Idol I

Good Idea - But dragging

I loved the idea. Started watching it so happy. After episode 4 it kind of started to drag a little. No progress is made. The story between them is really predictable. I'm not sold on how one episode he's stuck on another woman and then next episode he's all of a sudden in love with the female lead.
Also when he finds out she's a fan she just says nothing. This is bad writting to just create drama.

Now i want to know who did it but I watched the last episodes while skipping 10sec all the time. It's so slow and so many useless scenes.

I will not rewatch 😁

PS : don't get me started on his 2005 haircut 😨

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Theme and plot don't align

So I had a tough time with this show overall...frankly, I wasn't feeling the chemistry between the leads from the beginning and the romance felt very forced from the beginning. Now it wasn't because the FL keeps a distance because she's a professional or anything like that, because usually, that push and pull *is* what creates tension and chemistry in shows for me. Especially shows with subtle romance. And the thing is there are glimpses of these beats in this show too like in one of the earlier episodes when Laik takes a short step closer to her to tell her he doesn't want to hide anything from her anymore. But those moments don't hold. They're not allowed to linger. I think this has more to do with direction/writing than the performances.

But I still held out coz the whodunnit aspect of thinsg was more or less interesting but then episode 11 happened and oh my god, my worst fear with this show just came true.

So I just finished this show and found it kinda ironic how the entire show tries to urge fans to be more responsible with their idols and how they deserve to have a personal life too but then in the end, the killer turns out to be the ex girlfriend kinda reinforcing the fact that it is the fan who will stay loyal and dependable to the end and save the idol, and romantic relationships are a risk regardless...might be an inaccurate read of the whole drama and doesn't negate all the other positive things about it, but i found it really lazy to make her the crazy obsessive ex killer out of all the other options?

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A bit uneven

I had a little more expectations for this. I quite like the male lead and he provides a convincing performance of a man behind a persona, especially with regard to the stress of high profile fame in a country with obsessive fan culture. But while the female lead is very good in her performance as a lawyer the chemistry between the leads is a little flat. Also it feels hard to buy the hardcore fangirling in an adult professional. The couple feel more like friends than lovers. There is something missing, or perhaps it just feels overly chaste for the age of the characters. The plot is alright though there are lose ends technically. In the end some of the side characters turn out to be more interesting, the prosecutor struggling between doing right and winning, controlled by his father's ambition, the old lawyer, the sketchy yet honest characters, the friendzoned best friend.

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Right in this period where idols are under such pressure, I found this series particularly touching.
Haters and fans, depression, competition and jealousy/envy, lack of privacy and a "normal" life. As for this lawyer, bullied at school.
Here, a boy band singer is suspected of killing a classmate, and it's his die-hard fan, who is also a lawyer, who defends him.
The fact that the prosecutor was "pushed" to frame the suspect even though the evidence suggests otherwise highlights another problem: corruption. The hatred he harbored toward this poor lawyer, who personally bullied her in school, screams injustice.
This series exposes so many flaws in real Korean life.
The actor Kim Jae Young is used to playing unfortunate or strange kids, and here it fits. I also thought it was fitting that the actress Choi Soo Young who sings in the band Girl's Generations, was in her element, even though she's on the other side as a fan, in addiction to a defense attorney.

PS: The tickle tree really exists; it's called the Crape Myrtle, or Lagerstroemia. I learned something new.

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It was an okay drama

ummmm.... it was okay. It was worth the watch. The vibes between the leads gave off the FL being older and she looks older.
I think she would have stand out more as just his lawyer because she gave off boss energy in the courtroom.
I still didnt see the chemistry between them, they gave off more of a friendship vibes to me.
But it could just me be who is blind.
I personally would have liked it if the mystery part of it was more in depth because the "investigating" was lacking to me. Like the investigators hardly did anything and it was the lawyers who they showed putting pieces together.
But it was okay.

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Not the Best, But Not The Worst!!

What happens when your self-obsessed fan is also a genius lawyer? In case you get arrested, she will fight against the world to get you out!

Maeng Se Na is an enigma; at nighttime she masquerades as an avid fan of the pop idol group, Gold Boys. In the daytime, she conquers the world in the courtroom. She is competent and undefeated as an attorney; but when it comes to being a fangirl, she is overzealous and enthusiastic. But her favorite idol, Do Ra Ik, shrinks between being a rockstar & being an arrogant bully to his own fans (not that stalkerish his fans make it easy for him). Se Na is forced to step out of her isolation mode, when Do Ra Ik is accused of killing his best friend and fellow bandmate, Kang U Seong. One good thing about this show, is that it keeps the suspense going. Although I did guess the right killer in the first few episodes, she manages to fool everyone, keeping the entire group on their toes. The show has tight storytelling, not absolutely flawless, but it keeps you invested, and the leads have amazing chemistry!

