Youku's "The Early Spring" reaches Netflix Top 10 in 22 Markets

BEIJING, Sept. 4, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Youku, Alibaba's online video platform, has achieved a significant milestone with the international success of its workplace romance drama, "The Early Spring." The 24-episode series has reached the second-highest ranking for a Chinese mainland production on Netflix's Global Non-English TV list, marking a new high for a Chinese drama.

Premiering simultaneously on Youku and Netflix on August 26, "The Early Spring" quickly gained traction, recording 2.4 million views and 21.5 million hours viewed on the streaming giant during its five-day tracking period. The series also ranked among Netflix's weekly Top 10 in 22 markets, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil, Venezuela, and Qatar, and topped the charts in Hong Kong and Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Within just two days of its release, "The Early Spring" climbed to the sixth spot on Netflix's global daily chart, entering the daily Top 10 in 54 countries and regions. It secured the top position in Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, and Hong Kong and Taiwan, while securing the second place in Brazil.

The drama stars Jing Boran as Luke Luan, a sharp-tongued creative director, and Sun Qian as Flora Shang, a newcomer to the corporate world. As the series unfolds, the characters navigate the pressures of a fast-paced workplace, leading to a secret office romance that develops over the course of the 24 episodes.

This international success comes as part of a strong summer season for Youku's original dramas. "Unsettled Case," a crime thriller, received a 7.6 rating on the Chinese review platform Douban, while "The Mystic Nine," a mystery-adventure series, surpassed 10,000 on Youku's heat index within 50 hours of its premiere. "The Early Spring" continued that momentum, surpassing 10,000 on the platform's heat index within three days of its release.

Previous Youku romance dramas have also seen strong international performances. "Hidden Love," released in 2023, appeared on Netflix's weekly charts across multiple markets for a cumulative 53 weeks, while "The First Frost," released in 2025, reached the No. 6 spot on Netflix's global daily chart and topped the rankings in Hong Kong and Taiwan, as well as Singapore.

Youku, a leading online video platform in China, continues to focus on producing and distributing high-quality content. The platform emphasizes the synergy of quality content and digital technology to provide users with an exceptional audio-visual experience. "The Early Spring" is a testament to Youku's long-term commitment to developing top-tier original content that resonates globally.