Dear X (TV series)

Dear X
Promotional poster
Hangul
친애하는 X
RRChinaehaneun X
MRCh'inaehanŭn X
Genre
Based onDear X
by Vanziun
Developed byStudio Dragon
Written byChoi Ja-won
Directed by
Starring
Music byGaemi
Country of originSouth Korea
Original languageKorean
No. of episodes12
Production
Executive producers
Producers
  • Ji Yong-ho
  • Lee Ji-min
  • Park Sol-bin
CinematographyKim Woo-seung
EditorOh Joo-ri
Running time70 minutes[1]
Production companies
Original release
NetworkTVING
ReleaseNovember 6 (2025-11-06) –
December 4, 2025 (2025-12-04)

Dear X (Korean: 친애하는 X) is a 2025 South Korean melo-thriller television series co-written by Choi Ja-won and Vanziun, directed by Lee Eung-bok and Park So-hyun, and starring Kim You-jung, Kim Young-dae, Kim Do-hoon and Lee Yul-eum. Based on Naver Webtoon of the same title by Vanziun, it depicts the downfall of top actress Baek Ah-jin and her two faces hidden behind it. The series premiered on TVING with its first four episodes on November 6, 2025, at 18:00 (KST), followed by two new episodes every Thursday, for a total of 12 episodes. It is also available for streaming on HBO Max in selected regions.

The series was invited as one of six drama series in the On Screen section of the 30th Busan International Film Festival on September 18, 2025, where two of twelve episodes were screened.

Synopsis

Growing up, Baek Ah-jin faced abuse and neglect. Early on, she learned how to mask her feelings and pull the strings for her benefit. That was how she could survive and later make her ambition a path to success. As she grew older, she turned herself into an up-and-coming actress whose beauty, talent, and charm cloaked a merciless drive for fame and power. By her side since childhood was Yoon Jun-seo. He loved and protected her unconditionally and believed his devotion could save her. As Ah-jin's actions turned darker over time, Jun-seo began to question whether he had been helping or enabling her. Another person molded by a tragic past was Kim Jae-oh, who became close with Ah-jin. He played the role of being her shadow to support and protect her while being deeply involved in her moral struggles. She rose to the top in her career amid opposition from Im Re-na, a rival actress and former idol. Re-na's presence and interest in Jun-seo developed tension and rivalry, complicating the relationships between Ah-jin, Jun-seo, and Jae-oh. As Ah-jin navigated the world of entertainment, power, and betrayal, her manipulations created a web of secrets and shifting loyalties. Those who loved or trusted her, including Jun-seo and Jae-oh, became caught in the chaos.

Cast and characters

Main

A top South Korean actress who suffers from antisocial personality disorder, she's a sociopath who hides her cruel nature behind her beautiful face and wears a mask to survive. Abused and abandoned when she was a child, it had made her a master manipulator, using her charm and intelligence. During her school days, she mostly used Yoon Jun-seo and Kim Jae-oh to support and protect her to get ahead. She harbors a lot of grudges behind her somewhat good-natured demeanor. She climbs the ladder of success step by step, treading on childhood traumas, but everything begins to crumble the moment she reaches the top.
Ah-jin's childhood friend. After witnessing what his mom did to her when she was little, he felt bad and wanted to make it right. He thought love was the answer and was willing to do anything for her.
A man who becomes Ah-jin's shadow, driven by a deep connection rooted in their shared trauma, and is fiercely devoted to protecting her at all costs.
She's an idol-turned-actress and Ah-jin's rival.

Supporting

Ah-jin's rival. She's jealous and resentful of Ah-jin due to her insecurities. She harbors a grudge against Ah-jin, who had her accused of stealing, and her status as a rich daughter no longer stands.
Ah-jin's heartless father, who abandoned her when she was young for greed, returns only to abuse her and take away her finances.
Jun-seo's mother. She is Ah-jin's cruel ex-stepmother.
The CEO of Longstar Entertainment who turns Baek Ah-jin into a star.
  • Hyun Seo-ha as Seok Hyang-i[5]
Ah-jin's manager.
  • Shin Moon-sung as Park Dae-ho[5]
A detective who's in charge of the Baek Seon-gyu murder case.

