7 days ago
C-drama "A Dream Within A Dream" captivates global audiences especially in South-East Asia region with unique narrative style
Since its premiere on iQIYI Heartbeat Theater, the new C-Drama "A Dream Within A Dream" has become an instant global sensation, captivating audiences worldwide with its innovative "forced romance within a drama script" plot and engaging "fictional character awakening" storyline.
On its first day, the drama swiftly rose to the top of trending topics on social platform X in Thailand and Indonesia, subsequently achieving No. 1 status on the iQIYI International platform across 12 markets, including Thailand, the US, Canada, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
It also ranked first in the same period, Google searches for Chinese dramas in eight markets: Thailand, Taiwan(China), the US, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong(China), South Korea, and Singapore.
"A Dream Within A Dream" tells the story of Song Xiaoyu (played by Li Yitong), an aspiring actress who unexpectedly finds herself transported into the world of a fictional drama script.
Becoming the protagonist Song Yimeng, she encounters Nan Heng (played by Liu Yuning), a seemingly ruthless and cold-hearted male lead.
The plot follows their journey to resist predetermined destinies. Incorporating contemporary humour with a fast-paced "infinite loop" narrative style, the drama offers cross-cultural appeal and resonant storytelling.
Thanks to its fresh narrative approach, "A Dream Within A Dream" successfully breaks away from genre cliches, appealing strongly to global viewers.
The series earned an impressive rating of 8.6 on the international drama community MyDramaList, with related TikTok hashtags surpassing 300 million views.
Global audiences praised the compelling performances and comedic elements of the series. iQIYI further boosted international engagement through interactive livestreams on iQIYI International, extensive offline promotions worldwide, and large-screen advertising campaigns, significantly enhancing global viewer enthusiasm.
Since 2025, iQIYI Heartbeat Theater has continuously launched popular dramas including "Moonlight Mystique," "The White Olive Tree," "Love of the Divine Tree," "The Best Thing," and "Love in Pavilion," garnering widespread acclaim from global audiences.
"A Dream Within A Dream" continues this successful trend, delivering a uniquely engaging Eastern narrative to viewers worldwide.
Additionally, iQIYI has followed up its success with the new drama "Coroner's Diary," which premiered on July 13, featuring a compelling dual-narrative structure that unravels eight intriguing mysteries.
Moving forward, iQIYI remains committed to delivering more premium C-Dramas that artfully blend romance, realism, tradition, and fantasy for global audiences.
