ENTERTAINMENT — Chinese actress Sun Qian is gaining fresh international attention following the release of The Early Spring, but Netflix viewers discovering her through the workplace romance may be surprised to learn that her career already spans family comedy, coming-of-age stories, urban drama, period romance and even sci-fi romantic comedy.
From a rebellious younger sister to an ambitious advertising professional, Sun Qian has steadily built one of the more varied television catalogues among her generation of Chinese actors.
Tatler Asia recently highlighted six C-dramas that offer viewers a closer look at her career — and for fans who have just finished The Early Spring, there is plenty more to watch.
1. The Early Spring (2026): The drama bringing Sun Qian to a wider audience
For many international viewers, The Early Spring may be their introduction to Sun Qian.
The 2026 workplace romance stars Sun Qian as Shang Zhitao, also known as Flora, a young professional beginning her career at a leading advertising agency in Beijing.
Driven but inexperienced, Flora faces the pressure of a demanding workplace while developing an increasingly complicated relationship with her formidable boss, Luan Nian, played by Jing Boran.
The story follows their relationship over several years, exploring career growth, emotional conflict, separation and reunion.
Tatler Asia noted that the series premiered in August 2026 and quickly found an international audience through Netflix, giving Sun Qian greater global exposure.
But the role also represents an important stage in her acting evolution.
Rather than playing a purely lighthearted romantic character, Sun Qian’s performance combines vulnerability, professional ambition and emotional maturity.
For new fans, The Early Spring is the obvious place to start.
But it is far from the beginning of her story.
2. Love Story in the 1970s (2026): A romance built on survival and ambition
Another recent addition to Sun Qian’s screen career takes viewers back to 1975.
In Love Story in the 1970s, she plays Fei Ni opposite Arthur Chen’s Fang Muyang.
The period drama follows Fei Ni, a textile factory worker who dreams of becoming a writer and pursuing opportunities beyond the limitations of her circumstances.
After Fang Muyang suffers amnesia, Fei Ni helps care for him in the hope that her actions may eventually help her secure an opportunity for higher education.
But when that plan falls apart, the two enter a marriage of convenience to solve a housing problem.
What begins as a practical arrangement gradually develops into something deeper.
Tatler Asia describes the drama as a slow-burn romance shaped by everyday life, mutual support and the changing ambitions of a generation emerging from a difficult period in Chinese history.
For viewers who prefer emotional period dramas over fast-paced romance, this is one of Sun Qian’s more mature projects to explore.
3. Wind Direction (2024): Sun Qian’s breakthrough performance
If The Early Spring introduced Sun Qian to new global viewers, Wind Direction helped establish her growing reputation in Chinese television.
Set in 1997, the nostalgic coming-of-age drama follows teenagers growing up in a coastal oilfield community.
Sun Qian plays Cheng Miaomiao, a spirited 17-year-old with a restless curiosity about the world beyond her hometown.
Her desire for adventure frequently puts her at odds with family expectations, especially her protective mother.
But the drama is not simply about teenage rebellion.
It also explores friendship, sibling relationships, family conflict and the difficult transition from childhood into adulthood.
Tatler Asia credited Sun Qian’s energetic performance with giving the character much of the series’ personality and noted that she shared the Best Breakthrough Actor in a TV Series recognition at iQIYI Scream Night 2024 with Chen Zheyuan.
For fans who want to see Sun Qian in a lively and youthful role, Wind Direction is a strong choice.
4. Remembrance of Things Past (2021): A more complex and realistic role
Remembrance of Things Past gave Sun Qian the opportunity to take on a more emotionally complicated character.
The urban drama follows four women trying to build careers and relationships while navigating life in Beijing.
Sun Qian plays Xu Yan, a young woman who moves to the capital because of her relationship but eventually finds herself confronting financial pressure, personal disappointment and the consequences of her choices.
Unlike glamorous portrayals of city life, the drama focuses on the realities of starting over in a major city.
Career setbacks.
Loneliness.
