This review may contain spoilers
Prepare tissues for the tears
This drama was just mwaah!! It was such an emotional roller coaster, at some point I think I cried through 4 consecutive episodes T-T.What I liked:
- An exemplary execution of the storyline. I liked that the comedy kept going until the end. Most dramas leave the comedy when things start to get serious and try to leave it to the final episodes. But in this drama, it broke through even when you're in the middle of crying. There's also the execution of the transmigration trope. I especially liked that repeated scenes were fast forwarded such that we didn't have to sit through every single detail again. It developed organically, in terms of being branded as witchcraft at the start, to prophecy somewhere in the middle (when the screenwriter joins) and everyone accepting that it truly is a scripted world. I also loved the butterfly cookie left for the audience that showed up when the charcters tried to deviate from the iconic scenes. This meant that they didn't just happen magically but as a sequence of actions taken, masterfully covering that plot hole. I also liked the palace drama, which I thought I would skip through, but I actually enjoyed every minute of it.
- The ML. This is the first drama I am encountering Liu Yu Ning, and he was just perfect for this role. Carrying three characters was not easy but he managed to execute them beautifully. The ruthlessness, cuteness overload, heartbreak, beinged wronged were just so on point. When his tears come, you also feel like crying with him. I also liked that his character was smart, not just taking everything at face value, especially when faced with his stereotype in the 'script'.
- The side characters development. Given that we only knew of the FL's POV from the start, since she only read about her scenes, it was amazing to see the side characters being developed. The liveliness of the FL's sister, the redemption of the emperor and 18th prince, and the Nightwalkers. Their antics made the drama so much more wholesome and made it so that driving the plot forward did not entirely rely on the ML and FL.
- The BGM and OST were perfect. Sometimes I focused on the BGM since the lyrics were so hilarious, that I had to rewind to catch what the characters had said in between.
What I did't like:
- The FL's character development. Because she was a self-proclaimed salted fish, I expected her to act like one, but she was too proactive. It would have been interesting to see what would happen if she took all measures to be locked in the house until the iconic scene setting passed. She was too stuck on the script to notice the changes around her, like her sister doing her own independent things, or Nan Heng not actively seeking her out as much as before. Even when confronted by the ML she still refuses to admit that things have changed. I was even screaming at my screen that she doesn't deserve the ML 😆. In a way, she was reduced to being the support character, where she brought change in others but not herself, kind of like a guide.
- Failing to redeem the SML. It felt so unfair that the emperor, the chancellor, the 18th prince (where were all the other princes BTW?), and even the shady screenwriter were redeemed yet everyone gave up on CGH. He aired his grievance of being pushed to fit in a small box of his preset character, but unlike the ML who had an alternate identity to explore change, nothing is really given to the SML to explore change as well. I feel like that there should have been even tiny thing to slightly change his mind, even at death, since not everyone can be perfect.
100% recommend to anyone looking for a cdrama to dive into.
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The Good:
— The Male Lead: Liu Yu Ning (who also had an impressive starring role in this year’s “The Prisoner of Beauty”), plays a misunderstood prince who’s hated by most of his family and caught between conflicting loyalties. He’s always interesting to watch as an actor and gives a layered performance here. Don’t miss his microexpressions — they reveal a lot about his character, who’s supposedly stoic, but really has a lot of emotions and inner turmoil simmering beneath the surface.
— The Second Male Lead: To describe his character arc would spoil important plot points, but Wang You Shuo delivers an impressive and wide-ranging performance. You’ll have a lot of feelings about his character, and it’s almost like you can see the workings of his mind playing out through his expressions.
— The Costumes: Many of the costumes are gorgeous and unique compared to other historical dramas. Whoever designed the tasseled hat and mask combination deserves a raise — it’s such a badass and mysterious look that makes the character who wears it instantly recognizable. In fact, all the martial artists’ makeup and styling stand out.
— The Action: Another highlight is the stylish action sequences. Many of the 1-on-1 fights in particular are like beautifully choreographed dances.
The Not-So-Good:
— The Beginning: I wasn’t feeling the first several episodes, which are a bit bizarre and almost seem like a different show than the rest of the series. I found the female lead’s antics irritating and the male lead cruel. Although that’s intentional; he’s supposed to be a stereotypical ruthless warlord type of character.
The story doesn’t really find its footing until episode 6, when it gets into more normal drama territory. The workings of the script and the FL’s desperate attempts to avoid (or kill) the ML become less of a focus as the requisite drama plot points play out, including love triangles, palace power struggles, and secrets and misunderstandings.
— The Female Lead’s Character Development: Li Yi Tong plays a modern woman who ends up inside the script of the costume drama she’s about to film. She has a lovely, expressive face and shows a lot of emotional range, but I never found her character very likable — partly due to how the role is written and partly due to the actress’s portrayal, which often comes across as affected and childish. The fake crying and pretend coyness aren’t cute or funny. Plus, her refusal to see that both the characters and plot are different than the original script makes it difficult to sympathize with or feel invested in her or her choices as a main character. While the characters around her change and grow, she's stuck in the same stubborn thinking and behavior through two-thirds of the drama.
