The Early Spring

I love my green flags, but this was Addictive!

After a long time, I have come across a drama that was so addictive that made me want to complete it. This year, most of the time, I would loose interest halfway through.

This and Blossoms through the Cloud have both been interesting to watch.

This is one of the dramas that made me want to read the book and I still re-read parts of it.

What I love:
- All of it, the team behind the drama did such a terrific job, the actors the screenwriter and the directors, it was pleasing to watch.
- This is one of the few dramas that rectified some of thing that are more dislikable in the books and did well. (Could have been better, but this is a good adaptation)
- The sexual tension between the two in the beginning was exactly right! The chemistry was so good. I have enjoyed other works from these two actors and they did so well in this drama.
- The first time I saw Sun Qian on screen was in the drama Islands and she stood out as a character and actor, after that I had the opportunity to see her in Love Song in Winter and I didn't much care for the drama, but she has made me see her in new light in both Love Story in the 1970s and The Early Spring. I can't wait to watch more of her works in the future.
- I remember Jing Bo Ran in the drama Psychologist, Luan Nian is poles apart from him character in Psychologist but both were portrayed so well.
- There were times when I thought Sun Yuan Zhu was such a better choice for Shang Zhi Tao but you can't force people together. They like what they like and sometimes don't even want to get over it. I wish all the Sun Yuan Zhus out there to live better lives, having read the book I thought maybe the drama would change this part, but they kept it. He was such a kind guy. When he first came on screen, I didn't have much of an impression but his quiet support to his friends was heartwarming, so I kept hoping if this is an alternate reality let him heal.

What I dislike:
- The unhealthy relationship dynamic: I want better for all the couples out there, I want them to communicate with each other, I want to them to go through life's ups and downs together not divided, be them fictional or real. I want them to create a safe space for each other.
- As much as I enjoyed watching this, I hope little girls and boys out there will not take their relationship as an inspiration, if they are to be inspired then they should be with Shang Zhitao's strong spirit, the ability to reach so far and the ability to start over. From Luan Nian they could learn to grow as a person, to be kind to the people in their lives.

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From Bitter Winters to Clear Skies

“Their love had endured the bitter winter to reach their own clear skies in early spring, eventually walking into the scorching summer - the most passionate time of their lives.”

A line straight from the novel that somehow manages to summarise their entire relationship. And yes, I have read the novel, so my opinion might be just a teensy tiny bit biased.

The things I love -

1. Main characters

I am SO tired of watching goody-two-shoes cardboard characters whose only personality trait is being perfect. Both Flora and Luke are flawed, complicated, real characters with their own insecurities, baggage and very questionable decisions. And that's exactly what makes them interesting.

When you look at them, you can see that despite the power imbalance between them, they genuinely care about each other. Their relationship isn't perfect, and honestly, that's the point.

Shang Zhitao aka 'Flora' is our FL. From what I understood of her character, she is independent, hardworking, humble and warm, but also deeply insecure about whether she is enough. She is someone who would rather struggle for a long time than accept favours from others. She is principled, sticks to her guns and isn't easily swayed. I particularly love her eagerness to learn and the way she stands up for herself and what she believes in.

As warm as she is with her close friends and family, she is incredibly reserved with outsiders. But when it comes to the people she loves? She would fiercely defend them even at the cost of herself.

On the surface, her upbringing and life seem relatively normal and happy, but underneath all that is an inferiority complex. A lot of it stems from the treatment and “encouragement” she received early in her career. Luke's 'generous' treatment of her in the beginning hits especially hard because he is someone she deeply admires and whose approval she genuinely wants.

And then we have our ML, Luan Nian aka 'Luke'.

At first glance, Luke is hot, arrogant, rude and straight up unapproachable. He is brutally efficient at his work and the kind of person who would discard someone without a second thought if keeping them around disturbed his peace or productivity.

But underneath all that is someone who would go to the ends of the Earth to protect the person he loves.

