“Half-Realism, Half-Dreamlike: Why is #TheEarlySpring so addictive?” - a translation thread of Sina Entertainment’s article on the 2026 hit drama: The success of The Early Spring has refuted the claim that “modern romance dramas are dead”. #JingBoran #SunQian

With over 10k heat index on Youku within 3 days of its premiere, setting a record for the fastest-grossing 2026 modern romance drama; #TheEarlySpring overwhelmingly leads all other dramas airing at the same time. After its release on Netflix, it broke into top 3 weekly chart.

It also entered the top 10 in 22 countries. At a time when most idol dramas in the Chinese entertainment industry are criticized for being superficial and audiences are calling for healthy relationships, #TheEarlySpring, which does not entirely meet the standards, has emerged.

What made this modern romance drama about secret workplace relationships between adults so captivating for viewers? Sina Entertainment chatted with viewers at different stages of life: college students who haven’t entered the workforce yet, newbies at work, & seasoned employees.

These viewers, whose ages span more than 10 years and whose work experiences are completely different, found their own points of interest and pain points in #TheEarlySpring. The difficulty in filming workplace dramas lies in the different expectations of different viewers.

Some expect a realistic feel, while others crave a dreamlike quality of handsome men & beautiful women living lavish lives. It is also impossible for #TheEarlySpring to achieve a perfect balance to satisfy all viewers’ needs.

The most jarring aspect of watching #TheEarlySpring comes from those working in the advertising industry. Watching Luan Nian stump Shang Zhitao with simple terminology, and Shang Zhitao amaze everyone with simple Excel skills, advertising professional Fanfan is quite frustrated.

“The knowledge the screenwriter found on Baidu is sometimes outdated, sometimes very advanced. SWOT analysis is really old while ‘pain point grasping’ and other jargons are new internet terms. Whenever these terms popped up, I felt very distracted.” #TheEarlySpring

But as someone who personally experienced the golden age of the advertising industry, Fanfan was also reminded of her early years when she saw Lime during the economic boom in #TheEarlySpring. She couldn’t help but miss the days when clients were generous with their money.

Unlike advertisers who judge dramas, college students are much more receptive to #TheEarlySpring. Yue Lang, sophomore, saw her own life trajectory in the drama. “Shang Zhitao lives in Tiantongyuan, which is very close to my school. I always pass by it every time I take the subway

“Tiantongyuan is far from my internship, which I can also relate to. Taking a taxi is too expensive for me, so I choose to take the subway for 2 hours.” Xiao Zheng, a new employee and a fan of the original novel, found the points of resonance more nuanced. #TheEarlySpring

The protagonist’s nervousness during job interviews, polite yet awkward greeting of her roommates, the battle w/ the wicked roommate couple, the bewilderment & humility of starting a new job, exhaustion of commuting, & the unconscious longing for her parents all resonated w/ her

However, she also didn’t mince words in criticizing, “Shang Zhitao’s roommates are too perfect. In reality, most roommates live peacefully without much interference. The landlord waiving hundreds of yuan in rent, and Sun Yu picking up each roommate after work.” #TheEarlySpring

“It’s too unrealistic with Beijing’s traffic” As for life outside the workplace in Beijing, advertising professional Fanfan feels that it doesn’t have to be so miserable. “Having a boss like Luan Nian is tough enough. It’s good to have sweet moments in life too” #TheEarlySpring

What audiences want is not documentary-level realism, but just the right amount of authenticity. Realistic enough for those who have migrated to Beijing to find their own reflection, without completely replicating the hardships of life. #TheEarlySpring

Ultimately, different viewers have different expectations for modern romance dramas and those seeking absolute realism are not the genre’s core audience. The details that matter to advertising professionals are, to most viewers, merely harmless imperfections. #TheEarlySpring