LayarHijau – Jing Boran’s real-life relationship with supermodel Liu Wen has once again collided with the fandom surrounding his latest drama, The Early Spring (早春晴朗).
The actor recently attended Chinese singer-songwriter Li Ronghao’s concert in Shanghai with Liu Wen, but a seemingly harmless joke from the host ended up drawing backlash from some The Early Spring fans in China.
During the concert, Li Ronghao referred to Jing Boran as “Luke,” the name of his character in The Early Spring. Because the drama only recently wrapped and Jing’s Luke, or Luan Nian, remains closely associated with Sun Qian’s Flora among fans, the remark quickly became a hot topic online.
Li Ronghao Jokes About “The Luke You All Love”
Jing Boran and Liu Wen had already been spotted together at Chanel’s Shanghai event shortly before attending the concert.
During the show, Li Ronghao acknowledged the couple, who were seated in a private box. He jokingly referred to Liu Wen as “Wen Tai Tai,” roughly meaning “Mrs. Wen,” prompting laughter from the audience.
He then told the crowd that “the Luke you all love” was also there.
The reference was, of course, to Jing Boran. In The Early Spring, the actor plays Luke, also known as Luan Nian, the male lead opposite Sun Qian’s Flora.
The joke might have seemed harmless in another context. But with The Early Spring having just ended and Luke and Flora still commanding a passionate following, some viewers did not appreciate seeing the fictional character’s name brought into Jing Boran’s real-life relationship.
Some Chinese Fans Tell Them to “Give Luke Back to Flora”
Clips from the concert quickly circulated on Weibo, where some The Early Spring fans in China pushed back against the comment.
Among the reactions was a call to “give Luke back to Flora,” reflecting the desire among some fans to keep the drama’s fictional romance separate from Jing Boran’s personal life.
The distinction is important: Liu Wen has no connection to Flora, the character played by Sun Qian. She is Jing Boran’s real-life partner, while Flora is Luke’s romantic counterpart within the drama.
Still, the intense response shows how strongly some viewers remain attached to Luke and Flora even after the series has concluded.
Liu Wen Has Faced Pushback Over Much Less
The latest controversy is also part of a longer pattern of scrutiny surrounding Liu Wen during The Early Spring’s run.
Earlier this month, Liu Wen quietly liked a promotional photo of Jing Boran from the drama on an overseas social media platform. She left no comment, but a screenshot of the interaction was later reposted on Weibo.
Some drama fans criticized the gesture, with reactions suggesting that it disrupted their enjoyment of the show. Others interpreted the like as a subtle reminder of Jing Boran’s real-life relationship at a time when his on-screen romance with Flora was attracting significant attention.
That reaction was particularly striking because Liu Wen had previously received praise for doing the opposite.
During the drama’s promotional period, Liu Wen and Jing Boran were reportedly on the same flight but appeared to deliberately keep their distance from each other. Their lack of public interaction led some netizens to praise Liu Wen for being considerate toward the drama’s promotion and avoiding unnecessary attention around their relationship.
Now, both keeping her distance and simply liking a promotional photo have become sources of debate.
Some Netizens Are Asking: What Did Liu Wen Actually Do?
Amid the latest backlash, other Chinese netizens have come to Liu Wen’s defense and questioned why her every interaction with Jing Boran seems to become part of the fandom conversation.
They pointed out that Liu Wen did not publicly promote their relationship during The Early Spring’s run and appeared to make an effort to avoid drawing attention away from the drama.
From that perspective, accompanying her boyfriend to a friend’s concert is simply a normal part of their personal lives.
The criticism also prompted a broader discussion about where the line should be drawn between an actor’s fictional romance and his real-life relationship.
The Early Spring’s Luke-Flora Romance Still Has a Hold on Fans
The incident at Li Ronghao’s concert highlights the lingering impact of The Early Spring’s central romance even after the drama has ended.
Jing Boran’s Luke and Sun Qian’s Flora are fictional characters, while Jing Boran and Liu Wen’s relationship exists outside the story. Yet when Li Ronghao called Jing Boran “Luke” while the actor was sitting beside Liu Wen, the two worlds briefly collided—and some fans reacted strongly.
The latest controversy follows a series of moments involving Liu Wen during the drama’s run, from deliberately keeping her distance from Jing Boran to quietly liking his promotional content and now appearing with him at Li Ronghao’s concert.
For some fans in China, those moments have become part of the ongoing conversation surrounding Luke and Flora. For others, they are simply reminders that the actor’s life off-screen exists separately from the romance audiences watched on screen.