Special appearances

An idol-turned-actor with a secret. He is Ah-jin's boyfriend for a year.
Ex-baseball pro turned cafe owner. He's Ah-jin's boss at the cafe where she works part-time. He tried to protect Ah-jin from a stalker, but mistakenly attacked her father, who is actually physically abusing her for money, and got involved in a murder case.
Ah-jin's husband, the heir to a powerful conglomerate family, has been secretly watching her for a long time. He's the one who reached out to her and arranged the contract offer from her new agency. With a past wrapped in mystery, including a previous marriage that ended in divorce, he's a man with a hidden side.
  • Park Seung-tae as Hong Kyung-sook[9]
In-gang's grandmother.
  • Ryu Kyung-hwan as Im Hee-gook.[9]
Ah-jin's entertainment reporter.

Production

Development

Dear X was co-directed by Lee Eung-bok and Park So-hyun and written by Choi Ja-won, who won the grand prize at the 2018 KBS One-Act Drama Script Contest.[10] The series is based on a popular Naver Webtoon of the same title by Vanziun, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Choi. It is planned by Studio Dragon, produced by Monster Union and Siwoo Company, and provided by TVING.[11]

Casting

On June 4, 2024, Kim You-jung was reportedly offered the role of sociopathic actress Baek Ah-jin and was considering it.[12] A day later, Kim Young-dae was also considering joining.[13] According to OSEN, both actors were confirmed to star together.[14] On June 25, Kim Do-hoon received an offer and was in talks to join the series.[15] The next day, Hwang In-youp was confirmed for a special appearance after receiving an offer.[6] On August 8, TVING officially confirmed the casting of Kim Yoo-jung, Kim Young-dae, Kim Do-hoon and Lee Yul-eum.[2]

Original soundtrack

The OST singer lineup, which includes Lim Kim, Elaine Kim, Minnie, Sam Ock, Cocona, and Olivia Marsh was unveiled on November 4, 2025. The music director of the series is Gaemi.[16] Dear X' soundtrack album was released on December 8, 2025; it contains all of the singles and background tracks from the series.[17]

Dear. X (Original Soundtrack)
Soundtrack album by
Various artists
ReleasedDecember 8, 2025 (2025-12-08)
LanguageKorean
LabelMost Contents
Singles from Dear X
  1. "Run & Run"
    Released: October 12, 2025
  2. "Insane"
    Released: October 19, 2025
  3. "Insane (Soft. ver)"
    Released: October 26, 2025
  4. "Devil's Angel"
    Released: November 2, 2025
  5. "Goodnye"
    Released: November 9, 2025
  6. "Ego"
    Released: November 16, 2025

Singles

Singles included on the album were released from November 6, to December 4, 2025.

Original soundtrack (Part 1–6)

Part 1

All lyrics are written by Ssuvy; all music is composed by Gaemi and Soo-kyung.

Released on November 6, 2025
No.TitleArtistLength
1."Run & Run"Lim Kim2:54
2."Run & Run" (Inst.) 2:54
Total length:5:48

Part 2

All lyrics are written by Ssuvy; all music is composed by Gaemi and Soo-kyung.

Released on November 13, 2025
No.TitleArtistLength
1."Insane"Elaine Kim3:24
2."Insane" (Soft version)Elaine Kim1:40
3."Insane" (Inst.) 3:24
4."Insane" (Soft version; Inst.) 1:40
Total length:10:08

Part 3

All lyrics are written by Ssuvy; all music is composed by Gaemi and Soo-kyung.

Released on November 20, 2025
No.TitleArtistLength
1."Devil's Angel"Minnie2:48
2."Devil's Angel" (Inst.) 2:48
Total length:5:36

Part 4

All lyrics are written by Sam Ock; all music is composed by Gaemi and Soo-kyung.

Released on November 21, 2025
No.TitleArtistLength
1."Goodbye"Sam Ock4:26
2."Goodbye" (Inst.) 4:26
Total length:8:52

Part 5

All tracks are written by Huze, Viz, and Miyoku.

Released on November 27, 2025
No.TitleArtistLength
1."Ego"Cocona3:24
2."Ego" (Inst.) 3:24
Total length:6:48

Part 6

All lyrics are written by Ssuvy; all music is composed by Gaemi and Soo-kyung.

