Dear X (2025)

Started strong, momentum fell

It started off strong and had a super cool plot, so after seeing a small clip, I immediately started watching. Towards the middle, I could tell this was based on something (I did not know it was based on a webtoon before watching) because things started to rush, there were loose ends, and characters did not have enough time or story. I did not read the webtoon, but found out what happens on TikTok, and I prefer the webtoon ending. I think the writers for the kdrama went COMPLETELY off script, which is not a bad thing if done well. But the end was wrapped up way too fast; it needed more time and episodes. I don't mind the end of the kdrama, I think it was fine, I do, however, wish we got more backstory and context for characters.

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What makes a Sociopath? Who knows

Let me start off by saying I have not read the webtoon and when I went to check it, there were only 6 chapters. My whole review is purely based on the drama and also as someone who studied Psychology.

I was fascinated by the idea of this show, a sociopath top actress? I was eager to see how they would show us her world but also interested in seeing her acting in different roles and how her sociopathic traits helped with that....it's not what we got at all.

1. Story: This was the part I was looking forward to the most, it started out really good with the very first scene showing us that she's a top actress then going back to her as a child, not coming from a good childhood and both parents being abusive. More importantly, it shows us that her father is a Psychopath and she had zero experience of what love was. This intrigued me, I found myself nodding along and going "Yeah, if she has literally only seen the worst and violence, also that her father was a Psychopath then it makes sense that due to genetics and her environment she became a Sociopath."

The second part that interested me was when we went to her high school days, we learned that her stepmom was just as bad as her Psychopathic father, she possibly had a step-sibling who could turn into her moral compass (Jun Seo) and she had someone who came from a very similar background to her (Jae-O). I like seeing how she didn't let herself get bullied easily, at first what she does feels questionable and like she's a villain but when we later find out what happens, it made me nod again "Okay, so she uses people to her advantage and attacks only when she gets attacked." More importantly I loved her relationship with Jae-O, she was literally the only one who kept telling him that he had worth and that he should protect himself while everyone else labeled him as trash or a thug. This also did a great job of introducing the dynamic between A-Jin, Jun Seo and Jae-O.

We get re-introduced to her father, he's still a Psychopath that is violent and uses everyone around him, including his daughter. This is also when we get introduced to a character that's the complete opposite of A-Jin's father, he's kindhearted and treat his employees as family, he helps everyone out and doesn't resent others or try to hurt them. Of course A-Jin decided she needed to use him. To her, she did not understand how he could be so 'pure' or 'good' because she's never seen that. She grew up with manipulation, violence and selfishness. I really enjoyed this part of the story and how it contrasted with her as a person and as a Sociopath.

Things happen that is important to the story, we almost think she's going to get caught for manipulating others. Fast forward to her acting career.

Once more she's getting bullied by the top A actress and learning about some shady things. I love how she comes up with a plan to attack and defend herself. This is also the arc where I might call her the happiest, she has what is probably the closest thing to a family. She ends up dating this top actor who is top Actress A ex, of course our girls manipulates him into it and at first it's not that easy, he's suspicious. What I love about this arc is that A-Jin did try to make him get out of his depression and take care of himself, we get to see the 'Good' side of her. I am feeling great about the story so far and think this might be the K-drama of the year! Things happen where the closest person to Top Actor passes away, everyone thinks A-Jin did it because of course she has to be a villainess. Then, due to some harsh words she says, Top Actor depression wins. This is one of the few times I see that she has some type of emotions and the closest thing to mourning in her own way, but then she moves on.

At this point the trio is back but things have changed. Jun-Seo is trying to control her while Jae-O understands her and accepts her for who she is. At this point it's when the story starts to crumble and my hope for the Top K-drama award slowly starts to go in smoke. It's like the writer gave up, forgot about all the build up, introduces some character that at first, I thought was supposed to be like "Here's your match, let's play a game of chess and see who wins." I was excited for Pyschopath vs Sociopath while also hoping they would show how she's grown. We see her sacrifice one of her biggest pawn and we do see her hurting over it, mourning that's pawn loss (I am not saying who so that I don't spoil it). I am sad but can understand why this happens, she literally says why it happens...I think I might see a checkmate and then it's like that plot is forgotten about, Jun-Seo has to act all high and mighty then ruin everything. Honestly, I hated Jun-Seo's character even though I understand they were trying to make him her moral compass, he just came off as a holier-than-thou jerk who never understood her.

