I liked it. The relationship between the leads was beautifully developed and I love how they gradually moved from…
Hahahahaha, exactly the same. Took me about 3 months to finish as I stalled at Episode 28 when I got distracted by newer dramas dropping but, like you, I enjoyed it. Especially because of the performances of Liu Xue Yi and Tiffany Tang, and the supporting cast. (Some truly excellent veteran actors gave solid performances).
It's decently written as well. Not perfect. But decent. To the point that, even if I was distracted with other dramas for a while, I don't remember being boredom once.
Like you, I gave it a 9/10 too. I would also definitely watch other dramas by the same writer or director, which is more than can be said for a couple of other C-dramas I've watched recently :)
It took me a couple of months to finish this as I got distracted somewhere towards the end but, overall, it's nowhere near as bad as some people have said.
The ending is a disappointment, especially as it's not true to the donghua (don't know why so many Chinese screenwriters change fan-loved endings just to suit their own preference?), but the performances throughout are solid, Liu Xue Yi is his usual superb self, and Tiffany Tang does a great job as the FL. Liked her character and her acting skills at the beginning, liked them at the end, and that's more than I can say for a few of the more recent C-dramas I've watched.
I didn't think any of it dragged, loved so many of the supporting actors (there are some phenomenal veteran actors as supporting or guest stars) and it's decently written (bar that ending).
Ended up giving it a 9/10 as it entertained me without any boredom setting in.
Happy I watched it, and would recommend if you don't expect perfect.
have you read the directors message, maybe it'll help you see what the team is actually conveying with her character?
Yes, which is why I intimated that the FL is obviously written this way for a reason (she's still got her head stuck on that stupid script, without remembering the writer was asked to change the script and give "all the good bits" to the ML -- hence, changing his character completely from the original script she read before she transmigrated).
I fully expect her to do a 180 degree turn in her attitude towards him in the next couple of episodes.
Especially as, towards the end of EP24, it's becoming obvious she's starting to realize she might have made a mistake in her assessment of Nan Heng.
IF... we still have another 10 episodes of this, however, (and I don't expect that to happen) then her character and the drama become tiresome as, even a parody needs character development, or everything falls flat.
This is still one of the Top 3 best-written dramas I've watched all year though, and I'm fully confident it will continue that way.
I'm avoiding the comments to stay spoiler-free, but how frustrating were today's episodes on a scale from 1 to…
Not frustrating at all. Incredibly well done (specifically loved the scene at the end of Ep23 where SYM was able to summon Nan Heng by doing just one simply thing - very nicely done).
And I'm really picky about the quality of writing in dramas, but this one has featured superb writing in every single episode. So much so, I cannot think of a single scene where I would have said "I would have written that differently".
Not one episode has been a disappointment, even if some of the events have been annoying.
To the point that, even though I despise the FL, I can see exactly why the writer wrote her that way and, as long as she eventually 'buys a clue', she will end up being one of the best-written characters in a Chinese drama this year, IMO. (And Li Yi Tong's performance has been nothing short of spectacular).
Today's episodes, especially though, are phenomenal. I wouldn't let them pile up if I was you.
The one problem with this drama (at least right now) is SYM is intensely unlikeable. Self-involved, incredibly stupid and zero concern for anyone but herself. Something we saw right from the first episode when she was clowning around in the script discussion, and making fun of everything everyone else was saying, while offering only stupid suggestions herself.
Not an intelligent woman.
The writer, however, is phenomenally talented (looking forward to watching Story of Kunning Palace when I finish this), so I have a feeling she/he will eventually turn the audience's empathy towards SYM.
But right now, I would be perfectly happy with Nan Heng stabbing her with his sword -- several times -- and leaving her to die on the street. Zero f&cks given :)
Keeping my faith in the writer though, that they will turn my intense dislike of SYM into something more positive.
Really really really wanted to. I just can't. It's so bad.
May go back to it at some point just to quickly watch his scenes, but Jiang Tao Hua being stupidity incarnate is just murdering my brain cells :) Still loving A Dream Within a Dream, though, so today isn't a total loss :)
Episode 22 is the worst-written one yet. Can't stand another second of this utter trash.
