amazing
SO IN LOVE RAAAAGH. Okay, but Friendly Rivalry is actually insane. I went in expecting some light academic rivalry with subtle GL undertones, but nope—they went all in on the tension, the longing stares, the barely-contained feelings. This drama is a sapphic fever dream, and I am obsessed.
The story follows Woo Seul Gi (Chung Su Bin), the quiet, sharp new girl who transfers to Chaehwa Girls' High. She’s the classic "doesn’t care, but secretly cares too much" type, which already makes her dangerous. Enter Yoo Je Yi (Lee Hyeri), the school's golden girl—rich, popular, and terrifyingly good at getting what she wants. She’s got everyone wrapped around her finger… except Seul Gi. And that's exactly where the chaos starts.
Je Yi notices that Seul Gi isn't falling for her charm, and instead of moving on like a normal person, she fixates. Every interaction between them is loaded with this electrifying tension—one moment they're trading academic insults, the next they’re staring at each other like they want to either fight or kiss. And honestly? Half the time, it feels like both. The way Je Yi corners Seul Gi with that smug, unreadable expression? The way Seul Gi looks at her like she’s simultaneously intrigued and terrified? It’s giving insane gay yearning energy.
And don’t even get me started on the accidental touches and the way their voices drop to something softer when they’re alone. You know that K-drama trope where someone gets pushed against a wall, and it’s supposed to be threatening but it’s actually way too intimate? Yeah. That happens. Multiple times.
What I love most is how mutual it is. It’s not just Je Yi being obsessed—Seul Gi, for all her "I don’t care" energy, definitely cares. The way she watches Je Yi, how she wants to push her away but also never actually does? Their rivalry isn’t just about who’s smarter or stronger—it’s about control, about unspoken feelings, about figuring out if what they have is love or something even more dangerous.
I genuinely don’t know if this drama is going to give us a happy ending, but at this point, I just want them to admit it already. If you love GL dramas with ridiculously intense chemistry, power plays, and a whole lot of gay pining, Friendly Rivalry is a must-watch.
The story follows Woo Seul Gi (Chung Su Bin), the quiet, sharp new girl who transfers to Chaehwa Girls' High. She’s the classic "doesn’t care, but secretly cares too much" type, which already makes her dangerous. Enter Yoo Je Yi (Lee Hyeri), the school's golden girl—rich, popular, and terrifyingly good at getting what she wants. She’s got everyone wrapped around her finger… except Seul Gi. And that's exactly where the chaos starts.
Je Yi notices that Seul Gi isn't falling for her charm, and instead of moving on like a normal person, she fixates. Every interaction between them is loaded with this electrifying tension—one moment they're trading academic insults, the next they’re staring at each other like they want to either fight or kiss. And honestly? Half the time, it feels like both. The way Je Yi corners Seul Gi with that smug, unreadable expression? The way Seul Gi looks at her like she’s simultaneously intrigued and terrified? It’s giving insane gay yearning energy.
And don’t even get me started on the accidental touches and the way their voices drop to something softer when they’re alone. You know that K-drama trope where someone gets pushed against a wall, and it’s supposed to be threatening but it’s actually way too intimate? Yeah. That happens. Multiple times.
What I love most is how mutual it is. It’s not just Je Yi being obsessed—Seul Gi, for all her "I don’t care" energy, definitely cares. The way she watches Je Yi, how she wants to push her away but also never actually does? Their rivalry isn’t just about who’s smarter or stronger—it’s about control, about unspoken feelings, about figuring out if what they have is love or something even more dangerous.
I genuinely don’t know if this drama is going to give us a happy ending, but at this point, I just want them to admit it already. If you love GL dramas with ridiculously intense chemistry, power plays, and a whole lot of gay pining, Friendly Rivalry is a must-watch.
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