The Early Spring

You don't have to be perfect to be worthy of love..

Oh man, the moral puzzle.. A lot of people are viewing the drama in very black and white terms.. All they seem to focus on is the intimacy, the toxic words exchanged and he is wrong, she is wrong, things like that.. While overlooking that the story itself is far more complex than that.. I understand that it is easier to just slot them into ' he is toxic, she is the victim ' or vice versa, but come on, the writing doesn't allow us to do that.. The writing, the script, honestly that is the backbone here.. Luan Nian and Shang Zhi Tao are not the perfect couple nor are they without their own issues.. One was arrogant and the other was insecure.. Both of them were not perfect.. And I think that is the entire point that keeps getting missed in the noise around this show..

The writing is so good that every argument between them feels so well written that I feel they have pulled off something even better than an actual villain.. Because there is no real villain here.. Just two people with their own flaws, insecurities and baggage, slowly bringing out the worst in each other..

Calling the ML a red flag would actually be being nice to him.. He was such an arrogant prick.. In any other drama, this exact character would be the second lead who gets rejected by episode 14.. If he had just kept his mouth shut whenever he got angry or upset, half of their problems would have never existed..

I found that quite a lot of people are blaming the ML and rightly so.. He deserves all the criticism.. I am just surprised that people have already decided that he is the bad guy and she is the pure white angel.. But that’s not really the case is it?? As the relationship goes deeper, she gets so lost in her insecurities.. She too contributes heavily to the outcome of their relationship..

Look at their relationship.. 6 years?? She won't stay over, won't move in, meets only on weekends.. Keeps him at arm's length from her flatmates who are clearly like her family in every way that matters.. While he is just the boyfriend, contained to a very specific box in her life.. She doesn't tell him what's going on in her life, hides almost everything, lies and lies.. Alright, you don't want him in the same room as your friends and flatmates, but why would you not introduce him as your BF to your Ex?? She doesn't tell her Ex that she has moved on or that she has a BF.. If she had told him she had a BF, would he have stayed the night in her room?? She could have avoided that whole embarrassing situation..

The ML introduced her to his friends and I guess he expected her to do the same.. You can see that in all those years of being in a relationship, she never really considered him family.. I am not saying she didn't love him but for her, her flatmates were family, but not him.. That was pretty clear..

Why didn't she tell him about that Dony guy incident?? She had already planned to make it public and take him down, so why didn't she tell her BF, who was also her boss?? He could have helped her.. At the very least, why keep something that serious completely hidden from him when he literally asked her??

More importantly, why didn't she tell him about her friend's death?? Honestly, I can't think of a single reason for her not to tell him.. Not one..

These are not script issues, because the character writing here is peak.. It's showing you someone who loves someone but has never once let him all the way in.. Simply put, she never made room for him.. All the frustration and anger we feel is the script doing its job..

She says ' If the other person doesn't trust you, nothing you say will matter.. ' Girl, the irony is that you are the same too.. You never gave him a reason to trust you blindly.. You just do things, hide things, lie and expect him to be okay with it.. Like, she goes out with her ex for lunch, reminisces about their old times, hugs him, but when she hears that the ML is having dinner with his Ex (which he just made up) she is pissed..

And then, all of a sudden she goes to him and starts talking about marriage.. Not because she actually wants to get married or anything but because her friend is getting married.. And the idea of marriage sounded good to her.. How does that work?? You both are literally having problems, a cold war is going on and there are so many things you need to talk about.. Instead of actually having a conversation about what is going on between you two or resolving the issues you already have, you jump straight to marriage?? Again, she just expects him to like it, accept it and go along with whatever she wants.. You didn't even agree to live with him or introduce him to your ex or anyone for that matter and you expect him to just rush into marriage with you??

"I thought our fourth year being together would mean something deeper than when we first dated."

How can it be deeper when after all this time, he is still just a BF who exists within those four walls.. If you had introduced him to your ex that day, this whole thing might have been different.. The ML stated his concerns and wanted her to think it through, because all he sees is someone who loves him but for whatever reason, doesn't want to involve him in any other part of her life..