Just checked the trailers up to Ep27 and Jiang Tao Hua is still the stupidest woman in all of C-drama, and Meng Zi Yi still has her one facial expression.
Will be skipping anything MZY stars in in the future. And anything the "writer" gets produced is, obviously, an immediate avoid.
Really kept hoping the show would go back to the quality of the first few episodes, but it's never going to. It's just going to be a Sh*tshow of Trope-Filled Stupidity right up until the very end.
Poor Liu Xue Yi - must be heartbroken to have this abysmally written drama as part of his library of work.
Enjoy. I'm out. Off to watch the next episode of A Dream Within a Dream. Now there's a writer that can write.
I started out after the first 4 eps at a 10 (I thought they were incredibly well done, and I don't generally rate before that, then adjust my rating as it goes on). It's now down to a 6 for me and dropping lower fast.
Today will be my make or break day though. After Ep 23, can I even be bothered to watch another second, or will I drop it and move on? Off to watch EPs 22 and 23 to find out.
- I thought that was fake amnesia. Some kind of scheme to throw off suspicion and danger while the FL recovers…
Yep :) Much. (Eps 18 through 22 are the worst writing-wise, IMO).
Honestly, though, some people are still loving it and, as I've turned my annoyance about the plot into laughing at how bad the writing is in every new episode, I've still to drop it.
Considering I have the patience of an ant on cocaine, it can't be the worst thing I've ever watched. Right? :).
I think it depends on what you're looking for too.
For me, as a writer, terrible writing is usually an easy drop. Lazy writing, which this is, annoys me even more.
But... Liu Xue Yi is keeping me watching as his acting skills are so good that, as long as he appears in a few scenes, I can muster the strength to soldier through a new episode.
If it had had a different ML, I would have probably dropped it by now.
In other words, it's up to you what you're looking for :)
The misunderstanding with Song Yiting is another one on top of all the other errors in judgement that Song Yimeng…
Don't get me wrong, I am absolutely loving the drama and everybody's performance in it -- especially the two leads. But yes, it is about time Song Yi Meng got a clue. Otherwise, it's going to start becoming draggy.
Wow ...!!even the SECOND FL trusted the ML more than the FL. Seriously??? The FL is soo biased against him.
I'm beginning to despise her character. She's entirely unlikeable.
Have a feeling though, she'll eventually wise up, and will eventually become someone I can empathize with. Right now though, I wouldn't care if Nan Heng killed her :)
And no disrespect to Li Yi Tong, she's doing a phenomenal job in the role.
He's a master at the subtle facial expression changes, the flicker of emotion in his eyes quickly followed by the ability to hide it (deliberately), the superb comedic timing paired with the skill to portray an incredibly tragic man without making him seem pathetic.
Loving this more with every new episode.
And now I'm just hoping we will soon get to see a Song Yi Meng that isn't the complete moron she's now been for 22 episodes. (The character not the actress. Li Yi Tong is equally wonderful in her role).
1 
It's decently written as well. Not perfect. But decent. To the point that, even if I was distracted with other dramas for a while, I don't remember being boredom once.
Like you, I gave it a 9/10 too. I would also definitely watch other dramas by the same writer or director, which is more than can be said for a couple of other C-dramas I've watched recently :)
The ending is a disappointment, especially as it's not true to the donghua (don't know why so many Chinese screenwriters change fan-loved endings just to suit their own preference?), but the performances throughout are solid, Liu Xue Yi is his usual superb self, and Tiffany Tang does a great job as the FL. Liked her character and her acting skills at the beginning, liked them at the end, and that's more than I can say for a few of the more recent C-dramas I've watched.
I didn't think any of it dragged, loved so many of the supporting actors (there are some phenomenal veteran actors as supporting or guest stars) and it's decently written (bar that ending).
Ended up giving it a 9/10 as it entertained me without any boredom setting in.
Happy I watched it, and would recommend if you don't expect perfect.
I fully expect her to do a 180 degree turn in her attitude towards him in the next couple of episodes.
Especially as, towards the end of EP24, it's becoming obvious she's starting to realize she might have made a mistake in her assessment of Nan Heng.
