‘The Early Spring’: Why this Chinese drama is taking global audiences by storm
The Chinese drama 'The Early Spring' has gained significant global popularity on Netflix, ranking high on international charts. The show is noted for its workplace romance themes and the inclusion of an intimacy coordinator, a rarity in C-Dramas.
Why it matters
The success of this series reflects the increasing mainstream global consumption of East Asian media and the shifting production standards in Chinese television.
Is 2026 the year of the onscreen workplace romance?
East-Asian drama audiences are at present, collectively swooning over two CEOs. Kang Ha-Gi(played by actor Kang Hoon) from the South-Korean romance My Bias, My Boss , and Luan ‘Luke’ Nian(Jing Boran) from the Chinese drama The Early Spring . This comes on the heels of the recently concluded K-Drama, See You At Work Tomorrow , a well-written workplace romance starring Seo In-guk and Park Ji-hyun.
The Early Spring , currently streaming on Netflix, has taken the world by storm. Ahead of its release, the show generated buzz for reportedly having an intimacy coordinator on set , considered a rarity for C-Dramas. The show’s source material, a hugely popular novel, came with its own legion of fans, eagerly awaiting its onscreen adaptation.
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