Read the complete article here-

https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2026/01/29/idol-i-series-review/#more-2277

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A drama from kpop fans to kpop fans

This drama was clearly written by a K-pop fan, for K-pop fans.

It fed every delusional dream I’ve ever had as a longtime fan. I think we’ve all imagined how amazing it would be if our idol noticed us—let alone came to our house and fell in love with us. Honestly, who hasn’t?

Most of us older fans now have jobs or have built families of our own, which made Sena’s scenes especially relatable. Her rushing home just to watch Raik’s video and replaying all her favorite moments of him—that hit close to home. I still do that myself. I’m a chemistry teacher with a 12-year-old son, and yet here I am.

The drama was comforting and soothing. The culprit was caught, the leads ended up together, the bad people changed for the better, and everything wrapped up the way we always wish real life would.

In the end, it was an enjoyable emotional ride. I know I’ll come back to rewatch it whenever I’m craving that feeling again.

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very promising first half, second half predictable

the first half of the drama was enjoyable and interesting, fresh and charismatic. the plot itself was intriguing and at the beginning it didn’t feel predictable and it felt like there might be an interesting plot twist or a something a bit deeper than what it came to at the end. the drama lost my focus and interest towards the end and I had to force myself to finish it. the heaviness of the tragedy was lost as the drama progressed and the complicated relationship between band members and Do Ra-ik and his mother wasn’t resolved in a heartwarming or serious manner as it should be. the chemistry between Kim Jae-Young and Choi Soo-Jung was enjoyable, but sometimes got lost in the poorly written scenes where they felt more like friends and less as two people in love with each other. I expected more from the plot because the first couple of episodes were really great, but overall it was an good drama. not a must watch, but not a waste of time.

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How Far would You Believe the Truth?

This drama dove deeper into the lives of celebrities that may be a reality check also for fans. Many celebrities in Korea do face much pressure with just a small rumor. And this drama showed an extreme situation - La Ik being caught in a murder case.
And how far you will go as a fan? - Would you turn away from him no matter what? Would you not seek the truth? Would you only love him because he looks good and sings well?

And it is good that La Ik has one fan who does not believe in the lie. She went out of her way to defend him without revealing herself as a fan. She believed in his innocence and tried everything in her power to find the truth. It isn't what the majority she believed, she just believed in him.

The story went well, though there are parts which I think could have been presented earlier - like the checking of the cloud message of Woo Seong's phone. From the start they knew they cannot find the phone, and of all people, La Ik knew that he records everything and sync in the cloud. Was he too shocked or sorrowful that can't even think what he needs to do to get himself out of that trouble? Was it deliberately placed at Episode 11 so that the drama be longer?

I find this missing - their manager and producer failed to help him. Do they just use them for their own success? Is this reality now? I remember watching Sh**ting Stars where a public relations team help build and protect the image of their clients. Somewhat the drama has loopholes when it comes to protecting their stars. This goes to show the need for a strong trust between the managers and their stars.

This drama has redeeming factors:
1. Atty Kwak learned to stand on the truth and not just go with the flow with his father. In the end, he was able to find the real criminal.
2. La Ik learned to trust Se Na
3. And with the help of Chung Jae, Se Na's friend, they were able to gather evidence. I like this character, that though he knows Se Na loves La Ik, he did not stop supporting her. He is very grateful to her, for helping him out from his own troubles in the past.
4. Se Na finally pursuing the retrial of her father's case. Though it may look late, this character has been consistent in finding the truth.

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A brave look that falls short of its darkest potential.

"My Idol" starts with a necessary and courageous premise: to expose the harsh and dehumanizing reality behind the K-pop industry. The drama successfully portrays how these artists are treated as disposable commercial products, subjected to constant pressure, obsessive fans, depression, and the complete erosion of their mental health under the relentless public eye. This exploration is the series' greatest achievement, reminding us that behind the glamour are vulnerable human beings.

The structure that combines this social critique with a murder mystery works well initially. The crime investigation serves as an effective vehicle for both protagonists, helping Maeng Se Na uncover the true face of the industry from a fan's perspective, revealing the tragic consequences of this system. However, it is precisely in the development where the drama loses some of its initial bite.

While it started strong with a raw perspective, it ended up embracing a conventional romantic cliché: the protagonist ends up with the idol. While this isn't inherently bad, and the romance is entertaining, this resolution softens the sharp impact of the critique it had so effectively established, diluting its disruptive potential in favor of a more "safe" ending.