Luke's biggest problem is his deep-seated belief that he is unworthy of love. And you can trace a lot of that back to his relationship with his father. Instead of encouragement, Luke grew up hearing constant verbal jabs and degradation, which eventually made him believe that he wasn't deserving of affection.

So when he falls for Flora, he has absolutely no idea what the fuck to do with those feelings.

Instead of expressing them authentically, Luke intellectualises them. He tries to rationalise everything because controlling his emotions gives him a semblance of control over the situation. And ironically, the very behaviour that wounded him is the behaviour he unconsciously repeats with Flora.

When Flora makes a mistake or does something he doesn't agree with, instead of comforting or encouraging her, he resorts to criticism and control - the same pattern he experienced from his father. And this is especially damaging to Flora because she thrives on words of affirmation. Someone whose opinion she values immensely is constantly making her feel like she isn't good enough.

So Flora gradually stops confiding in Luke because she becomes afraid of what he'll say.

And THAT is what makes their character development so satisfying to me.

The plot isn't simply about two people falling in love. It's about Flora gradually learning to trust herself, gain confidence, voice her feelings and recognise her own abilities, while Luke learns to stop intellectualising everything and actually express his emotions honestly.

At first Luke pissed me off, but watching him slowly learn to express himself, let go of his old beliefs, imagine a future and accept his own feelings was SO rewarding.

2. Friendships

THIS IS MY FAVOURITE PART.

We barely get to see friendships like these in dramas. Other than the romance, this drama gives us such beautiful friendships between people who stick with each other through thick and thin without constantly expecting something in return.

This healed something in me.

Sun Yu, Sun Yuanzhu, Lumi and Tan Mian supremacy 🙇‍♀️

I love the setup of not necessarily having childhood friends, but meeting people along the way and slowly developing these deep relationships with them. There is something so comforting about watching people build their own little support system in a huge city.

Imagine being in a big city all alone but at least you've got people you can fall back on.

A hard day? Friends are there.

A bad decision? Friends are there.

Relationship problems? Friends are there.

A shitty time in general? FRIENDS ARE THERE.

I especially loved how Lumi was always ready to fight for Flora, while Sun Yu somehow always had a backup plan ready for her. These relationships feel incredibly lived in and genuine.

And it's especially nice to see the ML actually having heart to hearts with his friends and opening up. Tan Mian must have been EXHAUSTED coaching Luke through his own emotions every day. 😭

Which brings me to the opposite-gender friendships.

I LOVE the fact that there weren't unnecessary second leads whose entire purpose was to create jealousy and misunderstandings. I almost thought Zang Yao would riot and cause problems, and I was equally suspicious of Sun Yuanzhu, but I was SO relieved when they handled their unrequited feelings with maturity.

They liked the leads, realised their feelings weren't reciprocated and eventually accepted it.

No scheming. No unnecessary sabotage. No “I'll destroy their relationship because I can't have them.”

It's so refreshing.

In fact, most of the major problems in the story are caused by Luke and Flora themselves - which brings us back to the fact that THEY are the ones who actually need to grow.

3. Side characters and conflict

ITS SO GOOD TO SEE NO EVIL PEOPLE TRYING TO RUIN EVERYTHING.

I loved that the drama doesn't need some cartoonishly evil third party to manufacture conflict every five minutes. There are minor inconveniences and external obstacles, but they're largely ignorable.

Most of the meaningful conflicts arise organically from the leads themselves - their insecurities, communication issues, misunderstandings and inability to properly express what they're feeling.

And I especially loved Tracy's speech about women making up 55% of Lime. I LOVE WOMEN EMPOWERMENT.

4. OSTs

Whenever 'We Should Know' starts playing, we SHOULD damn well know what is going to happen next. 🫣

(Except when Luke was just serving face and his Louboutins)

Each song fits the drama so perfectly.