The ML here is much softer compared to the original novel.. Like they toned him down on purpose to make him more acceptable.. If they wanted the same effect as the novel, they shouldn't have done it, because here we are forced to look at her flaws too now.. Luke was always trying to be there for her.. There are a lot of things he did that showed us the effort he put in for her.. But when you look back, you don't really see her doing much for him.. The effort she put in and the effort he put in were entirely one sided.. Don't tell me that's the bare minimum, because that's not.. And even if it is, we don't see the bare minimum from her side, at all.. She never made him her priority..

The drama simply deserved more episodes.. 28-30 would have been perfect.. The Harbin arc was so rushed.. If there were more episodes, we could have seen quite a lot more.. I would have loved it even more if they hadn't cut his smoking scenes, it fits the character so well.. I also wish they had kept the part from the novel where she travels from Harbin to Beijing for him.. Now that was her effort and several of the things she did for him in the relationship were just cut.. That's disappointing..

I am not going to talk about anything else.. I don't want to make this any longer than it already is.. Here's the thing people keep missing when they try to crown one of them the villain.. Luke and Flora were never a perfect couple.. They both came in with their own baggage, their own insecurities and their own trust issues and there are entire stretches of this drama where both of them handle things badly.. They hurt each other.. They say things they shouldn't.. They make bad situations worse instead of better.. But that's also what makes this story so exciting.. Watching them navigate this not so perfect relationship, with all their flaws, mistakes and everything that comes with it..

I rated this 8.5.. 8 for the story and Jing Bo Ran and Sun Qian.. 0.5 for Luke, the Dog...

P.S. Let's not pretend that Luke would actually stand a chance with her without all this drama and Flora with a green flag?? Yeah, no.. Not her cup of tea..

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Losing Control to _ove: Finding the Missing Key

🍑🌸❄️"After that day, it feels he has put a spell on me. He unlocked the secret of my desire....And all those years he made me long for more... He drove me crazy in my mind...I spent 6 years in this shameful, hidden relationship."🍑🌸❄️

The drama begins with Shang Zhitao's point of view with the quote above, and then it flashes back to the beginning when she met Luan Nian. I have to admit, I am completely captivated by Luan Nian. He is everything. He is seductive. He is tough, but he is soft.

🌸As you watch the drama, you will notice the director uses repetition to highlight key points. For example, the leads pass each other, going in opposite directions, several times. The first time is when the FL goes to her job interview. In the first scene, she is a rookie. Her hair is in a ponytail. There is a bounce in her step. As she passes the ML, she looks at him, and she looks back. In one of the later episodes, when she went in to turn in her resignation, her hair is in a ponytail, but she is no longer a rookie. Her steps are not bouncy. They are determined. She passes the ML; she doesn't look at him. This shows a change in dynamics.


🌸The title, THE EARLY SPRING, brings to mind thawing ice and tulips growing from bulbs that have been dormant during the cold winter months. Think of the male lead, Luan Nian, as the thawing ice and the female lead, Shang Zhitao, as a blooming tulip fresh out of college. Even her English name, Flora, correlates with the theme.It takes time and endurance for love and ambition to reach their full bloom. The early Spring is a time of new beginnings and growth. It is also a time of rebirth and relates to the second chance at love for the leads after a time of separation. Just like the tulips remain dormant only to bloom again in the early Spring, Luan Nian and Shang Zhitao will have their second chance.



🌸Main Characters🌸

💗🧊💗 Luan Nian is a highly successful and brilliant marketing director with confidence in his own ability to control and manage those around him, as well as his self-control. He thinks through problems logically and strategically. His character is complex. His actions show he has an emotional attachment to Tao, but he will not admit it to himself. He represents the illusion of emotional control. His logical mind didn't account for the missing key and the concept that love has no rules. But I love his character. He is my favorite in this drama. His words can be harsh, but he shows his affection for Zhitao more easily than she does. He is tough on the outside, appearing detached and stoic, but at times, so tender and caring to Zhitao. I would say he fell first. The problem is that he wants to be in control. He asks the question, "Can you control your feelings of love?" While he thinks he has self-control, he comes to realize that Zhitao shatters his control. When he falls in love with Zhitao, he doesn't want to admit it because he doesn't know how to deal with the vulnerability that comes with emotional love.