The biggest point of frustration, however, lies in the subplots that were left unfinished and had enormous potential:

Kang Woo Seong, his relationship with the protagonist hinted at a deeper layer. It would have been revolutionary and realistic to explore the taboo of homosexuality in the K-pop industry, a practically invisible topic that would have added a layer of brutal tragedy and truth. Hong Hye Joo, reducing her complexity to a simple diagnosis of "emotional instability" was a poor choice. Her character deserved a deeper dissection of her traumas and motivations. Prosecutor Kwak Byung Gyun, his arc of paternal pressure and guilt for convicting innocent people was fascinating, but it was resolved hastily, without delving into the psychological and moral impact of his actions.

Conclusion: "My Idol" is an entertaining and romantic drama that deserves credit for exposing the darker side of the Korean entertainment industry. It works perfectly as light entertainment with a touch of mystery. However, it can't shake the feeling of missed opportunity. By opting for a more conventional path and not delving deeper into its bolder subplots, it remains a good idea that could have been exceptional. Recommended viewing for those seeking entertainment, but with the caveat that its social commentary, while present, isn't as incisive as it initially promises.

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A Heartwarming, Pleasant Surprise

I came into this drama with 0 expectations. Mostly because dramas with idol themes tend to get cringe or childish at some parts.

But the way FL's character was introduced, I think I was hooked. I thought, even if the story turned out to be bad, I could still keep watching because Sooyoung as this "villain lawyer" was so convincing in just less than 10 minutes. Especially the way Kim Won Hae was hyping her up was so endearing to me. He lets her get away with leaving on time instead of being pressured to stay at a gathering which was cool. I already liked their dynamic from the first scene they had together.

Then I watched the first episode. Crazy but despite knowing previous idol-themed dramas tackled similar themes regarding the dark side of the entertainment industry, the way Idol I does it felt so raw, and I had never empathised as much as I did until I saw Kim Jaeyoung's performance as Do Ra-ik. I still remember my first impression of the character. This guy is rude as hell, and for what?? But then again, maybe his staff really did suck. His security sucks big time. No wonder that mf was going around cursing people. And then he got the panic attack. Damn, really felt for him. I couldn't hate him even though in reality, if an idol was exposed having attitude problems, while I don't think I would care to write hate comments, I probably would have believed he had a terrible personality from that short compilation clip. The writers really did their research on how fandom and anti-fandom works.

Anyways, the first few episodes were so good, even though I came into this drama knowing there was a romance tag, the first 3 eps made me think even if they didn't fall for each other, it would still be a good drama. Because beyond lawyer and client, the way they just connected as humans trying to understand each other, was very heartwarming to see. Especially that scene where Sena dusts off his socks, saying they shouldn't give up on the truth for the sake of the people who they lost. Got me bawling actually. Subtle yet powerful performance from the two of them.

Then came episode 4, when Raik saw the note that his lawyer REALLY believed in him. Some lawyers do not actually believe the client, they just need to do their job based on the evidence they find, or lessen the sentence. like his previous lawyer who was assigned to him. All he wanted was for someone to believe in him and Sena gave that to him. I felt touched as much as he did. So I was surprised the next day, after seeing her try to take care of him, Raik showed tiny signs of curiosity towards her relationship with her best friend. Don't tell me he's jealous?? Raik didn't seem like he was interested in anyone but himself, so when he showed interest in his lawyer's relationship with her friend + the prosecutor, suddenly I was thinking, wow jealousy looks good on him! He became so much happier just because he found someone who believed him, him running to her like a puppy while her expression was slightly sad made my heart ache. Suddenly I'm seeing their romantic potential with a tad of angst. I'm such a sucker for romantic potential and these two gave it to me. The hug was quite sudden, I wonder if Raik would hug his lawyer if it wasn't Sena, and I don't think he would have. Him suddenly getting protective in front of the prosecutor and being nosy about their relationship was hilarious to watch. At first I couldn't see how Raik was going to like his lawyer but the transition from having someone believe in him also made me believe his attraction to his lawyer.

The romance was also a pleasant surprise after thinking to myself, they could be better off just lawyer/client and idol/fan. I think it's because Raik's positive growth after liking Sena made me root for them. Sena too, I admired and appreciated her quiet restraint as Raik crossed all kinds of boundaries trying to get her attention. She was professional most of the time, and couldn't help but relent because it's Raik, her idol of all people, being nosy about her personal life. Let me tell you, this was the first time I loved the "she fell first, he fell harder" trope. Because Sena's love for Raik, never felt pathetic (at least, after he became her client)? Her character growth from putting him on a pedestal to just seeing him as human, was very beautiful to watch.

