First Impressions: "My Dearest Nemesis" Is Full Of Chaos, Geeks, And Office Work Life

Those of us who grew up discovering new technologies and the budding world of internet gaming know exactly what it was like to have an online friend at the time. For Baek Su Jeong (Mun Ka Young), playing video games was nothing but a waste of time, something only immature boys like her little brother enjoyed doing. That is, until she gets hooked on a new game and meets a player named “Black Dragon.” He is skilled, smart, and as far as Su Jeong knows, he is older than her, which makes him the man of her dreams. “My Dearest Nemesis” starts as a novel K-drama that brings to us a rarely seen topic: online relationships versus the reality behind them. 

The internet can be a dangerous place. You can easily forge a personality and lie about everything from your gender to your age, making it impossible to know who the person you are talking to behind the computer is. Sadly, this is something Su Jeong learns in the most embarrassing and unexpected way when she meets “Black Dragon” for the first time. Instead of a 22-year-old college student, she finds out her crush is only a 15-year-old boy (Moon Woo Jin) who has been lying to her. This is exactly where the chaos for the two of them begins and the fun for us. Though watching Su Jeong’s disappointment is sad, you cannot help but laugh at Ju Yeon’s ridiculous display, since after all, he is a teenager pretending to be an adult. 

But what may be cute for viewers turns out to be totally cringey for Su Jeong. Despite all the time they shared through their online gaming, the embarrassment is too much to bear for her, and the moment he confesses his love, she rejects him mercilessly. As her first love comes to a tragic end, she vows never to let herself be deceived and to only rely on herself. After all, that is exactly what she has been doing since she lost her mother. Despite the continuous bullying from her classmates and her family situation, she gets into a prestigious university, proving she is the strong female lead this show needs. It is fairly common to watch office K-dramas overuse the “Cinderella-like” story, but this one detaches from that trope right from the start. 

16 years later, Su Jeong has succeeded and has become a career woman in a big company. But making a living isn’t easy, especially when you’re working in a ruthless corporate world that is constantly trying to crush you. That is why it’s no surprise Su Jeong turns into an infamous “director killer.” Although she used to be a magical healer in the game, she now gets rid of every boss who arrives at her workplace on a single strike, making her the worst nightmare in her company. In that sense, it is very refreshing to watch a woman stand up for herself and her coworkers. But that changes when she meets her new director, Ban Ju Yeon (Choi Hyun Wook).

He is the perfect rich heir of the Yongseong Group and the only grandson of their chairwoman. On the outside, he is competent, smart, and handsome. But on the inside, he hides a completely different self. While Su Jeong left behind her brief life as a game player, Ju Yeon is what everyone would call a total geek. He loves video games, comics, and hard rock. He adores collectible figures so much that he even fights a little kid for a one-of-a-kind piece. For many people, his hobby wouldn’t be something to hide, but for Ju Yeon, it is his only weakness, an unspeakable secret that no one should ever know about. This duality of his turns him into a very interesting and unique male lead. He not only stands out for his looks but also for his complex personality. 

Ju Yeon has a clear goal and is determined to achieve it. However, his first meeting with Su Jeong is full of misunderstandings—a crashed car and a visit to the hospital. And when they meet again as director and team leader in the same workplace, they naturally become mortal enemies. Furthermore, things get complicated the moment Su Jeong discovers his alternative life. This turns her into an imminent threat to Ju Yeon, who does everything in his power to make her quit her job. Although Su Jeong isn’t sure why her boss continues targeting her, she isn’t someone who backs down when complications arise. On the contrary, she pushes just as hard as her opponent. 

As their rivalry grows, so does Ju Yeon’s anxiety. Despite being a rich heir, his family is far from ideal. We know very little about his past, but we can see his relationship with his grandmother—the only relative he has left after his parents’ passing, and she isn’t exactly a loving one. She blames him for the death of her son, and in order to make him the successor of her company, she constantly tests him, forcing Ju Yeon to show the utmost flawless picture of a businessman. Seeing Ju Yeon as a quirky, extravagant man, it makes you wonder exactly how much pain he is keeping inside that makes him seclude himself in that fantasy world. 

He is not that far from achieving his grandmother’s recognition, but Su Jeong is definitely turning into an obstacle. Nonetheless, he cannot help but admire her determination and talent. On the other hand, she can tell he isn’t exactly like the other directors, but his over-the-top attitude—which reminds her much of “Black Dragon”—makes it hard for her to see his real self. However, they still have to work hard to reach a common goal together, and they are all about winning, which makes them draw closer even when they don’t want to. Just two episodes in, and one of the most enjoyable elements in this K-drama is the chemistry between the leads, regardless of their polar opposite personalities. 

And when Ju Yeon forces Su Jeong to attend a party with him, they face a new setback the moment a random man harasses her. Ju Yeon has to step out and help her, without knowing exactly what the consequences of his actions will be. And while they are at odds, they cannot deny the budding feelings within them, which also gives butterflies to the viewers. But what will happen when they discover they are each other’s shameful first love? We will find out how these pair of enemies turn the table around for their relationship in the upcoming episodes of “My Dearest Nemesis”!

Watch the first episodes of “My Dearest Nemesis” here: 

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Andy zar is an avid drama watcher, from K-dramas to C-dramas, she believes any weekend is a good weekend to enjoy 12 hours of binge-watching dramas. She loves romance, web comics, and K-pop. She is a declared “Subeom” and “Hyeppyending.” Her favorite groups are EXO, TWICE, and BOL4.

Currently watching: “My Dearest Nemesis”
Plans to watch: “The Witch”