— The Hit-and-Miss Humor: The parody of drama cliches and common tropes can be quite funny. The early episodes in particular are pretty over-the-top with character behavior and crazy events that viewers may or may not find humorous. (Side note: if you don’t find repeated accidental deaths and violence played for laughs to be amusing, maybe skip parts of episode 1; you won’t miss much.)
To sum up, it’s a flawed but entertaining story. The rocky start, a frustrating relationship between the leads (the friendships and rivalries are more interesting than the romance), and distracting music and sound effects that sometimes drown out the dialogue take some of the enjoyment out of the experience. But an intricate plot that sometimes feels like solving a puzzle and some unexpected twists keeps things interesting throughout the 40 episodes. I won’t comment on the ending except to say make sure to watch the post-credits scene closely!
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best
drama and everything is great, it makes me entertained. I'm too lazy to write long. In short, this drama is good.drama and everything is great, it makes me entertained. I'm too lazy to write long. In short, this drama is good.
drama and everything is great, it makes me entertained. I'm too lazy to write long. In short, this drama is good.
drama and everything is great, it makes me entertained. I'm too lazy to write long. In short, this drama is good.
drama and everything is great, it makes me entertained. I'm too lazy to write long. In short, this drama is good.
drama and everything is great, it makes me entertained. I'm too lazy to write long. In short, this drama is good.
drama and everything is great, it makes me entertained. I'm too lazy to write long. In short, this drama is good.
drama and everything is great, it makes me entertained. I'm too lazy to write long. In short, this drama is good.
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Very philosophical take on a story
First impressions: The transitions are fire. Also, I feel like there's going to be a lot of 4th wall breaking. Comedy is strong. The sound design is genius ngl. Seems very promising.TLDR; This show is extremely funny, whether it's from the comedic timing to the meta four-wall breaking. It's the result of if the characters from a fictional setting suddenly had awareness and started become sentient, which sounds scifi, but I promise it's not. Even though they basically tell you what happens in the story, it's not boring to watch the character interactions and story leading up to the main events. Acting is amazing, even with the side characters. Music is quite unique and fun to listen to. Rewatch value is a one-and-done for me.
Story: They really pulled all the stops of the historical romance tropes lool. What makes it funny is the way the track stops right when it swells to its climax, and the fl's dripping sarcasm of the fl, and the melodramatics of the 18th prince (yes, you read that right). The mood can change so fast and not clash with each other it's kinda insane. There's also character development. I will say, it seems really abrupt though, esp when it comes to the emperor. I also feel like there are some plot loopholes like the rule that the ml can’t physically harm fl even though it’s stated in the script that he kills her in the end.
Acting/Cast: I love the cadence of the 18th prince's acting it's so over-the-top. His laugh and mannerisms are so comical I can't.
Music: The music is so unserious and probably has the most variety of genres. There's like rap w/ traditional instruments in the same song and then also covers of classical pieces but w/ traditional instruments. Not to mention opera as well.
Rewatch value: It’s not particularly special enough for a rewatch imo, but I could rewatch for the comedy.
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Silly story
The only good thing ab this was the ML and FL. The story is more of a parody, 1st few eps were annoying and repetitive with her dying again and again. There is little romance in this bc she keeps rejecting him bc of the storyline she is trying to change. It got frustrating to see how many times he proved himself only for her to act like a jerk. I didn't enjoy this, it didn't feel like a real story bc it all depended on the book script, that is all she had in her head. Everything felt fake between charactersWas this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Heng ar! Why so loveable?!
Ah, Nan Hang! Nan Heng! A misunderstood undervalued pure-hearted wronged constantly chewed m-by-his-father trapped-between-a-sadistic-father-evil-uncle-and-a-silent-mother prince and general who meets a passive aggressive violent self-centered foolish woman as if he needs more drama and more troubles and more violnt behaviour in his life.Poor Heng!
Poor poor Heng!
And what is with all the passive aggressive female leads in most chinese dramas?
Can someone be more scheming and cruel and ruthless and violent than SYM?
She calims to trust and love LShL but thteatens him into her assassination scheme!
She has no sympathy for anyone, she doesn't care about anyone but herself, and she treats everyone as if they are her toys.
But I managed to watch to end despite hating SYM beacuse of all the other charcters and the story.
I'd definitely liked it beter if NH would have stopped chasing after SYM around episode 23 when she trampled on his heart.
She never really appreciated NH's feelings or thanked him properly for his help or tried to understand his feelings or looked at the situation from his eyes.