Released on December 4, 2025
No.TitleArtistLength
1."Eyes on Me"Olivia Marsh3:00
2."Eyes on Me" (Inst.) 3:00
Total length:6:00

Release

Dear X premiered on TVING on November 6, 2025, at 18:00 (KST).[18] The first four episodes were released on November 6, followed by two new episodes every Thursday, for a total of 12 episodes.[19][20] It is also available on HBO Max in selected regions.[21][22] It was invited as one of six drama series in the On Screen section of the 30th Busan International Film Festival on September 18, 2025, where two of twelve episodes were screened.[23]

Reception

Critical response

Kim You-jung's performance received widespread praise with The Korea Times calling it "chilling" which "anchors [the] story about trauma [and] manipulation".[24]

Viewership and impact

The series marked TVING's first global release and became one of its biggest hits per Maeil Business Newspaper.[25] According to its streaming platform TVING, "the series ranked first for five consecutive weeks in contributing to new paid subscriptions among original series, and consistently placed at the top of global OTT platforms such as Rakuten Viki, STARZPLAY, Disney+ Japan, and HBO Max".[25]

References

  1. ^ 친애하는 X [Dear X]. WATCH CJ ENM. Retrieved September 20, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e Hong, Se-young (August 8, 2024). 김유정·김영대·김도훈·이열음 '친애하는 X' 출연확정 [공식] [Official: Kim Yoo-jung, Kim Young-dae, Kim Do-hoon, and Lee Yeol-eum confirmed to appear in 'Dear X']. Sports Dong-A (in Korean). Dong-A Ilbo, Co. Archived from the original on August 9, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024 – via Naver.
  3. ^ Kim, Ji-won (September 20, 2025). 김유정, 한번에 두 남자 ♥사랑 받는다..."방법은 달라"('친애하는 X') [종합] [Kim Yoo-jung, loved by two men at once... "The methods are different" ('Dear X') [Comprehensive]]. Ten Asia (in Korean). Retrieved November 6, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d Kim, Min-ji (October 23, 2025). 김이경X배수빈X김유미X김지영→'친애하는 X' 욕망캐 4인 스틸컷 공개 [Kim Yi-kyung X Bae Soo-bin X Kim Yu-mi X Kim Ji-young → Dear X 4 Desire Characters Still Cuts Released]. Herald Pop (in Korean). Retrieved October 27, 2025.
  5. ^ a b Lee, Ye-jin (November 20, 2025). '친애하는 X' 김유정♥황인엽, 열애설→본격 연인 모드 공개 ['Dear X' Kim Yoo-jung ♥ Hwang In-yeop, dating rumors → full-fledged couple mode revealed]. Xports News (in Korean). Retrieved November 27, 2025.
  6. ^ a b Kim, So-yeon (June 26, 2024). [단독] 황인엽 '친애하는 X' 특별출연...신스틸러 활약 예고 [Exclusive: Hwang In-yeop makes a Special Appearance in Dear X]. The Korea Economic Daily (in Korean). Archived from the original on June 26, 2024. Retrieved June 26, 2024 – via Naver.
  7. ^ Kim, Min-ji (October 29, 2025). 김지훈, '친애하는 X' 특별출연...김유정 만나 진정한 어른美 펼친다 [Kim Ji-hoon makes a special appearance on "Dear X" and shows off his true adult beauty alongside Kim Yoo-jung]. Herald Pop (in Korean). Retrieved October 29, 2025.
  8. ^ Song, Bong-seok (November 21, 2025). '친애하는 X' 홍종현, 첫 등장과 함께 폭발한 존재감! ['Dear X' Hong Jong-hyun, his explosive presence with his first appearance!]. Sports Kyunghyang (in Korean). Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  9. ^ a b Hong, Se-young (November 21, 2025). 황인엽 사망 충격, 김유정 비난 봇물... 홍종현 등장 (친애X)[TV종합] [Shock over Hwang In-yeop's death, flood of criticism over Kim Yoo-jung... Hong Jong-hyun appears (Dear X)]. Sports Donga (in Korean). Retrieved November 27, 2025.
  10. ^ Yeon, Hwi-seon (August 8, 2024). 김유정X김영대 '스위트홈' 이응복 감독 만난다, '친애하는 X' 2025년 공개 [공식] [Official: Kim Yoo-jung and Kim Young-dae Meet Director Lee Eung-bok of Sweet Home in Upcoming 2025 series Dear X]. Osen (in Korean). Archived from the original on August 9, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024 – via Naver.