There are songs that immediately make me associate them with certain moments in the drama, and I think that's the sign of a good OST.

5. Luke and Flora's character development

From a naive intern to a bosslady, Flora has come SUCH a long way.

She learns to say no, stand up for herself and other women, hold people accountable, deal with harassment and, most importantly, trust herself.

And I loved that her growth isn't simply “Flora becomes more successful.” She becomes more secure in who she is.

Luke's growth is equally satisfying. He slowly lets go of the beliefs he's carried for years, learns to communicate without accusing, learns to speak nicely (hehe), allows himself to imagine a future and finally accepts what he feels instead of trying to rationalise it away.

Watching two people become better versions of themselves while still retaining their flaws is infinitely more satisfying to me than watching two perfect people fall in love.

6. Luke the Dog

GAAAHHHHH I LOVE HIMMMMM.

THAT'S IT. THAT'S THE REVIEW.

7. Cinematography and costumes

So pretty!!

I absolutely loved the cinematography, especially the Tibet photoshoot and all the scenic views. Everything looked so warm and beautiful, and the costumes were equally gorgeous.

There are so many shots that genuinely feel like they belong in a photo album.

What I didn't like -

1. Length of the drama

This is probably my biggest problem.

It's a real bummer to see so much of the story get cut down. Especially after reading the novel, I KNOW how much more material there was to work with.

And unfortunately, the cuts don't just remove little details but also sometimes remove the context needed to properly understand the characters.

2. Pacing

From a 24-episode POV, the early episodes dragged a little too much (not that it was filler but still taking away time), which unfortunately meant that the later parts of the story had to be rushed and certain details were cut.

I really wish the pacing had been distributed more evenly because there were so many little moments from the novel that I would've loved to see on screen.

Nevertheless, I think the ending was beautifully done and managed to wrap things up quite well considering everything that had been cut.

3. Flora's story

This one bothers me the most because the cuts sometimes end up smearing Flora's character.

There are moments where she can come across as cold or even heartless if you haven't read the novel, when the additional context makes her actions much more understandable.

For example, Yuanzhu's death.

In the novel, Flora completely breaks down, and Luke comes over and cooks for her and Sun Yu for a week, basically making sure they're fed while they deal with their grief. There are also various moments that explain much more clearly what ultimately contributed to Flora deciding to leave Beijing.

Without those details, some of her decisions don't have the same emotional weight.

And that's the frustrating part! Not that the drama changed things, but that it sometimes removed the very context that allowed us to understand WHY the characters behaved the way they did.

All in all, the drama is a solid 9.5/10 for me.

It isn't a perfect adaptation, and I desperately wish we'd gotten more episodes, but the characters, friendships, emotional growth and overall warmth of the story made it incredibly special to me.

My biggest complaint is honestly just that I wanted MORE.

More Flora and Luke.

More of their friends.

More little moments.

More of the novel's details.

More Luke the Dog.

But even with the cuts, I still came out of this drama feeling like I'd watched a story about people who genuinely changed each other for the better.

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Finally SUN QIAN is getting the love she deserves‼️

2026 is actually INSANE, there are so many good dramas and this is definitely one of them!

​Out of the two main leads, I feel like more people were familiar with JBR, but I’m so grateful to TES for casting SQ as Taotao!! If it weren't for SQ, the character Taotao might not have been this amazing!!!

And yesss, finally everyone gets to see how ridiculously talented SQ is 🥵🥵🥵🥵
I’ve loved her ever since Sweet Tai Chi (with BWJ).
Her acting is so top-tier and natural, love her so muchieee!!!

