Love You Seven Times Review

Love You Seven Times (七时吉祥) seems like a typical xianxia drama but it does have its own unique aspect. The problem with this genre is that the plot tends to be recycled from one production to the next. Thus, if no new elements are added, the drama can end up being similar to a previous one that you have watched. On the positive side, this one has a unique story to keep me interested. But it also has its negatives which I will elaborate in my Love You Seven Times review below.

My rating: 8/10
Episodes: 38
Type: Xianxia Romance
Aired: August 2023
Images Credit: iQIYI Facebook

The Cast Of Love You Seven Times

• Ryan Ding Yu Xi as Chu Kong / Lu Chang Kong
• Yang Chao Yue as Xiang Yun / Cang Hai / Song Xiang Yun / Yang Xiao Xiang
• Edward Zhang Xiao Chen as Hao Xuan / Emperor
• Xing Ze as Xiu Ming
• Lin Bo Rui as Jin Lian / Qian Ren / Jin Cheng
• Zhai Xiang Yang as Zi Hui / Qian Mou
• Lu Yu Xiao as Jin Luo
• Zhang Xue Han as Ying Shi
• Yang Hao Yu as Hong Xian Weng / Red Thread Master
• Yang Meng En as Immortal Li
• Zheng Guo Lin as Song Qin Wen / Chief Yang / King Mo Luo
• Hai Lu as Wan Jun / Madame Yang / Empress Dowager
• Jiang Bing as Feng Du Wei / Xu Wen Rui
• Zhang Zheng Yang as Li Yan

Main Characters

Chu Kong / Lu Chang Kong

Chu Kong is the ancient God of War of the Heaven Realm and belongs to the Qi Lin Divine Clan. He is a cold and an unfeeling senior immortal with a damaged primordial spirit. He also suffers from a memory loss. Chu Kong is righteous and straightforward with strong self-confidence but can be rigid and stubborn.

Lu Chang Kong is Chu Kong’s reincarnation in the Mortal Realm during his second tribulation. He is a son of Great General Lu who is a powerful and respected military commander and senior official in the Great Chen Kingdom.

Xiang Yun / Cang Hai / Song Xiang Yun / Yang Xiao Xiang

Xiang Yun is a young 3,000-year-old fairy in Heaven Realm. She works in the Marriage Pavilion and is in charge of matching up mortals. Xiang Yun is a bubbly and quick-thinking fairy who can be mischievous and crafty. She used to be an auspicious cloud who was enlightened and transformed into human form by the Red Thread Master.

Cang Hai is Xiang Yun’s past life while Song Xiang Yun and Yang Xiao Xiang are her reincarnations in the Mortal Realm during her second and third tribulations respectively.

Supporting Characters

Hao Xuan / Heaven Emperor

Hao Xuan is the Emperor of the Heaven Realm. He is also Chu Kong’s elder brother. Hao Xuan appears as a responsible ruler who often worries over the peace of all the 6 realms.

Xiu Ming

Xiu Ming is from the Di Xiu Divine Clan and the only royalty left in the Heaven Realm. He is an ancient immortal who doesn’t seem to be interested in the realm’s affairs but pining for someone from his past.

Jin Lian / Qian Ren / Jin Cheng

Jin Lian is the Protector of the Mo Luo Divine Clan. He is determined and vengeful with an aim to revive the clan’s leader and their past glory. Qian Ren is his reincarnation in the Mortal Realm while Jin Cheng is his father.

Zi Hui / Qian Mou

Zi Hui is the human form of the Nu Wa Stone which is an ancient magical stone. He is an honest and simple-minded man. Qian Mou is his identity in Chu Kong’s and Xiang Yun’s third tribulation in the Mortal Realm.

Jin Luo

Jin Luo is Jin Lian’s younger twin sister. Their lives are tied together but she doesn’t see eye to eye with him due to his ruthlessness and cruelty. Jin Luo reserved and cautious due to her identity and poor relationship with her brother.

