"My Idol, My Debut," which blurred the boundary between virtual and real, concluded after writing a new milestone in K-pop history.
MBC Plus drama 'My Idol, My Debut' (directed by Han Geum-bi · written by Choi Yeon-su · produced by Minari Entertainment) wrapped up its grand finale with the broadcast on the 23rd.
In that episode, not only Enny (Hwang Ji-a) but also Jaeha (Ji Chang-min) returned to the past to protect Enny in a shocking twist, and the two saved trainee Seong-hoon—who had been the cause of the assault—through music, breaking the cycle of tragedy, and their first-kiss ending delivered overwhelming emotion to viewers at home. In addition, Enny's tearful growth and the members' short-form meme craze helped create a dramatic reverse run, taking the drama's songs to the top of music charts and winning first place on music shows.
"My Idol, My Debut" proved its intense overseas popularity by reaching No. 1 in the Korean wave & Asia category on Japan's major OTT platform Lemino, and as a unique IP project that expanded virtual idols onto the real music scene, it set a new milestone in K-pop history.
Ji Chang-min (THE BOYZ Q), who played Han Jaeha, leader of Boy to the Moon, and perfectly conveyed everything from the deep emotional line embedded in the solo song "Anytime" to the climax of the redemption narrative, said, "Portraying Jaeha's weighty maturity and the sincerity within his perfectionism and being able to draw that deeply made every moment meaningful. Above all, thanks to the overwhelming love and support of our Derbies (official fandom name), who have always been a steadfast pillar, I was able to keep going without wavering to the end. I will cherish for a long time the warm hearts of everyone who immersed themselves in the work and breathed with us."
Hwang Ji-a, who led the story as Choi Enny of Irion, said in her closing remarks, "Enny's reckless but pure passion in rushing into the past without hesitation to save her favorite moved me deeply. I bow my head in gratitude to everyone who watched and loved Enny's lonely struggle and Irion's miraculous growth to the end."
Lee Jin-hyuk, who brought youthful energy as Lee Seon, Boy to the Moon's refreshing mood maker and Jaeha's closest aide, said, "On set I matched breath with wonderful colleagues and took away a lot of positive synergy. It was an honor to decorate a page of youth as the charming friend Lee Seon." WOOAH's Nana, who left a strong impression as Aji, the cold and haughty "devil trainee," also said, "Although Aji was clumsy, the process of slowly opening up and growing into a 'shared destiny' with Enny and the members was truly precious. I was happy to spend this intense summer with Aji."
Kaede of tripleS, who played Karin and was a hidden contributor to Irion's reverse run, said, "Playing the quiet but solid Karin helped me grow a lot myself. Thanks to the director, the writer, and all the staff and actors, the set was always warm." Aisa, who made history by hitting 10 million views on a street interview as the "first K-pop idol from Mexico" and served as the show's mood maker, said, "I had so much fun filming because so many people found Aisa's charm cute. I will never forget the passionate support sent to Irion and 'MEMORIA' for the rest of my life."
"My Idol, My Debut" is a drama that tells the breathless redemption story of obsessive fan Choi Enny (Hwang Ji-a), who time-slips from 2026 to 2018 to prevent the 2026 tragedy, and Han Jaeha (Ji Chang-min), leader of Boy to the Moon.
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