1
A Literal Masterpiece Romantic Comedy that is a critique at the usual tropes found in dramas.
Leaves you thinking long after.
With fighting against your own fate at its core: When I first saw the trailer for A Dream Within a Dream, I didn't think it was going to be as serious and thought provoking as it ended up being. I just thought it was going to be a simple, little nice romantic comedy that would keep me laughing and be an easy watch. While it is still that it is also so much more and so much deeper. I love how it took most of the tropes we are used to seeing in Asian dramas and turned them on their head. I will give two examples: the ML always saving the FL. Most of us love that trope because it shows how much the ML loves the FL which we also saw with Nan Heng and Song Yimeng. But I think some of the lengths the ML's go thru to protect the woman they love can be ridiculous & extremely dangerous as highlighted here. Another trope always used in dramas is the villainous sister the FL always has. ADWAD really turns that around while Song Yiting may actually seem like she is in the beginning there is so much more to her, and I really loved the relationship between the Song sisters. I loved the whole Song family. Nan Heng's family was way more complicated but, in the end, I also ended up loving the relationship that grows between Nan Heng and Nan Rui in the last episodes. It was gold! Loved Nan Rui's development.
Speaking of complicated characters let's get to the FL in this moment: Song Yimeng: She wasn't the typical submissive FL that falls on the ML's feet right away. No, she was independent, fiesty, brave, stubborn, irritating, sweet, funny, loyal to those she loved, protective etc. Many people had big problems with her character because she wasn't the usual submissive FL to the ML. Nopes! She had a temper and often used extreme cruelty to push the ML away. To me her actions made perfect sense. Especially gathering his first actions towards her and what she knew of him before actually meeting him. I think SYM also represented those who are very prejudiced and judgmental when it comes to someone. Sometimes that stubbornness doesn't allow people to see who others are. Prejudice is very hard to get over. Until something changes their perspective like it happened with Yimeng,. I loved her journey how she learns to see Nan Heng for who he really is, let's go of her initial prejudice and just gives into her love for him. It wasn't an easy journey, but it was worth it in the end. I loved her from the get-go, she could be frustrating at times, but I loved her development this is what I like seeing in my FL's. Li Yi Tong was excellent in this role. After ADWAD I'll make sure to follow her other dramas.
Nan Heng, the villainous ML, or was he? great job from the writer in showing him thru SYM's eyes at first. Then slowly peeling back his layers to show us who he really is an emotionally damaged hero who will fight for those he oves. Kudos to the script writer for giving Yimeng the same journey she gave us with Heng as viewers. NH also represented that character that perfectly depicts fighting against one's fate. Death and gloom befall him???? nah! He'll do what he has to, to ensure that doesn't come to him or to the woman he loves. He's always meant to be seen as a heartless, ruthless prince? nah! He'll slowly show everyone who he is at his core. I loved that about him. I've seen Liu Yuning in other dramas, but I have to say Nan Heng has been his best character up to date! It will be so hard to top him. The care and love that LYN played him with is hard to reciprocate. He showed what an amazing and versatile actor he is. Loved, loved him in this.
Proudly enjoyed his chemistry with LYT too. They were matched perfectly esp in the comedic and dramatic scenes.
The supporting characters were all written so well and had a big role to play. The cast were all excellent in their roles.
I adored how ADWAD was also a critique how some characters become larger than life and sometimes the route in which the writers want to take them doesn't work anymore. Some writers are too stubborn to take that journey with their characters and often stick to their guns of the original plan. Hence why so many tv shows, books, video games etc end up going wrong in the end. ADWAD had their characters fighting against this retmhic and in the end they win. I wish more writers would realize it's better to go where the characters take you than ending up with an end that makes no sense at all and pissing off the audience.
As to why I say A Dream Within a Dream makes you think because some of the tropes and themes, plot points used by writers are used to make us think differently about a character or a certain scene etc. I think all of us were left coming up with many theories after the episodes aired for that reason. The post credit scene in ep 40 was particularly mind blowing. I'd say it will have fans talking for days even months!
All in all, I give ADWAD a 10/10 and it has reached my top dramas of all time. Seriously so good and worthy of watching more than once. Highly recommended. I laughed, I cried, I got angry, I cursed some characters, adored others. So hard to move on from.
