Cover Why is everyone watching ‘Dear X’?
Why is everyone watching ‘Dear X’?
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A razor-sharp psychological thriller led by an extraordinary performance from Kim Yoo-jung, ‘Dear X’ is the rare K-drama that seduces you into rooting for the villain—and questioning your own morality in the process
Some K-dramas ask you to root for the underdog. Dear X asks you to root for the monster — and in the process makes you feel guilty, thrilled and emotionally compromised all at once. Korean actress Kim Yoo-jung delivers the performance of her career as Baek Ah-jin, a sociopath manufactured by cruelty and refined by fame, while the story peels back layers of ambition, desperation, and the terrible things people do just to be loved.
Dear X is a sleek psychological thriller dressed like a dark fairy tale, where beauty becomes a weapon, trauma becomes destiny, and love becomes the most dangerous currency of all. If you’re craving a drama that’s stylish, subversive, morally thorny and impossible to look away from, consider this your invitation.
In case you missed it: 12 intense K-drama thrillers that will keep you on the edge of your seat
1. Kim Yoo-jung’s career-defining transformation
Above Kim Yoo-jung built her career on sweet, girl-next-door roles, so this may be a career-defining role for her
Kim Yoo-jung built her career on sweet, girl-next-door roles, so this may be a career-defining role for her
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Kim Yoo-jung’s Baek Ah-jin is the kind of character actresses wait years to play. She is a ruthlessly brilliant sociopath shaped by childhood abuse, systemic neglect and the brutal machinery of celebrity culture. What makes this different from similar K-dramas is that Kim goes all in on the character’s dark side, shedding every trace of her longtime “nation’s little sister” persona for something terrifyingly elegant. Her performance oscillates between angelic sweetness and icy manipulation, creating a villain who is magnetic precisely because she is so broken.
What’s more, she’s not just acting evil—she’s building a psychological profile so compelling you start to see how she became this way.
2. A dark fairy tale that asks big moral questions
Above Watch the trailer for ‘Dear X’
It is not far-fetched to describe Dear X as a dark fairy tale: Ah-jin is the beautiful monster, Jun-seo (Kim Young-dae) is the prince who loves her too much and the world around them is filled with characters who are neither heroes nor saviours. The series challenges the viewer: Is a person evil because of their actions, or because no one ever taught them to be good? Dear X is the rare K-drama thriller where the terror doesn’t come from jump scares but from moral ambiguity.
3. A genius male lead who’s just as broken
Above Kim Young-dae may do some saving, but ‘Dear X’ gives him a much deeper role than a romance partner
Kim Young-dae may do some saving, but ‘Dear X’ gives him a much deeper role than a romance partner
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Yoon Jun-seo isn’t the typical knight in shining armour: he’s gentle, brilliant and deeply wounded by his own upbringing. His love for Ah-jin isn’t naive; it's a steadfast, shadowy loyalty rooted in trauma bonding. Their relationship is messy, painful, tender and morally complicated—a far cry from your everyday K-drama romance. Their dynamic makes you question where devotion ends and self-destruction begins.
See more: Meant to be: 15 romance K-dramas with a serendipitous childhood connection
4. A villain origin story rooted in poignant psychological trauma
Above While ‘Dear X’ has similarities to Song Hye-Kyo's ‘The Glory,’ the latter is about the victim’s righteous, strategic quest for external justice. ‘Dear X’, on the other hand, is about the chilling, internal descent of an abuser who was herself a victim
While ‘Dear X’ has similarities to Song Hye-Kyo's ‘The Glory,’ the latter is about the victim’s righteous, strategic quest for external justice. ‘Dear X’, on the other hand, is about the chilling, internal descent of an abuser who was herself a victim
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Ah-jin’s past is revealed piece by piece, painting the portrait of someone shaped by profound emotional neglect rather than pure malice. Her sociopathic tendencies don’t exist in a vacuum. Rather, they grow from years of abandonment, conditional affection and a world that praised her beauty while ignoring her humanity. This is what makes her frightening. Not because she’s exaggerated, but because her darkness feels disturbingly possible.
Don’t miss: The rise of the antihero: 10 K-drama characters who played by their own rules
5. A tightly woven psychological thriller—not just a romance
Above Moral ambiguity is a theme throughout ‘Dear X'
Moral ambiguity is a theme throughout ‘Dear X'
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Instead of settling into typical melodrama beats, Dear X probes the old question of what truly moulds a person: pain, upbringing, circumstance or choice. The drama is structured like a slow-burn crime puzzle, where every conversation reveals motive and every memory rewrites what you thought you knew. Watching Dear X becomes an active experience. You’re not just following a story, you’re assembling it.
6. An adaptation that respects (and expands) the webtoon
The original Naver webtoon by Ban Ji-un is already beloved for its psychological complexity. The drama expands the lore, deepens the relationships and gives more emotional dimension to side characters like Jae-oh (Kim Do-hoon), who serves as a morally ambiguous counterweight to Jun-seo. While the series is far from over, it’s proving to be one of those rare adaptations that elevate the source instead of merely copying it.
7. A director who specialises in prestige darkness
Above The show is co-directed by famous director Lee Eung-bok and Park So-hyun
The show is co-directed by famous director Lee Eung-bok and Park So-hyun
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Lee Eung-bok—the creative force behind Goblin, Mr Sunshine and Sweet Home—directs the series with a cinematic eye. His signature contrasts (soft lighting vs cruel actions, innocence vs brutality) make every scene feel like a beautifully framed nightmare. With Lee at the helm, Dear X isn’t just a drama. It’s prestige television with visual storytelling that matches its psychological depth.
8. A trio of excellent performances, not just one
Above At the centre of this toxic trio is Baek Ah-jin, the manipulative star who uses the absolute loyalty of her devoted childhood friend (Jun-seo) and the shadowy support of her enabler (Jae-oh) as emotional chess pieces
At the centre of this toxic trio is Baek Ah-jin, the manipulative star who uses the absolute loyalty of her devoted childhood friend (Jun-seo) and the shadowy support of her enabler (Jae-oh) as emotional chess pieces
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Kim Yoo-jung may lead the show, but Kim Young-dae and Kim Do-hoon provide crucial emotional architecture. Kim Young-dae’s haunted loyalty anchors Baek Ah-jin's monstrousness, while Do-hoon plays the perfect emotional foil; he is a protector who isn’t quite a hero, and not quite a villain either. We love how Dear X thrives on shades of grey, and this cast gives the story its moral palette.
9. A rare female anti-hero who isn’t asking for redemption
Above Another important characteristic of Ah-jin is that she’s unapologetic about how she’s turned out
Another important characteristic of Ah-jin is that she’s unapologetic about how she’s turned out
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Perhaps the most refreshing element of Dear X? Ah-jin doesn’t soften, apologise or seek moral absolution. The story respects her as a complex, dangerous, tragic figure (at least so far) and not a redemption project. This makes her character ultra refreshing since we rarely get female leads in K-drama who are allowed to be this flawed, this powerful and this emotionally ungoverned.
Sasha Lim-Uy Mariposa is a lifestyle journalist who is known for her food writing. Based in Manila, she also covers entertainment and dining, as well as a broad range of topics. She was the former digital editor at Esquire Philippines and was the digital managing editor at Spot.ph, and now writes for the different Tatler Asia markets as a contributing writer for T-Labs.
