The Early Spring

Toxic relationship.

Such a toxic relationship... back and forth. I am so bored of this,nothing interesting happening. .. I struggled to watch till 20th episode... 4 more to go... dont understand why people like it so much... maybe just because of their chemistry or ML charm. But the rest of their story is boring, toxic, immature, childish and with so much luck in communication and emotional intelligence... like all the Chinese protagonists they are good at work but so bad at relationships...

for me FL was more of a red flag than ML. she simply hurt him from the beginning with her immaturity. i don't think she loved him. there was an attraction but she didn't love him. yes, maybe he was arrogant and then towards the end jealous, because she didn't communicate and kept him at a distance, she disrespected him as a man and as a lover very often. She didn't want to have an official relationship, he respected her and after all she was unhappy. Yes, he had a colder way of speaking but she was offending him all the time when she was unhappy. for me, she did not respect him as a man. and he was not gentle... she played the victim card many times. sorry, but this is my perspective.

They don't make a conscious effort to resolve their disputes, nor do they work on themselves to grow, heal, and matur, both emotionally and mentally.

Perhaps it is realistic, yes. But that doesn't change the fact that this drama is simply boring, as it merely perpetuates dysfunctional behaviors. It would have been great to see a more complex story, one showing how to resolve issues, communicate, and mature within a relationship to build a partnership that is promising, healthy, and balanced.

It should be a story that inspires you, not just an appealing one with a few sweet or sexy moments and nothing more. Yet, superficiality is rampant, and audiences only want filler stories—just to lose themselves in the narrative, rather than grow along with it.

The only character that I like was Lumi. and the sad surprise moment that was unexpected in 20th episode maybe is the only spark for viewers to contemplate of life... i was so sorry for that.

And with all of this I dont recommend this drama.

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From casual friends with benefits to turning serious!

Praiseworthy first half with secret skinship, office life intrigue, and boss vs employee power dynamics. CP in a Love and hate relationship loop beginning at casual friends with benefits to turning serious!

Glad to see both ml and fl have trustworthy and comforting friend circle and parents.
Appreciate the attempt at sensual over steamy, chemistry feels overdone yet undercooked at the same time. Strong portrayal of women at work!
Definitely a tingling must watch overall for those looking for ragebait love and s3xy forbidden office romance!
Would I call it fresh...hmmmm not really!

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Fire, Not Warmth

This drama was like an espresso for me. I am a coffee lover, but I hate that much taste of bitter. In the same way, I am perfectly fine with urban romance dramas, and romance and chemistry are actually things I enjoy. I can accept pure love, convenience love, even complicated physical relationships or FWB dynamics between two adults. What I struggle with most in modern romance, however, is a huge power imbalance being presented as something inherently romantic. When one person has overwhelming professional and social power over the other and that dominance itself becomes part of the attraction, I usually find it uncomfortable. That was my biggest problem with this drama.

At first, I genuinely disliked Luan Nian. He was arrogant, sharp-tongued, controlling and often unnecessarily cruel with his words. He had an incredible ability to make a situation worse simply by opening his mouth. In another romance drama, I could easily imagine this kind of male lead being the second lead who gets rejected halfway through the story. His professional competence was obvious from the beginning, but emotional maturity was another matter entirely. His way of expressing concern was often hidden behind criticism, sarcasm, control and practical actions, which made it extremely difficult for Shang Zhi Tao to understand what he actually felt.

But the more I watched, the harder it became to simply call him the villain.

That is where I think the writing becomes much more interesting. Luan Nian and Shang Zhi Tao are not a simple toxic-man-and-innocent-woman pairing. They are two flawed people with completely different ways of protecting themselves. He is arrogant and emotionally shut down; she is insecure, guarded and extremely reluctant to let another person completely into her life. The drama repeatedly puts them in situations where their flaws collide, and instead of solving the problem, they often make it worse. That is why I understand why some viewers see the relationship completely differently. The story does not really allow an easy black-and-white interpretation. There is no conventional villain manipulating everything from the outside. The conflict is largely created by the two people themselves.

Still, I cannot ignore the power imbalance. This is the part that bothered me throughout the drama. Luan Nian is her boss, her senior professionally, and someone with enormous influence over her career. Even when he is helping her genuinely, that imbalance never completely disappears. Their relationship therefore carries a different weight from an ordinary workplace romance. I could accept the complicated physical attraction between them, but I struggled when the same dynamic was framed as romantic intimacy without enough emotional equality behind it.