Ying Shi / Xie Ying Shi

Ying Shi is the Princess of the Eastern Sea. She is willful and bossy but harmless. She has interest in Chu Kong. Xie Ying Shi is her reincarnation in the Mortal Realm as Lu Chang Kong’s cousin in his second tribulation.

Hong Xian Weng / Red Thread Master

Red Thread Master is the master of the Marriage Pavilion in the Heaven Realm. He enlightened Xiang Yun and took her under his wing. Red Thread Master is a kind and funny immortal.

Immortal Li

Immortal Li works in the Fate Bureau in the Heaven Realm. He is in charge of writing the fate outlines for mortals. Immortal Li is also Xiang Yun’s good friend.

Song Qin Wen / Chief Yang / King Mo Luo

Song Qin Wen is Xiang Yun’s father in her second tribulation. He is the Commander of the Imperial Guards and close friend of Great General Lu. He also dotes on his daughter and is an upright man who cares about his reputation.

Chief Yang is Xiang Yun’s father in her third tribulation. He is the leader of the Yu Jian Sect.

Wan Jun / Madame Yang / Empress Dowager

Wan Jun and Madame Yang is Xiang Yun’s mother in her second and third tribulation respectively. Both characters are married to Xiang Yun’s father and devoted to each other.

Feng Du Wei / Xu Wen Rui

Feng Du Wei is Commander of the Criminal Investigation Bureau in Great Chen Kingdom in the Mortal Realm. He is loyal to the Emperor of Great Chen and does his bidding. Xu Wen Rui is his reincarnation in Chu Kong’s and Xiang Yun’s third tribulation. He is the leader of Jin Wu Sect and indulges in the dark practices to strengthen his powers.

Li Yan

Li Yan is the Emperor of Great Chen in the Mortal Realm. He is a small-minded ruler who doesn’t like being outshined by his officials and is always suspicious of Great General Lu. He has 3 sons including Xiu Ming who is the third prince.

Synopsis

Chu Kong is the God of War who has lost his memories after a battle with Cang Hai of the Mo Luo Divine Clan 30,000 years ago. Cang Hai is said to have turned demonic and banished into the Void by Chu Kong. The battle has also caused Chu Kong’s primordial spirit to suffer damage. When a prophecy surfaces that Cang Hai will return within 1,000 years, there is urgency for Chu Kong to quickly repair his primordial spirit. The way to do this is for him to undergo 7 love tribulations in the Mortal Realm.

Xiang Yun who is a young fairy in the Marriage Pavilion is tasked with finding Chu Kong a love partner for his tribulations. But an accident causes both of them to be tied up through a thread of fate. Hence, Xiang Yun is forced to become Chu Kong’s partner. Despite Chu Kong’s initial disdain for Xiang Yun, both of them end up developing feelings for each other after several tribulations together.

However, Chu Kong is also suspicious of Xiang Yun’s past and identity after these tribulations. At the same time, the Mo Luo Divine Clan is trying to revive Cang Hai and seek revenge.

Love You Seven Times Ending & Recap (Spoilers Alert!)

Love You Seven Times has a happy ending. Chu Kong manages to retrieve Cang Hai’s powers for Xiang Yun. But this means her twin sister’s powers inside Hao Xuan also comes alive again since he has absorbed them earlier. Thus, if they kill Hao Xuan with their combined powers, Xiang Yun will also die since her fate is tied to her twin.

However, Xiang Yun and Hao Xuan are both unaware that Chu Kong has cast his Soul Protecting Spell on her/Cang Hai 30,000 years ago. This spell ensures any harm to Xiang Yun/Cang Hai will get transferred to him instead. So, Chu Kong kills Hao Xuan without any reservation. His spell protects Xiang Yun and he dies in her place instead. Before Chu Kong fades into dust, he tells Xiang Yun to live well and perhaps they will meet again in the future.

