LayarHijau.com – After the resounding success of The Prisoner of Beauty with Song Zuer, Liu Yuning is back in the spotlight with his latest costume drama A Dream Within a Dream. The series, co-starring Li Yitong, premiered on iQiyi on June 26, 2025, and instantly soared to the top of China’s drama popularity rankings, surpassing Feud starring Bai Lu. With a humorous book-travel plot, “script-controlled” romantic moments, and clever nods to popular historical dramas, the series has captivated viewers and triggered lively discussion online.
In the drama, Li Yitong plays Song Xiaoyu, a third-rate actress in the real world who is suddenly cast as the female lead in a production called A Dream of Green Lemon. She is paired with top star Nan Feng (played by Liu Yuning), who is notoriously difficult to work with and barely engages with his acting roles. Since no other actresses are willing to work with him, the crew resorts to casting the lesser-known but talented Song Xiaoyu. Ironically, she finds the script ridiculous. One day, while closing her window, she slips and unexpectedly falls into the world of the drama itself.
Now inside the story, she becomes Song Yimeng, a fictional heroine destined to suffer a tragic love story with Nan Heng—Nan Feng’s character in the show. Even though Song Xiaoyu tries to resist the script, she is bound by the “rules of the script world,” which control everything from dialogue to dramatic beats. These include absurd rules like “the male lead must save the female lead during critical moments” and “the male lead must kiss the female lead at key emotional points.” As a result, in just the first six episodes, viewers witness three passionate kisses between the leads—all caused by the script’s mechanics.
The first kiss occurs after Song Yimeng falls into a river and is saved by Nan Heng. Even though she tries to cut ties to avoid a tragic ending, the script forces them into a public kiss, complete with glowing light effects and a rotating camera—mimicking classic romantic dramas. The second kiss happens underwater when Nan Heng, despite trying to hurt her earlier using poison, weapons, and staged accidents, is once again compelled by the script to save her and ends up injured in the process. The third kiss takes place when Song Yimeng stops Nan Heng from saying something dangerous—by kissing him and covering his mouth.
These hilarious and oddly romantic moments aren't the only source of buzz. Many viewers pointed out that some scenes in A Dream Within a Dream closely resemble key moments in popular costume dramas. One scene where Song Yimeng is nearly crushed by a collapsing building before Nan Heng rushes in to save her mirrors a similar scene in Love Like the Galaxy starring Zhao Lusi and Wu Lei. Another scene, where Song Yimeng wears a red dress and jumps from the city wall, is reminiscent of Bai Lu’s tragic leap in One and Only. While some viewers appreciate the parody aspect, others have accused the drama of plagiarism, sparking heated discussions online.
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| A parody of Love Like the Galaxy? (upmedia) |
The comedy doesn’t stop there. In the story, Song Yimeng is supposed to marry General Chu Guihong (played by Wang Youshuo), but the original character escapes the wedding. However, Song Xiaoyu, now controlling the role, chooses to go through with the marriage to avoid the tragic fate linked to Nan Heng. Unfortunately, because this deviates from the script, she dies in ridiculous ways—getting her hair caught in the curtain, hitting her head on the door frame, or being struck by a falling wooden beam inside the sedan chair. She dies more than five times just trying to get to her wedding, to the delight and laughter of viewers.
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| Parody of One and Only? |
Taiwanese actor Huang Weide also surprised audiences with his performance as Prime Minister Gao Changyin, Nan Heng’s powerful uncle. His commanding presence shocked viewers who barely recognized him as the same actor who once played Prince Yu in Nirvana in Fire. Unlike his previous elegant but scheming role, Huang’s portrayal in this drama is more restrained yet just as compelling, earning him widespread praise for his versatility.
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Ultimately, A Dream Within a Dream brings a refreshing twist to the historical romance genre. With intentional parodies, “forced” love scenes, and pointed commentary on typical drama tropes, the series manages to entertain and critique the genre it inhabits. Its witty script, strong performances, and meta-humor have made it a standout contender for one of the most talked-about dramas of 2025.