- Drama Title: Deep Affection Eyes
- Also Known As: 深情眼, Affectionate Eyes, Deep Egos, Deep Love Eyes, Shen Qing Yan, Deep Eyes
- Director: Zhang Xiao An
- Genres: Romance
- Cast: Zhang Yu Xi, Bi Wen Jun
- Number of Episodes: 26
- Date of Release: July 21, 2025
- Original Network: Hunan TV, Mango TV
- Where to Watch: MGTV, Viki
- Adapted from the web novel “Shen Qing Yan” by Er Dong Tu Zi
Dear readers, I used to think that I was firmly in the “cats and dogs” club. Well, you know, the classic duo of cuteness. My insta feed was full of posts about them. Then one day, the internet served me a cute clip of rabbits bouncing on a trampoline. Soon after, a cute yellow fish clip appeared. I totally fell for them. Yes, they were obviously fake, but ridiculously adorable.
Now, somehow, my animal-interest radar has shifted again… to elephants. Yes, the gentle giants with more personality than I have on Monday. But before these turns into endless animal babble, I’ll stop right here. Now, please enjoy my Deep Affectionate Eyes Drama Review. Happy reading!!
Deep Affection Eyes Synopsis
Ye Meng returns to her hometown after facing a setback in her career. Romance isn’t on her mind, but what awaits her is a blind date set up by her aunt. She refuses the arrangement, yet fate leads her to meet the reserved Li Jin Yu. This handsome, younger man ignites her curiosity with his distant demeanour.
To dodge her aunt’s persistence, she decided to approach Li Jin Yu on her own terms. As they spend time together, Ye Meng discovers the softer side hidden deep behind his cold façade. Li Jin Yu, whose shoulder the burden of strained relationship with his parent, begin to saw her as the light in his dreary life and starts to open up.
Their bond deepens into love. Just when things seem to be going well, Ye Meng discovers a link between Li Jin Yu’s family and her mother’s tragic death. When the painful truth resurfaced, they are forced to confront old wounds and decide whether their relationship can survive the shadow of the past.
Deep Affection Eyes Drama Review
I started Deep Affection Eyes with a great uncertainty, unsure whether I would drop it halfway or stick it out to the end. This drama didn’t spark much excitement at first. And judging by the cover, which was equally steamy with The Forbidden Flower, I hoped the story would be as good as Jerry Yan and Xu Ruo Han’s story.
Deep Affection Eyes has both highs and lows. At times, it kept me glued to the screen, and other times I just want to throw it out of my mind. Still, I managed to stay until the end, therefore I managed to see the good side of this frustratingly good drama.
If you ever seen The Forbidden Flower, then you will notice some similarities here. Both dramas explore age-gap romance. In The Forbidden Flower drama there was a significant age gap between Xiao Han and He Ran which shaped their dynamic, with her the being younger, impulsive, but determined one.
In Deep Affection Eyes drama, the age gap between Ye Meng and Li Jin Yu only two years. But their personalities make the difference feel much bigger. Ye Meng takes the lead, paving their path, and pulling him along. While Li Jin Yu, who was withdrawn, inexperienced, and frustratingly passive, constantly test my patience. He annoyed me so much that in the first half of the drama, I swear, God forbid, I want to smack his head all the time. 😤
Watching this drama feels like a walking into a visual fest. Zhang Yu Xi and Bi Wen Jun definitely are eye candy, no question. What really held me, though, was their chemistry. it wasn’t fiery or explosive, but it was steady, subtle, and believable. Every glance, every fleeting smile carried weight. It feels like they were made for this role. Nobody could portray Ye Meng and Li Jin Yu as good as they do.
The first arc focused on their blossoming romance. This part was my favorite. Just pure and tender romance between Ye Meng and Li Jin Yu. But the second arc took a turn that felt overly complicated.
When Ye Meng discovered that Li Jin Yu’s mother, Li Ling Bai, was connected to her own mother’s death, the story got tangled with business dealings and old grudges. It becomes cliché. And the small-town background setting made the world feel too narrow for such heavy conflicts.
The later episodes leaned on predictable twist. And while they tried to keep things exciting, I could see most of them coming. THAT is the downside of being in a Dramaworld a little bit too long. You start developing a sixth sense for tropes. It’s a blessing and a curse.