After Hao Xuan’s death, Xiu Ming takes his place as the Heaven Emperor although he sees it as a temporary measure. Xiang Yun declines to rule Mo Luo Divine Clan and hands over the task to Jin Lian and Jin Luo. 300 years later, a celestial star appears and she believes Chu Kong is still alive. She goes to the Mortal Realm and runs a stall in front of the Marriage Temple where she first met Chu Kong 30,000 years ago. Chu Kong appears and the couple reunites to end the drama.

First Tribulation

The first tribulation is in Episode 1. Xiang Yun and Chu Kong turn into a tiger cub and pig respectively while in the Mortal Realm. They die and return to the Heaven Realm after being killed by hunters.

Second Tribulation

The second tribulation runs from Episode 2 to Episode 12. Xiang Yun reincarnates as Song Xiang Yun in the Mortal Realm but with her memories from the Heaven Realm intact. Chu Kong becomes Lu Chang Kong. Both are betrothed to each other since young as their families are close friends. Both their fathers are generals and serve Emperor Li Yan of Great Chen. Following them to the Mortal Realm is Xiu Ming who reincarnates as Emperor Li Yan’s son, Prince Ning.

As Lu Chang Kong’s father is a threat to Emperor Li Yan, Prince Ning advises his father on how to get rid of him. With the Lu family being targeted, Lu Chang Kong’s father commits suicide and his mother is killed by Commander Feng’s guards. The Lu family is accused of rebelling. As the Lu and Song families are close, the latter also gets entangled in the mess. Song Xiang Yun agrees to marry Prince Ning in order to protect her family in Episode 10.

Song Xiang Yun’s father tries to expose Prince Ning’s deceit but gets imprisoned. He commits suicide in his cell together with his wife in Episode 11. Lu Chang Kong turns up during Song Xiang Yun and Prince Ning’s marriage ceremony in Episode 12. While Lu Chang Kong and Song Xiang Yun try to escape during a fight between the 2 sides, Prince Ning shoots an arrow at Lu Chang Kong. She dies after shielding him from the arrow. Lu Chang Kong subsequently dies of depression and war injuries.

Third Tribulation

The third tribulation is from Episode 15 to Episode 21. Chu Kong’s reincarnated with his memories from Heaven Realm intact this time. He is the leader of Sheng Ling Sect. Xiang Yun is now Yang Xiao Xiang and she is the daughter of Chief Yang of the Yu Jian Sect. Both of them are born with a Ling Long Heart which means they won’t live beyond 20 years old. In order to lengthen their lifespan, they would need to a Ling Long Heart donor and it would only work if there is love between them. Xiu Ming again follows them to the Mortal Realm as Xiao Xiang’s childhood friend.

After watching her parents getting killed by Xu Wen Rui, Xiao Xiang lost her memories. Chu Kong brings her back to Sheng Ling Sect and takes care of her with the intention to gain her Ling Long Heart at first. But he falls for her and couldn’t bear to kill her anymore. She also chooses him over Xiu Ming in Episode 18 and confessing that she likes him the most. But Xiao Xiang misunderstands Chu Kong and thinks he killed her parents when she discovers about their Ling Long Heart in Episode 20.

Chu Kong asks Xiu Ming to take Xiao Xiang away after they are being targeted by Xu Wen Rui for their Ling Long Heart which has divine powers. But she still yearns for Chu Kong and returns to help him kill Xu Wen Rui together. After the fight, Chu Kong transfers his heart to Xiao Xiang while kissing her which takes her by surprise. He dies thereafter. Xiao Xiang also doesn’t want to live without him. She hugs his body and drops off the cliff to die with him in Episode 21.