NOTE: Even though his character is sophisticated and controlled, it is Luan Nian who makes me laugh out loud at his unexpected and spontaneous actions. He is blunt! He is shocking! He is bold! He is daring! He is petty 😂 And he is addictive!

🌷🍑🌷Shang Zhitao is the female lead who first appeared as a fresh graduate with average academic standards. Luan Nian rejects her as an employee, but due to circumstances, she is nevertheless hired by the company. On her first day at the prestigious firm, her boss, Luan Nian, bluntly tells her she is not suitable and will not survive in the field. Instead of backing down, she works hard with determination to achieve her goals. Shang Zhitao represents women striving for independence and career goals. She is cautious not to jeopardize her career for her relationship with Luan Nian. However, she does not share her problems with Luan Nian and tries to work things out herself. He helps her when he does find out, but it also bothers him that she doesn't call him for help. Zhitao is a character to be admired for her resilience and perseverance. She is brave. She pushes forward even though she feels vulnerable and inadequate. She becomes someone respected and admired in the workplace and even impresses Luan Nian. Shang Zhitao's vulnerability was that she never felt she was good enough.



🌸The Metaphor of the Antique Typewriter🌸

The minute I saw Luan Nian meticulously dusting off his antique typewriter. I knew it was special. Not just to him, but to the theme of this drama. My parents had one of these, and I know the keys of the manual or antique typewriters work differently than the keyboards we use today. The keys need to be pressed with some control. If you press too hard, they stick or will not bounce back smoothly. If you don't press enough, nothing will print. The typewriter represents Luan Nian and his control. He operates his business deals with the same mechanical precision, and he believes in managing with a system of rules. It also mirrors the way he approaches Zhi Tao. He knows not to pressure her too much, and he knows when to back off when she resists him.

In episode 1, Zhi Tao accidentally knocks the typewriter off the pedestal at the end of Luan Nian's desk, and it shatters on the ground. It was shocking! The pieces went everywhere. On the pedestal, it represented his controlled world, but shattered on the floor, it became a visual symbol that he does not have the control he thinks he has. He reassembles the typewriter, minus the broken L key, and puts it back on the edge of his desk, where it sits precariously, waiting to be knocked off again 😱 Zhi Tao notices the L key is missing and finds a replacement key for him. The key is not a perfect fit, and he types. "You don't have to be perfect to be worthy love." I think it's the fact that she helped him that made him accept the key as is. The question is, what does the L represent? It could be "love" as it is missing from their relationship, and it could also be for "Luan" once he accepts that love is a necessary part of a relationship.

In a nutshell, the antique typewriter represents Luan Nian's controlled, ordered life . He prides himself on his control. But his well-ordered life sits precariously on a pedestal just like his typewriter.

🎶FAVORITE OST🎵

💗 Her ( Liu Yuning)
💗 Lady Snow(Jingfei)
💗 Peacheyblossom's playlist with English lyrics https://mydramalist.com/761231-zao-chun-qing-lang/discussions/154870-the-early-spring-full-ost-with-eng-subs-lyrics (copy and paste the link)


💗The Relationship 💗 "Can You Control Your Feelings of Love?"💗

The attraction is undeniable. Luan Nian wants a relationship with Zhi Tao, but he doesn't want the complications of emotional attachment. She wants to be with him. She doesn't want her career affected, as he is her boss. It is important to her to succeed without the stigma of taking shortcuts. But she is also unsure about being in a relationship with him. She resists. He pursues.

He challenges her with the question, "Can you control your feelings of Love?" At first, I thought there was an error and the meaning was lost in translation because why would a man who doesn't want emotional ties use the word love? The translation to the Mandarin word, xi huan, is like. Perhaps he really means "like" in the romantic sense, and maybe that is why it was translated as "love." He feels he has control over his emotions, and he knows she has feelings for him. She tells him she can control her feelings. The irony of it all is that Luan Nian already has feelings for Zhitao. It becomes obvious quite early in the drama even if he doesn't say it.


Luan Nian and Zhitao agree to an exclusive relationship. Can we say "friends with benefits?"