And this is where Shang Zhi Tao became equally difficult for me to understand.

At first glance, she looks like the weaker person in the relationship, so it is very easy to sympathize with her and blame him. But the more I watched, the less I felt that she was simply a helpless victim. She actively chose this relationship. She was attracted to him, depended on him in certain ways and continued returning to him despite knowing exactly what kind of person he was. At the same time, she kept him outside enormous parts of her life.

Six years is a very long time. Yet their relationship remained almost completely hidden. She would not let him properly enter her social world, did not introduce him openly to people around her, and kept important parts of her life away from him. She could spend time with her ex, reminisce with him and even hug him, but then become angry when Luan Nian deliberately mentioned having dinner with an ex. She would tell him that if someone does not trust you, explanations are useless, while simultaneously giving him plenty of reasons to question what she was doing.

That contradiction fascinated me.

She also kept major problems from him, including situations where he could realistically have helped her. Even though he was her boyfriend and also her boss, she often dealt with serious problems alone rather than allowing him into her life. Most importantly, there was a strange emotional distance between them. They could have physical intimacy and obvious attraction, yet somehow I could not feel the comfortable emotional connection that I expect from a couple who have supposedly been together for six years.

That is why their chemistry was so strange to me.

Yes, Jing Bo Ran and Sun Qian have chemistry. Their looks, body language, tension and physical proximity can create a very hot atmosphere. But for most of the drama, it felt like their chemistry came from fire rather than warmth. Their actions created sparks, but their emotions did not always create butterflies. I could see attraction. I could see desire. I could see possessiveness and jealousy. But I often could not feel that deep, comfortable connection between two people who truly know each other.

Ironically, the last few episodes finally gave me the exact relationship I had been waiting to see throughout the drama.

When the relationship stopped being primarily about physical attraction, jealousy, secrecy and misunderstandings, I finally began to feel their emotional chemistry. Luan Nian slowly started confronting the way he treated her and, more importantly, the fact that he had unconsciously become similar to the father he resented. His realization that his own harshness had repeated the same emotional pattern he experienced growing up was one of the more meaningful parts of his character development.

His love language was also revealed much more clearly in the later episodes. He was never good at saying what he felt. Instead, he tried to solve problems, protect her, remember details about her life and quietly follow behind her. Even some things that Shang Zhi Tao interpreted negatively, such as the expensive bag and flowers, were eventually revealed to come from his awkward understanding of how to express affection. He was not good at loving someone, but that did not mean he did not love her.

The breakup also made their relationship more complicated rather than simply proving one person right. Shang Zhi Tao eventually reached the point where she could no longer tolerate the relationship as it existed. Her decision to leave was not simply an act of running away. She finally chose herself, her career and her parents, and she completely removed herself from Luan Nian's life. She even sold the things he had given her and cut off communication. For once, she made a decisive choice instead of remaining trapped between wanting him and fearing him.

And that separation was necessary.

I actually liked seeing Shang Zhi Tao develop professionally during this period. She did not simply exist as Luan Nian's girlfriend or employee. She established her own company, built her own team and started creating a life independent of him. That was important because their eventual reconciliation needed to happen between two people who could stand independently rather than one person depending on the other.

Luan Nian's realization during their separation was equally important. He finally understood that he had been hurting her with the same emotional habits that had hurt him. His father had taught him to express pressure through criticism and control, and Luan Nian had unknowingly reproduced that pattern with Shang Zhi Tao. Recognizing that was more meaningful to me than any grand romantic gesture.

I also appreciated the fact that the drama did not completely erase their flaws just to give us a conventional happy ending. Even after everything, they are still fundamentally themselves. The difference is that they finally understand each other better. The later episodes finally show the emotional relationship that was missing earlier: concern, vulnerability, sacrifice, understanding and the willingness to make room for each other.

The "Shang Zhi Tao museum" was probably the moment when I finally understood Luan Nian's feelings in a way that I had struggled to understand during the earlier episodes. Seeing all those memories of her childhood, her growth, her dreams and her wishes collected together completely changed the meaning of many of his previous actions. His confession that he had deliberately driven her home even when it was not on his way, that he had followed her across different cities, and that he wanted to create a place where her past and future could exist together showed a completely different side of him. He could be terrible at verbal communication, but he had been paying attention.

And perhaps that is the biggest irony of their relationship: they both loved each other, but for a very long time neither of them knew how to make the other person feel loved.