Fourth Tribulation

The fourth tribulation takes place in Episode 22 to Episode 24. Chu Kong and Xiang Yun are suspicious about Immortal Li’s disappearance. She wants to go to the Mortal Realm to look for clues since Immortal Li wrote the fate to their tribulations. So, Chu Kong has no choice but to follow her. Xiang Yun becomes the Princess of Qi while Chu Kong is the General. However, they end up having swapped bodies when they arrive in the Mortal Realm.

To get back their bodies due to an impending war with Wei, they seek out Jin Luo who is reputed to be an effective but eccentric doctor. After they regained their bodies, they discover Zi Hui who has been locked up by Jin Luo to protect him from Jin Lian. They free him from Jin Luo who still refuses to return to Zi Hui his stone heart and tell him about her identity. Zi Hui doesn’t believe Jin Luo when she explains that his stone heart is able to revive Cang Hai. He parts ways with Xiang Yun and Chu Kong to seek out the truth himself from Jin Lian.

Xiang Yun gets the clue that Immortal Li had left behind through 2 halves of a piece of jade that belong to the Qi Emperor and Empress Dowager. The Qi Emperor and his mother do not get along until a threat from a Wei spy make them reconcile. The Empress Dowager then gives up her half of the jade to her son that enables him to control the army. Xiang Yun could then read the combined words of the 2 halves of the jade. She drinks poisoned wine to die to return to the Heaven Realm thereafter while Chu Kong dies from his injuries after the war with Wei.

Fifth Tribulation

The fifth tribulation starts from Episode 25 until Episode 31. Chu Kong and Xiang Yun return to 30,000 years ago to find out the truth since Immortal Li’s clues point to Cang Hai being wronged. Chu Kong remains as himself while Xiang Yun is Cang Hai, Empress of the Mo Luo Divine Clan in this tribulation.

While visiting the Mortal Realm, Cang Hai meets Chu Kong and they fall in love with each other. He casts his Soul Protecting Spell on Cang Hai after their confession in Episode 27. They got married in Episode 30. However, Hao Xuan is jealous of Chu Kong as the latter is the favored son. He tricks Jin Cheng who is the Protector of the Mo Luo Divine Clan to reveal the clan’s secret. Cang Hai actually has a hidden identical twin sister, Ming Yue who was born a demon.

So, Hao Xuan changes the divine prophecy that Cang Hai will turn demonic instead of Ming Yue whom no one knows of her existence. He then tricks Ming Yue to eliminate the Di Xiu Divine Clan so that the blame lies on Cang Hai. This will then implicate Chu Kong and he will be able to replace his brother to be their clan’s next leader. Hao Xuan also absorbs Ming Yue’s powers so that he will be unstoppable. Thus, when he is about to defeat Chu Kong, Cang Hai drops herself into the Void because her death means her twin’s powers will also disappear from Hao Xuan.

Xiang Yun returns to the Heaven Realm after her death. Hao Xuan tries to erase the memories of the weakened Chu Kong after their fight. But this time, Chu Kong uses the ancient compass borrowed from Jin Lian to return to the Heaven Realm with his memories intact.

Sixth Tribulation

In the sixth tribulation from Episode 32 to Episode 37, Chu Kong goes to the Mystery Forest which is inhabited by the Demon Clan. His aim is to obtain the Powers of the Demon Kings because that would enable him to enter the Void to retrieve Cang Hai’s powers. Together with his power, they will then be able to fight Hao Xuan. Xiang Yun follows Chu Kong to Mystery Forest. Chu Kong pretends not to know Xiang Yun initially in order to keep her safe. But they need to work together eventually to keep their identities a secret and achieve their aim.

When Hao Xuan learns that Xiang Yun is Cang Hai in Episode 36, he attacks Mystery Forest. Xiang Yun surrenders and agrees to follow Hao Xuan back to the Heaven Realm to avoid a battle that will cause unnecessary deaths. Chu Kong manages to retrieve Cang Hai’s powers from the Void and returns to the Heaven Realm to save Xiang Yun in Episode 37.

