LayarHijau – After eight years in the entertainment industry, Deng Kai is finally getting widespread attention thanks to his role in the latest drama Pursuit of Jade (逐玉). Previously, he was known for supporting roles in several hit dramas such as The Blood of Youth (少年歌行), Destined (长风渡), and Unveil: Jadewind (唐宫奇案), but his name had yet to truly break out.
That changed when Deng Kai took on the role of the villainous prince Qi Min in Pursuit of Jade. The character is deeply layered—a prince who grew up without love and eventually became obsessive and ruthless. He is infatuated with a restaurant owner played by Kong Xue’er, and Deng Kai has been widely praised for delivering such a precise and emotionally complex performance.
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Through sharp eye expressions and subtle micro-expressions, like the twitch of his brows, Deng Kai brings Qi Min’s dark and twisted personality to life. One of the most talked-about scenes is when Qi Min personally kills his younger brother, portraying a mix of long-suppressed resentment, a sense of victory, and a faint trace of reluctance. His performance left viewers impressed, and his on-screen dynamic with Yu Qianqian (played by Kong Xue’er) has been described as having explosive chemistry.
Unsurprisingly, Deng Kai’s popularity has skyrocketed in a short time, gaining him millions of new followers. Interestingly, off-screen, he has a completely different personality—he’s actually quite shy.
This contrast became especially evident when he recently appeared at Hangzhou Airport on his way to record the variety show Hello Saturday (你好，星期六). At first, Deng Kai greeted fans warmly, smiling, making heart gestures, and even accepting letters from them one by one.
However, as the crowd grew larger and more overwhelming, he quickly found himself unable to move forward. Visibly flustered, Deng Kai began pushing through the crowd and running toward the security checkpoint.
At one point, clearly overwhelmed, he even pleaded with fans, saying, “That’s enough photos, please go home!” while continuing to hurry forward.
The situation escalated as fans continued to follow him all the way to the boarding area. Still holding a thick stack of letters, Deng Kai looked completely exhausted and eventually sought refuge in the men’s restroom. Once inside, he tilted his head back and shouted to release his stress.
Even after boarding the plane, he was reportedly still clasping his hands together as if pleading with the fans who had followed him earlier. His honest and unfiltered reaction amused many netizens.
“He’s so intense in dramas, but in real life he’s trembling in fear,” one netizen wrote.
“The contrast is hilarious—so ruthless on screen, but like a shy kid off screen,” another commented.
The stark contrast between Qi Min’s cold, ruthless personality and Deng Kai’s shy, gentle nature has only made him more endearing to fans. With his rapidly rising popularity, this could just be the beginning of a much bigger breakthrough in his career.