The ending was a complete waste of time, a let down, one of the worst endings I've ever seen in my life and honestly one of the biggest reasons I gave such a low score. They basically made her look evil because of course if you are a Sociopath you have to be evil and there's no good quality about you.

Story: 5 or 6 out of 10

Acting: This is where I think the drama did good except for a few characters/actors that felt bland.
Kim You Jung: I think she did a phenomenal job, she had a way of acting with her eyes even when her face was void of emotions, then switching to a state of madness with just small gestures and having me believe when A-Jin was being the 'Sweet, Kind, angel girl' that A-Jin truly was the kindest girl in the world, then she would switch to A-Jin sociopathic, manipulative side and made me feel like "Ah, there is someone I don't want to mess with." she deserves her flowers. 10/10

Kim Young Dae: I wanted soooo badly to like him because he's so my type. The nerdy, depressive rich boy. Sadly, his acting felt flat and one dimensional. I felt like I was looking at a blank board, couldn't feel anything. I don't know if it was him or if it's because his character, Jun-Seo is such an unlikeable character that has the White Knight Syndrome but as someone who never really experienced difficulty he had a high morality and never bothered to understand A-Jin. Either way he gets a 2/10

Kim Do Hoon: (They all have Kim in their names, I found that interesting). He stole the show for me and honestly I was more invested in his story, also wished he had been the ML. I felt like he could hold his own with Kim You-Jung and looked forward to their scenes. He made me laugh, cry, want to throw things and is a big reason why I kept watching the drama. He is someone else that I feel can act with their eyes. I am looking forward in seeing him in more dramas. He gained a fan! 10/10

Lee Yeol Eum : I loved her and feel like she has the face for the character she was playing. A queen B mean girl that can have a soft spot. At first, I hated her character, I love how she played Re-Na as this mean, manipulative brat who grew famous and let it get to her head...then we were shown more gentle moments. I found myself liking Re-Na more and even thinking she might get a redemption arc. Lee Yeol-Eum in my opinion did a really good job of making me forget that she was acting and fall for her character. 10/10

The other actors and actresses also did a really good job but sadly their characters were written so bland that it didn't make the performance as strong.

Music: I think they did a good job, it wasn't the best but it wasn't the worst. If I heard it in the radio or youtube I'd probably listen to it but I wouldn't go out of my way to search for it.

Rewatch value: Would I recommend anyone to watch this and would I re-watch this drama? NO, I feel like this started out strong but the last few episodes were so terrible that it ruined the whole drama. This could have been at the level of "Marry My Husband" or "The Glory" if they had continued doing a great job. The ending alone is good enough reason to never watch this drama again.

Overall I'd give it 5.5 out of 10.

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Ah Jin Simp's Association! Ah Jin the Weed! Ah Jin the Actual Horror! lol

This show is not for everyone. If you are the type that liked anime like Code Geass where the main lead is basically the ultimate villain, or you enjoy dark psychological shows with toxic relationships and morally gray leads, then this one is for you. if you love romance, with mentally healthy leads and healthy relationships, this is certainly not for you lol. You may burst a vein from anger at the horror that is our FL. Ah Jin played by Kim You Jung is so beautiful you think she has some hope but just like the ML, we all get to realise that this one has no hope of being normal lol. We all figure it out together too late lol.

Excellent first set of episodes. Epic! brilliant acting from the cast. I adore both leads so having them act together is just pure genius. I enjoyed basically every part of this.

If her style of getting people offed was directly legally binding, she would be a serial killer!