​Thank you Xiaotaotao... and Niannian for these past 2 weeks... hope you two get to reunite again soon 🫂🫂🫂

​Thanks to TES, I’m so excited for the other 3 couples in this shared universe!!!!
Aaaaa hope the rest get adapted soon too CAN'T WAITTTTTT ‼️🤟🏻😝🤟🏻

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Through the veil of Early Spring:A tale of growth & grace with the deadly dance of ambition of heart

"The Early Spring" is that kind of drama which I didn't have any idea about and never planned to start as I got sick of romance dramas because they got monotonous. To end my months long slump I decided to give it a go because I had a soft spot for Jing Boran. But I was utterly surprised to find it super addicting.

This series was a beautifully crafted modern romance workplace drama that delicately captured the raw emotions of youth, ambition, and the bittersweet journey of self-discovery. This series invited viewers into the world of Shang Zhitao and Luan Nian, two souls whose lives intertwined amidst the bustling corridors of a top global advertising agency, Lime (not lime but li-me lol)

>Characters:
•From the very first episode, Shang Zhitao’s character resonated with me deeply. As a fresh graduate stepping into the intimidating world of corporate life, Zhitao embodied the vulnerability and fierce determination of anyone chasing their dreams against all odds. Her journey was not just about professional growth but also about finding her own voice in a world that often demanded conformity. The struggles she faced from the harsh words of her boss to the internal battles of self-doubt were portrayed with such authenticity that it’s impossible not to root for her.

•Luan Nian, aka Luke, Zhitao’s boss, was a complex figure as he was blunt, demanding, yet quietly protective. His initial coldness masked a deep care and a personal history that slowly unfolded, revealing layers of pain and resilience. The chemistry between Jing Boran’s Luan Nian and Sun Qian’s Shang Zhitao was electric yet tender, capturing the nuanced dance of respect, frustration, and growing affection. Their interactions were filled with unspoken emotions, subtle glances, immense chemistry and moments of vulnerability that spoke louder than words.

•The supporting cast added depth and warmth, each character contributing to the rich tapestry of the story. Lumi, Sun Yuanzhu and Sun Yu were the best thing that happened to Shang Zhitao. Their friendship was everything! In the cold, competitive, ruthless corporate jungle, she found the gems we couldn't. Their own storylines were sensitive and evocative which allowed the emotions to breathe and the story to unfold naturally.

>Acting:
I can't explain enough how much they made me all giddy and excited one moment, and on the other day, I was crying my heart out as if I were Shang Zhitao, Luan Nian, Sun Yuanzhu, and Sun Yu exchanging each other's deep emotions and feelings. Their acting was very natural and organic, as if they were real people with real flaws, problems and boring mundane lives. The success of this drama doesn't depend on the characters or their storylines, it purely succeeds by the actor's way of understanding and then portraying according to the situation and, hell yeah, they aced it!

>Cinematography and artistry:
The cinematography captured the freshness of spring with soft, luminous visuals that mirror the characters’ inner transformations. To be honest, this series was the peak visual experience of feeling warmth and comfort through the lens of the director. Like they wanted the audience to live the drama as if it was a vivid dream; the type of dream which often occurs right before waking up, when you realise you are dreaming while the dream is still ongoing, and you don't want to wake up from that beautiful dream and just keep reliving it over and over again. It was that kind of drama.

•I loved the silently obvious metaphors of this drama.

>Luan Nian functioned as the "thawing ice". He was pragmatic, emotionally aloof, and hyper-critical. His emotional defrosting was slow, painful, and messy, mimicking the uneven transition of seasons.

>Shang Zhitao was introduced as a raw "Beijing drifter." Her English name, Flora, directly correlates to a flower or tulip bulb that has endured a dormant, freezing winter but slowly broken through the frozen topsoil through sheer endurance. Her trajectory was not a sudden fairy-tale bloom, but a grueling, gradual growth under intense corporate pressure. Also when Luan Nian said she's like a "foxtail flower" which primarily symbolizes endurance, strength, aspiration, and resilience in the language of flowers.

>The typewriter "L" correlates "Luke" to "Love" with the quote "You don't have to be perfect to be worthy of love."

>That broken window in Sun Yuanzhu's bedroom silently said a lot about his life and himself.