With fighting against your own fate at its core: When I first saw the trailer for A Dream Within a Dream, I didn't think it was going to be as serious and thought provoking as it ended up being. I just thought it was going to be a simple, little nice romantic comedy that would keep me laughing and be an easy watch. While it is still that it is also so much more and so much deeper. I love how it took most of the tropes we are used to seeing in Asian dramas and turned them on their head. I will give two examples: the ML always saving the FL. Most of us love that trope because it shows how much the ML loves the FL which we also saw with Nan Heng and Song Yimeng. But I think some of the lengths the ML's go thru to protect the woman they love can be ridiculous & extremely dangerous as highlighted here. Another trope always used in dramas is the villainous sister the FL always has. ADWAD really turns that around while Song Yiting may actually seem like she is in the beginning there is so much more to her, and I really loved the relationship between the Song sisters. I loved the whole Song family. Nan Heng's family was way more complicated but, in the end, I also ended up loving the relationship that grows between Nan Heng and Nan Rui in the last episodes. It was gold! Loved Nan Rui's development.
Speaking of complicated characters let's get to the FL in this moment: Song Yimeng: She wasn't the typical submissive FL that falls on the ML's feet right away. No, she was independent, fiesty, brave, stubborn, irritating, sweet, funny, loyal to those she loved, protective etc. Many people had big problems with her character because she wasn't the usual submissive FL to the ML. Nopes! She had a temper and often used extreme cruelty to push the ML away. To me her actions made perfect sense. Especially gathering his first actions towards her and what she knew of him before actually meeting him. I think SYM also represented those who are very prejudiced and judgmental when it comes to someone. Sometimes that stubbornness doesn't allow people to see who others are. Prejudice is very hard to get over. Until something changes their perspective like it happened with Yimeng,. I loved her journey how she learns to see Nan Heng for who he really is, let's go of her initial prejudice and just gives into her love for him. It wasn't an easy journey, but it was worth it in the end. I loved her from the get-go, she could be frustrating at times, but I loved her development this is what I like seeing in my FL's. Li Yi Tong was excellent in this role. After ADWAD I'll make sure to follow her other dramas.
Nan Heng, the villainous ML, or was he? great job from the writer in showing him thru SYM's eyes at first. Then slowly peeling back his layers to show us who he really is an emotionally damaged hero who will fight for those he oves. Kudos to the script writer for giving Yimeng the same journey she gave us with Heng as viewers. NH also represented that character that perfectly depicts fighting against one's fate. Death and gloom befall him???? nah! He'll do what he has to, to ensure that doesn't come to him or to the woman he loves. He's always meant to be seen as a heartless, ruthless prince? nah! He'll slowly show everyone who he is at his core. I loved that about him. I've seen Liu Yuning in other dramas, but I have to say Nan Heng has been his best character up to date! It will be so hard to top him. The care and love that LYN played him with is hard to reciprocate. He showed what an amazing and versatile actor he is. Loved, loved him in this.
Proudly enjoyed his chemistry with LYT too. They were matched perfectly esp in the comedic and dramatic scenes.
The supporting characters were all written so well and had a big role to play. The cast were all excellent in their roles.
I adored how ADWAD was also a critique how some characters become larger than life and sometimes the route in which the writers want to take them doesn't work anymore. Some writers are too stubborn to take that journey with their characters and often stick to their guns of the original plan. Hence why so many tv shows, books, video games etc end up going wrong in the end. ADWAD had their characters fighting against this retmhic and in the end they win. I wish more writers would realize it's better to go where the characters take you than ending up with an end that makes no sense at all and pissing off the audience.
As to why I say A Dream Within a Dream makes you think because some of the tropes and themes, plot points used by writers are used to make us think differently about a character or a certain scene etc. I think all of us were left coming up with many theories after the episodes aired for that reason. The post credit scene in ep 40 was particularly mind blowing. I'd say it will have fans talking for days even months!
All in all, I give ADWAD a 10/10 and it has reached my top dramas of all time. Seriously so good and worthy of watching more than once. Highly recommended. I laughed, I cried, I got angry, I cursed some characters, adored others. So hard to move on from.
Was this review helpful to you?
