The 24-episode series premiered simultaneously on Youku and Netflix on Aug. 26. Despite being available for only five days during the tracking period, it recorded 2.4 million views and 21.5 million hours viewed on Netflix.

The series ranked among Netflix's weekly Top 10 in 22 markets, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil, Venezuela and Qatar, and topped the weekly TV charts in China's Hong Kong and Taiwan regions, Thailand and Vietnam.

Within two days of its premiere, The Early Spring also reached No. 6 on Netflix's global daily chart and entered the daily Top 10 in 54 countries and regions. It topped the daily charts in Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, China's Hong Kong and Taiwan regions, while securing the No. 2 spot in Brazil.

The series stars Jing Boran as Luke Luan, a sharp-tongued creative director, and Sun Qian as Flora Shang, a newcomer to the corporate world. As they navigate the pressures of a fast-paced workplace, their growing relationship develops into a secret office romance.

The series' global performance comes amid a strong summer season for Youku's original dramas, underscoring the platform's sustained focus on quality-driven content. Crime thriller Unsettled Case received a 7.6 rating on Chinese review platform Douban, while mystery-adventure series The Mystic Nine 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 premiere.

The Early Spring also follows strong international performances from previous Youku romance dramas. 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 No. 6 on Netflix's global daily chart and topped the rankings in China's Hong Kong and Taiwan regions, and Singapore.

About Youku

Youku is a leading online video platform in China that produces and distributes high-quality video content in a variety of content forms. Content types include original production, joint production, rights acquisition, user-generated content (UGC), professional-generated content (PGC), and live broadcast. It enables users to search, view, and share content quickly and easily across multiple devices. Youku is driven by a dedication to excellent content. It is committed to providing users with high-quality premium content and exceptional audio-visual experience through the synergy of quality content and digital technology.

Media Contact
hujing.press@member.alibaba.com

BEIJING, Sept. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Swedish rock band The Cardigans led the lineup of nine international acts and 15 Chinese artists at the fifth Xiami Music & Arts Festival, held from Aug. 28 to 30, 2026. The three-day festival, themed "Life is not a track, but a ______," drew tens of thousands of fans to Aranya, a coastal cultural and tourism destination in northern China's Hebei province.

Co-produced by Damai Entertainment, an Alibaba Group subsidiary, and Aranya, and organized by Damai's Xiami Music Entertainment label, the festival has become one of China's major destination music events. Over the past five years, it has brought 33 international acts to China, introducing Chinese audiences to a broader range of music from around the world while providing overseas artists and music brands with a gateway to the Chinese market.

This year's international lineup featured artists from Sweden, the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, including The Cardigans, Tortoise, The Horrors, Frente!, Gallant, Hayd, Christian Kuria, Ivoris and Zella Day. They performed alongside Chinese artists including Lao Lang, Chen Li and Leah Dou in a lineup spanning indie pop, post-rock, alternative rock, R&B and dream pop.

The Cardigans delivered a special 90-minute set featuring songs from across their three-decade career, including "Lovefool," "Communication" and "Carnival."

In recent years, the festival has expanded beyond music to include theater, exhibitions, film, designer toys and other forms of entertainment, becoming a showcase for Damai Entertainment's broader live entertainment portfolio. At this year's event, Damai Entertainment's designer-toy brand LUCKY LOOP showcased original characters including HEY PENNY, ECHOA and Kooie. The brand opened its first three stores—in Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou—in August and plans to establish a presence in six Chinese cities by the end of the year.

The festival also highlighted the growing connections between Damai Entertainment's live entertainment and film businesses. The theme song and closing theme from the hit film Dear You were performed during the event. Damai Entertainment is also handling the film's worldwide theatrical release.

The festival's commercial program continued to grow in 2026, with 30 brands participating, including 88VIP, Samsung, Volkswagen, Tmall Hey Box, Tmall Super Brand Day, Sprite, Aimer, Freshippo and Nivea. Over the past five years, the festival has worked with 61 brand clients, 18 of which have returned for additional partnerships, representing a repeat-partnership rate of nearly 30%.

Environmental initiatives have also become an integral part of the festival's operations. Over the past five years, it has established 500 waste-sorting stations, collected more than 300,000 plastic bottles and engaged over 300,000 attendees in environmental initiatives.

About Damai Entertainment

Damai Entertainment is a technology-driven company delivering immersive, real-world entertainment experiences. Its diverse ecosystem spans film production, live events, IP commercialization, TV series, artist management, and ticketing platforms. Anchored in its dual strategic pillars of entertainment and AI, Damai is committed to creating unparalleled live, interactive, and immersive experiences for audiences around the world.

Media Contact
hujing.press@member.alibaba.com

BEIJING, July 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Damai International, the international arm of Damai Entertainment (HKEX: 1060), a subsidiary of Alibaba Group, on Friday introduced ORCA (Original Creative Artists), its new artist development and content production label, and launched a worldwide artist initiative, "All My Anecdotes Global Audition".

Launched by ORCA in partnership with entertainment label All My Anecdotes, the initiative marks a major step in Damai International's expansion into artist development and the global entertainment market. It will also serve as a primary talent pipeline for ORCA's future artist projects.