  11. ^ Ha, Ji-won (August 8, 2024). 김유정 김영대→김도훈 대세만 모였네 '친애하는 X' 라인업 완성 [Dear X Line-up Revealed: After Kim Yoo-jung and Kim Young-dae, Kim Do-hoon has gathered.]. Newsen (in Korean). Archived from the original on August 9, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024 – via Naver.
  12. ^ Park, Hyo-joo (June 4, 2024). 김유정 측 "'친애하는 X' 제안 받은 작품 중 하나" 소시오패스 될까 [Kim Yoo-jung: "'Dear X' is one of the works I was offered"] (in Korean). Newsen. Archived from the original on June 4, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2024 – via Naver.
  13. ^ Park, Hyo-joo (June 5, 2024). 김영대 측 "'친애하는 X' 검토중" 신민아 이어 김유정 만날까 [The production of Dear X: Will Kim Young-dae meet Kim Yoo-jung after Shin Min-ah?]. Newsen (in Korean). Archived from the original on June 5, 2024. Retrieved June 5, 2024 – via Naver.
  14. ^ Yeon, Hwi-seon (June 5, 2024). [단독] 김영대X김유정X이응복 감독, '친애하는X' 믿고 보는 조합 완성 (종합) [Exclusive: Kim Young-dae and Kim Yoo-jung will star in Director Lee Eung-bok's drama Dear X]. Osen (in Korean). Archived from the original on August 10, 2024. Retrieved June 5, 2024 – via Naver.
  15. ^ Kang, Hyo-jin (June 25, 2024). [단독]김도훈, 김유정 만나나...드라마 '친애하는 X' 합류 [Exclusive: Kim Do-hoon and Kim Yoo-jung will cast in 'Dear X']. SPOTV (in Korean). Archived from the original on June 25, 2024. Retrieved June 25, 2024 – via Naver.
  16. ^ Joo, Su-hyeon (November 4, 2025). 김유정X김영대 '친애하는 X', OST 라인업 공개...림킴-민니-올리비아 마쉬 등 참여 [Kim Yoo-jung and Kim Young-dae's 'Dear X' OST lineup revealed... Lim Kim, Minnie, Olivia Marsh, etc. participating]. Star Daily News (in Korean). Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  17. ^ Choi, Ji-hye (December 5, 2025). (아이들)민니부터 림킴까지…'친애하는 X' 스페셜 OST 앨범 발매 [From (Idol) Minnie to Lim Kim… 'Dear X' Special OST Album Released]. Ten Asia (in Korean). Retrieved December 8, 2025.
  18. ^ Lee, Min-ji (September 8, 2025). 눈빛부터 달리진 김유정, 티빙 '친애하는 X' 11월 6일 공개 [Kim Yoo-jung's eyes are different from the others, and her new drama "Dear X" will be released on TVING on November 6th.]. Newsen (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
  19. ^ Yoo, Jeong-min (November 6, 2025). 김유정, 구원 받을 수 있을까...'친애하는 X' 파멸 멜로 서스펜스 [Will Kim Yoo-jung be saved? 'Dear X' is a suspenseful, doomed romance]. iMBC (in Korean). Retrieved November 6, 2025.
  20. ^ Moon, Ki-hoon (October 31, 2025). "Kim Yoo-jung embraces her dark side in 'Dear X'". The Korea Herald (in Korean). Retrieved November 6, 2025.
  21. ^ Mallorca, Hannah (October 21, 2025). "Kim Yoo-jung, Kim Young-dae's 'Dear X' to premiere on Nov. 6". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved November 5, 2025.
  22. ^ "Warner Bros. Discovery and CJ ENM Ink Strategic Partnership". www.cjenm.com. October 15, 2025. Retrieved November 5, 2025.
  23. ^ "Kim Yoo-jung and Kim Young-dae's 'Dear X' selected for Busan International Film Festival". Osen. ChosunBiz. August 11, 2025. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  24. ^ "Inside mind of 'Dear X': Monster made by absence of love - The Korea Times". www.koreatimes.co.kr. November 11, 2025. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  25. ^ a b ""Thank You for Your Deep Immersion"... 'Dear X' Cast, from Kim Yoo-jung and Kim Young-dae to Hong Jong-hyun, Share Goodbye Messages - MK". 매일경제. December 9, 2025. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
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