It Doesn't Matter If You Don't Know the Plot, Watch It, But Don't Read The Spoilers!
"A Lucid Dream" is a short-length series (around 3+ hours total) with a clever story-telling, full of surprises, and a plot twist. You'll definitely enjoy the fun ride, IF (I capitalized the word for a strong emphasis) you don't read spoilers anywhere on MDL. It is as the native title 不知剧情也无妨 suggests: it doesn't matter if you don't know the plot. Although this review doesn't contain spoilers, I know romantic drama watchers always want to know if the leads get together in the end or not, so I will only spoil their romance, not the big secret.STORY:
Who said that short-length series only copy the plots of mainstream (normal-length) dramas or are full of cliches to milk profits? This drama plot is rather unique, and the story flow is well-written. By reading the synopsis you got the idea that the Female Lead Zhang Yi Meng (Wang Ya Jia) is delusional and thinks she has time-traveled to the past. To cure her mental illness, the Male Lead Song Jing Cheng (Cheng Yu Feng), a psychiatrist, plans drama therapy, a psychological treatment process that contains a reenactment of the ancient time Yi Meng believes she's in.
But as we watch the drama, we start seeing strange things and surprises. Adding to those things are funny incidents behind the scenes, for example, script changes that make certain characters confused about how to act in their roles. We are entertained by surprises at almost every (ending) of each episode, cliffhangers so to speak, until a plot twist is introduced. Then when the audiences look back, things make sense.
There is slight romance, but because the topic of the plot is the drama therapy/reenactment, romance is not the main focus.
Another thing I really enjoyed was the 'behind-the-scene' process shown in the drama. For example, the selection of the cast, the choice of the script (the additions and deletions), the filming, and the (uncomfortable) costumes and props (that we see as funny cos we know they're fake). And mostly what urgent measures they took when incidents or unpredictable events happened.
CHARACTERS:
People wrote the leading actor and actress were not charming or their acting was so-so, but imo actors and actresses have to start somewhere, right? I don't remember seeing them before. The only thing I say is actress Wang Ya Jia looks like Chinese actress Chen Yu Qi. And I found out the actor Cheng Yu Feng was in the drama The Inextricable Destiny last year, playing the Female Lead's second brother. But if you watched that drama you know why we don't remember him being there, lol.
The funniest character imo is Li Mu Yu, who played the Third Prince in the reenactment. Although his character is supposed to be the annoying Second Male Lead, it's hilarious for us because he practically knows nothing since nobody told him anything, including his dad, who is the reenactment director, lol.
VISUALS:
Although they made a reenactment, surprisingly the visual designs are decent for a fake 'drama'. I was mostly surprised by the cinematography. It's well done for a short-length series.
OST:
I'm surprised that they put several nice songs for the ending themes:
1. "Fireworks Fragments" (烟火碎片) by Xin Wen
2. "Parting Sequence" (离别序) by Xin Wen
3. "Waiting for Mist and Warm Rain to Stop" (等烟暖雨停) by Wang Xin Yi
ENDING (only for the romance part)
Happy ending. Zhang Yi Meng and Song Jing Cheng got together in the end (real world). There is also a secondary couple.
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1This review may contain spoilers
It is Time to Wake Up from this Beautiful Dream
What a drama! Such a pleasant and refreshing surprise.The story revolves around Zhang Yi Meng (Wang Ya Jia) who was Princess Yuan Zhi that lived in the state of Xi. The General came to take the princess whom he was in love with away from her upcoming marriage. Princess Yuan Zhi and the general escape the army pursuing them by both jumping off the bridge to the river below. Waking up, Princess Yuan Zhi finds herself in modern times.
Zhang Yi Meng, who lives in the present day, is convinced that she is a princess who has traveled from the ancient state of Xi. Her parents feed into their daughter’s actions of being a princess by allowing her to decorate her room the same as she had back there. Seeing that she is in this unknown world, Princess Yuan Zhi tried, but failed to make several attempts to go back to her time. Finally, her father takes her to see psychiatrist Dr. Han.
