lead. It started out very funny and satirical by making fun of all the typical tropes, but later on it got serious when the leads changed the script & changed their fate. none of the episodes dragged but the second male lead was highly annoying. he just couldn’t get over the fact that Song Yimeng didn’t want him and all of this was his own doing. he played the victim when really he was the villain the entire story. Liu YuNing plays the perfect “villain”/ hero. he was victimized from the start after the empress died and was cast out. the emperor was quick to blame a 10 yr old for his wife’s dead so he was sent to the border to essentially be out of the way for the 18th prince. later they realized he wasn’t behind all of the awful things that happened but it was his evil uncle who orchestrated everything. I’m so happy that Nan Heng got a second chance & a happy ending. also Liu YuNing did a wonderful job playing 3 Characters. I loved him as Li ShiLi (waning crescent chief ) which his other identity for most of the series. all of the costume were a 10/10, hanfu was made for that man. highly recommend watching this drama.Was this review helpful to you?
