This review may contain spoilers
KYJ Acting and Ending
Very very good series and acting of you jung is amazing😍😍She is surely a big thing in korean industry.In one thing I am not satisfied it should be available in more languages like english and hindi then only this much type of good series can be seen by whole world.10 stars from me for you jung's expressions and best acting in the world.She is now making me fond of her.After seeing the whole series the last episode marks an impression on me,wasn't expecting that Jun Seo will do this with her and little bit dissatisfied with the end she should end up with someone junseo or jaeoh but a message is portrayed in the whole series from the start that ahjin type people will always remain alone like in the end.But very appreciable work of KYJ,if I will rewatch this series that will be due to KYJ.Its my pleasure to watch this series of KYJ with this type of Acting Its not a pice of cake for anybody to do Baek Ah Jin.I am little bit sad for her that she remain alone in the end even people don't get it that she feels sad for grandmother and Jaeoh both ,not sure about Junseo.But she has emotions😭.
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Much ado about nothing
The protagonist is a single minded, unapologetic female propelled by an ambition so fierce that she doesnt just climb the ladder; with strategic brilliance, she claws her way up it, splintering rungs and sending rivals and foes tumbling as she ascends. She leaves behind a trail of broken alliances, emotional wreckage of those she betrays, and death — with a chilling lack of hesitation. Every cold-blooded maneuver feels like an echo of a past where she had no control, an unprotected childhood where everything was a matter of survival. At first we sympathize, we empathize, and then, we recoil in horror. I don’t think she is a complex character. She is tragic, she is magnetic, she is also a monster.Was this review helpful to you?
An Overrated Disappointing Mess
Dear X starts off really good, but after episode 3 the story goes downhill. FL is treated like she’s perfect, even though she uses people and acts badly. Everyone helps her for no clear reason, which makes the story feel unrealistic.The other characters, like Jun-Seo and Jae-O, don’t feel like real people anymore. They just exist to support her, and their stories are not developed well. The drama looks nice, but the writing becomes weak and messy. FL just uses everyone.
Overall, Dear X is overrated. It had a good beginning, but the plot becomes flat and disappointing.
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Drama name: A h0e manipúlator & her Puppy men ;)
knowingly she used faced card, b0dy to manipulate 0nly men who cŕave for intimacy and beauty 😂... did u see ? Tht she cnt manipulate a single female Character in wh0le series bcz she cnt use her beauty there.... her trump cards were men just men wh0 wanted to §leep with her.... as if psych0path woman can only manipúlate men! Big Lol!...Though writer said she is psych0path but nope, her characteristics potray as a narcissistic who is well aware of her beauty 😂...... THERE IS NOTHING IN THIS DRAMA..... Only if you like to watch a how a cŕazy pretty girl l0ve to use and §leep with every man in her life.... surely go for it and watch..... this drama clearly give the western vibes....... And ending is bad but good for that Dumbo main male lead.... bcz puppy dîed in accident 🤣
whoever wrote this st0ry or decided to make series clearly knows what she/he doing!.... b0gus series!
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This review may contain spoilers
might contain spoilers?okay, so everyone applaud kim yoo jung for basically carrying the show, I'll be fr, i lowkey fell out of it around episode 10 but I solely watched it cuz I love her portrayal of baek ah jin sm. If you ever plan on skipping on the drama please watch till episode 4 atleast and skip. I have read a little of the webtoon, I will say, young daes acting wasn't it, yes it was more promising than his previous roles, but the whole time junseo had one tone of voice. However his acting was bareable but flat. Jae oh is such a good character and at first I was confused as to why he was essential to the plot, and oh he was. In gang's character was tbh perfect, hwang in youp has the eyes to play this role, i could tell through them how geniune he was about ah jin, and it was all the more heartbreaking to see his end. My major criticism on the plot however is it's quite incoherent, like how easily everyone forgot Lena was meant to be a bully character, i will give it to this drama tho, they never make a bully have a redemption or something in any other drama. Seung hee's character felt irrelevant after the first episode, like why was she suddenly living with ah jin, how did she find a way to work at moon do hyuks mansion, it's very random and confusing tbh.
The ending *sigh* i kinda liked it, i was expecting a light yagami but ah jin lowkey has plot armour, it's not bad, just very badly executed. However the drama is worth a shot, also, honorable mention; in ep 11, when ah jin has to reenact the rooftop murder case, i forgot that this is an actress playing an actress, it felt so phenomenal.