And then there were 3. Around episode 15, the addition of Luke🐾💗 became a symbol of unity and almost immediately softened the barriers between Luan Nian and Zhitao. They became a little family.


🌸Significant Quotes🌸

Tan Mian: You are a typical case of wanting something but being scared.
You didn't want her to cling to you,
yet you are afraid that she doesn't care about you.
Mr. Luan, you lost it.

Luan Nian: You don’t have to be perfect to be worthy of love.

Shang Zhitao: As much as I longed for love, I was still struggling with reality.


💗The Reconciliation💗

I will not go into the events that led to the separation. The journey had challenges but was filled with many beautiful moments and character development. The reconciliation spanned from episode 22 to 24. Luan Nian patiently waits for Zhitao to accept him back into her life. The conversations, the emotions, and the love that shone through their eyes when they looked at each other made this a beautiful part of the drama. I will not go into the details of the proposal, as the surprise will leave you smiling.
As for the typewriter that fascinated me from episode 1, I was thrilled to see a part of it make its appearance at the end. It was all so perfect!
"Their love survived the bitter winter, and finally welcomed the early spring.
From there through the blazing summer, they entered the brightest season of their lives.
And that warmth will never fade."


💗🌷💗The Early Spring is a powerful portrayal of love and relationships. It shows how two flawed people can hurt each other, evolve through years of separation, and finally stand as equals, proving that while we will never be perfect, we can always choose to be better.

We don't have to be perfect to be loved.













🌸 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION🌸

Youku announced a follow-up titled "Midsummer Clear Skies." What could this mean?
☀️"Early Spring" represents beginnings, uncertainty, and vulnerability.
☀️"Midsummer" implies full bloom. It signifies that the characters have left behind the uncertainties of early romance. They have become true equals.
"Early spring" weather is chilly, and overcast. It is unpredictable and mirrors the six years of intense, secretive, on and off painful misunderstandings the couple endured. "Clear Skies" implies the fog has cleared and secrets are out in the open. The sequel title makes me think it is a story that is bright and warm under "clear skies." The "clear skies" mean out in the open instead of secret and hidden.
☀️Luan Nian's account on weibo teased fans with the line: "In the height of summer, there are no ice sculptures."This points to Luan Nian’s character arc. The "Midsummer" title implies that his emotional defenses have melted away. Ultimately, the title implies that the sequel will leave behind the struggles of the past and step into a warmer and brighter chapter of their shared lives as a married couple.
☀️I wonder if the sequel will incorporate Lumi and Will's story or they will be given their own drama.

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50 Shades of Luke?

I know I have used this phase before, “it pains me to write this . .” This time I really mean it.

Let's start from the top. The A-plot concerns a rich tsundere boss who stole the heart of a beautiful new employee. Their entanglement is built upon a web of love, lust and control. The power dynamics is obviously lopsided. Only when the FL walks away after 6 years does he realises he cannot live without her.

If you are thinking, that's just the typical office romance trope, this show dials up everything. Both the OTP's interactions and their skinship (by Chinese standard) are intense. In fact, a lot of the publicity is centred around the series employing an intimacy coordinator, a first for any Chinese production.

I am sure there are a lot of discussions about their love story by now. I don't want to turn this into some kind of relationship manifesto, so I’ll keep things succinct. What I'm about to say is not going to go down well in some quarters. ;)

To put it bluntly, the ML is a rich, arrogant piece of work. He is a narcissist and woe to any female who falls in love with him. He can be a condescending green eye monster and prone to gaslight his victims, I mean girlfriends. Yes, he has his softer side, but it is locked away deep in his psyche and is only let out occasional.

On the other side is the sweet and naïve FL. She is a new grad just entering the workforce. She is eager to please and craves recognition from the ML.

The FL is often belittled by him and withers on the vine depending on his mood. Hot or cold, she suffers through them all. It is difficult to watch unless you switch off your empathy circuit.

How I wish it was a cheap and nasty production then I can laugh it off. Unfortunately, this is a top-notch drama by all matrix. This makes the story even more poignant. There are many triggers, so many.

If this is not problematic enough, there are other narrative issues as well. For instance, the death of the SML was a key trigger for their eventual break-up. While the show keeps telling us the SML is so important to her, I don't get it. The FL studiously kept their relationship platonic. Good friends, absolutely. Besties? I’m not sure. We know the SML has a crush on her, but the FL has never shown any interest in him.