>And last but not the least, that fish tank. We saw the lonely white koi mirroring Luke's cold, closed-off personality before Shang Zhitao entered his life and introduced a more colourful mate.

>Music:
I think I found my OST of the year; it's "Her" by Li Yuning and "You should know" by Li Changgeng. Especially the voice of Li Yuning, the lyrics and the pain he conveyed was breathtakingly beautiful to experience. I don't know how many times I have listened to it and don't know how many more times I will keep playing it in a loop. I'm in love~

What made this drama truly special was its ability to weave professions and personalities seamlessly. The workplace was not just the backdrop but a living, breathing entity that shaped and challenged the characters, especially Shang Zhitao. Everyone's character improved by the end of this drama but it was Luan Nian who had 360° character development. After meeting Shang Zhitao, even though sometimes it was late but he took every initiative to unlearn everything because of her. Both of them helped to become a better person in life. The drama explored themes of ambition, sacrifice, and the courage to stand firm in one’s beliefs. It also beautifully portrayed the early spring of life— that fragile, hopeful time when everything feels possible yet uncertain if you look deeper. Personally, this drama was an unexpected cdrama experience for me. I never imagined that a drama could engulf me like this. I surely saw its flaws, criticised the characters, rolled my eyes at their dumb decisions— still, I came back to it every day without any fail. It was like a forbidden drug to me. I knew it was bad and still couldn't stop loving it. This drama was an unworldly experience for me.

In the end, "The Early Spring" was more than just a romance or workplace drama. It felt like a heartfelt ode to resilience, growth, and the quiet strength found in embracing one’s true self. Watching Shang Zhitao and Luan Nian navigating their fears, hopes, and desires was a moving experience that lingers long after the final scene. For anyone who had ever faced the daunting leap into adulthood, the pain of unspoken feelings, or the challenges of chasing a dream, this drama offered a poignant reminder: just like early spring, life’s most beautiful moments often come after the coldest winters.

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might contain spoilers

I loved hove the chemistry between the ML and FL flows. even through their gazes you can see the electricity that attracts them. And i like it that it is not a slow burn romance. The storyline is appealing, show the strength of the young FL, the arrogance of the boss that falls for her. the fashion style of the ML is edgy and modern , though I do not quite like the style of the FL - but I suppose as she has just graduated, here costume befits her. This drama has me looking for Jing Boran's older dramas (Regeneration - this is so goood - why did this one escaped my attention in the past). Am looking forward to watching Road Home and Sunset Secret Regret. Really, the ML is sooooo good looking here

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Incredible Drama with Unforgettable Performances!

I have been watching The Early Spring up to Episode 19, and I am completely blown away! This is NOT your typical office romance drama—it feels so much more grounded, mature, and intense.
Jing Boran gives a phenomenal performance as the male lead. He doesn't even need words—his eyes say everything. His intense micro-expressions, every gaze, and every emotion conveyed through his eyes are just unforgettable. He has nailed every single detail of his character!
​Sun Qian is brilliant as the female lead. Her portrayal of a strong, stubborn, and resilient character is so natural and captivating. She brings so much strength and personality to the screen.
​The dynamic between Jing Boran and Sun Qian keeps me glued to the screen every single episode. A huge shoutout to the director and the entire production team for making every episode up to Episode 19 so compelling. I cannot wait to see how the rest of the story unfolds!

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✨ Messy, Magnetic & Maddening ✨

Okay, let me just start by saying: this drama is ridiculously easy to get lost in. ❤️‍🔥

✅The atmosphere is sultry, seductive and just... delicious.
I LOVE the colour palette, the visuals, the styling and the overall aesthetic. The OST fits the mood beautifully too, and the cast is dressed ridiculously well. Apparently Jing Boran even contributed pieces from his own wardrobe for Luke, which honestly explains a lot. 😭🔥

✅The story itself isn't exactly reinventing the wheel.
It's a boss/employee friends-with-benefits situation where both agreed to keep things casual while very obviously feeling anything but.
Nothing groundbreaking, but I honestly don't need it to be. I'm here for the adult romance, the tension, the atmosphere and these two beautiful idiots trying to figure themselves out.