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This review may contain spoilers
Ah Jin is a Sociopath
Ah Jin is a sociopath.The one thing that kept me fascinated with this drama was the idea of perpetual victimhood. In trying to escape poverty, she became an eternal victim. By never moving forward, she was forever stuck in the past.
The downfall caused by Jun Seo can be said to be his final way of helping her heal, teaching her that manipulation is not the key to success. But alas, she never learns.
Jae Oh has taken off his victimhood, but he is reeled into Ah Jin’s net. He can’t help it, she made him feel useful.
One thing I want to mention, is that without the background of domestic abuse, I would not have been able to feel empathy for Ah Jin. I believe that this background is an intentional insertion by the original author, to ensure that readers and viewers understand Ah Jin’s actions.
All in all, a great story, and a cautionary tale against revenge.
Might I add that I have added multiple soundtracks to my playlist.
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Disclaimer: Not for soft hearted people!!!
This drama is setting a mark for extremely dark dramas. If you are looking for morale in characters, or perhaps have ignited a hope that things will turn better and everything will be all sundry then extinguish that hope. Here are only characters with no morale or sense of justice and the rest of the good souls will only be manipulated to meet a very deadly end. So if you are more into that sort of things then this might not be your cup of tea because its characters are outright EVIL.I have watched FL in many dramas where she had played badas*s characters, bubbly characters or the ones where she is extremely kind hearted one. This one is something else altogether. I am sure it is gonna be one of the best dramas of her life.
I am not saying such dramas haven't been made before or such characters have not been conceptualised before ( The Glory, Penthouse, The Mouse are few such examples) but it is extremely different in a sense that all the other characters are as hopeless as the FL. In simple words- with no morale or principles. How unhinged a human being could be? This drama's FL will surely set a mark for that one for sure.
The intro was more than enough to set the tone and few minutes in and I was taken aback by pure chaos that happened in the first four episodes. The music adds to the whole chaotic plot but the acting of every side character including the main characters are worth your time. This could have been a great drama if they hadn't deviated so much from the original webtoon storyline. Plus the ending which ultimately plummeted its ratings. They could have done so much better if they really wanted to go with different ending than the original. Unnecessary death in the name of sacrifice, looked nothing but stupid which brought nothing to the FL's arc.
It is definitely not the ending I was expecting especially the way they started the show. It was one chaotic drama that fizzled out due to weak writing towards the end. To conclude -You will be left unsatisfied with only bitter taste.
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This review may contain spoilers
BEST KDRAMA OF 2025
Before I get into anything with the actual show, I have to talk about the acting!The acting in this show was absolutely PHENOMINAL! All the actors did an absolutely incredible job. I have to give MAJOR props to our girl Kim You Jung. Her acting in this series was on another level. She deserves so many awards for this series. I cannot compliment her acting in this enough. Truly amazing! The way she could show so much emotion in just her eyes...just wow. Absolutely love her and this series made me love her even more.
Onto the main 3 characters!
I loved Baek A Jin so much. I've been waiting to see a female character like this for so long! I wanted her to get everything she wanted. Is she a bad person? Yes, but I loved seeing the way she thinks and seeing her go after terrible people. Obviously, she goes after some people who are good people as well, which does suck, but I think that's what makes her character that much better. You can't constantly root for her or agree with her, but there are also times you can. Such a powerful character and loved to finally see this type of character be a woman! Her way of thinking and manipulating was so good. She really was meant to be an actress the way she could fool everyone. I hope she gets to be truly happy in the future, and I hope she takes down her husband!
Kim Jae O is such a lovable character. The care he has for A Jin and his brother is so good. I loved that we got to see him continuously check in on his brother even though his brother didn't want to see him. I think him keeping out of sight of his brother, after he found out he didn't want to see him, shows just how good of a person Jae O was. His love and dedication for A Jin was next level! WE LOVE A YEARNER! He truly was the best person she ever had in her life. He cared and loved her so deeply. I wish there was a way they could've been happy together. His ending got me teary eyed because I really didn't want to see him go but once again it showed just how dedicated he was to her.
