LayarHijau.com – Chinese drama The Early Spring (《早春晴朗》), starring Jing Boran and Sun Qian, has sparked plenty of discussion following its simultaneous release on Netflix. The urban romance has attracted viewers with its beautiful visuals and strong atmosphere, but it has also drawn criticism from some Chinese viewers.
Some viewers feel that the drama’s portrayal of the workplace is far removed from modern reality. Others have pointed to several red flags in Jing Boran’s character, while Sun Qian’s Shang Zhi Tao has been criticized for being overly naive.
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The drama has climbed to the top of Netflix’s charts in several regions since its release. At the same time, however, it has triggered debate among Chinese viewers over its storyline and the way its main characters are portrayed.
Viewers Say the Workplace Storyline Feels Unrealistic
One of the biggest criticisms from Chinese viewers concerns The Early Spring’s portrayal of professional life. Sun Qian plays Shang Zhi Tao, a young woman with no previous work experience and an ordinary educational and family background.
Despite this, she manages to land a job at a top advertising agency with surprising ease. The drama explains her unconventional hiring by having a senior executive argue that someone like Shang Zhi Tao could bring a more grounded perspective to the team.
For some Chinese viewers with real-world workplace experience, the setup is difficult to believe. They argue that both Shang Zhi Tao’s hiring and her subsequent career development feel far removed from how a major company would actually operate.
“The inexperienced heroine joins a top company and falls for her male boss. This trope is way too outdated. Anyone who has actually worked would have a hard time watching it,” one Chinese social media user wrote.
Other Chinese viewers voiced similar concerns about the drama’s workplace storyline.
“The workplace storyline in this drama feels completely disconnected from real life,” another viewer commented.
Some Chinese social media users even questioned whether the screenwriter had enough firsthand experience with working life. In their view, the workplace plot lacks convincing logic and too often serves as a backdrop for building romantic tension between Shang Zhi Tao and her boss.
Jing Boran’s Character Is Seen as Full of Red Flags
Jing Boran’s character has become one of the biggest sources of criticism. He plays a cold and domineering boss who fits the familiar CEO romance archetype: a man who appears harsh and intimidating but secretly cares for the female lead.
For some Chinese viewers, however, his behavior comes with too many red flags.
Jing Boran’s character frequently uses cutting remarks when dealing with his subordinates. While the drama presents his harsh approach as a form of discipline or tough mentorship, some Chinese viewers feel that such behavior should not be romanticized.
To them, putting down subordinates, resorting to personal attacks and combining controlling behavior with romantic interest are all major red flags.
“He constantly puts down his subordinates with harsh remarks and treats personal attacks as strict guidance. The values behind it are hard to accept. It makes me want to drop the drama,” one Chinese social media user wrote.
Jing Boran’s acting has also attracted criticism. Some Chinese viewers feel that he suppresses his facial expressions too much in an effort to maintain the character’s cold image, making his performance appear stiff and overly deliberate.
His consistently detached expression has also made it difficult for some viewers to feel the chemistry between his character and Shang Zhi Tao.
Jing Boran and Sun Qian’s Romantic Scenes Feel Forced
The romance between Jing Boran and Sun Qian has also received mixed reactions. Some Chinese viewers feel that several romantic moments, including a kissing scene, arrive without enough emotional buildup.
Because Jing Boran’s character remains extremely cold, the lack of development leading up to the kiss makes the scene feel awkward rather than romantic to some viewers.
Instead of creating the kind of chemistry that gets audiences invested in the couple, the scene has been described by some Chinese viewers as stiff and abrupt.
For some viewers, this further highlights the drama’s reliance on romance formulas from an older web novel. The domineering boss, the innocent young employee and the workplace romance between a superior and subordinate are all elements that some feel no longer fit the tastes of today’s audiences.
Sun Qian’s Character Is Considered Too Naive
Sun Qian’s Shang Zhi Tao has also come under criticism. Her innocence is an important part of the character, particularly as she enters the professional world for the first time.
However, some Chinese viewers feel that her naivety goes too far when she is placed in a competitive corporate environment.
They question how someone with so little workplace experience and such an innocent personality could enter a major advertising agency so easily and then find her footing in a demanding professional environment.
The combination of an overly naive heroine, a domineering male lead with plenty of red flags, and a storyline about an inexperienced employee falling for her boss has ultimately left some Chinese viewers feeling that The Early Spring is simply too far removed from reality.
Despite the criticism, the drama has continued to attract attention. The Early Spring has built a strong audience since its Netflix debut, helped by its polished visuals, romantic atmosphere and the appeal of Jing Boran and Sun Qian as its leads.
The drama now finds itself in an interesting position: it has generated significant attention across multiple markets while simultaneously prompting debate in China over whether the workplace and romance formulas of an older web novel still work for today’s viewers.
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