A Dream within a Dream

One of liu yuning’s best dramas

this was seriously one of liu yunings best dramas and i am knew to li yitongs drams but she just gained a new fan there wasnt a single ep where i was bored. tho many viewers hated on the fl and called her annoying for not accepting his feelings at first i think they really were not thinking from her POV as the nan heng she knew was a man who was ruthless brutal and killed her but i will say my heart really hurt for nan heng ive never felt so much sadness for a ml like this before, but the reason this isnt a 10/10 is for one reason they dragged the misunderstanding for too long it couldve ended way before it did. To talk about the second lead chu guihong ive never seen such a drastic change in personality in my life he had so mucb hatred towards nan heng it was astonishing the way he would always try and bring everything back to nan heng even when it was investigated and nan heng was proved innocent he still had this weird thing against nan heng all because he couldnt take the fsct that he did something wrong and he was also the cause of many peoples death. The emotional scenes were amazing all of the cast conveyed the emotions perfectly that it really made the viewers feel their despair and helplessness and dont even get me started on the romance the chemistry was absolutely amazing i need liu yuning and li yitong in a modern drama now we cant let this chemistry go to waste this drama had an amazing ending too im glad the 18th prince got his happy ending after everything he went through overall i highly recommend this drama!!

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This is the first historical chinese drama I've watched and I'm just saur glad that IT was my first historical drama because it didn't disappoint me as I'm not a big fan of ancient period dramas, I've always preferred modern ones thoughnow im going to watch more historical chinese dramas.

One of the best drama I've ever watched so far like bro- the quality better than my eyesight, the set screams luxurious, the beautiful scenarios, the bustling street at nights and don't get me started about the costumes? Man, at some point i wanted to go into the screen and dress up like the female lead.

Hats off to the director and screenwriter for creating this outstanding drama perfectly, it has such good amount of thrilling fighting scenes, perfect balance of romance, mysteries and silly moments. Did i forgot to mention they even have such emotional parts too?, made cry like a waterfall

The cast girl, all the actors truly did their best and put all the efforts making it more entertaining. Every actors had their own way of acting skills, the VISUALS?, the visuals are no joke!!!. I got know about new actors through this drama thats a good thing for me because i like discovering new stuffs.

Everyday I'd finish off my work and watch this masterpiece, those few days I've been very happy because of this drama, sometimes I'd excited for what's coming next and sometimes I'm crying 'cause of the sad scenes. To be honest, I watched this drama because of Riley Wang, he's my top fav actor in the chinese industry and the moment i got to know, he's in the drama i signed up immediately and am really happy not to miss out such piece of art. After finishing the drama I'm feeling really empty, at some point i had imagined myself as one of 'em , really missing them very bad. Hoping to get a season 2 of A Dream Within A Dream <3

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Didn't live up to the hype

I always end up disliking dramas whenever they include a character travelling into a novel, so I was a little hesitant to start this show. But since it has Liu Yuning I couldn't forget about it. So I started watching it and initially fell in love with the story.

I starts out really funny and I was into it from the get-go. You follow Song Xiao Yu as she's preparing herself to play a character in an upcoming drama. She's attending the first meeting where they go over certain plotpoints of the drama and meeting the actor's needs. It's a first big role for Xiao Yu and she's excited to play the part until she actually reads the script at home. At that point she discovers how much of a disaster the script is. Her character is a doozy and dies in the end. Xiao Yu wishes she could rewrite the whole thing and make it better.
Which lands her into the story ans Song Yi Meng, the female lead who is destined to fall in love with Nan Heng the male lead and die at his hands. She's desperate to change her destiny and will stop at nothing to stay far away from those who want to eventually kill her.
But the scriptwriter has a different ending in mind and he will stop at nothing to bring Nan Heng and Song Yi Meng together. Even if that means forcing Nan Heng to protect Yi Meng with his life whenever she faces death.