Ditto, the implausibility of keeping an intense office love affair secret for 6 years. Even the HR director told the ML how obvious it was after the fact. They were literally leaving breadcrumbs everywhere. The show just ignores the used-by date of that trope.

However, it is the show’s treatment of FL’s once she is back in Harbin that got my goat. I read those chapters in the novel. I liked them very much. It acknowledges the FL’s struggles and her determination to stand on her own two feet. The fact they trivialised much of her progress is disappointing. To rub salt into the wound, the ML is back in her life before the episode is over. BTW, the book's Luke is a changed man by then. It is more vague in the show.

I get that with 2 eps left to go; they must turn the ship around. Their reconciliation is swoon-y and heartfelt, but once again, the focus is largely on the ML. Most of FL's growth feels perfunctory without proper context. Montages and flashbacks are used extensively to speed things up. This whole act feels rushed and breathless.

I chalk this up to the series being trimmed from 32 to 24 eps. I gather most of the cut came from the final act. I noticed a marked deviation from the book at this point. Many key events are excised.

The end result is a solid start, a draggy middle, and then a hurried final act. It delivered as promised, but ends on a discordant note.

For me, the saving grace is the leads' acting. Jing Bo Ran never fails to deliver. From his cold countenance to his ugly crying, he embodied the soul of his character. Whether you love or hate Luke, it is all thanks to his superb acting.

While, the role of the FL was unfairly reduced towards the end, Sun Qian delivered a solid performance. She can play the young and naïve character well as seen in Love Stories of the 70's, but this role is more demanding. She definitely rises to the challenge.

I was vacillating on my score, and finally settled on an 8 because of their superior acting. It would have been lower otherwise.

In the end, the show is making waves both in China and overseas as it is streaming on Netflix. It has gained serious traction. I do wonder how much of this is due to hype and curiosity. My own opinion has certainly changed during its run.

This is unfortunate. The drama is well made. The source material is there. The actors are up for the challenge. It started well, but it became an ouroboros by mid show. I’m sure the HEA ending will assuage many fans.

Overall, I enjoyed this series, but with reservations. It is not a rewatch for me. I won't mind a highlight reel though. That will keep me warm in the depth of a Harbin winter. Peace.

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Bring back messy, flawed characters

In a world obsessed with green flags, it’s kind of refreshing to see two characters that just do so many things wrong. They fight, break-up, and back together countless times, but then they have these really sweet moments that make you understand why people stick around in these types of relationships. It’s messy but so much more interesting than a couple that’s just made up of two perfect people, and I had a fantastic time watching this live and seeing all the discourse on it — to see so many different takes on it is a good thing, and it’s a testament to how all the viewers’ perspectives are shaped by different lived experiences.

I do have my own opinions on the dynamic between the leads, and for me the power dynamic is such a huge cloud over their entire relationship that I mostly find myself on the side of the FL and anxiously waiting for the imbalance to even out. Her character development as she grew into herself at work and started speaking up for herself was really great to see, but her character doesn’t truly break free until the big separation, which is why the pacing made me increasingly nervous as the show went on and it hadn’t happened yet.

Word on the street is that they cut the drama from 32 episodes and I think those episodes were really needed. There are a few scenes between the leads that are fantastic and really highlight how much history there is between them, but I think we still needed slower development: more scenes of both of them growing by themselves as people, and then more time for them to come back together and trust each other again. I’ve made it clear that I thought the power imbalance was a huge issue, and I feel like there was still some pushiness that I was uncomfortable with that could’ve been resolved if there was simply more time to develop them. The last episode in particular moves really fast, and it also feels like some subplots (Lumi’s romance arc, for example) were started and never really expanded on.

Despite that, I think some of the subplots were the most powerful episodes, and the side characters were all wonderful; I really loved the focus on female friendships in certain episodes and when it came to supporting each others’ careers or comforting each other thoughout the show in general. And there was also a really powerful and heart-breaking portrayal of depression in what ended up being one of my favorite episodes.

