My Dearest Nemesis Review: When Hate Turns to Love

Title: My Dearest Nemesis 

Episodes: 12

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Main Cast: Choi Hyun-wook, Moon Ga-young, Im Se-mi, Kwak Si-yang

Streaming Platform: Viki

Image Credit: Viki

If you enjoy stories where tension crackles between enemies and love blooms in the most unexpected places, My Dearest Nemesis might just be your next K-drama obsession with a fierce, emotional ride through rivalry, romance, and redemption.

"My Dearest Nemesis" is a South Korean romantic comedy series that aired from February 17, 2025, to March 24, 2025, on the tvN network. The series was written by Kim Soo-yeon and directed by Lee So-hyun, and it is adapted from a webtoon of the same name. All 12 episodes of the series are available to watch for free on Viki.

Plot Summary 

Ban Ju-yeon is the head of the strategic planning division at Yongseong Department Store. However, he leads a secret life due to restrictions imposed by his grandmother. He hides his hobbies, which include listening to rock music, reading comic books, collecting figurines, and playing video games.

Baek Su-jeong, the planning team leader at Yongseong Department Store, discovers her boss Ju-yeon's secret. As they grow closer, they ultimately fall in love with each other. However, their relationship is complicated by a painful past. They initially met through online video games during their teenage years and developed feelings for one another.

At that time, Ju-yeon, who used the username "Black Dragon," lied to Su-jeong, known as "Strawberry," about his age. When she found out the truth, she hurtfully rejected him. Their closest friends, Ha-jin and Shin-won, are aware of this history and make efforts to keep it a secret from both Ju-yeon and Su-jeong.

Watch the drama to see what happens when these secrets are revealed.

My Thoughts 

The writing of the series is light and is adapted from a webtoon. The performances of the lead actors, Choi Hyun-wook and Moon Ga-young, as well as supporting characters Im Se-mi and Kwak Si-yang, showcased good on-screen chemistry as a couple. The cinematography was cozy and bright, perfectly setting the scene for an office romance.

The plot was straightforward yet engaging, blending elements of romance and comedy with a hint of emotional depth. Even though it featured the common boss-employee trope often seen in Korean dramas, the cute romance between a younger boyfriend and an older girlfriend was entertaining. Also, I would like to appreciate the bold and mature romance between the side couple, Ha-jin and Shin-won.

The story perfectly blended romance, comedy, and emotional drama with charming characters. However, I felt the storyline was typical and lacked any memorable impact. In short, the drama was sweet and concise, ending predictably on a happy note.

Overall, My Dearest Nemesis is adorable as expected of the romantic comedy genre, along with the typical love-to-hate relationship trope. I would recommend this drama if you like such lighthearted stories without any serious plot twists. I enjoyed watching this series and strongly recommend it to rom-com fans.

What is your take on My Dearest Nemesis? Share your thoughts and favourite scenes in the comments section below. 

If you are looking for such office romance dramas, check out my review of Business Proposal. 

My Rating: 6/10