At the start of the drama the story has a lot of humor. We watch Yi Meng go through many deaths after which time resets and she lands right back at the start. Her confidence and go-get-them attitude made me laugh multiple times and I loved watching her go through ups and downs while trying to make her way through the set plotlines. But after she met Nan Heng I started to get annoyed by her.
She turned into this narrowminded and shallow fool who couldn't see beyond her own selfish needs and never wanted to listen to anything Nan Heng had to say. I do understand some of her choices since Nan Heng was obviously hostile in the beginning but when he started to open up and warm up to her she still turned a blind eye and just wanted to get back at him by planning his assassination. The poor man gave his life and bled for her each time she did something truly stupid but we never saw her grow. After everything they went through together she still refused to believe or trust Nan Heng and stick to her own needs.
That's why I did not see the chemistry between the two main leads. I didn't understand why Nan Heng was so in love with her. I did see it a little between Yi Meng and Li Sixteen (Nan Heng's alter ego) and I guess that's why he fell in love but having Nan Heng fight for her hand in marriage the way he did, knowing that all she did was planning for his death was just stupid.

Somewhere in the middle point (around episode 20) the drama also took a turn for the worst. The story became a mess and it was hard to keep up. When I saw then that the drama had 20 more episodes I got a little disheartened. I hoped it would become better again but sadly it ended as a big fail for me. The episodes 30 - 40 were unnecessary and I skipped most of the scenes, just wanting to get to the end and watch what would happen. They spend the last three episodes going back and forth in time, telling scenes from different angles, changing certain choices and ending up with and ending that really did not satisfy me.

I'm glad they added another ending after the credits which made it a little better but it still didn't really do it for me.

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If you like laughing

If you like parodies you will enjoy this drama. If you don't, skip it. I gave it a 9 for story because there were a couple of times it was not consistent with story but overall good parody. I would have given the cast a 10 if Zhao Lu Si had been FL. The current actress did a good job but I think ZLS would have done better, especially during those times when FL is basically saying 什么。("What" for those who don't speak Mandarin. Two songs stand out for me but the others I don't even remember. I will definitely re-watch this because of the acting and story. I love humorous material.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS AFTER FINISHING DRAMA
I loved it! I thought the ending could have been better, but over all I really enjoyed this. I love parodies and this is definitely a parody of Asian dramas as a whole. Need a trope? Yes! Okay, we have several for you...with a twist. Sort of. Maybe.
I am a big fan of LYN's work and when Wang Yi Lun smiles with that dimple I am a goner. When I see Chang Long and Wang Cheng Si are in a drama I know laughs are coming. I have always appreciated Zhu Xu Dan's understated performances. Li Qing and Guo Xiao Tian - guys, I will be keeping my eyes out for you. Very nice to look at and enjoyed their performances. Momo Wu's song Mind Reader is one of my favorites. I didn't know she was also an actress but, that makes sense because so many Asian artists are multi-talented. I'm jealous. I am not familiar with Wang You Shuo or Li Yi Tong so I will be watching for them in other work. I do have Love Between Fairy and Devil on my watch list so will be able to see Li Yi Tong in that.
Overall, if you love antics and laughs, watch this drama in the spirit with which it was created. You will enjoy it.

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Absolutely nonsensical, hilarious and entertaining

This drama is outrageously funny and wildly entertaining. I laughed so hard I nearly went hoarse, especially during the earlier episodes. The premise is delightfully absurd: an actress is pulled into the very drama she is supposed to be acting in. As if that were not enough, even the scriptwriter gets dragged in—and to make it even crazier, the rules within the script keep changing.

Yet, amid all the hilarity, the drama also makes you cry out in frustration. You watch the Emperor, General Chu, and Prince Rui mistreat Prince Nan Heng for a crime he never committed. When a nation is ruled by muddleheaded leaders who neither seek the truth nor protect the innocent, disaster is inevitable. Heng’s true love, Song Yi Meng, does everything she can to avoid marrying him. Prejudiced by the original script she read—where he was portrayed as a villain who faked love for political gain—she cannot see his sincerity.

But in this dreamlike twist, the script changes. Heng falls deeply and genuinely in love with her. It is amusing to see the women in this story boss their men around, though I am not convinced that, in real life, any man would remain so devoted to such sharp-tongued shrews. So, young women, take note: do not be fooled by this drama—real life does not work that way! Of course, one could argue that both Nan Heng and Shang Guan He are men weighed down by their own insecurities. Song Yi Meng, despite refusing to marry Heng, had already shown him her true love in countless ways throughout the drama. As for Shang Guan, his vulnerability lies in yearning to be cherished by a woman of higher social standing—an ache for validation as much as for love.