Still, that also the charm of Cdramaland. Even when you think you’ve seen it all, there’s always be surprises in the end. That’s one of the reasons why I choose to stay here. 😉
Overall, I would gladly rewatch the first arc. Yes, I dislike Li Jin Yu’s insecurity and indecisiveness. But the strong chemistry and stunning visuals made it worthwhile. For me, though, the second half lost its spark. So if I ever revisit Deep Affection Eyes, I’ll be happily stop at the part where their romance was still sweet and simple.
The Story – Guided by Love, Shaken by Fear
The romance of Ye Meng and Li Jin Yu could be considered fast romance. It didn’t take long before they started to draw close, which, honestly, was a relief for me. I had just finished Our Generation with its snail-paced slow burn that tested my patience.
Ye Meng met Li Jin Yu while she was going through a rough patch in her life. She worked tirelessly, hoping to buy her own apartment. She endured endless overtime, late-night drinking sessions with clients, and even harassment from them. But everything fell apart when Jiang Lu Zhi stole her job.
Devastated, Ye Meng quit and returned to Ningsui in tears because her dreams were shattered. She never told Li Jin Yu about this. She only said it to Qiao Mai Mai, who was having a hard time after meeting fraudsters, unaware that Li Jin Yu eavesdropping from behind the door.
The early stage of Ye Meng and Li Jin Yu’s relationship is my favorite part because their struggles felt real and relatable. Many real couples also face the same problems of family situation, communication breakdown, personality clashes, financial stress, trust issues, and jealousy.
They genuinely care for each other, but the lack of openness led to misunderstandings. Ye Meng felt she was the only one investing in the relationship, while Li Jin Yu seemed ready to walk away at any moment. Ironically, she herself wasn’t looking far ahead either. Still, it broke her heart to see how easily he could detach. On his side, Li Jin Yu battled with deep insecurity and trust issues from years of abandonment and manipulation.
Li Jin Yu realized that jealousy is his greatest weakness. When Ye Meng meets Gou Kai in episode 11, it drives him mad. Gou Kai is Ye Meng’s ex-boss. He is arrogant, proud, and madly in love with Ye Meng. He followed Ye Men to Ningsui under the delusion that she quit because he had made her jealous. In truth, Ye Meng never had any interest in him. Yet she agreed to meet him because he had information about her mother’s ring.
Gou Kai was so unbearable. I almost consider watching his scene with my eyes closed…😡
Li Jin Yu also shared some history with Gou Kai. Watching how effortlessly Gou Kai could fulfil Ye Meng’s wishes made Li Jin Yu feel inferior. This eventually led to a disagreement between him and Ye Meng.
Actually, Gou Kai wasn’t the real issue. He was just a trigger. The deeper problem was Li Jin Yu’s fear of abandonment and regret over his life choices. Thankfully, Grandma Tou was there to knock some sense into him. Reminding Li Jin Yu that he was too full of himself, and Ye Meng wasn’t the kind of woman to simply leave him.
This is where the personality clashes. Ye Meng was already mature, grounded, and clear about what she wanted. At the same time, Li Jin Yu was still trying ot figure out his identity and future. That’s why I felt a bit disappointed in the ending. Ye Meng was the one who ultimately guided their path forward, suggesting marriage.
To me, her decision felt impulsive. She even quoted Fang Ya En, saying, Marriage is a gamble. Then she asked Li Jin Yu if he wanted to bet. And I was like… Girl, are you sure? Did you actually think it through, or is this just an emotional impulse after watching his “accidental” confession? 🤔
I couldn’t shake the feeling that Li Jin Yu wanted marriage more out of fear than love. He craved a family, stability, and reassurance that she wouldn’t leave him. But his unresolved trauma, lack of trust, and tendency to hide secrets made me doubt whether marriage was the right step.
Before this marriage thing happened, Fang Ya En voiced the practical concern. Li Jin Yu didn’t have a stable job. Therefore, he didn’t have any social security. Fang Ya En pointed out the obvious future struggles, which were children’s education, financial security, and retirement.
Ye Meng and Li Jin Yu seemed too busy being in love to consider these things. Fang Ya En, on the other hand, has survived a toxic marriage. Therefore, she could see the reality more clearly.
This is when I realized I liked Fang Ya En’s character more than Ye Meng. She was logical, grounded, and served as the emotional anchor of the story, unlike Cheng Kai Ran, who often made things worse instead of better. Fang Ya En gave Ye Meng insight and helped her cut through her emotions.
