A Dream Within a Dream: Story, Cast and Series Facts

Story and premise

What would you do if you accidentally found yourself inside the world of a script, playing the role of a tragic female lead used and discarded by the villainous male lead, even tortured to death? For Song Xiaoyu, the answer is obvious: run as far away as possible. She had the perfect escape plan, but reality said otherwise. Every time she tries to change the storyline or marry a supporting male character, she becomes trapped in a never-ending loop full of "bugs," dying in 108 unique and absurd ways. In short, the game was over for her the moment it began. Eventually, Xiaoyu comes to a painful realization: no matter how hard she tries, the "plot" always pulls her back to the male lead, Nan Heng, forcing her to re-enact the script's iconic scenes again and again. In this paper-thin world, so many characters are shackled by predestined roles. Some are imprisoned in palace intrigues, others are confined in grand aristocratic mansions. Some are trapped in toxic rivalries among women, while others endlessly pursue power and status. Some yearn for love and freedom but can only dance in fear, bound by invisible chains. Some dream of soaring like mighty birds, only to lose their spirit amid the monotony of daily life. This drama portrays the struggle of ordinary individuals fighting against a fate that was scripted from the very beginning.

Series details

• Title: A Dream Within a Dream
• Format: Scripted
• Language: Chinese
• Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Romance
• Premiere date: 2025-06-26
• Final broadcast date listed: 2025-07-11
• Status in TVmaze: Ended
• Web channel listed by TVmaze: iQIYI
• Typical episode runtime: 45 minutes
• TVMaze ID: 75761
• IMDb ID: tt32247928
• TVDB ID: 449610

Cast and credited roles

• Liu Yu Ning — Nan Heng / Li Shiliu / Nan Feng
• Li Yi Tong — Song Yimeng / Song Xiaoyu
• Wang You Shuo — Chu Guihong
• Zhu Xu Dan — Song Yiting
• Wang Yi Lun — Shangguan He
• Wang Chengsi — Fu Gui
• Su Meng Yan — Ying Qiu
• Chang Long — Nan Rui

Seasons in the TVmaze catalogue

• Season 1: premiered 2025-06-26; final listed air date 2025-07-11; episode order: 40.

Source and licence

Adapted from A Dream Within a Dream on TVmaze. The synopsis is reproduced as plain text; catalogue facts, cast and season records are selected and reformatted. This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, following the TVmaze API licence. Network and web-channel credits identify the service listed in this source; they do not establish current streaming availability.