"This program represents an important step in our global talent development strategy," said Walter Zheng, president of Damai International. "We aim to discover promising talent worldwide and provide them with the resources, training and opportunities they need to thrive. By leveraging Alibaba's ecosystem and ORCA's creative capabilities and extensive experience in developing international artists, we are building a platform that empowers talent to grow and pursue opportunities on the global stage."

To mark the launch, ORCA released a brand trailer on Friday featuring Audrey Lane, a dancer and choreographer best known as a member of Jam Republic, the runner-up crew on Mnet's "Street Woman Fighter 2." Known for her distinctive movement style and multicultural background, Audrey has recently expanded her international profile through collaborations with rising K-pop act MEOVV, viral dance content alongside KATSEYE's Megan, and a special guest appearance with Chinese pop star Liu Yuxin on the Chinese variety show "Sisters Who Make Waves 2026."

In the trailer, Audrey stars alongside singer-songwriter DANY, whose introspective sound complements her expressive movement. Together, they create a cinematic blend of music and dance that reflects the creative vision of ORCA and All My Anecdotes, celebrating the idea that every shared moment, inspiration and encounter can become tomorrow's nostalgia.

The audition is open to aspiring performers worldwide who are passionate about the stage and pursuing a career in entertainment. There are no restrictions on gender, age or nationality, and there is no fixed number of participants to be recruited. Candidates will be evaluated based on their talent, potential and overall suitability.

Selected candidates will join ORCA's existing artist roster, which includes Audrey and DANY, and receive comprehensive training in performance, music production and stagecraft from experienced industry professionals. Each artist will follow a personalized development plan tailored to their individual strengths and career goals. ORCA ultimately plans to debut a new international music group drawn from the program.

"ORCA is about creativity, artistry and thinking beyond borders," said Daryl Wang, senior vice president of music business at Damai International. "We're excited to have artists like DANY and Audrey Lane involved in this program. For those who join this journey, this is more than an audition. It is an opportunity to learn from and collaborate with established creators, develop alongside some of the industry's most promising emerging talent and become part of a creative community with global reach."

The global audition will run from July 3 to Aug 3. Applications can be submitted through the official All My Anecdotes website (https://www.ama-official.com/cn/apply/) or by email to casting@orcaartists.com. Applicants can also follow @allmyanecdotes and @orcaartists on Instagram for the latest audition updates.

Damai International is the international arm of Damai Entertainment, focused on expanding its live entertainment ecosystem worldwide. Its businesses span live event ticketing, event management and execution, artist management, content production, venue services and more. In November 2025, it launched MAISEAT, its global ticketing platform, which has since expanded into multiple markets.

About Damai Entertainment

Damai Entertainment is a technology-driven company delivering immersive, real-world entertainment experiences. Its diverse ecosystem spans film production, live events, IP commercialization, TV series, artist management, and ticketing platforms. Anchored in its dual strategic pillars of entertainment and AI, Damai is committed to creating unparalleled live, interactive, and immersive experiences for audiences around the world.

Media Contact
hujing.press@member.alibaba.com

Under the partnership, MAISEAT will manage ticket distribution and sales channels for the show, and will also serve as a co-organizer for the Malaysia stop of the tour. Users can purchase tickets on the MAISEAT website or app, among other platforms.

The concert, GAI EVOLUTION 2026 World Tour – Malaysia, is scheduled for May 10 at the Arena of Stars, Resorts World Genting, in Kuala Lumpur. Exclusive presales on MAISEAT began on March 10, with official ticket sales starting on March 13. All presale tickets have sold out.

As the primary ticketing partner, MAISEAT will use Damai Entertainment's technology infrastructure and service capabilities to ensure a seamless and secure ticket‑purchasing experience.

"Securing the primary ticketing role for GAI's Malaysia show marks an important milestone for MAISEAT and strongly validates our capabilities in international live event ticketing," said Walter Zheng, Head of MAISEAT. "From ticket distribution to customer service, we have implemented a localized end-to-end model that meets the standards of international markets. We plan to bring this model to more markets, helping Chinese artists connect with fans worldwide, and build MAISEAT into a trusted platform for international event organizers and cross‑border audiences."

The MAISEAT platform supports multiple languages, including Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English, Japanese, and Korean. It is fully integrated with Alipay's global payment network and offers multiple payment methods and multi-currency settlement options. A dedicated MAISEAT mobile app was also launched in December last year.

GAI, whose real name is Zhou Yan, is one of China's best-known rappers, singers, and songwriters. His 2026 world tour opened in Singapore on March 7, with subsequent stops scheduled for Las Vegas and Sydney.

About Damai Entertainment
Damai Entertainment is a technology-driven company delivering immersive, real-world entertainment experiences. Its diverse ecosystem spans film production, live events, IP commercialization, TV series, artist management, and ticketing platforms. Anchored in its dual strategic pillars of entertainment and AI, Damai is committed to creating unparalleled live, interactive, and immersive experiences for audiences around the world.

Media Contacts
maiseat.press@member.alibaba.com