Financial pressure.
Relationship problems.
And the importance of friendship.
Tatler Asia highlighted the series for its realistic portrayal of young adults and noted that Sun Qian earned a Best Actress nomination at the 2021 WenRong TV Awards for the role.
For viewers looking for one of Sun Qian’s more serious performances, this drama may be the best place to go next.
5. Take My Brother Away (2018): Where Sun Qian’s television journey began
Every actor has a beginning.
For Sun Qian, that beginning came with Take My Brother Away.
The 2018 slice-of-life series marked her C-drama debut, with Sun Qian taking on the role of Shi Miao opposite Joseph Zeng as her mischievous older brother, Shi Fen.
At first, the series plays heavily on sibling comedy.
Shi Miao is constantly frustrated by her brother’s pranks.
Arguments are frequent.
Chaos is unavoidable.
And Shi Miao often seems more than ready to get rid of him.
But beneath the comedy is a deeper family story.
Shi Fen has been quietly carrying responsibilities and protecting the family despite appearing irresponsible on the surface.
The sibling rivalry eventually develops into an emotional story about family, sacrifice and growing up.
Tatler Asia described the role as a striking debut for Sun Qian, showcasing both her comic timing and emotional range from the beginning of her television career.
For longtime fans, this is where it all started.
For new fans, it offers a chance to see just how far Sun Qian has come.
6. A Robot in the Orange Orchard (2022): Romance with a sci-fi twist
Sun Qian showed another side of her personality in A Robot in the Orange Orchard.
The sci-fi romantic comedy is based on the premise popularised by the Korean drama I Am Not a Robot.
Sun Qian plays Yang Shan Shan, a woman who ends up impersonating an intelligent companion robot.
The robot, known as Friday, has been created for Lu Sen, a technology company chairman played by Liang Jingkang.
But when circumstances prevent the real robot from appearing, Yang Shan Shan is forced to step in.
The problem?
She has to convince Lu Sen that she is a machine.
As Lu Sen grows closer to “Friday”, the deception becomes increasingly difficult to maintain.
The unusual premise creates plenty of opportunities for comedy while also developing into a romance with genuine emotional stakes.
For K-drama fans familiar with I Am Not a Robot, Tatler Asia says the series offers a familiar entry point into Sun Qian’s work while giving her the chance to show her more playful side.
Why Sun Qian is attracting more attention
What makes Sun Qian’s career particularly interesting is the variety of roles she has taken on.
She has played:
- A workplace professional navigating ambition and romance
- A period drama heroine pursuing education and dreams
- A rebellious teenager in a nostalgic coming-of-age story
- A young woman struggling with the realities of life in Beijing
- A frustrated younger sister in a family comedy
- A woman pretending to be a robot in a sci-fi romance
That range has allowed her to move beyond one specific television formula.
And now, with The Early Spring reaching international viewers through Netflix, more audiences are discovering the work she built before her latest global spotlight.
The Sun Qian watchlist
For viewers wondering where to begin, the six dramas offer something for almost every type of C-drama fan.
For workplace romance:
The Early Spring
For period romance:
Love Story in the 1970s
For coming-of-age drama:
Wind Direction
For realistic urban stories:
Remembrance of Things Past
For family comedy:
Take My Brother Away
For sci-fi romantic comedy:
A Robot in the Orange Orchard
From debut role to international spotlight
Sun Qian’s career has moved quickly since her 2018 television debut.
What began with a comic sibling role has expanded into increasingly complex performances across multiple genres.
Her latest work in The Early Spring has now introduced her to a wider international audience.
But for viewers who want to know whether she is more than a one-show discovery, her earlier dramas provide the answer.
She can do comedy.
She can handle emotional drama.
She can lead a romance.
And she has shown a willingness to move between genres rather than repeat the same role.
For fans finishing The Early Spring, the next question may not be whether to watch another Sun Qian drama.
It may simply be:
Which one should you start with first?
WWC ONE MEDIA J.M.D
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