As she is by the lake, she faints, waking up back in the state of Xi. Everything seems familiar but oddly strange and why is that, because this is actually a treatment process planned for her by her father and her psychiatrist Song Jing Cheng.
Eventually Zhang Yi Meng figures out that there are cameras everywhere. She continues to play along but she is not the person who has the problem. It is her father. How about that?
Yes, her parents were actors. While filming one day, his wife, Zhang Yi Meng’s mother dies when she hit her head. Her father could not deal with the loss. He began taking medication which just exasperated how he was feeling. But with the help of his loving daughter who worked with everyone on set, Song Jing Cheng and Doctor Han they were able to help her father get the treatment that he needed.
You also will find the connection between Zhang Yi Meng and Song Jing Cheng. They both knew each other about 10 years ago as Zhang Yi Meng saved Song Jing Cheng from a fire. Both of them had been looking for each other for a long time. They were fated to meet each other.
I can only say that I enjoyed watching this drama and highly recommend it. You will find yourself amazed that this quick 11 minutes and 18-episode drama could have so much to offer. Which is quite a lot. It was nice to see how Zhang Yi Meng along with so many others help her father with handling the loss of his wife. We all have suffered losses from family to friends and we all assimilate differently and that is what happened here.
As the father, walks through the set and ends up at the bridge where his wife died, he 'sees' her once again. They smile at each other. He finally knows that the illusion and dream that he has created must be over and it is time to wake up.
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Chaotic, hilarious and heart-warmingly sweet
It doesn’t matter if you don’t know the plot is the original and very fitting title. I went completely blind into this and it was great. It's truly best if you don’t know anything, don’t read the synopsis, don’t watch the trailer, just start the drama!Having said that, here are some hints what to expect:
POSITIVE:
- Very chaotic and absolutely hilarious.
- Tons of twins and turns.
- Wtf moments in every episode.
- Sweet romance.
- Healthy relationship.
- Beautiful cinematography and OST.
- Nice blend between modern and historical.
- No love triangles.
- Confusing plot at first but it's actually very clever. Later everything is explained and makes sense which bumps up the rewatch value.
NEGATIVE:
- Even though I loved the drama, when I finished it I felt like something was missing to be a full 10 stars. I can't quite put my finger on what though.
OVERALL:
If you want a heart-warningly sweet and hilariously chaotic mini drama, watch this one.
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Surprise, surprise. An undiscovered gem.
This drama surprised me.Mini dramas generally have a rep for sloppy acting, lazy writing and low budget costumes, but this one was good on all that.
The writing is top notch and the twist and turns in here! Everything is not what it seems, pay attention. The ML is def going on my list of actors to watch out for.
I binged the whole thing in one sitting with loads of spicy rameon, that's the reason why my eyes were wet in the last scene there, that rameon was real spicy.
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A Dream That Was and That Never Was
This was honestly one of the most unique short drama I have watched till date.After watching few types of short dramas you generally know what will come up next in new dramas but this was completely different from what I predicted in each episode.
The initial episodes itself had such a great grasp on the story that I just got engrossed in it.
The story in the later stage flows quite well and no time the drama ends.
At times short dramas too feel a bit dragged but this was perfectly short and crisp.
I liked this drama a lot and honestly didn't have time to find any shortcomings cause I felt like going on with the episodes and in no time I finished binge watching it.
Both actors were new to me and I have to say they did have good chemistry and their acting too was good.
Short dramas aren't usually highly rated and I too don't expect much from short dramas but for me this definitely deserves a good rating.
I also liked the OST in the drama which short dramas don't focus majorly on, so this also counts as a plus point for me.
I haven't read comments or spoilers in the comments section but do give it a try.
This drama is definitely worth a watch.
P.S. Feel free to tag me or message me if you want spoilers as I tend to avoid giving spoilers in my reviews.
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HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
I stayed because of the plot twist, only to discover that the beginning was a twist within another twist. I debated writing a spoiler-filled review, but I’ve decided to keep it short because this series deserves a chance.I recommend trying the first episode; if it doesn't grab you, feel free to drop it. However, I’m confident you’ll want to continue with the next few episodes. This drama has a certain charm that pulls you in, making it hard to stop until the end.
