Who Is Jing Boran From ‘The Early Spring’? Meet C-Drama’s Newest Heartthrob

Netflix seems to have a knack for introducing C-drama heart-throbs to the world.

Months after Pursuit Of Jade (2026) helped propel actor Zhang Linghe to international fame in March, The Early Spring is putting another Chinese actor, Jing Boran, in the global spotlight.

The 37-year-old stars as sharp-tongued advertising creative director Luan Nian, who falls for his younger colleague Shang Zhitao (Sun Qian) as they navigate workplace pressures.

The 24-episode series has generated buzz for its leads’ chemistry and intimate scenes – it is reportedly the first mainland Chinese drama to employ an intimacy coordinator.

The slow-burn romance debuted at No. 2 on Netflix’s Global Non-English TV list when it premiered on Aug 26, garnering 2.4 million views and 21.5 million hours viewed. It also broke into the weekly Top 10 in 22 markets, including Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil, Venezuela and Qatar.

Although The Early Spring ended its run on Sept 9, it remained at No. 2 on Netflix’s Global Non-English TV list for the week of Sept 7 to 13.

But Jing is hardly a newcomer. From his beginnings as a pop idol and working with Hong Kong acting heavyweights to creating his own typeface and styling his character, here are five things to know about the latest screen star sending female fans swooning.

1. He was a pop idol before becoming an actor

Born in Shenyang, Liaoning province, in 1989, he entered show business at 18 after participating in the 2007 season of the Chinese talent competition My Hero.

He won the contest, while fellow contestant Fu Xinbo placed third.

The pair subsequently signed with Chinese entertainment company Huayi Brothers and formed the Mandopop duo BoBo – whose name combined the “Bo” in Jing Boran and Fu Xinbo. They released their debut EP Glory that year.

BoBo developed a sizeable fan base before going their separate ways, with the duo officially disbanding in 2012.

By then, Jing had already begun making the transition into acting, appearing in movies such as the romantic comedy Hot Summer Days (2010) opposite Chinese singer-actress Angelababy.

2. The movie that made him a star almost did not star him

One of the biggest breaks in Jing’s movie career came under highly unusual circumstances through the Chinese 3D fantasy-adventure Monster Hunt (2015).

Taiwanese actor Kai Ko was the original male lead opposite Chinese actress Bai Baihe. Ko had already filmed the role of Song Tianyin when his 2014 drug arrest in Beijing left the production facing the possibility that the movie could not be released in China.

Hong Kong producer Bill Kong made the costly decision to replace Ko with Jing. Hong Kong director Raman Hui reportedly reshot about 70 per cent of the film, and about a quarter of its visual-effects work had to be redone. Jing volunteered to step into the role without a salary.

The gamble proved to be extremely successful.

Monster Hunt became a box-office hit, at one point becoming the highest-grossing film ever released in China with US$382 million in earnings, cementing Jing’s status as a big-screen leading man.

He reprised his role in the 2018 sequel Monster Hunt 2, with Hong Kong actor Tony Leung Chiu Wai leading the cast.

3. Enjoying another career high with The Early Spring

Nearly two decades after his debut, Jing is finding a new – and increasingly international – fan base with The Early Spring, which he has described as his first “true idol drama”.

But part of the show’s appeal is that it does not play like a conventional idol romance.

According to Netflix, director Chiang Chi-cheng said he wanted the drama’s visual style, character dynamics and portrayal of intimacy to approach love from a more mature perspective.

For viewers only now discovering Jing, however, his success is anything but overnight.

He has spent years straddling mainland Chinese and Hong Kong cinema.

In the crime mystery The Bullet Vanishes (2012), he appeared alongside Hong Kong stars Lau Ching Wan and Nicholas Tse. Three years later, he starred opposite Andy Lau in Lost And Love, playing a young mechanic abducted as a child who joins Lau’s character – a father searching for his missing son – on a journey to find their families.

Other notable credits include Us And Them (2018), the feature directorial debut of Taiwanese actress Rene Liu, and the period detective series A League Of Nobleman (2023), which he headlined alongside Chinese star Song Weilong.

Fans who are already missing Luan may have reason for hope. Chinese streaming platform Youku recently announced it will release Midsummer Clear And Bright, a sequel to The Early Spring, as part of its 2027 slate. Jing and Sun, however, have not been confirmed to return.

Among Jing’s unreleased projects are the crime drama The Silent Storm and the period romance The Love Of Hypnosis.

4. He brought his own fashion sense to Luan Nian

Viewers admiring Luan’s impeccably put-together wardrobe may actually be appreciating Jing’s own clothes.

A Chanel ambassador since 2020, Jing brought his own fashion instincts to Luan, taking an unusually hands-on role in creating his character’s look. He meticulously planned Luan’s styling from head to toe, covering everything from his office attire to what he wore at home.

To capture the advertising creative director’s fashion-forward image, Jing not only tapped his real-life relationships with luxury brands, but also brought more than 100 pieces from his own closet to the set, mixing them with runway looks from labels such as Chanel, Ferragamo, Bottega Veneta and Valentino.

The clothes also help tell Luan’s story.

Early in the series, the emotionally guarded executive is dressed in restrained hues, buttoned-up suits and precisely knotted ties. As he opens up to Shang, collars loosen, colours brighten and silhouettes become more relaxed.

The transformation is subtle but deliberate: The wardrobe becomes an extension of a character who is slowly letting down his defences.

There is also an intriguing overlap between Jing’s fashion commitments and personal life.

In 2019, he appeared with Chinese supermodel Liu Wen, 38, in Chanel’s Coco Crush Qixi campaign.

The two have since been romantically linked and have been photographed holding hands and attending outings together, although neither has publicly confirmed their relationship.

5. His handwriting became an actual typeface

How many celebrities can say their handwriting is available as a font?

Jing has long been known among Chinese fans for his neat and distinctive penmanship, frequently sharing handwritten messages on social media.

In 2015, Chinese type foundry Hanyi Fonts approached him about turning his handwriting into a commercial typeface. Jing personally wrote around 3,000 commonly used Chinese characters for what became the Hanyi Jing Boran font.

His earnings from the collaboration were reportedly donated to charity.

More than a decade later, his handwriting has found a fresh audience, thanks to The Early Spring.

Jing personally hand-lettered the drama’s title and episode cards, making his penmanship part of the visual identity of his latest hit.

For fans who love his handwriting, there is no need to painstakingly copy it themselves – they can quite literally type in Jing Boran.

This article was originally published on The Straits Times.