The final proposal therefore worked for me much more than the earlier romantic scenes. By that point, the relationship had finally developed an emotional foundation. The ring, the memories, the people around them and the public acknowledgement of their relationship felt like a conclusion to the secrecy that had defined them for so long. After spending so much of the drama watching them keep each other at a distance, finally seeing them openly acknowledge one another felt meaningful.

As for the drama itself, I think it deserved a few more episodes. The Harbin section especially felt rushed, and I would have liked more time to see their separation, Shang Zhi Tao's independent growth and Luan Nian's attempts to understand what he had lost. Some of the effort Shang Zhi Tao makes for him in the original material apparently did not make it into the adaptation, which makes the balance of their relationship on screen feel even more uneven.

Overall, this was not a romance where I could simply say, "He is toxic and she is innocent," nor could I completely reverse it and say, "She is the problem and he is misunderstood." Both interpretations leave something out. Luan Nian had genuine toxic tendencies, especially in the way he communicated and used his authority. Shang Zhi Tao, meanwhile, was far more emotionally complicated than the victim label suggests. She hid things, avoided intimacy, refused to fully integrate him into her life and often expected him to understand feelings she herself refused to communicate.

That complexity is ultimately what made the relationship memorable for me.

I did not fall in love with their romance in the way I expected to. For most of the drama, their physical chemistry was much stronger than their emotional chemistry, and that prevented me from getting the "butterflies in my stomach" feeling I usually want from a great romance. But during the last two or three episodes, something finally clicked. I finally saw the romantic and emotional connection I had been searching for from the beginning.

The actors did a good job, especially considering how difficult these characters are to portray without making them completely one-dimensional. I am not particularly a fan of either lead—I had only watched one Jing Bo Ran drama before this and had not watched Sun Qian before—but both performances worked for the material.

For me, this drama was ultimately less about a perfect love story and more about two imperfect people learning how their own emotional defenses can damage the person they love. It was frustrating, uncomfortable, sometimes boring for me, and often difficult to romanticize. But it was also one of the more complicated relationship dynamics I have encountered recently. And perhaps that is exactly why I kept thinking about it after finishing.

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The Early Spring: A vision that would never be explored to its full potential

This show will surely be unexpectedly one of the best C-dramas of 2026. Captivating, relatable, and well-written; Those are the first words that come to mind when I think about this drama.

Nevertheless, despite all its amazing qualities, The Early Spring sadly misses the opportunity to explore its subject to its fullest potential. The first six episodes were incredible and, dare I say, flawless. The story starts off captivatingly with all the tension between the two leads. I loved how the drama didn't waste any time and immediately introduced viewers to the growing tension between the characters, highlighting their looks, gestures, and even their breathing. The actors executed their roles perfectly without any flaws.

Despite all this potential at the beginning, which generated a lot of excitement among viewers and led platforms like Youku and Netflix to release only one episode per day instead of two due to the drama's growing popularity, the momentum drops drastically. This decline isn't because of the new release schedule but rather due to the direction the story takes.

Our dear leads, Flora and Luke, become trapped in an endless loop of building tension, only to drop the pot when it becomes too hot to handle. Initially, this was acceptable because it aligns with the main theme of the drama: a toxic relationship. However, this does not excuse the directors and producers for failing to focus more on the character development of our leads while they continue their toxic relationship. More character development would have made the story more engaging and intriguing.

In the middle of the drama (episodes 10-20), we witnessed countless cycles of tension between Luke and Flora with no resolution. Then, in the last four episodes, they attempted to squeeze everything together into a conclusion.

Even their eventual split (the official one) will be filled with flaws and mistakes, which I would describe as rookie mistakes.

After the breakup, Flora goes to Luke's house to collect her belongings. Luke arrives while she is visibly packing a suitcase, but when she puts the suitcase aside, she attempts to convince their dog to come with her, only to have the dog refuse to budge. After failing to take the dog, she leaves his apartment without her suitcase. I noticed this right away without needing to rewind or anything.

When a drama is captivating, you tend to focus on the story and overlook possible background mistakes. Conversely, when the story isn't as engaging, you pay more attention to non-critical aspects of the drama.

In short, it's a good drama, but I feel they missed a great opportunity to deepen the meaning of the story. I definitely recommend watching it!

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A painful watch...