So the positive points of this series is good acting, funny characetrs, excellent costumes and make up, very nice music, and Nan Heng's strong attractive sad character! 😉
I enjoyed FG and NR very much as well.
I wished the emperor to die in all the endings but NH was too protective of the father who had mistreted him most cruelly all his life. The only thing I didnt like about NH's character was that it seemed to me he was addicted to being mistreated and looked for a woman who was a mixture of his abusive father and ignoring mother.
Still I'd rewatch ADWD anytime.
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What truly sets this drama apart for me is the balance between laughter and depth. One moment I’m laughing like a maniac (some scenes are just THAT hilarious), and the next, I’m clutching my chest from emotional whiplash. The cast deserves serious applause — especially Liu Yuning. His performance is magnetic. He switches between vulnerable, powerful, and completely chaotic so effortlessly that I sometimes forgot he was acting.
The cinematography and music also need a shout-out. Every scene looks like a moving painting, and the soundtrack (that Scarlet Heart BGM?? 😭) hits hard during all the right moments.
If you’re looking for something fresh, unpredictable, and full of heart, A Dream Within a Dream is a must-watch. It’s not just a drama — it’s an experience. And believe me, once you start, there’s no going back.
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1When good acting can’t save a bad Plot
After watching TPOB, my expectations were high - especially because of Liu Yu Ning’s amazing acting. But I realized that no matter how good the actors are, if the storyline is weak, the drama will still fall short. Honestly, it’s such a waste for this drama, though it somehow managed to get an overall rating of 8.5.While watching, there were some unexpected scenes that made me laugh a little, but as the story went on, I couldn’t figure out where it was headed. For me, the direction just felt lame and messy, which eventually led me to drop it. The story was also fast-paced with so many flashbacks that it sometimes felt confusing—or even boring.
It’s a shame, really, because the actors delivered great performances, the cinematography was beautiful, and the costumes were well done. Unfortunately, the storyline dragged everything down, making A Dream Within A Dream a missed opportunity.
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Tried to watch but it's just
It's comedy - Satire/parody type of movie, the gist is the female lead enters in the world of script and she's trying to change the story because she hates the main lead in the script, both of them are struggling to control themselvesbecause the sciptwriter is the one controlling the story of the script something like that maybe it's a good drama for laughs but not that kind of rewatchable or hard to move on.
Personally, i think this is a cringe mess.. good production n the ML story was intriguing, but the whole "comedy" thing ruined it for me.. definitely not my kind of comedy, I don't find it funny at all, just irritating.. n the annoying airhead FL character just makes it even worse..
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and i love the aesthetics
but certain eps are just mindless talking, as a kdrama watcher, 16eps are a drag, only a few deserve real 20eps, and lately 12eps are also pushing it
it's a sad reality, a good writing can fix anything, but these days people sell a plot which sounds great, they get the ep count, but they don't know how to fill it so usually flat side characters and mindless talks/actions to waste time
but they're too cute and i think this is the only time I can watch and stay through a cdrama xD
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Great start, then falls off
I'll watch anything with Liu Yuning so I was excited about this series, even though the 'falling into a script' trope is not my favorite. The first 10-15 episodes were so captivating; loved the Vicious Moonlight set and the costumes, especially Li Sixteen's. Ultimately dropped because the female lead showed no character growth and the plot didn't seem to be advancing. The plot also stopped making sense halfway through. Uncompelling relationship between Nan Heng and the female lead.Was this review helpful to you?
Reaching the peak and fall back to period idol drama's norm.
This is the funniest drama I've watched in a long while. The humor mostly aligns with mine.Initially, the story continues to improve, gaining momentum and escalating stakes. Ultimately, I was hooked from the very first few episodes. However, halfway through, it sacrifices immersion to bring the meta trope to the forefront.
Even though it is the same old trope — transmigration, resisting destiny — this drama is metafiction on steroids, unlike other C-dramas. Unfortunately, the drama goes too far with the trope. When you keep reminding the audience that everything is a made-up story, then why should I care about anything at all? The more you push the idea that characters have medium awareness, the more you risk breaking the audience's immersion. Although this is the extraordinary element of the drama that sets it apart from others, it is the very thing that keeps the drama from being one of the greatest of all time, or at least my favorite C-drama. It completely breaks the immersion I have with the entire story.
Personally, it is normal to see this kind of trope used to kickstart the story, or at the very least, assist the plot progression by giving the upper hand to our leads. Nonetheless, it is such an unappealing idea to overuse or make the core of the plot, as it is cheap.
I was disappointed because I had very high hopes during the watch. I wanted to rate this drama 10/10, but it is totally impossible. No matter how ingenious it is to create such an engaging story (at least before the excessive metafictional awareness arc), in the end, the drama safely landed in the average C-drama territory.
I may have finally reached my C-drama fatigue or have grown out of being an avid C-drama fan after such a long journey of watching C-dramas.
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