After patiently waiting for months, we are finally treated to The Seventh Day (最美麗的第七天), a series with the great potential to tell TVB’s most tragically beautiful love story. Set primarily during the winter of modern Japan, Seventh explores the different relationships of two couples. While a love triangle developed between Niki Chow, Kevin Cheng, and Bosco Wong’s characters in Under the Canopy of Love, the 2006 hit to which Seventh is very loosely based on, Natalie Tong’s character is now brought into the picture as the main love interest of Bosco’s.

“Ah Yan” (Niki Chow) and “Chi Wing” (Kevin Cheng) are the first future couple introduced. On her way to board the ferry, “Ah Yan” bumps into an artist who is working on The Seventh Day of the Eighth Month, an illustrated story revolving around the lives of two boys born on August 7th. One of these boys is shown to be very cool with dark sunglasses while the other is looking happy with his fists pumped high. In the next scene, we find out who the cool fellow represents. After a vending machine unsuccessfully dispenses her drink, “Ah Yan” looks back to see “Chi Wing” holding one. Naturally, she attempts to thank him, but he ignores her and walks off. Throughout the episode, her perception of him worsens: he uses an unconventional method of saving a suicidal friend by pushing that person off the building to land on large airbags and later uses her cellphone to engage in an inappropriate conversation with someone she assumes to be a girlfriend. However, at the end, “Chi Wing” redeems himself by helping “Ah Yan” stop two thieves who steal her wallet. Of course, often in TVB series, this kind of “bad” boy is misunderstood. I like his cool demeanor and calmness in tight situations, so it’ll be fun to watch how she learns to understand him.

From what we’ve already seen in the trailer of The Seventh Day released last November, the relationship between “Ah Don” (Bosco Wong) and “Sa Sa” (Natalie Tong) is a bit comical and more carefree than that of “Chi Wing” and “Ah Yan.” In contrast to the first encounter between the latter two, “Ah Don” leaves a good impression on “Sa Sa” by cheerfully giving away the last drink in the vending machine to her. Unfortunately, this favor is not returned as she repeatedly causes trouble for him later: her sudden braking in traffic leads to an accident that halts his drive to work, she mistakenly locks him up in a bathroom for an hour, and a glass figurine she clumsily flings nearly hits him on the head before he painfully kneels on its scattered pieces. What makes these meetings more entertaining - except for the wounded knee part - is how grateful “Ah Don” is to “Sa Sa” for being there to “help” him each time. Unbeknownst to him, she is the reason why he is in need of rescue to begin with! It’ll be interesting seeing their relationship develop; she seems to have positive feelings toward him and he has no clue just how grateful he should be.

The presence of the artist during some of the scenes is very meaningful. With each stroke of the pencil or dab of color, his story is brought to life as the characters in the series become the characters in The Seventh Day of the Eighth Month: “Chi Wing” and “Ah Don” are the two boys who share the same birthday yet lead different lives and have opposing personalities. This idea is reinforced as sequences/characters are occasionally divided into moving panels on white background. It’s as if we are flipping through the pages of the artist’s book and studying each piece of illustration. I absolutely look forward to “reading” through the next chapters of the The Seventh Day. The first one certainly does not disappoint.

At the end of last month, TVBI released an overseas trailer for the much-anticipated The Seventh Day (最美麗的第七天). Cast members Niki Chow, Kevin Cheng, Bosco Wong, and Natalie Tong of Under the Canopy of Love return to portray new characters in this winter-themed love story. Having given up on Canopy after watching its first few episodes, I am relieved to see that Seventh is going to be more tragic and meaningful, featuring stunning sights of Nagoya, one of Japan’s largest cities.

Will two boys born on the seventh day of August also share the same experiences on the road to finding love?

[Spoilers Ahoy]

During an incident on the streets, “Ah Yan” (Niki Chow) meets and falls in love with “Ji Wing” (Kevin Cheng). Unfortunately, “Ah Yan” is later diagnosed with a malignant nasopharyngeal tumor, resulting in her isolation from “Ji Wing.” They eventually reunite, but I am eager to see how this tragic element is played out in the series. Although I do not consider myself a fan of this pairing [as I am indifferent to most], Niki and Kevin do have on-screen chemistry and look quite compatible. With a sizable fan base generated from their successful collaborations in Hard Fate and Canopy, supporters undoubtedly look forward to seeing this couple light up the screen for the third time.

There are limited scenes of “Sa Sa” (Natalie Tong) and “Ah Don” (Bosco Wong) together as the main focus of the trailer is noticeably on “Ah Yan” and “Ji Wing.” However, their relationship seems more light-hearted and playful. Initially, “Ah Don” mistakenly pursues “Sa Sa” with the belief that she is the daughter of a wealthy businessman. I’m actually most interested in seeing these two pair up since this is Natalie’s first leading role, meaning I expect her to give a breakthrough performance; “Sa Sa” seems likable and refreshing as opposed to some of the immature girls she has portrayed.

Overall, I am looking forward to watching Seventh. There is something very appealing and tragically beautiful about the winter setting of a love story. The touching Korean drama Winter Sonata immediately comes to mind [although I think Seventh will present a script with less complexity]. Perhaps it is the coldness that reflects one’s unwillingness to open his/her heart to another or as with snowflakes, we can’t always be in full control of our lives and sometimes end up “drifting” wherever fate carries us. Of course, for those who love snow and don’t often encounter it, the opportunity to see winter scenery of Nagoya is already an incentive to watch Seventh.

Are you anticipating the airing of Seventh?