I was excited to watch this drama because of the high rating and while I'm not a fan of Jing Bo Ran, I like Sun Qian. But i did not expect this show is painful to watch. I hated all the gaslighting. The show romanticized toxic love. This is a story of the relationship between two individuals who do not trust each other, no gentleness and no communication. It was purely physical. The ML was arrogant, selfish, harsh and rude and he liked to brandish his wealth. The FL was insecure and stupidly accepted his bad attitude. Honestly how can these two mismatch individuals lasted 6 years in this toxic relationship? They were happier and at peace when they are with their respective friends. The drama has too many loopholes for me too. It did not really explore the psyche of the ML and why he became like that. His father was strict but there were no scenes depicting him of being abusive. And the ML had a caring mother who seemed to get along well with his father. Why did he become abominable? And why the FL became so meek and insecure despite growing up in a loving family? Did I miss important scenes while watching this drama? I really wonder. I finished the show with a heavy heart and despite the ending, I really couldn’t root for them to stay together. I wished they just stayed away from each other. This is zero rewatch value for me.

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Messy, Realistic, and Slightly Overhyped

I enjoyed it, it’s entertaining, it’s easy to watch, and I do think it’s worth watching — but I also think it’s slightly overhyped. It doesn’t necessarily bring anything new to the table. There are a lot of classic office-romance tropes we’ve seen before. What makes it stand out, though, is the relationship itself and just how painfully realistic it is.

This is NOT a green-flag romance where two perfect people meet, fall in love, communicate beautifully and live happily ever after. Absolutely not. These two are stubborn, complicated, insecure, selfish at times, terrible at communicating, and honestly just screwed up. And I actually praise the drama for that because their relationship felt like one of the more realistic relationships I’ve seen in a drama. Relationships like this exist. They’re messy, unhealthy in certain ways, but also filled with genuine feelings.

I kept seeing people trying to decide who was at fault and especially putting everything on the male lead and calling him the red flag, but I really don’t agree. Both of them were at fault. If anything, I sometimes found her to be the bigger grey flag.

Yes, he had his issues, but he genuinely loved her. He wasn’t ashamed of her. He was willing to introduce her to his friends, include her in his life, take her out, and be seen with her. She was the one constantly hiding him. Even her best friend didn’t know about him. After SIX YEARS, he basically still felt like her secret hookup.

And that’s another thing — sometimes they really didn’t give me the vibes of two people who had been together for six years.

Their biggest enemy wasn’t even another person. It was COMMUNICATION.

The amount of problems that could’ve been solved if these two had just sat down and TALKED was insane. They kept lying, hiding things, suppressing their feelings, assuming things about each other and not trusting each other. It became exhausting. Literally one episode suffering, one episode happy, then back to suffering again. The chemistry was absolutely there, but the constant push-and-pull eventually started draining me.

At the same time, that’s exactly why I can’t completely criticize the relationship. It was frustrating because it was realistic. The drama didn’t whitewash either character or try to pretend that love magically makes people emotionally healthy.

Now… Jing Boran.

Let’s be serious. He is largely one of the reasons this drama became as popular as it did. His presence, styling, hair, charisma — the man was RADIATING aura. Some of those outfits were absolutely ridiculous for an office, but he looked fantastic. He ATE this role.

I already loved him before this drama, so I wasn’t necessarily shocked by his charm because I expected him to be good in this kind of romance. I actually think people discovering him through this drama probably had a much bigger WOW reaction than I did. At times, I even felt like I was watching Jing Boran rather than Luke because so much of his own charm came through.

But chapeau bas to that breakup yearning scene. My God. When he cried over their breakup??? GOLD. The heartbreak, the yearning, the acting — absolutely beautiful. Our yearning man DELIVERED.

Song Chan also did a really good job, especially during the earlier part of the drama. She suited that shy, obedient, somewhat broken version of the character incredibly well. Once her character became stronger and started standing on her own feet, I personally didn’t think her performance was quite on par with his anymore, but I still really enjoyed watching her character grow.

Outside of the romance, the storyline itself is nice. The cinematography is beautiful, the OST is amazing, there are some genuinely beautiful quotes throughout, and their scenes together are very well made. It wasn’t addictive for me, but I was never really bored either.

One thing I REALLY didn’t expect to affect me was the flatmate’s death.

I wasn’t even particularly attached to his character, yet his story absolutely broke me. The more I thought about it, the more emotional I became. It carried such a painful message about life, and I really wish the drama had used his death more strongly as a turning point for her. I don’t think they invested enough in the aftermath considering how meaningful that moment could’ve been. Still, it was one of the most unexpectedly heartbreaking parts of the drama for me.

My biggest disappointment, however, is definitely the ending.

