Jing Boran and Sun Qian’s workplace romance drama “The Early Spring” has made history on Netflix by becoming the highest-charting Chinese series ever on the platform.
The show premiered on August 26, 2026 and quickly climbed the charts. Within its first week, “The Early Spring” recorded 2.4 million views and 21.5 million hours watched on Netflix’s Global Weekly Chart. It secured the No. 2 position globally, marking the first time a Chinese television series has entered the Top 3 on the platform.
This achievement surpasses the previous record held by “Pursuit of Jade,” the costume drama starring Zhang Linghe and Tian Xiwei. That series debuted at No. 6 with 1.9 million views and 34.2 million hours viewed in March 2026. “Pursuit of Jade” stayed on the chart for two weeks and accumulated 3.7 million views total. “The Early Spring” reached its No. 2 position in just one week of release.
The Drama’s Strong Global Performance
“The Early Spring” made its presence felt immediately after its August 26 premiere. Within just two days, it climbed to No. 6 on Netflix’s Global Daily Chart and appeared in the daily Top 10 across 54 countries and regions.
The series took the No. 1 spot in multiple markets including Singapore, Thailand, Japan, South Korea, and Brazil. It also topped charts in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Indonesia. In India, the show currently sits at No. 4 on Netflix’s most-watched list.
According to data from FlixPatrol, the drama recorded 220,305 points and quickly became an unexpected hit at the end of the summer season. The show also achieved a strong audience rating of 8.4 on both IMDb and MyDramaList.
What The Early Spring Is About
“The Early Spring” is a 24-episode urban drama adapted from Gu Niang Bie Ku’s web novel Zao Chun Qing Lang. The story follows Shang Zhitao (played by Sun Qian), a young woman who leaves her hometown for Beijing in search of better opportunities. With an average academic background, she never expects to land a job at Lime, one of the world’s top advertising agencies.
On her first day, she meets Luan Nian (played by Jing Boran), Lime’s strict and blunt creative director who soon becomes her boss. What starts as a strained relationship slowly turns into a secret romance that lasts for six years. Their relationship eventually hits a breaking point due to misunderstandings and life’s realities. Shang Zhitao walks away without saying goodbye, leaving their story unfinished. Years later, they cross paths again, giving them a chance to address what went wrong.
“A warmhearted new employee and her gifted boss navigate a fast-paced workplace, all while harboring a secret relationship that may jeopardize everything,” reads the official Netflix synopsis.
Why The Show Is Getting So Much Attention
“The Early Spring” has generated buzz for several reasons. The series is reportedly the first mainland Chinese production to employ an intimacy coordinator. Intimacy coordinators have become more common in the entertainment industry since the Me Too movement in 2017. They ensure clear boundaries are set for intimate scenes, ease actor anxiety, and design physical interactions with explicit intent rather than relying on standard unguided tension.
Unlike many romances that make viewers wait until the final episodes for the leads to act on their feelings, “The Early Spring” wastes little time establishing the attraction between Shang Zhitao and Luan Nian. Their relationship is passionate, complicated, and adult-oriented.
The show’s source material came with its own dedicated fan base, eagerly awaiting the onscreen adaptation. The series has also spawned numerous social media posts with viewers discussing whether the male lead is a “green flag” or “red flag” and analyzing the couple’s communication skills.
The Cast and Their Performances
Jing Boran plays Luan Nian (also called Luke), a demanding and intimidating boss whose guarded personality slowly reveals deeper layers. His character has been compared to Christian Grey from the Fifty Shades franchise.
Sun Qian plays Shang Zhitao (also called Flora), an earnest newcomer who navigates the challenges of working at a top advertising agency.
The chemistry between Jing Boran and Sun Qian has become one of the show’s biggest talking points. Reviews have praised Jing Boran as a “scene stealer” for his portrayal of Luke’s self-assured and often brusque persona.
Behind the Scenes Success
The production team behind “The Early Spring” has received recognition for the show’s polished look. The director Jiang Ji Zheng, photography director Jian You Tao, music director Wu Bo Chun, and intimacy coordinator Cai Jia Yin are all from Taiwan. Their work has been credited with giving the show a high-quality feel that avoids the “tacky aesthetic” sometimes seen in Chinese modern dramas.
The show’s success on Netflix has also boosted Jing Boran’s Instagram following, which grew rapidly to nearly 1 million followers. Fans from around the world, particularly Brazil, have expressed their appreciation for his performance.
Release Schedule and Viewing Information
“The Early Spring” premiered with the first four episodes on Wednesday, August 26. The series releases two episodes daily with a finale of the final three episodes dropping on Saturday, September 5. Episodes are released around midnight on Netflix.
The show is streaming internationally on Netflix and is also available on Youku. It has become one of the top watched shows in multiple countries within days of its release.
Comparing the Two Dramas
“Pursuit of Jade,” the previous record-holder, was a historical costume drama that premiered on Tencent Video and iQIYI on March 6, 2026. It achieved a rating of 9.1 on MyDramaList, marking the highest debut score for a Chinese drama on the platform in two years. The show ranked first in search volume across 15 markets including the United States, Canada, Thailand, and Singapore.
“The Early Spring” has now surpassed “Pursuit of Jade” in terms of Netflix chart position, becoming the highest-charting Chinese drama in the platform’s history. The modern workplace romance has proven that Chinese dramas can compete globally across different genres.
The show’s ability to break into markets like Brazil, where Netflix has 25 million subscribers, has been particularly noteworthy. The availability of dubbed versions has helped the show reach wider audiences.
“The Early Spring” continues to gain momentum as more viewers discover the series. With its mix of workplace drama, romance, and high production values, the show has set a new standard for Chinese dramas on the global stage.
Also Read: The Early Spring Episode 14 Release Date: When and Where to Watch the C-Drama Online
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