I'm a sucker for subtle romance who never get together in the end because it leaves so much to the imagination, but with Idol I, the two of them were giving "subtle romance" for 9 episodes. They had like one proper romantic interaction for every episode, it made you crave more from them. so it was my first time feeling happy they actually became canon in episode 10. This may be the reason some might find their romance unconvincing, but it was all that I needed to believe they were genuinely in love with each other. Throughout 9 episodes, their skinship was holding hands and 1 hug, most of their emotional bonding came from their deeply human conversations, getting to know each other and comforting each other, so it all felt very rewarding in episode 10 when their feelings become mutual.

Also, the best thing about their romance is that, even after they get together, THEY DON'T BECOME BORING! Some romantic couples suffer from being boring after they get together, like their original personalities suddenly die because they're in love. But not Raik x Sena. I think getting together quite late into the story helped, especially since they got together before the murder plot was solved. So their interactions are still interesting. The final episode with their dating era, was so sweet and adorable to watch. I'm not one to care for overly sweet romance, but with one episode left, Raik x Sena made you appreciate their romance SO much more.

Moving onto the characters, the drama started out with very few characters to root for. But when I tell you I was surprised EVERY character had decent development within the short 12 episodes they were given. The story paid attention to Raik and Sena's character development the most, but I still appreciated how much the other supporting characters grew by the end of the story. Shoutout to Jung Jae Kwang who played Prosecutor Kwak Byung-gyun, who started off terrible, in the middle quite wishy washy coz he was torn between doing the right thing and just following in his father's footsteps, and eventually doing the right thing. Him and the ML probably went through the most drastic changes (positively). Kim Hyun Jin as Chungjae was lovely as Sena's loyal best friend who loved her but eventually moved on and vowed to stay as her best friend, no hard feelings. What a great guy! And the standout was definitely Choi Heejin who played Hong Hyejoo. I wanted to hate her, but I couldn't. Fantastic acting from her. I did think her words for Raik was cruel when they broke up, she didn't have to say all that even if she was forced to breakup with him, but eventually we realize she was in a bad place mentally, so yeah they just weren't very right for each other.

The next best thing is the OSTs! Gold Boys/Raik songs weren't catchy at first listen, but since I wanted to be immersed and understand Sena's fangirl feelings, I found myself listening to the songs on repeat, and I have been obsessed with the songs ever since. They have less English lyrics so it's harder to memorize, but I will keep repeating the songs until I have them memorized. As for non-idol songs, the ballad "To Our Beautiful Past" is definitely the best song out of the OSTs. Such a beautiful duet. And "Everytime I Close My Eyes" that plays whenever Raik thinks about Woosung, had me very teary, especially the funeral scene. The rest of the OSTs matched well with the scenes and while I thought the OST during RaikSena's first kiss scene was generic in terms of melody, the lyrics were very heartfelt.

Now, the negative aspects of the show to me, was just the murder investigation. I had watched an interview where the actors said it has legal aspects but it's not an actual courtroom legal drama so I kept that in mind. Sena didn't get a lot of chance to show off her lawyer skills in the court which was too bad, but it doesn't make me think any less of her skills. HOWEVER, because the legal/murder investigation plot was very thin, it does make the characters who were supposed to be competent, look very bad. The mystery was done well in that it kept me asking not just "Who killed Woosung?" but "What's her relationship with him?" or "What happened to Woosung before he died?" There were little mysteries like that throughout the drama which kept me engaged. But, the killer reveal which was acted very well, made me annoyed because it didn't align with the clues they had given us in the earlier episodes. For example, they said the stab was in one shot, and had no signs of struggle. So it was either a very skilled person with a knife, or someone the victim knew that made them let their guard down. And yet, the reveal was that it was just an accident?? I would have prefered it was planned! But the crime scene was so sloppy, why did the initial investigation not catch the culrpit sooner? I'm just gonna believe the killer's father cleaned up the crime scene and covered up the evidence so the investigation went poorly otherwise I'll be mad.

Final Verdict: If you come into this drama with low expectations, you will enjoy it a LOT. And it's probably better to bingewatch so that you don't waste time thinking of theories but it ends up out the window as soon as the killer is revealed lol. When it comes down to it, this drama feels like a human, healing hurt/comfort drama about two lonely souls who come together, and exploring various characters's relationships related to the murder. And I was very much comforted by these characters, especially Raik, Sena, and the victim, Woosung.

9.5/10 coz I'm biased towards everything but can't give a full 10/10 because of the poor murder investigation. Enjoy!

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