The last four episodes were way too rushed. You can really feel that things were cut because so many scenes end before they have room to breathe. After spending SO much time watching these two suffer, misunderstand each other, break apart, push and pull and go around in circles, I desperately wanted more time with them finally getting together and learning how to have an actual healthy relationship.

We barely got that payoff.

I wanted to see them TALK. I wanted to see how they function once they’re finally honest with each other. I wanted to actually enjoy them being together after spending an entire drama being exhausted by them. Instead, everything happened so quickly that the ending left me feeling strangely empty.

Overall, The Early Spring is enjoyable and worth watching, but I wouldn’t personally call it something groundbreaking. Its strength isn’t that it gives us a new story; it’s that it gives us an unusually messy and realistic relationship without trying to make either person perfect.

It’s frustrating. It’s entertaining. It’s romantic. It’s exhausting. Sometimes you want to lock these two in a room and force them to communicate.

But maybe that’s exactly why it worked.

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The success of this film lies in the direction of photography

This is a great film but why? What is all the fuss about?

People say it’s the lead actors chemistry- it’s true that they look very together but that’s because the camera catches them very well.

It’s a combined masterpiece by the actors (need chemistry to film), the director (need to guide what actors do) and the DoP (director of photography - maybe a different person to the Director or the intimacy coach they had?) - it’s the lingering shots on his hands, his minute expressions, her face, their faces together. That’s what makes it so powerful.

This film really explodes when they start putting their faces close, there is so much tension! You read passion and restraint.

Remember this is a drama, they are acting, so what is so good about this film? They manage to make it feel real. That we are having a front row seat to the highly charged passionate romance.

It’s not that women want to be treated badly, it’s that they want to be passionately desired by a man who respects and loves them as well. Someone who is grumpy and rude to everyone else is a pussy cat for her. That’s what is getting women excited.

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I am on luke side(don't read if you cant handle it)

Okaayyy... so i loved how luke dressed first of all.wow what fashion sense guys...too good ♥️
FL is annoying so annoying 😑 like from the start from small place (thats okay) had a night with him okay.was obedient learning from him good enough.. but suddenly after gaining experienced her attitude her dressing sense changes so drastically...lol i mean its still okay..but you want your bf to understand that you hugging other male friend and you want him to be okay with that??? Like howw? You come and go girl as you like... you want him and then you remember oh its my homies party then oh my bfs business dating event where you intentionally wearing bomb outfits like why????? He helped you he fggin raised you he taught you he cooked for you fought for you was available for you 24 7
She lived her life and went in and out as pleased and still blamed him like for whattt??? I like his possessiveness i mean why not???? You hugging your friend ofcourse he's jealous why not..?? What the heg you thinking??? Then one award was missed and she called the whole relationship as filthy like its only him?? Like what? You were involved too girl..then suddenly acting all highly mighty and then your business failed and then you decided to bang bang again??? Whhattttmmmm????? Lololollol.
For me luke deserved much better.


I only liked Tibet pictures thats all.. i saw no chemistry.. luke deserved better than her.she was nothing she offered nothing and he gave all and he's still blamed... luke is a perfect hero and ideal man for me..he's rude but he loved thats all matters..
Hated FL so muchhhh like 🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮 nope not watching again.pls change FL in season 2 or change her character she looks childish and stupid and more spoiled to me

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A frustrating but good drama (light spoilers)

I loved this drama and gave it a 9 but holy hell it gave me high blood pressure. the chemistry was fire and intense but the show was so frustrating. I normally hate dramas like this so much and either stop watching or know not to start it from the beginning. I rate this one highly but if it was not done this well it would have been super low rated.

It had many things I hate in dramas. Main one when they are together but dont trust each other/ treat each other as opposition and never feel like a couple (not the whole relationship just a part of it but I feel like it was intented that way). I also hate this constant break ups and when they are always in this gray zone of together and not.

They are both flawed main characters (and its a whole discussion for both of them) and thats what brought out the frustration but the writing and chemistry still kept me going and not thinking of dropping it which is surprising since normally I would get annoyed and drop a show like this immediately. but I was so invested in seeing how it played out. The fact that it had so many troped i hate I still enjoyed it and thats a testament to it being a really good drama

The one thing I would add/change to this drama which I woulf count as a knock against it, is that they should have shown more romantic moment and not just intimate moments between the pair. A bit into the drama I remember thinking do they love each other or just into each other's bodies. And even one or two added moments of them having a connection without main plot drama would have improved this drama greatly for me, possibly pushing it up to a 9.5 or possibly a 10

(edit as I forgot to put what I love about this drama lol)

I loved the progression as both main characters grew as people. Main Character was also sp cute :<. chemistry was amazing and the drama had me wanting to watch more

(edit end)

Ultimately I think this is a really good drama and definitely worth a watch and if you watched it you would know what I mean, even though I complained about it in this review its because it has such a emotional reaction.

