Promotional material for Love You Seven Times Photo: Courtesy of Love You Seven Times
A new Chinese fantasy drama showcasing the rich and diverse aspects of Chinese culture,
Love You Seven Times, debuted on Thursday. With its novel-based story and stunning visuals, the show topped iQIYI's global drama ranks and became the top Chinese drama in Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines and Vietnam.
The 38-episode drama is an example of the infinite style, a popular literary genre that combines various elements and worldviews.
It follows the romance between Xiangyun, a young god of love, and Chukong, a god of war, who accidentally fall in love with each other and then must traverse seven different worlds before they can be together.
The drama stars Yang Chaoyue and Ding Yuxi, two rising actors in China.
The drama's chief producer Wang Yixu told the Global Times that he wanted to present the unique Chinese aesthetics to both domestic and international audiences.
"I hope the world can fall in love with Chinese culture through our effort," Wang said.
One of the highlights of the drama is the use of xiangyun, or auspicious clouds, a traditional symbol of luck and fortune in Chinese culture.
The drama features various types of auspicious clouds, such as flying clouds inspired by the Dunhuang murals in the Mogao Caves.
"The patterns of the auspicious clouds not only represent luck and fortune, but also create a romantic visual experience," Wang said.
The drama also makes lavish use of the color red, which symbolizes luck and good fortune in traditional Chinese culture.
The costumes are another highlight, as they combine a classic style with fantasy elements. The designers used various traditional Chinese techniques, such as suxiu, a kind of embroidery from East China's Jiangsu Province, and kesi, silk tapestry, to show the beauty and diversity of Chinese culture.
The latter of these techniques are even recognized as intangible cultural heritages by UNESCO.
One of the most visually impressive scenes in the drama is the Lantern Festival, which showcases the festive and lively atmosphere of Chinese celebrations.
The crew made 1,000 lanterns by hand, and added lion dancing, fire performances and shadow plays to create a spectacular scene.
"There are many details to look into," Wang said.
Wang's goal is not only to tell Chinese stories well, but also to make the world fall in love with Chinese culture.
He said that he plans to introduce
Love You Seven Times to even more overseas markets for foreign audiences.
This is not Wang's first attempt to reach a global market.
He was also the producer of another hit drama, Love between Fairy and Devil, which was released on Netflix and ranked among the top five in several countries and regions in terms of viewership.
Wang said that the Asian fantasy story offers a new experience to overseas audiences, as it transcends cultural barriers and can spark an international interest in Chinese culture.
"Excellent Chinese stories and cultural content can appeal to audiences not only in China, but also in other parts of the world," he said.
Yang said that she was very happy to receive feedback from audiences, who have high expectations for the visuals of the show.
"I want to explore more possibilities in drama and discover more of my potential, and I hope audiences can see that too," she said.
Ding said that he was attracted by the marvelous story and the complex character of Chukong.
"The two main characters go through seven calamities, and each time they have different identities and memories. It's a big challenge, but I will try my best to portray the characters," he said.