Yun Jun Seo is such an interesting character. He was such a good person, and we really saw that all throughout the show. He was dedicated to A Jin but in a very different way than Jae O was, and not only because Jae O was willing to go to crazy lengths for her and Jun Seo wasn't, but his dedication was different entirely. Jae O loved A Jin just the way she was and loved her for her 100%. Jun Seo loved the A Jin he had an idea of in his head. An A Jin he thought could change for the better when we all knew she wouldn't. He was dedicated to help her become a better person, even though that is never what she wanted. He was always going to be her downfall, and I wasn't shocked that he tried to kill them both in the end.
Onto the story!
I loved the story so much! A woman manipulating men to get what she wants? YES PLEASE! We need more stories like this! I loved seeing A Jin boss Jae O and Jun Seo into doing whatever she asked. Parts of this story reminded me of the Glory in a way where she was getting revenge on people who hurt her in the past. I just love a good revenge story!
I loved that every few episodes was a new chapter in her life, from high school to adulthood. That's something that made the series feel so fresh and kept you really interested. Nothing was drawn out for a long time, new characters were showing up often, all while having our main three at the center of everything.
The relationships between the main trio were so good to watch! Jun Seo and A Jin's with their long history and complicated feelings with each other. Jae O and A Jin's with their one-sided love and pure understanding of each other. Jun Seo and Jae O's rivalry turned complicated friendship. I just loved seeing all of these develop throughout the show!
The story with Heo In Gang pulled at my heart, like I think it did with all of us. His death was truly heartbreaking. In Yeop's characters can never have a happy ending I swear lol. I truly do think A Jin loved him though because of the scene with his grandma where she said it was the one time she spoke the honest truth, and it was her saying she loved him. She also looked pretty emotional when she went to the bathtub after he passed.
I need to know more about Moon Do Hyeok ASAP! Why is he doing what he's doing? What is his end goal? I have got to know. He was such an intriguing character! He was just as good as a manipulator as A Jin and I just wanted to see more of him. Absolutely hated what he was doing to her, but I kept wanting to see more from him.
Now the only thing I didn't quite love was the very last few minutes of the show. It just felt incomplete. Maybe Baek A Jin's story isn't over yet and that's why it ended the way it did, which is why I didn't deduct any points from it. Whether that means we get another season or not, I believe her story isn't over. She's not dead and our girl is stubborn. I think she's going to find a way to get back to get her revenge on her husband and the rest of the people who wronged her. I definitely think the finale could've been a bit longer to wrap some things up more or take some more time with certain things. That's my one and only complaint about the show and I don't even know if it's entirely a complaint.
Other random thoughts!
I love Kim You Jung and love her more after this show! Always happy to see Kim Ji Hoon and Hwang In Youp as well!
Not going to lie I kept rooting for the death of Hwang Ji Seon and was so upset she made it out alive lol.
Sim Seung Hui should've just went about her life and not gotten back involved with A Jin. I didn't feel bad for her a single time.
Seo Mi Ri honestly got what she deserved for what she's done to her stars over the years. Also blaming A Jin for In Gang's death...it wasn't her fault and I stand by this. She never wanted that to happen, he was the happiest while with her, and Mi Ri ignored his mental health for years and did nothing.
I want A Jin's wardrobe so bad! All her fits were stunning!
Loved the camera work, editing, and music in this so much!!
I loved this series so much and am going to miss it a lot! Absolute 10/10 and cannot recommend enough!!
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This review may contain spoilers
A Poorly Written Script With A Great Casting!!!
In the end only she survived and everyone else died!That was my conclusion after watching this show. Baek A Jin is literally a one woman army; self-destructive, anti-social and callous. In the first episode, the interlude describes her as someone who uses men to her advantage and then discards them at will. For most parts, she remains true to this description. She is venomous and only cares about herself. Her whole personality screams alluring yet dangerous, like a poisonous vine set to kill you even at a slight touch. Joining her on this journey is her supposed step-sibling, Yun Jun Seo, her self-appointed bodyguard, Kim Jae O and three other men she used for various advantages at different points in her life. Even time, she uses someone and discards her, her only logic is that her life is difficult and so, she is exempted from feeling any kind of guilt. She is certainly incapable of feeling any sort of remorse, even for people who loved her selflessly and sacrificed themselves for her sake.