IF... we still have another 10 episodes of this, however, (and I don't expect that to happen) then her character and the drama become tiresome as, even a parody needs character development, or everything falls flat.
This is still one of the Top 3 best-written dramas I've watched all year though, and I'm fully confident it will continue that way.
And I'm really picky about the quality of writing in dramas, but this one has featured superb writing in every single episode. So much so, I cannot think of a single scene where I would have said "I would have written that differently".
Not one episode has been a disappointment, even if some of the events have been annoying.
To the point that, even though I despise the FL, I can see exactly why the writer wrote her that way and, as long as she eventually 'buys a clue', she will end up being one of the best-written characters in a Chinese drama this year, IMO. (And Li Yi Tong's performance has been nothing short of spectacular).
Today's episodes, especially though, are phenomenal. I wouldn't let them pile up if I was you.
Not an intelligent woman.
The writer, however, is phenomenally talented (looking forward to watching Story of Kunning Palace when I finish this), so I have a feeling she/he will eventually turn the audience's empathy towards SYM.
But right now, I would be perfectly happy with Nan Heng stabbing her with his sword -- several times -- and leaving her to die on the street. Zero f&cks given :)
Keeping my faith in the writer though, that they will turn my intense dislike of SYM into something more positive.
May go back to it at some point just to quickly watch his scenes, but Jiang Tao Hua being stupidity incarnate is just murdering my brain cells :) Still loving A Dream Within a Dream, though, so today isn't a total loss :)
Have fun!
Episode 22 is the worst-written one yet. Can't stand another second of this utter trash.
Just checked the trailers up to Ep27 and Jiang Tao Hua is still the stupidest woman in all of C-drama, and Meng Zi Yi still has her one facial expression.
Will be skipping anything MZY stars in in the future. And anything the "writer" gets produced is, obviously, an immediate avoid.
Really kept hoping the show would go back to the quality of the first few episodes, but it's never going to. It's just going to be a Sh*tshow of Trope-Filled Stupidity right up until the very end.
Poor Liu Xue Yi - must be heartbroken to have this abysmally written drama as part of his library of work.
Enjoy. I'm out. Off to watch the next episode of A Dream Within a Dream. Now there's a writer that can write.
Today will be my make or break day though. After Ep 23, can I even be bothered to watch another second, or will I drop it and move on? Off to watch EPs 22 and 23 to find out.
The whole plot is poor, though, so anything could be possible. (shrug)
In this one, though, it's as if the actress herself has been hit in the head and is now suffering from amnesia.
The result? She's forgotten every skill she was taught in acting class.
Bizarre to me how a decent actress in the couple of things I've seen her in previously has ended up delivering such a poor performance in this.
He was obviously still a child in the opening scenes, while she was a grown woman. But now all of a sudden he's a grown man only a few months later.
Honestly, though, some people are still loving it and, as I've turned my annoyance about the plot into laughing at how bad the writing is in every new episode, I've still to drop it.
Considering I have the patience of an ant on cocaine, it can't be the worst thing I've ever watched. Right? :).
I think it depends on what you're looking for too.
For me, as a writer, terrible writing is usually an easy drop. Lazy writing, which this is, annoys me even more.
But... Liu Xue Yi is keeping me watching as his acting skills are so good that, as long as he appears in a few scenes, I can muster the strength to soldier through a new episode.
If it had had a different ML, I would have probably dropped it by now.
In other words, it's up to you what you're looking for :)
Have a feeling though, she'll eventually wise up, and will eventually become someone I can empathize with. Right now though, I wouldn't care if Nan Heng killed her :)
And no disrespect to Li Yi Tong, she's doing a phenomenal job in the role.
He's a master at the subtle facial expression changes, the flicker of emotion in his eyes quickly followed by the ability to hide it (deliberately), the superb comedic timing paired with the skill to portray an incredibly tragic man without making him seem pathetic.
Loving this more with every new episode.
And now I'm just hoping we will soon get to see a Song Yi Meng that isn't the complete moron she's now been for 22 episodes. (The character not the actress. Li Yi Tong is equally wonderful in her role).
Idiots will idiot. Nothing you can do about it :)