My Royal Nemesis

Main

• Lim Ji-yeon as Shin Seo-ri / Kang Dan-shim^[3]
  • Kang Hye-rin as young Seo-ri / Dan-shim
  • Oh Eun-seo as young Seo-ri

1. Shin Seo-ri: An aspiring actress, Shin Seo-ri was once known as the child lead in the drama Sonagi, but as an adult she became a nameless actress. She later becomes possessed by the spirit of Joseon-era villainess Kang Dan-shim and develops a vicious personality.
2. Kang Dan-shim: A ruthless and cunning concubine of the Joseon dynasty, known as the most reviled villainess in the court. She rose from low birth to the position of first-rank concubine without strong support, leveraging her sharp wit and manipulative tactics. She has an incredibly strong sixth sense. Following her death by poisoning, she awakens 300 years later in 2026 and inhabits the body of Shin Seo-ri, who is filming a poison scene for sageuk drama. In that new world, she crosses paths with Cha Se-gye, who may be her last chance to rewrite her fate. She also decides to keep pursuing Seo-ri's dream of becoming a well-known actress.

• Heo Nam-jun as Cha Se-gye / Grand Prince Cheongheon (Yi Hyeon)^[3]
  • Yeom Geon-hwi as young Se-gye

1. Cha Se-gye: The infamous third-generation chaebol heir to Chail Group and CEO of Biojei, he is known as a "monster of capitalism". As he crosses paths with Seo-ri, who's possessed, he is confronted by her.
2. Yi Hyeon: A solitary figure marked by past trauma, he wore a half-mask to conceal facial scars from a mysterious fire he alone survived. Contrasted with Yi Jae, who represents the "light", he is described as the "shadow". In his previous life, he was the youngest son of King Mukjong and the younger brother of King Anjong, and a scholar who saved Dan-shim from being confined in a rice chest.

• Jang Seung-jo as Choi Moon-do / King Anjong (Yi Jae)^[3]
  • Lee Woong-jae as teen Moon-do
  • Ki Eun-yoo as young Moon-do

1. Choi Moon-do: The president of Chail Construction and Se-gye's cousin. He made repeated efforts to gain the attention of his uncle, Dal-su. He also volunteered as a liver donor for his uncle, who was suffering from acute liver failure. After becoming President of Chail Construction, he deemed the role insufficient and continued to pursue his uncle's position, while perceiving Cha Se-gye as superior.
2. Yi Jae: The reigning King of Joseon who secured his throne through a bloody purge of his brothers. An absolute monarch who believes in ruling with an iron fist to ensure stability, contrasting with his "weak" predecessors. Anjong views his younger brother as unfit to rule due to his facial scars and deems him a threat to his legitimacy. Anjong ordered the death of Kang Dan-shim by forcing her to drink poison (sayak). He used her as a political pawn ("useful pretty knife") to execute a purge, despite her being his brother's lover. He is the second son of King Mukjong and his second queen, Lady Min.

Supporting

People around Seo-ri

• Kim Min-seok as Baek Gwang-nam^[4]

Seo-ri's next-door neighbor who becomes her road manager.

• Lee Se-hee as Yoon Ji-hyo^[4]
  • Kim Na-eun as young Ji-hyo

A top star with 19 years of experience in the entertainment industry and Seo-ri's rival.

• Kim Hae-sook as Nam Ok-soon^[4]

Seo-ri's beloved and caring grandmother, who raised her since she was a child.

• Baek Ji-won as Hong Bu-seon, CEO of Doran Entertainment.^[4]
• Oh Min-ae as Geum Bo-sal / Geum Jeong-ae, a shaman who knows that Seo-ri is a spirit from Joseon.^[4]
• Park Jin-woo [ko] as Gu Pil-gyu, a Gosiwon manager.^[4]

People around Se-gye

• Chae Seo-an [ko] as Mo Tae-hee, the precious daughter of Mo Chang Group, who is Se-gye's blind date.^[5]
• Yoon Joo-sang as Cha Dal-su, Se-gye's grandfather, who is the Chairman of Chail Group.^[5]
• Yoon Byung-hee [ko] as Son Jae-chan, Se-gye's right-hand man^[5]
• Jung Young-joo as Cha Ju-ran, CEO of Chail Food and Se-gye's eldest aunt.^[5]
• Baek Eun-hye as Cha Ju-mi, CEO of Chail Apparel and Se-gye's second aunt.^[5]
• Jung Jae-kwang as Sunwoo Jung-hyun, Se-gye's friend and a psychiatrist.^[5]
• Jo Yeo-joon as Choi Seo-joon, Moon-do's son who lives in America.