Her own story was heartbreaking. Fang Ya En was trapped in a bad relationship with her abusive husband. Chen Jian is a violent man who was reckless with money and chased by debt collectors. Fang Ya En quietly endured his attempts to manipulate her, even using their so as a leverage. Chen Jian is a truly awful husband and father.
Later, Cheng Kai Ran slowly realized his feelings for Fang Ya En. He cared for her deeply and even treated Chen Jia Yu as his own. Although his love is awkward like a teenager in love, his sincerity was touching. However, Fang Ya En wasn’t ready to open her heart again. 😟
The Story – Stronger Together
People are like tea. New buds grow when spring arrives. So do human. Where there’s life, there’s hope.
-Li Jin Yu-
Deep Affection Eyes also explores the theme of family support, especially on Li Jing Yu’s side. Though abandoned and hated by his mother, he found a new chance at love and care through Grandma Tou. She literally saved him from death.
And from that moment on, she dedicated her life to her “good grandson” and also protected him from Li Ling Bai. Their bond went far beyond blood ties. It felt like Heaven’s way of compensating Li Jin Yu for losing his father and having such a cruel mother.
Because Li Jin Yu grew up alone (we don’t count his mother), he became the perfect candidate to marry into the Ye family. Since the Ye family only had one granddaughter, they needed someone to carry on the family name. Personally, I wasn’t too invested in the Ye family storyline, as most of their scenes appeared in the second act. By then, I was already watching half-heartedly.
Li Ling Bai is a stark contrast to Grandma Tou. She despised Li Jin Yu so deeply that she wished to ruin him. Yet, she adored her second son, Li Zhou Feng, like a precious jewel.
Li Jin Yu never understood the real reason behind the deep hatred. He thought it was only related to his father’s death. The truth, however, was revealed at the very end. So if you’re curious, it’s worth watching until the final episode.
I truly despised Li Ling Bai’s character, which only proves how well Gong Bei Bei played her. With her cold, ruthless expression, she nailed the role. Gong Bei Bei was the perfect embodiment of a classic evil CEO in Cdramaland.
This seasoned actress truly has some skills. Gong Bei Bei has been actively working as an actress since 1988. She rarely takes the lead role, but she always leaves a lasting impression. If you want to check on her dramas, she appeared in many good ones, such as The Flame’s Daughter, The Blooms at Ruyi Pavilion, Master of My Own, Meet Yourself, and Best Choice Ever.
Finally, I need to highlight Ye Meng and Fang Ya En’s friendship. It made me long for something like that in real life. It’s a friendship that spanned years, surviving storms and challenges, that only strengthened it further.
Ye Meng and Fang Ya En always have each other’s backs. One’s happiness is the other’s joy, and one’s misery becomes shared pain. There’s no secret, forced opinion. Just quiet and steadfast support. It was honestly one of the strongest, most genuine friendships I’ve seen in Cdramaland.
And dear readers, if you’re wondering about the ending, don’t worry. It’s a happy one, even though the journey wasn’t smooth. For the full breakdown, you can check out my separate post on Deep Affection Eyes Ending Explained.
The Visual – Spaces that Speak
Just like what it was portrayed in the posters, Deep Affection Eyes and The Forbidden Flower harness lighting to evoke deep emotion and mood. In The Forbidden Flower, I cant deny that the dim light during intimate scenes created a sensual atmosphere. And the same effect appeared in Deep Affection Eyes.
You can also notice the contrast in how the couple’s homes are portrayed. Li Jin Yu and He Ran (from The Forbidden Flower) both reside in modern, concrete-style houses that radiate practicality, self-containment, and an emotionally guarded vibe.
Meanwhile Xiao Han (The Forbidden Flower) and Ye Meng lived in a place that carried different charm. Xiao Han lives in a lush, plant-filled beach house and Ye Meng lived in an old, character-filled building that breath warmth and history.
The older one’s home carrying the quiet dignity. It walls had seen seasons pass and people grow. For someone who had weathered storm like Ye Meng and Xiao Han, this warmth and familiarity felt like an anchor, a steady reminder of where they had been and what they had survived.
The younger ones prefer something new. A clean slate full of possibility. A space that could become anything, because it had not yet been anything. Both kinds of homes are beautiful, but their beauty came from different truths.
That was the strength of Deep Affection Eyes. The downside, however, lies in the actors’ makeup. I’m not sure if it was the overly thick makeup or a filter applied to their faces, but none of them looked truly human because they have no pores at all.
