Jing Boran and Liu Wen recently became the centre of a debate among fans of The Early Spring, after the couple attended Li Ronghao’s concert in Shanghai. What was a fun back-and-forth during the concert quickly became a topic of discussion online, with some fans upset about how Boran’s off-screen relationship with Wen was being linked to his fictional character Luke, who’s attached to Flora, played by actress Sun Qian. The controversy arises from the emotional investment fans have developed for Luke and Flora, the main romantic pairing in the Chinese Netflix show. Within the drama, Luke is inseparable from Flora for many viewers, and any reference connecting the character to Boran’s real-life relationship feels awkward.
What happened at Li Ronghao’s concert?
Li Ronghao’s Shanghai concert had Liu Wen and Jing Boran in attendance. When interacting with the audience, Li Ronghao said hello and called Boran “Luke”, the name of his character in The Early Spring. Fans of the drama immediately picked up on the comment, especially because of the connection between Luke and Flora. According to fans, Wen said, “Luke is here, Wen Wen is here too, and my wife Yang Cheng Lin is here as well.”
However, another version of the moment is circulating online, suggesting the comments may have been misinterpreted. Many posts point out that Li Ronghao joked that if Luke was there, then an important woman in his life must be there, too, before referring to his own wife, Rainie Yang. “The Luke you all love is here. And if Luke is here, there is surely a lady by his side who is vitally important to his life – that lady is my wife, RainieYang,” he allegedly said.
That distinction matters because it hints the comments might not have been meant to identify Liu Wen as Luke’s fictional partner or reinterpret the character’s relationship with Flora.
Why are the fans of The Early Spring angry?
A lot of the reaction seems to stem from the deep emotional connection fans have for Luke and Flora as fictional characters. For the audience, Luke is part of the fictional world of the story, and Liu Wen is Jing Boran’s real-life girlfriend. The two relationships are in totally different settings. Some fans feel that the line between actor and character is blurred, and it affects their immersion in the drama.
This is especially true for romantic dramas where audiences can become really attached to fictional couples. Fans might like to keep the character and their emotional journey separate from the actor playing him. Here, the critique is thus less of Jing Boran and Liu Wen per se but of the choice to conflate Boran’s real-life identity with Luke’s in a public appearance.
A user on X (formerly Twitter) aptly explained the full controversy. “Fans weren’t happy because the most important woman in Luke’s life is Flora, not Liu Wen. Luke is Flora’s fictional love interest, while Liu Wen is Jing Boran’s real-life girlfriend. If we’re going to separate real life from the drama, then it should go both ways. Flora is Flora and Liu Wen is Liu Wen. Bringing the real-life relationship into the drama can ruin the immersion for fans. Personally, I think the criticism should be directed at Li Ronghao for making that comparison in the first place, rather than Jing Boran and Liu Wen.”
Are Jing Boran and Liu Wen to blame?
An argument says the backlash should not be directed at Jing Boran or Liu Wen. The couple just went to a concert together, and there is nothing in the information given to suggest that either of them tried to merge their real-life relationship with the fictional romance of Luke and Flora.
If fans want to maintain a divide between fiction and reality, they probably should maintain a divide. Luke is Luke, Flora is Flora, Jing Boran is Jing Boran, and Liu Wen is Liu Wen. The confusion seems to have been created by the reference to Boran’s character name in the public and the connection of that name with his actual presence at the concert.
The incident explains the complex relationship between actors, fictional characters and deeply invested fandom. Clearly, The Early Spring fans are very attached to Luke and Flora, and even a seemingly innocuous reference can provoke discussion when it crosses the line between the drama and the actors’ personal lives.
DISCLAIMER: The article is a compilation of thoughts posted by netizens and satire doing the rounds on the subject. Ideas expressed do not reflect the view of Times Network.