Things I love about this series:
It is a short series. At roughly three hours total, it’s perfect for binge-watching over a weekend or even in a single day like I did.
With shorter series, it’s often hard to like the cast or characters, but I found myself falling in love with both.
Along with short series, sometimes the costumes or editing are off. But I appreciate the aesthetic, and the edit…especially the colors they choose for the historical theme.
Even without the plot twists, I would have enjoyed the story of the time-traveling princess.
For the first time, I don't have anything bad to say about a short series. I truly appreciate how the story unfolds and how well each character fits into the drama.
I highly recommend giving this series a try—you won’t be disappointed!
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um minidrama surpreendente
Primeiro gostaria de ressaltar a qualidade da produção, direção, edição e atuação bem dificil de achar em minidramas. A maioria nao tem historias fechadas coerentemente.A ideia central de realizar um tratamento através de uma simulação já foi grandioso, bom é bem caro, mas a própria história bai coletando patrocinadores para o elenco e montagem dos cenários.
A explicação sobre a historia de epoca foi mais interessante ainda mas a surpresa realmente foi tocante.
E desses que a gente quer assistir de novo sim.
Recomendo
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IT’S SO GOOD
Don’t be fooled by the 7.5 stars rating. This drama is so well made - the acting is so good, you would think you were watching a regular length drama, and the storyline is unique and interesting. I was enraptured the whole time. It was so charming. It has a very happy ending, so don’t worry about that! I highly recommend watching it, it’s very much a feel-good romance.Was this review helpful to you?
Twists and turns: unexpected!
I usually start a review with a short synopsis but anything I may say can be a spoiler and for the first time ever, I want to keep a review spoiler free. You just need to watch it and enjoy the ride with a satisfactory conclusion!I have yet to watch a c drama which has a sense of a cliffhanger. Usually they do not practice this art form! Therefore, it came as a huge surprise when practically every episode ended with a twisty sort of cliffhanger. What is even more surprising is that they managed to do it with short, 10 min episodes! Extraordinary!
The story deals with time travel, reincarnation, entertainment industry and mental health. The writing is top notch! I would like to know who wrote this and if they wrote anything else. Because this is by far the most original, interesting and gripping short c drama I have ever watched! Music is the usual c drama songs, heavy on the flute and the cinematography is adequately windy and flowery.
There is romance, there is comedy, there is mystery here! It is easily bingeable! If I have any complaints about this drama is that most of the cast is bland, charisma free except for the actor playing the FL's father: he was somehow different from others, rather remarkable! The drama and the story are definitely worth your while!
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Daddy's best girl !
At first, I thought FL is a weak, easily deceived & needs to be saved type of girl; and thought about dropping this drama. But I was proved wrong in a good way. I never expected that twist & I love it. The screenwriter of this drama needs to be praised, what a great idea. I'm really touched. The cast did a nice job, anyways this was a great mini drama.Was this review helpful to you?
Interesting twist
This one was interesting. I enjoyed the focus on mental health for the plot and how it was a story within a story.The Good
ML has a distinctive look that made him perfect for this role. I’ve seen him in other dramas as supporting characters and he typically does well given his scripts. I hadn’t seen FL before but she was also decent and had good chemistry with the ML. The overall plot setup is what drew me in because it combined both a historical and modern drama into one and executed okay.
The Bad
The overall acting wasn’t necessarily the best from all the cast and I wouldn’t say this drama was amazing. Overall costumes, production and OST were mediocre.
It’s a good filler show to watch since it does have a different story but definitely a different take on the usual CDramas. I would still say overall there are still a lot of cliches and some predictability to it which makes it an average show.
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This review may contain spoilers
Great job!
really an excellent job, in proportion to the duration of the episodes. nice script, without exaggerations, clear meanings and an ending different from the usual ones! nice chemistry between the main actors and without exaggeration! An honest and dissent job, which could easily stand as a series with more episodes! Great job?!Was this review helpful to you?