The soundtrack deserves special mention. Liu Yu Ning’s song is breathtakingly beautiful. True to form, he once again claims the best theme song, whether he is in the cast or not—and rightly so, as his voice brings it alive. Both Liu Yu Ning and Li Yi Tong dazzled in their parade of costumes. Li Yi Tong, in particular, looked stunning; her headpieces suited her perfectly and accentuated her charm.

At first, I assumed this would be lightweight fare, just another drama about actors falling into the worlds they perform in—stories that often turn out mediocre. But this one surprised me. In the original script, the heroine was doomed to a bizarre death. Here, however, you are left constantly wondering: will the story stick to the original or deviate? And if it changes, how? Can the characters’ efforts really alter fate?

All in all, this is a drama well worth watching. It is hilarious, entertaining, and addictive enough to make me binge-watch—and not many dramas can achieve that.

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Excellent isekai Satire, unexpected, humorous, and a truly great CL

PLOT: The ML, a star "diva" actor, and the FL, an unambitious actress, read the absurd script of the drama they're supposed to film (where the ML, initially a lover-husband, cheats on the FL, and ends up killing her). But the FL find herself immersed in the script. The FL, daughter of the Minister of War, was engaged to the ML2, and tries everything to correct the storyline, despite the rules imposed by the screenwriter.

+++ An excellent CL with Liu Yu Ning (ღ˘⌣˘ღ) always amazing (sings the opening song) & Li Yi Tong (even if her character's blind stubbornness is annoying during the drama's first half).
+++ A bunch of excellent and famous actors
+++ High-level production with a lot of budget: sets, costumes, CGI, fight scenes, ... Everything is perfect! The costumes are amazing, the designer did a great job!!
+++ Really great OSTs and sound effects
+++ Unpredictable storyline, with suspense maintained until the very end.

### The FL's attitude and behavior become unbearable (sticks to her initial prejudices, without reflection or progression)
### The ML2's absurd, pathetic obsession (both towards the FL, who rejects him, and in his revenge against the ML) :(

=> EXCELLENT, unexpected, humorous, and a truly great CL.
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Satyre d'ICK avec Liu Yu Ning & Li Yi Tong

PLOT: Le ML, acteur star "diva" et la FL, actrice "peu convaincue" lisent le script absurde du drama qu'ils doivent tourner (où le ML d'abord lover-mari, trompe la FL et finit par la tuer). Mais ils se retrouvent ts les 2 plongés dans le script. La FL, fille du Ministre de la Guerre était fiancée au ML2, tente tout pr corriger la storyline, malgré les règles imposées par le screenwriter.

+++ Un excellent CL avec Liu Yu Ning (ღ˘⌣˘ღ) always amazing (chante l'opening song) & Li Yi Tong (même si l'entêtement aveugle de son personnages, est agaçant).
+++ A bunch of excellent and famous actors
+++ High level production with a lot of budget : sets, costumes, CGI, fight scenes, ... ALL is perfect! The costumes are amazing, the designer did a great job !!
+++ Really great OSTs and sound effects
+++ Storyline imprévisible, avec un suspense ménagé jusqu'au bout.

### Attitude et comportement de la FL qui devient insupportable (s'en tient à ses préjugés initiaux, sans réflexion ni progression)
### Obsession du ML2 absurde, pathétique (tant envers la FL qui le rejette, que dans sa vengeance envers le ML) :(

=> EXCELLENT, inattendu, humoristique, and a really great CL.

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Highly enjoyable for the non traffic actors chasing fans

I think only fans that appreciate the backstory of LYN and got destroyed emotionally after watching the crash & burn of 2nd half of A Journey to Love will understand the comedy.

All the things that make this drama special on multiple levels:
1. Casting of ML / FL. They don't have insane chemistry but enough to make the drama work. I think it's special that they are playing characters that has some similar characteristics to rl.
LYN - been unfairly treated in the beginning years irl similar to NanHeng. Maybe that's why I felt more emotional depth to his acting in this specific role. Overall, his acting is improving.