For me the ending of both the manhwa and the kdrama are appropriate. The character is a menace and the show does an excellent job of showing the disaster her callous lack of empathy or interest in others leaves behind. She really had an antisocial personality disorder and it was realisitic. She was more likely a psychopath because she always bid her time and was able to maintain a year long relationship in such a a cold blooded but perfect way without the other person realising it. She was patient and very calculated.

I loved the role reversal here. She had a proper simp association. Ah Jin avengers rising when she needs them. Bascially at her beck and call most of them till they died.

Not sure what people are on about. I loved the ending. If there was a different ending, it would be weird. A happy ending would be ridiculous for such a villainous FL. The show was not a romance. Ah Jin as a main character is technically incapable of providing the audience anything romantic with anyone and we saw that clearly. She only loved herself.

Ah jin the cockroach!!!! The weed! the horror! my goodness. Only Jesus can save someone like Ah Jin. She is a moving disaster! I would legit watch a season 2. She is so terrible it is interesting. The whole thing was like watching a major crash -2 x speed and we loved it. Kim You Jung deserves an award for this acting. The most dynamic one she ever did. Amazing. Excellent direction and everything really. Ah Jin simp association and all lol

Kim You Jung and Kim Young Dae cooked in this one! I expected nothing less seeing them as leads. Excellent cast overall. brilliant piece. I am totally up for a rewatch in the far future.

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Phenomenol acting... she was at her best

I feel like I'm defending the show at every facet of it lol but I work in abuse & trauma and I feel quite passionate about it. So if I see a comment misunderstanding the show, I point it out.

To start off with, it's a 9. 5/10 for me — while I saw great support for it in the beginning, I started seeing the hate after the ending and I wanna add my 2 cents worth :)

I reckon most of the complaints come from people expecting a totally different story.

To the ones who whined “The ending sucked / anticlimactic.”
No — the ending was exactly where these characters were always heading. It’s quiet, messy, and emotionally ugly because they are. The show wasn’t going to suddenly turn poetic or explosive in the last 10 minutes. It stayed true to its tone. That’s consistency, not failure.

To the ones complainong that they didn’t stick to the webtoon ending.
Good!!! Bravo to the screenwriter! The webtoon ending wouldn’t have fit the drama’s pacing or the way these characters were developed on screen. Adaptations are allowed to choose what serves the medium better. The drama chose emotional realism over shock value and it works. Expecting a panel-by-panel recreation is unrealistic. If you want the webtoon ending, it still exists.

To the ones who claimed that Ah Jin’s trauma should not be an excuse for any evil she's done.... No one said it was!!! The drama never tries to justify her actions. It shows how trauma shapes people, not how it absolves them. Ah Jin’s behaviour is awful — and the show lets it be awful. That’s complexity, and a reflection of a great understanding of trauma and its lasting impact.

For the ones who claimed that her husband got away with ordering Jaeoh’s death.
I say not really. In fact, he loses everything that actually matters to him — his control, his marriage, the illusion of being the one in power. The show hands out consequences emotionally and psychologically, not legally. This isn’t a revenge thriller!

As an observation, a drama doesn't have to reward our expectation to be brilliant. Sometimes its refusal to do so is the brilliance! ☺️

The show is messy, dark, beautifully restrained, and unapologetically honest. Not perfect, but close.

So if you appreciate character-driven storytelling that isn’t afraid to linger in moral ambiguity, I recommend this but ditch your expectations as that's how you'll end up disappointed 😊

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Disappointing and frustrating ending

It really started strong. I loved Baek Ah Jin as a sociopath and how she only harmed those who harmed her (except 1 person). She did her best in getting back at people determined to harm her. But the ending really ruined everything for me. All she wanted was to get to a position where no one can harm her.

At first I was envious of her being able to have 3 men who love her so much but Jun Seo was so disappointing. The only 2 people who loved her were Jae O and In Kang but sadly In Kang was weak. I wish his grandmother hadn't passed away. I wish Ah Jin wasn't being pressured into breaking up with him. I feel horrible for Ah Jin's life. She just couldn't catch a break. My heart breaks for her.