Overall, despite the rushed pacing at the end, I really enjoyed this one and all the thought pieces that came with it. It’s messier than most cdramas for sure, but that’s what made it memorable, and the chemistry between the leads really sold it. Great OST as well.

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More Than Just Another Love Story

I've just finished it, so my review will probably be too emotional, but...
But this drama is very, very highly recommended.

It's about true love. Yes, I know, it sounds very trivial and you can think now: yeah, another drama about love... nothing interesting. But, let me tell you something :)

When they met, he was the CEO of a huge company, but she... has just finished her studies, doesn't have any experience, but what's worse - she was insecure. But she knows what she's fighting for. By being hard-working and devoted to the work, she wins more and more to finally be a resourceful, independent and confident woman.

How about him? Well... it's complicated. He gives her a hard time at work, but it's quite a motivation for her. He supports but hurts. Loves but harms. Perfect at work, totally lacking emotional life.

Their love adventure begins from passion and desire, but suddenly ceases because of her anxiety of losing work. She came to the capital from the North China to improve her career and win the most she can. But it's not so easy to stop, when someone tempts you all the time...

By the time they go through uncountable happy, sad, trouble, hard and disappointing situations. Break ups and reunions to finally find out what's more important. The source of misunderstandings? Lack of honesty, which is the most important thing in every relationship.

The drama is highly worth seeking, but prepare a bucket for tears and a lot of tissues ;) you'll need them not only once ;)

By watching the series I realized, after many hardships in my life... that I maybe haven't loved anyone so strong yet. And being loved too.

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They Loved Each Other, But They Desperately Needed Therapy (i love them both and now i need therapy)

two complex and flawed adults fell for each other even before they knew.

the characters go on a journey, journey which is as painful as it is beautiful. there are many stops and turns along the way which eventually lead to miscommunication because of the absence of communication.

at first i was so agitated about how luan nian kept saying things which he didn't mean. i was furious on taotao for not taking a firm stand in front of him. as the story went on, it was quite clear that he was not only arrogant but afraid to be vulnerable, didn't know how to show her that he cared; and she kept things from him whenever something bad happened to her maybe because she was also afraid to ask him for help or involve him more in her own life.

he kept saying those mean words whenever he was jealous or felt like he is losing her. i don't know what his reasoning was for this behaviour but it seemed like he believed he was protecting himself from falling for her, completely ignorant towards the fact that he was already drowned in his love for her.

after all these years, they still tried. the problem was never that there were no feelings between them. if anything, there were too many. the problem was that they hadn't changed much to embark on new journey. they couldn't let go of each other but they were also not ready to truly hold on to each other in the way the other person needed.

they loved each other but love alone couldn't fix what they refused to confront. they needed honesty, vulnerability and courage to actually accept their own feelings for the other and say what they truly felt.
I swear, if i were in taotao's place and he had the guts to say those things to me, i would've blocked him that instant. on his FACE. 😭

eventually there came the time when taotao took her stand so firmly, and just disappeared without a word. however this separation was necessary for luan nian so he could process what he had done and to sit with the consequences of his actions.

it took time for them to come around. (it would have been better if laun nian begged her to take him back, but yeah that VIDEO of him is also okay okay 🐸). and yes it's a happy ending!!!!!

all in all, it’s a frustrating, painful, but ultimately beautiful story about how love isn't enough on its own, you have to be brave enough to grow up for it.

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When Prideful man meets Insecure woman

What a drama! It gets you hooked from the get-go and makes you feel like you just entered a toxic situationship but you just can't leave. The actors did a fantastic job, we end up hating and loving both at different point in the drama. It's a bit fast paced but it's the right pace for the show. You have to pay attention because there is a lot of time skips and it's not well indicated throughout the show. The chemistry is wonderful, sparks everywhere. ^^
There is no boring épisodes, matter of fact, you'll wish there were more épisodes, lol. Brace you heart, you will go through a rollercoaster of emotions and ups and downs. We have a really nice supporting cast with several endearing characters.
The show is easily bingeable. There is some nice character development and a beautiful ending.
If you're wondering what might be the vibe of the show, think Ex-factor by Lauryn Hill. ^^

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One of the Best Modern Dramas I Have Ever Watched ?