They meet Zi Hui there as he is working for Hao Xuan to help him to gather cores of great demons and activate a formation. Hao Xuan’s plan is to absorb the powers of the cores which will then enable him to control the demon forces in the Mystery Forest. Zi Hui is forced to do so as he needs the antidote from Hao Xuan to save Jin Luo.

When Did The Leads Get Together?

Xiang Yun seems to have fallen for Chu Kong after their second tribulation in Episode 13 but reminds herself that it is all just a tribulation for them. Chu Kong feels strongly for Xiang Yun after their third tribulation and asks her how she feels towards him at the end of Episode 21. He wants her to think over it before giving him an answer but she kisses him in response.

The couple starts dating in Episode 22. Chu Kong reassures her that he would never sacrifice her to nourish his primordial spirit after she overheard his conversation with the Heaven Emperor.

Is There Any Breakup & Love Triangle?

No, there is no breakup between Chu Kong and Xiang Yun after they got together.

As for the love triangle, Xiu Ming also has feelings for Cang Hai but she makes it clear to him that she only regards him as a brother in Episode 29. He knows she is in love with Chu Kong and is accepting of their marriage in Episode 30. Xiu Ming then decides to see the outside world after being in Mo Luo Divine Clan for so long but is then told by Hao Xuan that Cang Hai has turned demonic and killed by Chu Kong in Episode 31.

In Episode 38, Xiu Ming feelings for Xiang Yun/Cang Hai has transcended romantic notions. She is now family to him and supportive of her decision to look for Chu Kong and pursue her own happiness.

Xiu Ming’s Background

In a flashback in Episode 13, Xiu Ming was told by the Heaven Emperor that Cang Hai turned demonic and wiped out his Di Xiu Divine Clan. Chu Kong sacrificed half of his primordial spirit to cast Cang Hai into the Void. The girl Xiu Ming has been pining for all along is Cang Hai and he knows Xiang Yun is her reincarnation. Cang Hai had been kind to him in the past and gave him a jade relic that contains a sliver of her power to nourish his weak primordial spirit then.

In Episode 21, Chu Kong’s investigation reveals that Xiu Ming was sent to Mo Luo Divine Clan as a hostage prince when he was young and weak. Xiu Ming came back to the Heaven Realm after Cang Hai was defeated 30,000 years ago and the Mo Luo Divine Clan fell. He admits it when Chu Kong confronts him over it but insists that Cang Hai is not evil and vows to protect her if she returns. Xiu Ming is secretly using up his primordial spirit to cultivate a Soul Shattering Arrow for that purpose.

Who Is The Villain?

The villain Hao Xuan, the Heaven Emperor. He kills Immortal Li in Episode 19 after the latter saw the Doom Mark on his arm. In Episode 27, the Heaven Emperor’s jealousy is revealed when Chu Kong and Xiang Yun travel back to 30,000 years ago to learn what happened to Cang Hai. He is dissatisfied that their father favored his brother over him. So, he frames Cang Hai who is then in a relationship with Chu Kong as being demonic. He does so by changing the divine prophecy and this is why his arm has the Doom Mark.

Love You Seven Times Review – Mini Stories Wrapped Into One

Love You Seven Times is a xianxia drama that also has tribulations as part of the main plot. At first glance, this looks like the usual recycled plot of immortals and their tests as ordinary humans in the Mortal Realm. However, I find this is more than just standard xianxia fare after a few episodes. This is because the whole story is a collection of tribulations with each being a mini story in itself. The fear for this kind of plot is it tends to run all over the place as each mini segment may end up being detached from the main story.

Fortunately, that is not the case for this drama. There is continuity after each tribulation and it makes sense why there is a need for more experiences in the Mortal Realm. The good thing about this is each mini segment brings something new to the table. Hence, it adds more variety to the drama rather than being repetitive. But the downside is the mini stories require time to build up. As a result, the start of each tribulation can get a little boring with the momentum of the main story being put on hold to introduce a new setting before rejoining at the end of it.

