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| From Snowy Kisses to Stage Directions: Liu Yuning Took Notes from Shen Li’s Most Iconic Scene |
Here’s a little gem for the drama fans who love a good behind-the-scenes story — especially one that links two of the hottest period romances on screen. Turns out The Prisoner of Beauty, currently riding high on Tencent Video with a heat index over 30,000, owes a cheeky little nod to another mega-hit: The Legend of Shen Li.
Starring Liu Yuning and Lareina Song Zuer, The Prisoner of Beauty has been winning hearts with its mix of angst, romance and just the right amount of pining.
But during a throwback livestream in 2024, Liu Yuning revealed a brilliant bit of trivia: before they filmed any romantic scenes, he and Song Zu’er were actually shown a kiss scene from The Legend of Shen Li — yes, the one with Zhao Liying and Lin Gengxin — as inspiration.
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Yep, that’s right. Turns out when your drama’s got the same director (Deng Ke) and co-director (Wang Yiding), there’s room for a little creative hand-me-down. According to Liu, Director Wang casually handed him an unreleased clip of Shen Li and Xing Zhi’s snowy kiss scene and said, “Watch this one. It’s excellent!”
Liu Yuning’s reaction? Classic: “Wow, it’s really good, really passionate!” Fans watching the livestream had a proper giggle at his unfiltered awe. You could tell he was genuinely impressed — and maybe a tiny bit panicked thinking, “Right, now I’ve got to deliver something on this level.”
They said…it’s in his dream..
— AJ (@AJLYN456) May 23, 2025
But who cares??? There really is a kiss 😚 #ThePrisonerofBeauty #ปรปักษ์จำนน#SongZuer #LiuYuning pic.twitter.com/Ol0VyJ0Hzt
The particular scene in question, for those who’ve forgotten, was that swoon-worthy snowy moment in Shen Li — the one where Zhao Liying’s character cheekily reveals she’s pregnant mid-kiss. It wasn’t even in the original script — Zhao improvised the whole thing, and Lin Gengxin, in true co-star chemistry fashion, went along with it seamlessly. It ended up becoming one of the show’s most talked-about moments.
What’s charming here isn’t just the fact that Liu took acting notes from a viral kiss — it’s the emotional depth he clocked. He pointed out how, despite the physical closeness, the scene felt soft and genuine. “Sweet and innocent,” he said — a reflection of characters who are new to love but feel it deeply. That emotional thread? He brought that into The Prisoner of Beauty.
#ThePrisonerOfBeauty kiss scene 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺
— fan 帆！ (@fandoestrans) May 23, 2025
"You didnt fall asleep?"
"Since my lord kissed me, does that mean you're not angry any more?"
Not the way Xiao Qiao went back for seconds 😫😫#LiuYuning × #SongZuer pic.twitter.com/vZZDHYLAy3
So yeah, if you’ve watched those steamy-yet-awkward first kisses between Liu Yuning and Song Zu’er and thought, “Why does this feel so real?” — now you know. They literally took notes from Shen Li’s love playbook.
It’s moments like these that remind us how interconnected drama-making really is. Performances inspire performances. Emotions get passed down from one cast to the next. And sometimes, an improvised snowy kiss scene ends up quietly shaping the romance of another beloved show.
Liu Yuning’s honest storytelling has only made fans love him more — not just for his acting chops but for his open, down-to-earth take on the process. And for The Legend of Shen Li? Its legacy continues, one snowy scene at a time.