Believe me when I say this, The Early Spring is one of the best dramas I have watched this year.

I read the novel about a year ago. I don't usually read novels, and this was only the second one I had ever read. The first was Legend of the Female General. I had already watched three dramas starring Sun Qian: Dr. Cutie, Love Song in Winter, and Love Story in the 1970s, with Love Story in the 1970s being my favourite. As for Jing Boran, this was my first drama of his. However, from the moment I saw the cast and read the synopsis, I somehow felt that Jing Boran was perfect for the role of Luan Nian.

When I first started reading the novel, I actually wanted to quit because Luan Nian was such a jerk. 😭 But I continued because I wanted to see Shang Zitao's journey and how her character developed.

After finishing the novel, I came across some BTS clips from the drama. When I saw Jing Boran crying, I felt strangely relieved. I remember thinking that at least he probably wouldn't be exactly the same arrogant and difficult man from the novel. 😂

Then came the long wait for the drama.

The moment The Early Spring was released, I immediately started watching it. And the very first thing I fell in love with was the opening song sung by Liu Yuning. It was so addictive that I couldn't bring myself to skip the opening even once. That's honestly how much I loved it.

As someone who has read the novel, I am genuinely very happy with this adaptation. There were so many misunderstandings, unspoken feelings, and moments of pain between the two leads, but I am really happy that eventually both of them came to understand what the actual problems in their relationship were, even if it took them a long time to realise them.

And Luan Nian... what happened to that proud, stubborn and arrogant man from the novel? 😂 He became a total green flag and an absolute simp. I loved seeing that transformation. At the same time, Shang Zitao gradually became the person she wanted to be, and seeing her journey was one of my favourite parts of the story.

I don't know why, but today I feel genuinely happy after finishing this drama. It has been a while since I felt this happy after watching a C-drama. There is something about this story that just stayed with me.

Of course, the drama did have one noticeable problem: the time jumps. But considering that the drama was reduced from 32 episodes to 24, I think they still managed the adaptation surprisingly well.

What I especially loved about The Early Spring is that the story feels very close to real life. People can genuinely love each other and still have problems in their relationship. Lack of communication, misunderstandings, trust issues, jealousy and unresolved feelings can create distance even when two people deeply care about each other.

But the drama also shows what is necessary for a relationship to survive and grow. Nobody is perfect. Making mistakes doesn't mean that someone is incapable of loving or being loved.

One line from Luan Nian that stayed with me was:

«“You don't have to be perfect to be worthy of love.”»

I really, really love this line. ❤️

I hope everyone who watches The Early Spring can experience the same happiness, along with a little bit of sadness, that I felt while watching it and can understand what the drama is trying to say.

Thank you so much to Sun Qian and Jing Boran for giving us such an amazing drama. ❤️

The Early Spring has officially become my favourite modern romance drama, and I sincerely hope it becomes just as special to everyone else who watches it.

Thank you for this beautiful journey. 🌸

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A Masterpiece That Redefined Romance: My Gratitude to The Early Spring

Analyzing The Early Spring is acknowledging that we witnessed a turning point in the history of international television dramas. What could have been just another romantic comedy or corporate drama turned into a global cultural event that captured the hearts of millions and redefined industry standards.
The strength of this work lies not only in its precise direction or refined script, but in the brave delivery of our "million-dollar couple." Jing Boran and Sun Qian didn't just play roles; they lent soul, vulnerability, and artistic maturity to their characters, completely erasing the distance between fiction and reality. Their chemistry was visceral, elegant, and exceptionally natural, proving that true passion on screen comes from gazes, listening, and genuine harmony.
Beyond top-tier entertainment, the series leaves valuable lessons about respecting each other's time, emotional intelligence, and the beauty of building mature affection amidst the chaos of the modern world. My most sincere gratitude goes to these phenomenal actors and the entire crew for delivering a work that not only broke absolute audience and market records, but also left a permanent mark on everyone who followed this journey.
The Early Spring wasn't just any drama: it was a lived experience, acclaimed to the height of its talent. Thank you for this masterpiece!