I just hated the way Jun Seo behaved at the end. Undid everything Jae O went through for Ah Jin. Made his sacrifice a waste. Meanwhile Moon Do Hyeok got away scot-free. Really frustrating.

Just left a bad taste in my mouth.

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Great Show But A Not So Great Ending?

Dear X would have been a masterpiece if it had had a better ending. But if there is a sequel, it would be a great cliffhanger and a misleading ending. Watching this show, I felt a sense of excitement and intrigue that I hadn't experienced in Korean dramas in years. This show felt refreshing and engaging. The narrative structure sets it apart from typical storylines, making it stand out. The show's ability to blend suspense with emotional depth showcased captivating and memorable storytelling. With such complex characters, the storyline is a pleasure to watch. The show blends thriller, violence, crime, melodrama, manipulation, and suspense. It was masterfully executed, offering a fresh take on traditional drama tropes. It weaves them into a panoramic narrative that follows its cunning and morally ambiguous characters. The themes of love and destruction are intricately woven into the narrative, highlighting how deep affection can become destructive. Joon Seo's love for An Ji is all-consuming, driving him to make irrational decisions that ultimately lead to his downfall. The same applies to Jae O. This toxic relationship underscores the idea that love, when tainted by manipulation and deceit, can lead to chaos and devastation rather than healing and happiness.

A satisfying ending is crucial as it leaves the audience with a sense of closure and fulfillment. Without a firm conclusion, even the most engaging narratives can feel incomplete or unsatisfying. In this case, Dear X is an excellent drama until its ending leaves audiences unsatisfied. This is where a second season would help. Season two could delve deeper into unresolved storylines and character arcs left hanging. These include Ah Ji and her husband, him and his ex-wife, Ah Jin's survival, and Jae O's murderers getting caught. Additionally, new plot twists and developments could be introduced to keep the audience engaged and invested, such as Joon Seo potentially faking his death after his murder-suicide attempt with Ah Jin (I still think he is alive because his death was announced by that doc-series guy, not the police, so he and that guy could be working together to stop Ah Jin again).

Characters:
An Ji is not a good person; she embodies manipulation and selfishness. The only person she can love is herself. It is only when she causes pain to others that she is happy, and so many characters' lives would have been better had they never met her. Her presence creates chaos and destruction, leaving a trail of death and damage to people. Characters like Joon Seo, Jae O, Mr. Choi, and In Gang find themselves entangled in her web of deceit, leading to irreversible consequences. Her manipulative actions alter their paths. Throughout the narrative, manipulation serves as a central theme, influencing the characters' decisions and relationships. An Ji's ability to control those around her demonstrates how manipulation can be wielded as a powerful tool, leading others to act against their own interests, for example, Mr. Choi murdering for her and Jae O getting himself killed. This theme is further explored as each character grapples with the consequences of being ensnared in her web, highlighting the destructive nature of deceit and manipulation.

Joon Seo (Simp-boy 1) was manipulated by An Ji early on in his childhood. They both have a hold on each other; she has a firmer grip on him than he has on her. Throughout the show, he finds his life spiraling out of control due to Ah Ji's manipulative influence and the trouble she gets into. Although she doesn't want to be saved, his desire to save her is evident even when he opposes her. He became gloomy as a result of her relentless schemes and emotional manipulation. In the end, his only choice to stop her was murder-suicide. This decision reflects his inner turmoil and his belief that only through such an extreme act can he find freedom and release them both from the destructive bond that binds them. Dark, twisted, and toxic, but enjoyable, is the relationship between these two. Then we have Jae O (Simp-Boy 2). Unlike Joon Seo, who can face Ah Ji head-on and question her actions and motives, Jae O is loyal to a fault. He is selfless, the opposite of Ah Ji's selfishness. He never questions her and does whatever she asks, leading to his death. Joon Seo and Jae O's responses to An Ji's manipulation highlight the contrasting ways individuals react when ensnared by deceit. Joon Seo, despite knowing he is being manipulated, struggles to free himself from An Ji. He grapples with a mix of defiance and a desire to save her, ultimately choosing a drastic end. In contrast, Jae O's unwavering loyalty blinds him to An Ji's true nature, preventing him from questioning her motives and leading him to his death, leaving Joon Seo no other choice but to take action against Ah Ji in the aftermath.

