Critics call The Early Spring a major phenomenon and the most successful Chinese television drama of 2026. Beyond its massive popularity in China, the workplace romance drama gained strong traction across Vietnam and the Americas. The series made headlines by holding the number two spot on Netflix’s global chart for non-English TV shows for three consecutive weeks. It topped weekly charts in eight countries, alongside Hong Kong and Taiwan, while entering the top 10 across 54 countries and territories. The show’s overwhelming success significantly elevated the profile of lead stars Jing Boran (Luan Nian) and Sun Qian (Shang Zhitao).
On the morning of October 15, Jing Boran and Sun Qian reunited at a Beijing seminar discussing the success of The Early Spring. Both stars arrived looking exceptionally stylish, evoking memories of their characters Luan Nian and Shang Zhitao heading into an office meeting together. Unedited photos of the two actors instantly went viral. Fans showered Jing Boran with praise for his cool, modern, and sharp “CEO-like” appearance, while Sun Qian charmed onlookers with her gentle, feminine, and radiant look. However, Sun Qian’s expressive face sparked the most online discussion when fans caught her looking Jing Boran up and down with an amused, “judgmental” expression. Many fans jokingly speculated that Sun Qian was evaluating why Jing Boran dressed up so extravagantly for a television symposium.
While the massive success of The Early Spring brought increased spotlight to both leads, it also brought controversy. Recently, overly aggressive fans of the drama launched intense attacks and boycott attempts against Jing Boran. Critics accused him and his real-life girlfriend, top model Liu Wen, of using the show’s popularity to promote their personal relationship and raise their public profile. In response, disgruntled fans circulated a list detailing “18 grievances” against Jing Boran and demanded widespread refunds across multiple streaming platforms. Extreme online fans even urged Jing Boran and Liu Wen to break up.