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A series that tells the story of a woman’s emancipation more than a love story

First, I want to make it clear that I don’t want to compare the series with the novel. Even though I have read the second part, the series has become a work of its own for me. They changed certain elements, especially by significantly softening Luke, while Flora remains more or less the same. So I prefer to judge what I was actually given to watch rather than look at the novel to understand what the series was supposed to be.

And this is precisely where, for me, one of the main problems lies: the series raises much more interesting issues than it actually dares to develop.

To me, this is above all the story of a young woman moving from young adulthood into genuine adulthood. Flora enters a highly hierarchical and coded professional world, where social background, education, experience and connections strongly determine one’s opportunities. On top of that come family pressure, social expectations, the search for a stable job and the material difficulties faced by many young adults.

Flora is still young and lacks confidence in herself, but she has an extremely strong ambition: to succeed, become financially independent and find her place in the middle class. She learns from everything around her, observes, absorbs knowledge and takes every opportunity, without ever losing sight of her goal. Even when she receives help, she wants to feel that she has built her success herself. This is quite an interesting way of portraying female emancipation.

And paradoxically, it is the romance that sometimes undermines this message.

Flora rejects certain material and social codes, such as obvious signs of wealth, yet her aspirations remain deeply connected to individual success and social mobility. Her relationship also gives her considerable intellectual support. Luke gradually becomes almost a kind of mentor who helps her evolve. But above all, their relationship transforms Flora: she becomes more confident, more assertive and more independent in her choices. She finishes this journey knowing better who she is, what she wants and how she wants to obtain it.

We can then imagine that once her financial independence and social status become more aligned with Luke’s, she faces a real question: "can she choose the man she loves without having to sacrifice what she has become?"

And this is where the series could have been much more interesting.

Because loving someone does not necessarily mean giving up your career, your comfort, your friends or your social life. But a relationship also involves compromises, sacrifices and the ability to give. Love cannot be built entirely around the “I”. Here, Flora is portrayed as a victim in a one-sided way. And I don’t see any emotional redemption or transformation in her at all.
This is precisely why, for me, the romantic storyline partly fails: I do not feel enough reciprocity.

What I also find interesting in the comments surrounding the series is seeing how much people’s expectations of relationships have evolved. Viewers seem much more aware of their boundaries, of what they are willing to accept or not, and of what they believe they deserve. That is, in itself, quite healthy. But it also reflects an era in which the “self” occupies a central place.

Romantic series, especially those aimed at a female audience, ultimately reflect — and sometimes reinforce — this evolution. Yet there is no universal rule that allows us to determine what is healthy or toxic in a relationship. What is a red flag for one person may be insignificant to another. Perhaps true maturity lies more in knowing our own boundaries and understanding which ones can be discussed, moved or never crossed.

----- Luke: a transformation that is difficult to believe, but interesting to observe

Luke is particularly interesting. At the beginning, he is arrogant, narcissistic, lacking in empathy and rather controlling. Then he almost completely changes through his relationship with Flora and, above all, for her.

I have to admit that I have always had difficulty with this type of romantic arc. In real life, I am rather skeptical about the idea that someone who is deeply narcissistic or lacking in empathy can suddenly transform through love. Likewise, certain jealous behaviours do not simply disappear because the story moves forward: when they become genuinely problematic, their consequences do not disappear so easily.

So I don’t really believe in the fairy tale being offered here.

But the series at least has the merit of "showing us this transformation concretely. Luke genuinely becomes someone different. And if we accept this narrative logic, Flora ultimately succeeded in giving the man she loved a kind of “emotional education.”

Which leaves an interesting question: which man did she actually love at the beginning? The man he was, or the man he could become?

---- Underdeveloped supporting characters

I also found the secondary world far too pleasant and polished. Everyone ultimately seems quite kind, which reduces the conflicts and therefore the depth of certain issues.

I was particularly unconvinced by the SML’s storyline. It moves too quickly and, in my opinion, without any real narrative impact, other than shocking the audience. **Raising such a profound issue only to treat it so superficially does not seem very meaningful to me.**

For me, this is one of the major weaknesses of the storytelling: the series sometimes overlooks small details that may seem insignificant, but which would actually allow us to understand the characters’ motivations, contradictions and evolution much better.

