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| What Li Yitong Really Thinks of Liu Yuning After Filming A Dream Within A Dream |
Currently making waves among C-drama fans, A Dream Within A Dream (书梦) blends fantasy, romance, and a whole lot of meta-drama as it spins the tale of Song Xiaoyu, a struggling actress who falls headfirst into the script she’s reading — literally. Inside this fictional world, she becomes Song Yimeng, a tragic heroine entangled with the cold yet secretly soft-hearted Nan Heng, played by singer-actor Liu Yuning.
But while the characters are battling fate inside the drama, things off-screen were just as intriguing — especially when it came to the cast’s dynamics.
In a recent chat with Sohu Entertainment, lead actress Li Yitong opened up about her unexpected first impressions of her co-star Liu Yuning, giving fans a peek at what it was really like behind the scenes.
“Honestly, I thought he’d be super energetic and loud like in his live streams,” she laughed. “But when we actually started filming, he turned out to be way more calm and quiet than I imagined. He’s quite reserved and takes his time warming up to people.”
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The actress recalled one hilarious moment that had the whole crew chuckling. Apparently, Liu Yuning wrapped up his scenes early one day, and while the rest of the cast were still hard at work, someone pulled up his live stream.
“There he was, already back home chilling, while we were all still on set,” she said, smiling. “We couldn’t stop laughing — we were literally watching him relax in real-time while we were sweating under the lights!”
Even though their personalities were quite different, Li Yitong said their on-screen chemistry came naturally. She highlighted a scene where her character jumps up and hugs Nan Heng — no easy task considering Liu Yuning’s height. “I was a little nervous I wouldn’t be able to hang on properly,” she admitted. “But surprisingly, it went really smoothly! He’s very steady.”
This duo = ❤️#iQIYI #书卷一梦 #ADreamWithinADream #李一桐 #LiYitong #刘宇宁 #LiuYuning #costumedrama #cdrama pic.twitter.com/cGi7Y0zAAe
— iQIYI (@iQIYI) July 2, 2025
When asked if she’d want to work with Liu Yuning again, she kept things cool but positive: “If the story’s right, I wouldn’t mind at all. He’s genuinely a great partner to act with.”
Beyond the BTS laughs, Li Yitong also touched on the deeper themes of A Dream Within A Dream, emphasising that the story isn’t just about romance — it’s also about choice, resistance, and rewriting fate.
“The characters are constantly fighting against the tragic destiny written for them,” she said. “That journey is what I find most meaningful.”
As for how things wrap up for Song Yimeng and Nan Heng? Li Yitong’s keeping tight-lipped. “You’ll have to watch it yourself,” she teased. “I don’t want to spoil anything. Just know that the most important part is how they face the choices in front of them — that’s where the heart of the story lies.”