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Unsatifying ending

the acting was good, the story was captivating until the last two episodes for me. It grabbed my attention right away and then left so many untangled storylines with no answer. the ending led to nowhere, the husband was never punished. her friend’s death also was for nothing. The whole plot with the husband and his wife and the secret rooms in the house also led to nowhere, what was even the point of that? the whole thing with Joon Seo and moving in with his mom? some additional episodes would clear up some things. but another season would be too much plot that’s not really needed.

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drama of the year! not for the faint of heart

For me, this drama is an absolute masterpiece and
definitely the drama of the year! They’ve set the bar incredibly high! The expectations were too high, because the trailers looked too inviting, there was a frenzied interest! After all, it's a task with an asterisk to assemble such a cast, choose such charming images for them, and most importantly, take on the implementation of such a crazy plot! Yoo Jung is just a queen! Her acting is impossible to describe, it's so godlike! 20 years in the industry speak for themselves! We all understand that everything that happens in the drama is just an acting, all the actors, without exception, showed a masterful level of acting! You just believe them, and it's like you're living through all this horror with them! I really don't have enough words to describe how much of a masterpiece this drama is! Although I’m disappointed with the ending and it is unclear what this ending means, but I’m happy with the overall picture of what is happening!
Even though A Jin’s crazy, she’s divinely beautiful, the stylists did a great job! It was impossible to take my eyes off her! A Jin had been through a lot, it didn't excuse her at all, but I felt sorry for her. Huge admiration to Kim Yoo Jung for such a bold role and such a tremendous character development!
I feel so bad for Ingan, despite everything I really loved their couple with Ajin! there was so much chemistry between them. And how much he loved her 💔 Episode 6 completely broke me.
My fave character is Jae O, played by an amazing Kim Do-hoon! He opened up to me in a completely new way in this drama. I've always felt terribly sorry for his character, he's such a bright person with such a difficult fate.
Kim Young Dae as Jun Seo also played a cool role. Usually, his acting seemed stony to me, but here the progress showed. I noticed big changes in his acting , and he began to cope better. His character also seemed to have problems in his head, i mean his gaze said so.
Moon Do Hyeok's character is the height of craziness! A mad man who completely binds a woman's life. Jong Hyun gets a standing ovation for such great acting !
The musical accompaniment always gave more intensity and craziness to situations, which undoubtedly made the drama more multifaceted and lively! The drama is perfectly produced!
this drama is certainly appreciated by those who loves such genres and plots.
Imo, this is a must-watch! A breath of fresh air in the world of kdrama
However, if you are a sensitive person, afraid of blood and cruelty, this is not your drama for sure!

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Dear X (Episodes 1–4): From Genius to Overacting

Dear X starts off brilliantly — a sharp, elegant dissection of ambition, trauma, and emotional manipulation.
Baek Ah Jin, played with surgical precision in the first two episodes, feels like a modern antiheroine shaped by pain rather than redemption.
Her cold, calculated demeanor suggests a story about psychological power, not simple revenge.

But by episode 3, the series stumbles.
The script mistakes complexity for excess, turning what could’ve been a chilling, simple act into an over-engineered mess.
Ah Jin stops being formidable and becomes theatrical — a strategist buried under implausible coincidences.

Episode 4 tries to recover tension through a police investigation, but ends up draining it instead.
Ah Jin, once fascinating, now looks overacted and hollow, her silence replaced by melodrama.

Visually, Dear X remains stylish — the rain, cold tones, and restrained pacing still work — yet the emotional impact evaporates.
It had all the ingredients for a story about moral decay and ambition, but it collapses under its own artifice.

Not terrible, but uneven: it begins with fire and ends with smoke.
For now, Dear X feels more like a promise than a revelation.

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