--- A series carried by its main duo

On the other hand, both lead actors deserve praise. They both demonstrate a real ability to transform and a great command of their characters.

Special mention to the actor playing Luke: he manages to bring a great deal of nuance to a complex, charismatic and sometimes difficult-to-read character, while maintaining a certain consistency throughout his evolution.

The actress also deserves recognition. Here, she shows a completely different side from her previous roles, something much more sensual and mature. It is quite surprising, and precisely for that reason, very interesting.

I actually think the main strength of the series lies in this duo and in their chemistry, which works particularly well because it feels more mature and less adolescent than in many romances of the same genre.

Visually, the series is also very successful: the aesthetics, cinematography, staging and direction contribute greatly to its atmosphere.

However, the narrative choices remain, for me, its main weakness. The series sometimes overlooks small details that may seem banal, but which would have allowed us to understand the characters’ motivations, contradictions and development much better.

And despite everything, it remains captivating — mainly because of Flora, Luke and the very particular chemistry between the two actors. And for the performances

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? WALKING RED FLAG… BUT HE’S THE BEST AMONG THE RED FLAGS! ??❤️

🚩 WALKING RED FLAG… BUT HE’S THE BEST AMONG THE RED FLAGS! 😂🚩❤️

P.S. Don’t be discouraged by the negative reviews! Watch it at your own risk! 😂 You might unexpectedly love it as much as I did! 👀❤️

💕 MY THOUGHTS
Honestly, I didn’t expect much from this drama. Even though it’s popular, I had never watched any drama of the ML before, and this was only my second drama of the FL. But WOW… this drama completely got me hooked! 😭❤️
I genuinely enjoyed it from start to finish. I was so invested that I finished the entire drama in just 2 DAYS! 😭😭😭
As I read some comments and reviews, I noticed that many viewers called Luan Nian and Shang Zhitao red flags and described their relationship as toxic.
And you know what? YES. It IS toxic. 😂
But somehow… it’s that addictively toxic kind of relationship where you don’t even want to leave. 🤣🚩

And when it comes to red flags, these two are honestly my favorite red flags! 😂
They definitely don’t have a perfect relationship or perfect communication, but you can really feel how much they love and care for each other—especially Luan Nian.
He may not openly talk about his feelings, and he may even deny them, but you can see how deeply he loves every bit of Shang Zhitao. He loves her in the way he knows how to love someone. ❤️

🚩 LUAN NIAN
Everyone already knows that Luan Nian has an attitude. 😂
He’s arrogant, strict, cold, demanding, and definitely NOT everyone’s cup of tea.
And THAT is exactly why I was so hooked on him!😂
I was eager to see how this cold and intimidating man would slowly show his vulnerable side to Shang Zhitao.
How would he change for her?
How would that cold heart melt?
How would this strict, demanding man become softer while still being caring in his own way?
I loved EVERY part of Luan Nian’s character. ❤️
And Jing Bo Ran… WHEW! 😮‍💨🔥
This man literally EMBODIED Luan Nian. He didn’t just play the character—HE OWNED IT! 👏🏻🔥

🌸 SHANG ZHITAO
I also really loved how the drama showed the struggles of being a newly graduated young professional entering the intimidating corporate world, especially coming from a different city and facing such a high-pressure environment.
We got to see Shang Zhitao’s growth—from an innocent and somewhat naive young woman into a confident, capable, top-tier manager. ❤️
They showed her struggles, her weaknesses, her strengths, her eagerness to become independent, and her dreams and goals.
And I honestly SALUTE her patience and understanding toward Luan Nian. 😂❤️
It just shows how genuinely she loves him.
I also loved that the drama didn’t make her growth solely about romance. She had her own ambitions and worked hard to build a career and identity of her own.

And Sun Qian… 🥹❤️
I loved the innocence she brought to Shang Zhitao. She didn’t need to constantly baby-talk or exaggerate her mannerisms to show her youthfulness. Her expressions and acting were enough. 😍

And their chemistry?!
OVER. THE. TOP. 🔥🔥🔥
The eye contact. 👀 The silent nods. The arguments. The make-ups. The little gestures. The tension. The way they look at each other…
EVERYTHING! 😭❤️
Their chemistry is one of the biggest reasons I was so invested in their relationship.

