The stars Moon Ga-young and Choi Hyun-wook of "My Dearest Nemesis" (directed by Lee Soo-hyun; scripted by Kim Soo-yeon; produced by Studio N; planned by Studio Dragon) evoked deep emotions with a happy ending that turned their dark history of first love into a pink-hued ideal time.
The final episode of "My Dearest Nemesis" recorded an average nationwide viewer rating of 4.1% and a peak of 4.5%, maintaining the top spot in the same time slot across cable and general service channels. Additionally, for tvN's target audience of 2049, the viewer rating averaged 1.4% nationwide, with a peak of 1.7%, achieving first place among all channels, including terrestrial, in the same time slot, and maintained the top position for all 12 episodes consecutively. (Based on paid platforms including cable, IPTV, and satellite/Provided by Nielsen Korea)
In the 11th episode, which aired on the 24th (Monday) and marked the final episode of "My Dearest Nemesis," the characters Baek Soo-jung (played by Moon Ga-young) and Ban Joo-yeon (played by Choi Hyun-wook) were depicted successfully concluding the Yongseong Department Store renewal project and establishing themselves as the heads of the Strategic Planning Department and the new director of Yongseong Department Store, respectively. In particular, Joo-yeon confessed his honest feelings to Yongseong Group Chairman and grandmother Jeong Hyo-sun (played by Ban Hyo-jung), generating a thrilling impact as Hyo-sun reflected on herself and asked Joo-yeon for forgiveness. Meanwhile, Seo Ha-jin (played by Lim Se-mi) and Kim Shin-won (played by Kwak Shi-yang), who had parted ways due to practical issues, rekindled their relationship by confessing their still passionate feelings.
In particular, towards the end of the broadcast, Joo-yeon heightened excitement with a simple and romantic necklace confession, saying, “Will you accept it?” while handing over a past lock necklace that made viewers forget a previous public confession. Soo-jung also responded with a bright smile and nodded, accepting Joo-yeon’s sincere feelings, bringing smiles to the audience. The scenes depicted the happy daily lives of the couple as they shared their favorite activities. The final ending presented a moving contrast as Joo-yeon called out “Soo-jung” from across the crosswalk, where high school student Soo-jung had crossed alone, creating a heartwarming impact. The image of the two walking together sparked hopes for their shared future. Following this, Soo-jung’s narration, “Destiny has made us indispensable to each other. I now understand that every fate is how I name it. Just as despair has another name as hope, you, whom I called a dark history, are now my love,” evoked deep emotion and warm excitement.
In "My Dearest Nemesis," Moon Ga-young as Baek Soo-jung and Choi Hyun-wook as Ban Joo-yeon perfectly embodied their respective characters, breaking new ground in their performances. Moon Ga-young's office looks garnered attention in each episode, becoming a coveted style for office workers, and her shining visuals captivated viewers. Furthermore, Moon Ga-young’s solid acting skills stood out. Particularly in episode 9, her raw performance in a scene where Soo-jung, who had been strong through everything, breaks down after parting with Joo-yeon was profoundly moving, portraying the complex emotions around her first love, which was her greatest dark history. Moon Ga-young demonstrated not only delicate emotional acting but also a comedic charm, showcasing her versatility and securing her status as a rom-com goddess once again.
Choi Hyun-wook, taking on his first romantic comedy lead role, embodied the character of Ban Joo-yeon alluringly as if tailored to him. He perfectly delivered lines such as “Ore wa Akumada” (“I am an evil man”) while portraying the hard rock, comic, and gaming enthusiast ‘Black Dragon’ charmingly, and simultaneously showcased the charisma of a capable Deputy Minister of Yongseong Department Store, inducing heartthrob moments as he pursued Soo-jung with his direct approach. Hence, Choi Hyun-wook's portrayal of the multi-dimensional character of ‘third-generation chaebol geek romantic’ sparked a ‘dragon fever,’ solidifying his stature as a rom-com lead.
Additionally, actors with solid acting skills, such as Lim Se-mi, Kwak Shi-yang, Ban Hyo-jung, Ko Chang-seok, and Kim Young-ah delivered remarkable performances and presented diverse chemistry that provided sheer enjoyment. Lim Se-mi evoked empathy with her warm yet realistic character, while Kwak Shi-yang created an exciting adult romance with Lim Se-mi through his tender charms. Ban Hyo-jung exuded charisma from her first appearance, heightening the tension of the drama, and Ko Chang-seok (as Baek Won-seob) and Son Sang-yeon (as Baek Soo-bin) brought warmth to the plot with humorous acting and realistic familial affection with Soo-jung. Kim Young-ah (as Kwon In-gyeong) appeared as Ban Joo-yeon’s secretary, showcasing a delightful chemistry with Choi Hyun-wook and adding unexpected humor.
With the outstanding performances of the cast contributing to each episode's cheerful and exciting scenes, Director Lee Soo-hyun's fresh direction demonstrated the unique character of "My Dearest Nemesis," generating buzz. Scenes that brought to life the online game background of Soo-jung and Joo-yeon's dark history appealed with unique charm, hitting online communities and attracting great attention. Furthermore, scenes utilizing various CGI and animations that emerged every time the ‘Black Dragon’ was summoned, along with sound effects reminiscent of playing a game, captured the differentiated charm of the work, marking it as a refreshing and delightful romantic comedy.
Moreover, Kim Soo-yeon’s script, based on the charm of the webtoon original while also highlighting the drama’s uniqueness, evoked laughter and empathy, captivating audiences. Lines that radiated geekiness, such as “Ore wa Akumada” and “I will resist and fight against the cruel breakup system,” maximized the work's distinctiveness. Simultaneously, dialogues that captured the emotional line of how the two dark histories fell in love again, such as “I will become your biggest secret” and “A choice for me who loves you,” fostered immersion and heightened excitement.
"My Dearest Nemesis" captured attention every episode with its cheerful and heart-fluttering scenes, recording the first place in viewer ratings across the target audience of 2049 for all episodes on tvN. Not only did it succeed in gaining immense popularity domestically, but it also aimed at the preferences of global viewers, achieving global box office success. According to the global OTT platform Rakuten Viki, it ranked first weekly in a staggering 109 countries, including the Americas, France, the UK, Germany, Italy, regions such as Oceania, including Australia and New Zealand, and the Middle East, including the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The series also swept the top step in the local Korean drama category on each country's leading OTT platforms such as Japan’s U-NEXT and Indonesia’s Vidio, showcasing its global presence.
tvN’s Monday-Tuesday drama "My Dearest Nemesis" portrays an office romance of the 'Deputy Minister killer' team leader Baek Soo-jung, who suffers from a first love that has become a dark history, and Ban Joo-yeon, a 'third-generation chaebol' Deputy Minister who lives hidden with his geek identity as a ‘Black Dragon.’ It concluded with the airing of the 11th episode, the final installment, on the 24th (Monday).
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