✅And THE CHEMISTRY. 🔥

The tension, the skinship, the make-out sessions... you can absolutely tell they hired an intimacy coach, and whoever made that decision deserves a raise. 😂 These two have chemistry powerful enough to solve a small city's energy crisis.

✅The casting is also PERFECTION.

I genuinely cannot imagine anyone else playing these characters.

⭐Sun Qian is absolutely wonderful as the FL, and I relate to so many of her dilemmas that I've basically adopted her at this point. Which is probably why I regularly want to grab Luke by the shoulders and ask him what the hell he thinks he's doing.
She embodies that fresh, sunny energy of someone standing at the beginning of a new chapter: a new career, new experiences and the terrifying process of figuring out who she is as an adult.
She's ambitious but still somewhat naïve, emotionally open yet insecure.

The contrast between her and Luke couldn't be clearer. And honestly, you can tell almost immediately that this woman is absolutely not built for a friends-with-benefits arrangement. Unfortunately for her, she develops feelings for her smoking-hot boss and suddenly finds herself emotionally invested in a relationship that was supposed to come with no emotional investment whatsoever.
A classic mistake.
Relatable, unfortunately. 😂

⭐And then there's Jing Boran.

Sir.

There is something ridiculously magnetic about this man. I genuinely cannot explain why I find him THIS attractive. 😭 The face, the voice, the height, the effortless masculine charm, the way he carries himself... this man walks into a scene and suddenly I'm no longer capable of forming an objective thought.
Bro has me swooning one minute, wanting to punch him the next, and then he pulls out those stupid puppy eyes and suddenly I'm like:
Okay... fine. You're forgiven. 😭💀

He is basically the epitome of “I'm not looking for commitment,” combined with a spectacularly unfortunate potty mouth. Seriously, if not for some of the things that come out of this man's mouth, he'd be dangerously close to the perfect guy.
But what makes him particularly fun to watch is that he actually folds pretty fast.
He's caring towards the FL surprisingly early. He pays attention to her. He shows up for her. He treats her incredibly well in certain moments.
And then five minutes later he says something emotionally constipated and insulting.
So naturally, we - the audience - are left aggressively ping-ponging between:

“Awwww, he's actually so sweet 🥹”
and
“SOMEONE TAKE THIS MAN'S SPEAKING PRIVILEGES AWAY FROM HIM.”

✅What I appreciate most, though, is that neither character is perfect. They both have insecurities, baggage and terrible communication skills. The FL makes assumptions and gives mixed signals; Luke can be hurtful and emotionally unavailable. I don't need flawless characters - I just need their growth to actually mean something.

✅I also really love the supporting cast, especially Lumi, who is an absolute gangster queen bestie and may actually be my MVP. 😂 Luke's friends are great too and, thankfully, actually give him decent advice whenever he inevitably fucks something up.

And now for the less flattering part...

⌛The biggest issue for me so far is the pacing/editing.

Since the drama was apparently cut down by eight episodes, the pacing can feel noticeably rushed, and some of the time jumps are genuinely confusing. There are also moments where the editing/continuity feels a little off. I've noticed a few scenes where I could hear the dialogue but the shot didn't quite match the speaking—although that could potentially be an intentional editing choice or ADR/ad-lib situation, so I'm not sure I'd call it a definite flaw.

Aside from that, I really enjoy the production itself. The visuals, OST, styling and overall atmosphere are doing their magic.