😭 AND THAT AURORA SCENE…
When Luan Nian was devastated after Flora disappeared…
I CRIED A BUCKET. 😭😭😭
That scene absolutely destroyed me!
I was so emotionally invested in these two that whenever they misunderstood each other, I WAS FRUSTRATED RIGHT ALONG WITH THEM! 😂😭

🏢 MORE THAN JUST A WORKPLACE ROMANCE
Early Spring isn’t just your typical workplace romance.
I also appreciated how it showed some of the realities of corporate life—the poaching of employees, stealing ideas, workplace harassment that some women experience but endure just to keep their jobs, seniority bullying, and the challenges of trying to prove yourself in a competitive environment.
And of course… meeting that one colleague who eventually becomes your BEST FRIEND. 🥹❤️
There’s a lot more to this drama than just the romance.

✨ OVERALL: 10/10 FOR ME! ✨
If you’ve been following my page, you already know that I’m usually into soft, fluffy, romantic-comedy dramas with lots of feel-good moments. 🥰❤️
So honestly, I NEVER expected to become this invested in Early Spring.
But here I am… COMPLETELY OBSESSED. 😂😭❤️
It surprised me, hooked me, frustrated me, made me laugh, and most importantly… made me FEEL.
And that’s exactly what I want from a drama. ❤️

🎶 BONUS: THE OST!
I’m absolutely in love with “HER” by my husband Liu Yuning! 😭❤️

His voice + this drama + Luan Nian and Shang Zhitao = PERFECTION. 🥹🎶

Final verdict: 10/10! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

🚩 Red flags? Absolutely.
❤️ Toxic? Maybe.
😂 Addictive? 100%!
🥹 Did I fall for them anyway? ABSOLUTELY!

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

Luke actually lived on this line but could never express it. Flora was the imperfect thing in his life which was out of his control.

From all the relationships Luke had in the past Flora was the most independent one. Honestly it felt unlike Luke, Flora can easily walk out from this relationship but it was not true. She did take the break up decisions but could never stand by it. Because she actually never could dettach emotionally from Luke. Both were at fault and not ready for a lifelong commitment. Luke was hesitant to commit due to misunderstandings and Flora was insecured due to his hesitations.

What they lacked was communication and partnership. Luke had this complain that he is always the last person to know when Flora faces any problem. Flora was never dependent on Luke for her problems and tried to deal with it herself and never even thought of sharing those with Luke. Which I feel was her fault. Her not voluntarily sharing can be understood but not sharing when he particularly and clearly asked can't be understood. She fails to see the immediate issue in fear of future issues. Also Luke wanted to be in control of Flora at different times and his ego got hurt when he couldn't. His words and actions pushed Flora's insecurities further. Both never treated each other as equal.

After a point Luke could leave everything for Flora. He prioritized her like that but secretly. On the other hand, Flora hardly prioritized Luke. Yes during arguments Luke insulted her when his ego got hurt which was very wrong and Flora kept them in her mind. She forgives him everytime he says sorry but never really snap out of it and kept demeaning herself before Luke said anything. Her confidence in the relationship came down as everytime she kept thinking how their financial status and work positions are different which is why they belong to different worlds. All their problems were related to work mostly.

What Luke said during their break up was actually right. She always made the line clear that she doesn't want his biasness in building her career but deep down wanted him to be biased towards her. Which is where all this complexities started. As a person in a powerful position Luke tried his best and did all what he could but again secretly. All these trouble happened because both think they shouldn't communicate and keep secrets from each other, where the key to a positive relationship is communication and honesty.

After Flora totally disappeared from his life made him think of all the bad things he had said to her and felt sorry but Flora actually never felt sorry for anything. Somehow all her actions became justified and Luke became totally wrong. Where I feel Luke was always head over heels fallen for Flora. He never thought of breaking up with her. He was harsh with words and disrespected her which was enough to walk out but Flora had also given him the reasons. So both were wrong but Luke's faults were highlighted and misunderstood but Flora came out clean.

Overall, I have to say their chemistry is like butter. They are made for each other but lacked the basics or knowledge to be in a relationship. Luke was brought up in a certain way which shaped his behavior and thoughts which kept changing after he met and fell for Flora. But as Flora was growing in her career she started losing the innocence and fun from her life. I don't know if that change is good or bad for a person but as a viewer I could see that. They are both great actors perfectly holding their characters.

This drama actually made me realize a lot of things to NOT DO in a relationship. Because a third person sees and understands more than the ones in a relationship. Loved watching them together and also enjoyed their break ups which was much needed for them to realize lot of things.

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