Success of ‘Bright Spring’ and popularity of Xing Bachen

The Chinese urban romance drama ‘Bright Spring’, starring Xing Bachen and Sun Tian, has achieved significant international and domestic success. The series set a record for Chinese productions on Netflix, maintaining the second position on the platform’s global weekly chart for non-English language television series for three consecutive weeks. Its international reach includes topping weekly charts in eight countries, such as Hong Kong and Taiwan, and appearing in the top 10 across 54 countries and territories.

On the Youku platform, the series has led modern romance rankings and reportedly set a historical record for its ‘Yun He’ index, reaching a single-day level of 40.3%. It was noted as the fastest modern romance on the platform to surpass the 10,000-point temperature mark in 2026.

Lead actor Xing Bachen has experienced a surge in popularity for his role as the sophisticated ‘bad boy’ CEO, Loan Niệm. His character topped popularity rankings for two consecutive weeks, and his rising fame has drawn massive crowds to public events, such as a recent appearance in Hangzhou that forced a shopping mall to limit entry. Public interest continues to focus on his personal history and relationships, including his friendship with Angelababy and his connection to model Liu Wen.

Co-star Sun Tian has also drawn attention. While her performance has been described as natural, industry commentary from former manager Li Dengke suggests her modern aesthetic might limit her ability to transition into historical dramas, which is often considered a requirement for long-term stardom in the Chinese entertainment industry.