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Such a toxic but charming relationship

I honestly loved this series. Their chemistry is out of this world and they were both so well casted. Jing Boran is just so charming like he has a mature CEO face but also such a seductive gaze. Sun Qian gives off independant woman but she still pulls off the acting cute very well. Together they're just such an attractive couple.

I saw online that in the books their relationship was purely physical which made Flora's reaction valid however in the show I felt her reactions made her look like the more toxic one in the relationship. Like I was genuinelly confused as to why she acted certain ways at times.

Overall I would watch this again. I especially loved the first half of the series.

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A toxic love story

As a non-novel reader, this drama was pretty good, actually. I only saw a few spoilers for the novel from time to time. I did like the casting, especially the main characters, who did an amazing job portraying their characters.

Their relationship is toxic at many points. Him not knowing how to express his feelings and speak nicely was a very big red flag to me. Like, if your boyfriend speaks to you like this, please leave 😭. He did love her, but he didn’t love her correctly or respect her enough, in my opinion, during the 6 YEARS OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP.

As for Flora, she was honestly sometimes stupid in her actions and in the way she viewed their relationship, which she sometimes didn’t acknowledge enough in certain situations. But she was so blinded by love and their intimacy together that she stayed for 6 years despite the lack of trust and sweetness in his words.

They both had their flaws, as they are human, so it was realistic to some extent, but also very frustrating. Like, I was so happy when they broke up and she didn’t hold back her words because, honestly, she needed to say those things.

As a woman, dating your superior is never in your favor because, in the end, she was the one who lost her promotion that she had worked so hard for over 6 years. So I was really happy that she chose herself, her career, and her self-respect.

What I found rushed was the ending, since we only had 24 episodes instead of 34. That means many things should have been explained and deserved more screen time. Like how much time he spent courting her again in Harbin, and more of their relationship, showing him pursuing her and making efforts for her. Because we didn’t get much of that, and there were also other side plots, like Lumi’s love life and others, that deserved a little more attention.

But the wedding proposal was kind of cute because, at that moment, he told her all the words and apologies that she deserved to hear, during the proposal and even before.All their memories together and the necklace of the missing letter from the typewriter.Like him admitting that he didn’t speak nicely to her and even that he fell in love with her first but didn’t cherish her enough. But even that it’s crazy it’s took him 8/9 years to be able to say those words and speak nicely. Also it was rushed bc they broke up and 3 episode of him pursing her and 1/2 of episode of them back together and engaged ?? We deserved more episodes so that the ending wasn’t rushed and the period of getting back should have been longer since their relationship needed many things to evolve.

One of the major reasons why I didn’t give it a 9/10 is because the timeline in the drama is so poorly explained. Like, the years of their relationship go from 4 to 6 in one episode, and there are so many other things that didn’t make sense, making it hard to understand the timeline.

I wish they had explained the timeline better and hadn’t rushed the ending. It was kind of rushed.

But overall, it was good and exciting to watch!!✨. But in real life never get into this type of relationship please 😩

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Engaging, steamy and emotional

Wow! What a ride! I just finished the last episode and I can confidently say I will remember this drama for a long time.

What I loved:
- I followed the discussions on this series across several social media and it had so many people engaging with the story and the characters. The arguments were so contradictory and I found myself straying from my own real life principles when judging the characters. I think the writers did an exceptional job in creating two very flawed individuals who were so loveable at the same time: "You don't need to be perfect to be worthy of love" - the show's tagline summarized what the story was about.
- Jing Bo Ran - my goodness! What an actor! Microexpressions, high fashion, puppy eyes! I can't choose what I loved most about Luke. He was my favorite character and I kept finding myself rooting for him, even though we were supposed to hate him.
- Sun Qian - she was so efortlessly beautiful, frustrating and sweet at the same time. I didn't always understand Flora's motivations and inner world, but I was so proud of her grit and growth.
- The pairing - they chemistry was off the charts for me, those small touches and gestures they exchanged were so well done, kudos to the intimacy coordinator for giving us enough spice and keeping it classy at the same time.

What could have been better:
- the episode cut from 32 to 24 episodes. We needed those extra 8 episodes.

Overall: LOVED IT! I will need some days to recover from it, I will miss it. Please watch it, if you like realistic character/couple driven series.

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