Even the senor actresses like Ai Li Ya who played Grandma Tou and Yang Qing who played Grandma Ye barely had any visible lines. If you ask me, I’d rather see my favorite actors look human than like a flawless doll.
The Characters
Li Jin Yu (Played by Bi Wen Jun)
At 27, Li Jin Yu still doesn’t have a stable job and often works multiple part-time gigs to support himself, despite coming from a wealthy family. He’s hardworking and an all-rounder, but you’ll find him singing in Cheng Kai Ran’s bar.
Highly intelligent with an excellent memory, Li Jin Yu didn’t finish college due to family circumstances. This is a choice he later comes to regret.
Li Jin Yu has the ‘ice prince” aura. Handsome, refined, but distant. He keeps others at arm’s length, not out of disdain, but for self-protection. The trauma of being abandoned and manipulated by his mother is etched deep. Beneath that cold and indifferent exterior is a kind, sensitive, protective, and attentive man. A side he shows only to those in a very small circle, like Ye Meng and his grandma.
Ye Meng (Played by Zhang Yu Xi)
Ye Meng’s beauty shone, but her personality outshone it even more. She is a passionate and dedicated person, both at work and in love. She holds tight to her principles and is strong-willed. When Gou Kai and Jiang Lu Zhi betrayed her, she wasn’t afraid to cut ties and push back.
It was impulsive, yes, but Ye Meng didn’t regret it. Her courage didn’t stop there. When her aunt arranged a blind date, Ye Mend chose to take control of her life. This is a choice that led her to Li Jin Yu.
Although Ye Meng appeared carefree and happy, deep down inside she carried unresolved questions about her mother’s death. From her father, grandmother, and aunts, she learned that her mother had struggled with depression before taking her own life. Yet, despite knowing this, Ye Meng was still left with lingering doubts and a longing for answers.
As a friend or a lover, Ye Meng is deeply compassionate and supportive. Her kindness and attentiveness show in the way she’s ready to help Fang Ya En anytime, in any situation. With Li Jin Yu, Ye Meng proves that being with her is the best decision he has ever made.
Fang Ya En (Played by Zhang Xiao Wan)
Fang Ya En is a self-reliant mother. Well, she isn’t legally divorced yet, but she’s separated from her husband, Chen Jian.
Now she lives with her six-year-old son, Chen Jia Yu. His sensible and mature personality was born from Fang Ya En’s loving and nurturing care. Her vibrant personality draws people in, and it can be seen in her small but warm clothing shop and her colorful wardrobe.
Fang Ya En designs and sews her own piece. Each one reflects her creativity and artistry. After being in a toxic relationship, Fang Ya En dares to face life head-on for her son’s sake. However, she still carries an emotional scar that made her hesitate to start again.
Cheng Kai Ran (Played by Liu Run Nan)
Cheng Kai Rai is the show’s most confident and proud character. Childish, rough, and impulsive at times. But he’s also charismatic and resilient. His successful bar proves his capability. He’s loyal, persistent, and romantic. But his EQ can be really low.
It takes time for him to realize he’s interested in Fang Ya En. Even so, we see his warmth and fatherly instincts in how he treats Chen Jia Yu, Fang Ya En’s son. To me, Cheng Kai Ran is like a young, untrained Labrador. A lovable troublemaker who’ll melt your heart.
Li Ling Bai (Played by Gong Bei Bi)
Li Ling Bai is Li Jin Yu’s biological mother. She has two sons but treats them very differently. As the CEO of Hanhai Group, she leads with an iron fist. And under her leadership, the company engages in plenty of shady dealings.
All for the deep grudge etched in her heart. She is more like a mafia leader than a businesswoman, unafraid to walk on the dark side. Even her abundant love for her second son, Li Zhuo Feng, doesn’t soften her in the slightest.
The Conclusion
Deep Affection Eyes drama got me feeling complicated. I would gladly stay for another round only for the first arc, when the story mainly focused on Ye Meng and Li Jin Yu’s love. The second didn’t attract me much. but maybe some of you will find it interesting. However, it’s just not my cup of tea.
Please read this Deep Affection Eyes drama review with a grain of salt, dear readers. This is whole thing is my personal opinion. At the end, dramas speak differently to each of us. What felt dragging for me might feel heartfelt to you. If you’re curious, give it a try and see where your heart lands. I’ll see you in another post, dear readers. Until then, happy watching!