💫 One final thought
This drama is also a good reminder of how much presentation affects the way we perceive behaviour. Add insane chemistry, gorgeous cinematography, emotional music and a charismatic performance, and suddenly critical thinking becomes compromised. 😂
That's the fun of fiction, though - we can enjoy complicated characters we'd probably tell our best friend to run from in real life. Understanding them, however, doesn't necessarily mean excusing them.
Because while I might happily watch Luke make questionable decisions on my screen, in real life I'd be running in the opposite direction. Hot or not. 😭

Overall
Beautiful, sexy, atmospheric, messy and ridiculously entertaining. The chemistry, visuals, OST, styling and character dynamics keep me completely invested.
I'm only at Episode 16/24, so these are very much mid-watch impressions rather than a final verdict. I know we're heading into some massive angst and I'm stressed...
...but unfortunately, I'm seated. 😂🔥

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

Final Thoughts (Episodes 17–24): Well… we survived. Barely. 💀

Finally finished this and WOOF. What an emotional rollercoaster, guys. At some point, I genuinely felt like I was personally involved in this relationship and going through the breakup myself. 😭😂 The emotional turbulence was REAL.

To conclude: this ended on a very happy note for our leads, but LORD did we suffer to get there. 😂 And honestly, I’m happy with the ending ''within the context of the drama''. Watching Luke and Flora finally find their way back to each other, grow, communicate and reach a healthier place was satisfying.

However - and this has been my main cautionary note throughout this entire viewing experience - I can't help thinking that, in real life, stories like this almost never get a happy ending.

What happened between Luke and Flora felt very real to me in many ways. Two flawed people entered a relationship while being emotionally unequipped for it, stayed on completely different pages for years, hurt each other, failed to communicate and slowly built walls instead of trust. The toll that relationship took on both of them became increasingly obvious as the story progressed.

The happy ending, however - is where we enter drama-land for me. 😂 The chances of enduring years of this kind of dynamic and eventually getting that exact happy ending are, unfortunately, probably astronomically low.

And that's the only thing I would be careful about romanticising. Growth and redemption are beautiful, and people CAN change - but in real life, we shouldn't spend years enduring emotional hurt while waiting for someone to eventually become the partner we hope they could be.

Of course, knowing your worth and walking away is much easier said than done—especially when you're 22, in love, inexperienced and still figuring out who you are, like Flora. And honestly, that's probably another reason why I found parts of their story so realistic and, at times, genuinely tragic.

So yes, I loved watching them get their happy ending. I screamed, swooned, suffered and will absolutely remember this drama fondly. 😂❤️ But perhaps the biggest takeaway for me is that love alone isn't always enough. We also have a responsibility to ourselves to recognise when something isn't healthy, know what we deserve and choose our own happiness.

Because we all deserve a love that feels safe, respectful and mutual. ❤️

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A bittersweet realistic love story

I’m bad at writing reviews, because every time i feel the need to make one after i finish a drama i really enjoyed my thoughts become a mess. So i’ll make this as short as possible .
I think The early spring is the most realistic romantic show i’ve ever watched: both partners were flawed, both of them got hurt during their relationship and they both changed a lot. Luan Nian overcame his pride and Zhitao her insecurities. I cried a lot while i was watching it, especially in the last 4 episodes. But it was so worth it. I’m gonna be rewatching it a lot and I’d recommend it to anyone who’s not afraid to witness how a toxic, raw and intense relationship filled with lots of love evolves in these 24 episodes. Prepare tissues, a strong drink (only if you’re not underage obviously) and also prepare yourself mentally to go on this emotional adventure. The early spring has risen to my numer 1 favourite modern drama, i’ll need something really good to top it.

*The 0.5 i took from the story is because we needed more than 24 episodes. Only 4 episodes for their breakup and reconciliation were absolutely not enough and we could’ve seen much more. A 10/10 for me nonetheless.

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Pretty toxic relationship glorified as mature romance

This is a story about the relationship between a young woman fresh out of college and her boss that started from a 1 night stand that devolved into a 6-year secret office relationship with poor communication & shallow emotional connection erupting in a prolonged 3-year break up after FL didn’t get promoted and finally ending with her taking ML back after he made more effort.