LiYiTong - Beautiful, actress that can deliver in her acting, but never in the top of the traffic actress list. This is similar to her character in modern world. I am happy to see her in this quirky role vs something like Bloody Romance (where I became a fan of hers). I also love it when they incorporate dance scenes to showcase her abilities.

2. Perfect casting of all supporting characters. Rarely do I see perfect casting but this one everyone did their characters justice. Highlights:
2nd ML Wang You Shuo. Convincing from ultra good to totally bad.
Riley Wang, Chang Long, Wang Cheng Si, these all-seasoned supporting actors that consistently delivers in the comedy dept.

3. Script gives supporting characters personalities. There are so many enjoyable characters even the minor ones like the maid or the guard of the 8th prince.

4. OTP comedy. 1st episode I could not stop laughing with the 3-way stabbing and the music. All the comedy mocking drama tropes I found it super enjoyable. Of course, I think this requires the viewer to be a seasoned C-Drama fan. Also helps to be at a certain level of Chinese language competency as not all jokes can be translated properly. I am at about 70% so I am sure there are jokes I missed as well.

5. 3 different endings. Ending 1 completely mocks the crappy endings of many C drama which I totally loved because let's face it, I had too many "WTF ending was that" kinda moments.

6. "A dream within a Dream" Perfect title to explain the ending.

7. Music: Interesting and different music choices from classic LYN drama OSTs to RAP? Very fitting with this kind of comedy

Overall, this is a clever script that delivered on all levels.

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JUST WATCH THIS, IT'S REALLY GOOD!!!!

First of all, I’ve decided something—I’m done following reviews. From now on, I’m going to explore dramas on my own.
Let’s talk about the female lead. Yes, she can be a little annoying at times, but honestly, that didn’t bother me as much as I thought it would. She’s imperfect, and that’s okay—it actually made her feel more real. And truthfully? This drama is miles better than those overhyped isekai stories we keep seeing everywhere.
I loved everything—from the music , to the way it’s filmed, to the overall production quality.
Every single person involved clearly gave it their all, and it shows. This drama isn’t just something you watch—it’s something you feel. SO JUST WATCH IT.

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Trust ,love and individuality

One of the best dramas if 2025. It can be watched again and again.
The things that WoW ed me are:
In the last episode the did justice to the title showing the FL Song XiaoYu where she enter the script world as Song Yimeng itself is a script for character Song Xiaoyu.
ML plays both the roles Nan heng and Li shilu to his 200%.
Li shilu falls for Yimeng only becoz she protects and trusts him.
Nan heng needed nothing but trust from his family and friends instead of treating him as God
One of the best twists where Chu Ghuhong the second ML turns evil,not the same old plot where second ML has to be good to FL and always be good.
Song Yiting also had different view for marriage and don't fall easily for men ,but when she found the man she liked she didn't give up and held onto him to successfully marry. Her aura , intellectual was on different level where she expressed her disinterest in arranged marriage evn if men of higher status were flocking to marry her .
Shaunguan He also had easy go attitude with shining eyes to capture with his handsome vibe.

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A Dream of A Drama

A Dream Within A Dream is what a transmigration story should be, a completely self-aware meta-fiction drama that pokes fun at C-drama tropes, magnifying them tenfold and flipping them over their heads. It boasts of a stellar cast led by Liu Yuning and Li Yitong, both formidable actors in their own right, and coupled with a recipe for a chaotic yet charming and hilarious series that'll keep you entertained, engaged, and amused. I've lost count of the number of times I chuckled and laughed out loud at the sidesplitting antics of the characters and comedic vibe of the drama. It is simply a dream of a drama. Pun intended. It's a welcoming change from the usual tropey and highly melodramatic romances.

The story centers around Song Yimeng (Song Xiaoyu), a struggling B-lister actress who finally gets a long overdue break to work with a superstar actor in a big production drama. After a night of poring over the drama's screenplay and complaining about the absurdity of the plot and writing, she wakes up in ancient China in the body of the character she was supposed to play. She doesn't waste time lamenting over that fact, though. She immediately tries to adapt to her surroundings, a testament to her resourcefulness and decisiveness, which will come into play later on. But her spunk and wit are also her major flaws. I must admit, she was exasperating and unlikable to a certain degree at times. Her stubborness and narrow-mindedness brought so much grief to those around her, especially to Nan Heng. However, I believe she is designed to be frustrating as she is a dialed up version of the annoying female lead archetype. Li Yitong is a great fit for this role, she certainly has the comedic timing and charm for it.

