A Dream Within a Dream | Open Thread

An actress stuck in her own script ends up chasing a masked hero and dodging her villain fiancé – too bad they’re the same guy.

Notable Actors/Actresses

Liu Yu Ning: Li Shi Liu / Nan Heng

Li Yi Tong: Song Yi Meng / Song Xiao Yu

Director

Guo Hu

Chinese Title

書卷一夢

A Dream Within a Book

Genres: Period, Romance, Period Romance

Network: iQIYI

Year: 2025
Episodes: 40

Jump to Remarks | Recs | Comments

Cast

Liu Yu Ning: Nan Heng Li Shi Liu Nan Feng	Li Yi Tong: Song Yi Meng Song Xiao Yu
Wang Yi Lun: Shuangguan He	Zhu Xu Dan: Song Yi Ting
Wang You Shuo: Chu Gui Hong	Chang Long: Nan Rui
Wang Yan: Consort Gao	Lv Xing: Song Yu De
Zhang Lei: Nan Xu	Chen Zi Han: Zhou Xue Yi

Huang Wei De: Gao Zhang Yin	Jia Jing Hui: Yao Qian
Wang Cheng Si: Fu Gui [Wealth]	Song Ji Yang: Ji Xiang [Auspicious]
Su Meng Yun: Ying Qiu	Wang Li Na: Zhi Xia
Li Qing: Duan Shan Hu [Broken Tiger]	Guo Xiao Tian: Po Yun Long [Broken Dragon]
Chen Xin Yu: Liu Qiao Shan	Ling Mei Shi: Jia Ru Ru
An Yue Xi: FL's manager	Wu Mo Chou: ML's manager

Romcom/Romance Checklist

[Incomplete]

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How much of the plot is angst/romance?

0 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

The ML:

Cold–Lukewarm–Warm / Timid / Tsundere / Falls in Love First / Noble Idiot / CEO / General

The FL:

Bold / Cute / Cool & Independent / Falls in Love First / Better than ML / Noble Idiot / Business-woman

Describe the Relationship (the tropes):

Annoying Love (M) Rivals +++ / Bickering Start / Childhood Connection / Cohabitation / Contract Marriage or Fake Couple / Enemies to Lovers / Hidden Identity / Harem / Love Triangle / Married Couple (Real) / Rebirth / Secretly in Love (ML) / School to Adulthood / Star-Crossed Lovers

Relationship Progress (officially together; first (official) kiss; breakup*):

Ep 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 20 / 21 / 22 / 23 / 24 / 25 / 26 / 27 / 28 / 29 / 30 / 31 / 32 / 33 / 34 / 35 / 36 / 37 / 38 / 39 / 40

# of CPs (including main CP):
0 / 1 / 2 / 3

Ending: 

Happy / Sad / Open Happy / Open Sad / Bad / Rushed+++

Remarks

[Drama Info]

Directed by Guo Hu, who's a bit of a mixed bag. He’s behind the well-loved Mysterious Lotus Casebook, One and Only, and this year's A Moment but Forever. But he's also behind dramas like Immortal Samsara and Only for Love – the latter earning him a bit of a reputation for 💫💫  and PowerPoint-style transitions. I do love their official Weibo is tongue-in-cheek about it: 

Screenwriter Ren Zhuang Liu was involved in Story of Kunning Palace, which is another transmigration drama that begins in the present day, with the author dreaming their way into the story's world.

Wrapped on September 10, 2024

[Ending] Happy.

Recommendations

Genre List:

Scheming / Palace Romances

Scriptwriter	Transmig.	<3 for👃
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