Read the complete article here-
https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2025/12/06/dear-x-series-review/#more-2191
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Two Simps and a sociopath
this drama in infuriating in a good and in a bad way.it is really fascinating to see a drama full of only shitty people with few exceptions and in this sense. they made a great drama.
watching it is a frustrating experience which is comparable to what living with a real sociopath could feel like.
our protagonist is Bek ah Jin, a girl who needs to grow up quickly and learn how to defend her self from the adults in their life and try to survive in a cruel world.
in the first half of the drama you can kind of sympathize with her (to a certain degree) but in the second half you just want to see her dead.
how much can your sad story really justify your actions? apparently, for beh ah Jin, the answer is: EVERYTHING.
this is what living with a sociopath probably feels like: they are always the victim, you make them behave that way, it is all your fault. etc etc.
what is not clear from the dynamics explored in the drama is WHY her 2 Simps friends stick by her side.
manipulators are charming, they love bomb you , make you feel special and on the top of world to lure you in and then control you, but beh ah Jin doesn't have to do shit.
she treats her frienda like disposable tools form the very beginning and isnt shy about it.
you never see do anything for them, not even "bribing" her poor friend to keep him close.
nothing. she is always complaining that she is the victim or that and this, is all their fault bla bla bla.
Guilt tripping someone can only take you so far.. but these 2 are willing to die for her
. like .. literally.
they clearly know she is the crazy one commiting crimes left and right but still, they stick to her side pretending in your heads she is a poor lady who needs to be saved.. mainly from herself.
they all know in full details what she does , especially her best friend, but somhow, they still think there is a spark of humanity in this empty sheel of a human.
I liked that beh ah Jin , is not the perfect mastermind. media portray sociopaths and psychopaths like geniuses which is true in some cases, they have a high IQ, but not all manipulators are super intelligent, beh ah Jin being one of them.
she never knows when to stop, even when it clearly will backfire. she always exaggerate and gets in more trouble.
during the drama she keeps saying she just wants a normal life, but that's just another lie she feeds to everyone.
and let me add that without her minions she wouldn t have anything. she is unable to provide or defend herself. she is too dependent on these 2 Simps.. but they never get anything more then crumbs of her attentions.
even in the end, they literally sacrifice them selves to "save" her ass.
I still don't know if the ending is good or disappointing.
there is no justice in this world, that's basically the message throughout.
maybe she should have been the one to die at her pick, just like she always wanted.
let's talk about the drama before this becomes a beh ah Jin essay.
acting? good. the main female lead is pretty good and believable as a white canvas empty of emotions.
the best friend... I see him in many dramas and he always look the same.
the others actors were all pros and did an excellent job.
entertaining value? pretty good. it keeps you glued to the screen until the last second.
overall all if you like flawed characters and a good ( still very fictional) portrait of bad people , this is a good drama
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All Schemes, No Payoff
Baek A Jin had all the makings of an unforgettable sociopath—smart, beautiful, manipulative, and utterly broken. Kim You Jung delivered brilliantly, especially in the early arcs where A Jin’s calculating nature kept us hooked. Watching her outwit everyone while escaping her father (a shoo-in for Worst Dad Ever) was peak drama.But then... the spark fizzled. The sociopath we were promised faded into the background as the story shifted to her getting rich, famous, and drugged. The tension? Gone. The excitement? Flat. And Moon Do Hyeok? A one-dimensional rich guy obsessed with breaking her—yawn. Even her cult followers’ sacrifices felt pointless. By the time she climbed that cliff with a Chucky-esque grin, we were left wondering why the show abandoned the very thing that made it so compelling.
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Captivating From Start to Finish
I’ll be completely honest — this is the best drama I’ve watched this year. Kim Yoo Jung is simply irreplaceable as an actress. I have no doubt that she will continue to show us even more of her talent in the future.As for the story itself, I haven’t read the webtoon, though I’ve seen a few reviews, and I truly believe I’ll read it one day. But today, this review is about the drama.
From the very first episode, the series pulled me in completely, and I found myself eagerly waiting for each new week. That alone added an extra point to my final rating — as a viewer, it’s extremely important to me to look forward to the next episode and to keep thinking about the story throughout the week.
Even though some episodes were calmer, they were still so engaging that I barely noticed when they ended.
I truly believe that Kim Yoo Jung was made for this role, and it’s clear how much work and dedication she put into this character.
I’ve seen many discussions about the ending, and while I partly understand the criticism, after watching the finale several times I can confidently say that it carries a beautiful, poetic meaning. People like Ajin don’t disappear from life easily — they always find a way to turn situations to their own advantage.
This year, I struggled to get through most dramas, but this was the one I genuinely waited for every week — and it didn’t disappoint me even a little.
Final score: 10/10
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