Admittedly there were a lot of good things about ES – JBR & his amazing portrayal of Luke, the production value, the visuals, the friendships, how it showed the struggle of making it as a young professional in Beijing, and how I looked forward to each new episode to see how the story would play out... Most modern romantic cdramas don’t have this kind of thrilling pacing.

But TBH after finishing it, I am left feeling troubled and uneasy, almost like there’s a bad taste in my mouth. It really wasn’t a very romantic story, and most of the time I was frustrated or pissed off with Luke/Flora/both. Despite the good points, my overall viewing impression is too negatively influenced by the toxic relationship between the main couple. Luke alternated between mentoring Flora, liking her, and disrespecting her. Imagine, 6 years into their relationship, he was still calling her dumb. Maybe it was playful teasing bordering on bullying. Still, it felt disrespectful. Let’s keep it real - he gets away with such asinine behavior mostly because of his looks and his position. Meanwhile, Flora would just take in all the verbal abuse, probably justifying it as a learning lesson, and also thinking this is how he is. I couldn’t believe how over 6 years, their relationship continued to be pretty shallow with little meaningful conversation, and still the insults. Yes, they got together initially because of physical attraction, probably both were drawn to each other because of the power imbalance, and later on there’s probably some form of respect over their similar work ethic that developed...but I was waiting for growth in their personal relationship, a deeper understanding and emotional connection during their 6 years together...it just didn’t happen.

Their interactions in episode 19, after 6 years (!) into their relationship really show the lack of maturity, understanding, and progress in their relationship -

During the drive to Tibet:
Flora: You are so gentle today.
Luke: Have I ever hit you? (ICK!)
Flora: No...I just wish you could be this gentle with me more often. (HOW HAS SHE ENDURED?!?)
Luke: So you like someone who’s soft? (WHAT?! HOW DOES HE NOT KNOW?!?)

And then back at their hotel in Tibet:
Flora: I appreciate that you never threw tantrums at me. You didn’t leave me behind on the streets. Congratulations. You have become someone I trust. (JUST DIDN'T FEEL GOOD LISTENING TO THIS!)

And following her phone call with parents:
Flora: Then, can we talk?
Luke: About what?
Flora: Let’s talk about the first time we met.
...
Luke: When I first met you I was thinking how can someone be this dumb? Like a big dummy.
Flora (pouts): I’m tired now.
(JUST, NO)

Their long breakup should have come sooner!

Even though they both evolved for the better after their 3 year separation, seeing them get back together still felt wrong, an ill-fit. If their story continued 10, 20 years down the road, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them repeat the unhealthy cycle of breaking up & getting back together ad nauseum.

I agree with the opinion that she should be with someone who can read her emotions and feelings better, someone who is gentle and understands her...and that he should be with someone confident & daring who can rein him in and call out all his shenanigans (he’s kind of like Domyouji in Hana Yori Dango, he needs a Tsukushi...). So the imbalance of power, different emotional level, lack of empathy, were just too much...it’s like each one is feeding into the other’s negative traits. It’d be best if the story ended with them going their separate ways.

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dropped

⚠️ warning: you will probably disagree with me but this is my opinion ✋🏼

dropped it on ep5 cause wtf is this relationship!
they both irritated me on ep5 or 6 I don't remember, anyway I don't need more stress in my life 😭😭
genuinely they both need some professional help
both fmc and mmc are toxic and have zero communication skills and zero emotional intelligence.
I think they didn't actually fall in love. it's just sexual attraction and they kept going on with this grossly toxic relationship as if there are no other people.
cause tell why were they in a 6-year relationship and never learnt from their mistakes and kept repeating them?! what mature adult would do that?
although I only saw 6 episodes but I do know everything happened on other episodes, I kept myself updated just out of curiosity.

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