Personally, I find this story with so many tribulations refreshing although not all the mini segments are interesting. There will be some boring parts here and there but it is not so drawn out like Immortal Samsara. However, all these different timelines that the protagonists have to go through means the urge to binge watch this all the way to the end also tends to become subdued.

Lacks Intensity

Love You Seven Times is not an emotionally intense drama. With each tribulation being a story by itself, it is hard to sustain that intensity with each new setting. As one segment ends and another begins, the addiction will naturally taper off. Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean that the drama is bad. In fact, all the tribulations are cleverly done and weaved together to form a coherent plot. It is just that they become like a chapter each time and that leaves room for you to stop and take a break.

Consequentially, the emotional aspect is not as intense and moving. You will root for the couple but the story and characters won’t touch you and make you reach for a tissue. You won’t feel that ache in your heart as you watch unlike Lost You Forever S1. Perhaps the tone of the drama is also meant to be more lighthearted as the protagonists are playful at times. So, if you expect this to be emotionally touching, the impact is really not there with both light and serious moments throughout.

Predictable Villain

While Love You Seven Times has an interesting plot line, there are no twists and surprises unlike Divine Destiny. So, you can more or less predict who the female protagonist is and the identity of the villain after a few episodes. It really doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out especially if you have watched a few xianxia dramas in the past.

Basically, we will have another cliche villain with the standard excuse of why he acted the way he did. What is then left are the details of how he manipulated everything to achieve his goal. This is where each tribulation will reveal a little bit more of the puzzle to keep the story moving forward. His ending is, of course, expected but it is still better presented than The Longest Promise to me. So, although some aspects of the story are routine xianxia fare, they are still well-executed overall. Furthermore, the ending won’t leave you guessing which some xianxia dramas like to do.

Acting & Chemistry

I have been watching Ryan Ding since The Romance Of Tiger And Rose and he does have his charm. Well, who can resist his boyish good looks, right? Anyway, Love You Seven Times should be a little more complex for him due to the different roles that he has to play. Although they are essentially the same person originally, there are subtle differences among the characters with the passage of time. I think Ryan Ding did well to bring out these subtleties and I enjoy watching him in this drama.

Yang Chao Yue may not be the best actress out there and I think it shows for some of her scenes. But she has also improved from the first time I watched her in Dance Of The Phoenix. In Love You Seven Times, she may not be perfect but she still did fine overall to me. Only in some scenes that her expressions are still somewhat lacking and mechanical when she needs to show distress.

Chemistry-wise, I think Ryan Ding and Yang Chao Yue is sweet as a couple. It is not blazing hot type of chemistry but there is a lot of warmth and love in their scenes together. That chemistry is convincing enough to project a couple very much devoted to each other.

My Verdict – Watch!

I think Love You Seven Times deserves your time even if you are not a xianxia drama fan. This is really something different from the usual despite the common plot of tribulations. It has to do with the way those tribulations have been linked together to reveal a puzzle from a past injustice. The settings may be new in each tribulation which causes the story to lose its intensity and momentum but they are creatively written to make up for that weakness. So, when taken as a whole, the drama is still an interesting and a refreshing one to watch.

Furthermore, the costumes, cinematography and CGIs for this drama are also nicely done with strong attention to details. The scenes of the Heaven Realm are fantasy-like and beautiful which totally suit its celestial status. I rarely take notice of location settings and CGIs in dramas, but this one does attract me with its picturesque scenes as I watched.

For this Love You Seven Times review, I would rate it 8/10. The start may be a little slow especially during the second tribulation which is rather long. So, give it a bit of time for the story to become unique and the creativity apparent. It is a very well-written story with no obvious plot holes. It is also not a very emotional and angsty drama but a fairly sweet one. I think this should be a satisfying watch not only for those who love a warm romance but also those who appreciate a solid story.