Others

• Kim Gye-rim as Kwak Eun-ah, Seo-ri's fellow actress.^[6]
• Oh Man-seok [ko] as Jang Seok-ho, a Biojei executive, who was once a founding member of the Chail Group.^[6]
• Jeong Jae-hyeok as Seo Nam-jin (Secretary Seo), Moon-do's attendant.^[6]
• Shin Jeong-won as Kim Hyun-hee (Secretary Kim), Se-gye's secretary, who is raising two children.^[6]
• Kim Hyun as Kwon Jin-ok, the butler in charge of the affairs of Dal-su's mansion.^[6]

Development

The series is directed by Han Tae-seop [ko], who helmed Cheer Up (2022) and Hot Stove League (2019–2020), and Kim Hyun-woo, and the screenplay is written by Kang Hyun-joo [ko].^[7] The production is handled by Studio S, Studio Dragon and Gill Pictures.^[8]

Casting

In June 2025, Artist Company confirmed that Lim Ji-yeon had received an offer to play the role of Shin Seo-ri and was considering it.^[9] The next month, Heo Nam-jun was offered to play the male lead.^[10] Lim and Heo's appearances were officially confirmed by October 2025,^[11] and Lee Se-hee, Chae Seo-an, Kim Min-seok, and Jang Seung-jo were reportedly cast.^{[12][13][14][15]}

Filming

Principal photography began in the second half of 2025.^[9]

Critical reception

More information Review scores, Source ...

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Midgard Times	8/10[19]
India Today	[20]
Hindustan Times	[21]
Firstpost	[22]

Close

My Royal Nemesis received generally positive reviews for being a fast-paced and entertaining rom-com despite its familiar time-slip premise. Much of the acclaim centers on Lim Ji-yeon's standout dual performance, frequently described as the "true anchor" of the drama. Critics lauded Lim's ability to balance slapstick comedy, emotional depth, and romantic tension. Reviewers highlighted how naturally she switches between a Joseon-era concubine's formal speech and modern comedic situations, while keeping the character emotionally grounded.^[23]

Writing for Cine21, cultural critic Oh Soo-kyung commended the series for its active and self-determined female protagonist, describing Hee-bin Kang Dan-sim as one of the more proactive time-travel characters in recent Korean dramas. Oh highlighted the drama’s feminist themes, particularly its reinterpretation of historical "villainous women" such as Jang Hui-bin, and its resonance with modern audiences through themes of independence and rejecting restrictive social roles.^[24]

Cultural critic Kim Sung-soo noted the drama’s success in humanizing its Joseon-era villainess and spotlighted Lim Ji-yeon's ability to balance comedy and tragedy. Kim Sujin of Segye Ilbo commended Lim's nuanced dual-role performance, particularly her subtle adjustments in voice pitch and gaze intensity, calling it proof of her status as a leading actress.^[25][26]

In a review for Sports Seoul, Lee Seung-rok lauded Heo Nam-jun's performance, describing him as the drama's "discovery". The review highlighted his strong screen presence, deep voice, precise diction, and nuanced facial expressions, comparing his charisma to a young Lee Byung-hun.^[27]

South China Morning Post reviewer Pierce Conran commended Lim Ji-yeon's "spirited performance" in the fish-out-of-water comedy and strong dialect delivery, while describing Heo Nam-jun’s portrayal as charismatic but somewhat familiar within chaebol heir archetypes.^[28]

Some reviewers noted that the series relies heavily on familiar K-drama tropes (time travel, enemies-to-lovers, chaebol dynamics), describing it as "old wine in a new bottle"^[22] or "predictable" in places. Nevertheless, most found it bingeable thanks to its self-aware humor, strong chemistry between the leads, and confident execution.^[22][29]

India Today called the series "wildly entertaining" and "consistently entertaining".^[20] Decider issued a "STREAM IT" recommendation, praising the fun time-travel elements and Lim Ji-yeon's energetic performance despite its heavy reliance on typical K-drama tropes.^[29]

Ranking

On their first week, the series ranked No 1 in Netflix's Top 10 Non-English shows globally with 3,900,000 views for the 4 May 2026 to May 10, 2026. My Royal Nemesis ranked Top 10 in 44 countries worldwide, including not only Asian regions such as Korea, Japan, the Philippines, and Thailand, but also Europe and South America, such as Greece, Brazil, and Mexico.^{[30] [31]} The series became the first among SBS Friday-Saturday drama to rank No.1 on Netflix's weekly Global Top 10 Non-English Shows during its first broadcast week.^[32] The series also generated significant buzz in South Korea, leading the drama category on Good Data Corporation FUNdex as of May 26th, topping both TV and OTT charts within three weeks of its release. Lim Ji-yeon and Heo Nam-jun ranked second and third in actor popularity respectively.^[33][34] The series maintained their top position in both TV and OTT for their fourth week with Lim, Heo and also Jang Seung-jo ranking first, second and sixth place for actors popularity.^[35][36]