Nan Heng, the male lead, is the long suffering misunderstood ML who is often abused, abandoned, betrayed, and would do anything for the woman he is pining for but amplified by a hundred. lol Liu Yuning plays this role to a tee, with a nuanced performance full of gravitas that I didn't expect to see from him. He's so good as Nan Heng and his alter ego, Li Shiliu, that he is now my favorite C-drama ML of all time, edging out Cheng Yi's Li Lianhua by just a small margin.

Similarly, Chu Guihong played by Wang You Shuo is the very representation of all the irritating love sick second MLs who are obsessed with the FLs and just can't accept defeat. I hated him with every bone of my body! lol The second FL, however, is a refreshing change from the usual trope. I did like Zhu Xu Dan in this. She was cute and amusing. Of course her tandem with Riley Wang adds to the charm of this series for me. The rest of the cast are equally good from Yimeng's family to Nan Heng's subordinates. Nan Rui also became a favorite of mine later on after showing much character growth as the series progressed.

One of the standouts to me is the musical score and soundtrack. The songs were not just chosen for the drama, they were made for it! Each song represents key moments in the story, helping tell the tale through their lyrics and melody, and making the drama even more immersive. I thought that was a nice touch, making it seem like they were breaking the fourth wall, “see what we did there?” *wink wink* The soundtrack also includes one of the best songs from Liu Yuning imho, and a catchy pop rock track from Tiger Hu that I will forever associate with this drama.

Sadly, this drama isn't without flaws. There are some storylines that were presented in the beginning but then dropped and never picked up again. Not to mention, there are parts when it dragged, leading me to believe that the series should've been shorter. There are plenty of suspend your disbelief moments as well, but I can forgive them as the drama itself is ridiculous and doesn't really take itself too seriously. After all, it is meta-fiction. None of it is real and the drama heavily leans on this. Fortunately, they wrapped things up quite nicely and the explanation behind the transmigration was cleverly executed.

All in all, I loved this so much! I laughed, cried, got upset, and became all giddy watching this. It's definitely the kind of drama that I would want to rewatch again and again. Nan Heng is now engraved in my mind as one of the most complex, sympathetic, and best written male characters in C-drama land, and Liu Yuning is now one of my top actors because of this drama. Until we meet again, Seventh Prince!

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A brilliantly executed parody!

First off: THIS IS A PARODY!!!! It's apparent from some viewer comments that some folks just never understood that about this show. Those folks were always way too serious and upset about either the ML or the FL behavior early on - which was over-the-top on purpose (because: parody). If you realize this is a parody, just relax and enjoy.

Second: It really helps you enjoy the parody if you are a veteran of watching lots and lots of c-dramas (and k-dramas) because that way you will better recognize the zillions of drama tropes and cliches that this series plays with on purpose. Many will be obvious, such as the SML-is-unrequited-love trope and - OMG - The Cliff scene! Many others are subtle and this show doesn't always hold your hand to point them out. You are expected to see and recognize them and when you do they make many of the scenes -- even the serious drama ones - even more fun.

Okay, those two things out of the way: This show really delivers. It is extremely well crafted in all aspects. The cast is absolutely stellar, loaded with talented actors you should recognize and they are all really great in this. Each of the primary cast gets plenty of moments to shine in their character without the series feeling scattered too far from the leads. Both Li Yi Tong and Lu Yu Ning are wonderful, showing wide range in their characters and they have great chemistry. The script is excellent - which is important because it is very specifically criticizing and sending up all the 'bad script' hacks in the script-within-a-script.

Other production aspects are also fantastic. The sets and costumes are all first-rate and the lighting and cinematography are beautifully done. And the music. Oh my god, the music is done SO well! All the scenes are enhanced by very well thought out music.

I really enjoyed this series. If you miss on the first two points I made up above, you might knock it down a bit on the score. But for folks that understand this is a parody and who are experienced watching c-dramas, this show is pretty much perfect. So much fun.

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