Okay, here’s the thing. i cannot with Cha Woo-seok. The man investigates like he’s late for a train, kicking…
My Thoughts:
Han Seolah built a little life for herself, but lives with the guilt of setting fire to her parents (even though they wished for it). This is her big secret she doesn’t want exposed. She found someone who loves her, but he ended up passing away. I think this was just a tragic incident. However, the next few deaths of her lovers were definitely carried out by someone wishing to be her main, the only man by her side.
We know the photographer friend was watching the fire incident when they were 15, so he likely knows this secret. The main suspects are the photographer friend and the CEO, both have connections to her past, but I suspect the friend more. He has “always been there for her” but she never took him as a romantic partner; if he’s in love with her (likely), that’s gotta sting.
Han Seolah seems more of a tragic heroine than a sociopath or psychopath to me (like Baek Ahjin from Dear X). The show is designed in a melancholy way, wanting us to pity her. The music, the scenes focusing on her expressions and sad eyes, everything so far suggests melo/tragedy instead of crazy twisty female power fantasy thriller. Everyone suspects her when something bad happens, and she can’t say “No! I’m a good woman. I’ve never done anything wrong!” because she technically killed her parents and lives with this secret and guilt. So I’m not suspecting her at all like I suspected Baek Ahjin, Sarah Kim, and whoever else.
Yes! The drama is about Yumi going through happiness, excitement, pain, and heartbreak in her relationships, and…
The ex (played by Lee Sang Yi) cheated on her and she saw it.
The first guy after the ex was Woong (Ahn Bohyun). He is very prideful. For example - when he wasn’t doing anything and she got a job and wanted to pay the bills, buy things, and pay for food, his ego saw it as his own weakness, he felt like he is lesser than her and distanced himself from her. He also had a female best friend who was in love with him and was hellbent on subtly destroying their relationship by getting in the way; Woong called her out a little too late, before this he kept meeting her and making excuses for her.
The second guy was Babi (Jinyoung). He was the sweet office coworker who remembered her favourite things and made fast moves. But when another cute office girl told him she liked him despite knowing he has a girlfriend, he didn’t say no and didn’t push the girl away, he kept talking to her and marvelling at their coincidences, thinking she is his soulmate. Note - the show gave a lot of Soonrok’s webtoon scenes to Babi. In season 2, Woong got rich and was able to step up for Yumi, but I think Yumi deserves a supportive sweetheart, not just a rich ex who can take care of her.
In my own opinion (I’m a little biased against the previous guys because they had their issues and Yumi, while she has her own insecurities, is a sweetheart and doesn’t need to deal with all that. Adding - I like all the actors Kim Goeun, Park Jihyun, Lee Sangyi, Ahn Bohyun, Kim Jaewon, Jinyoung, so it’s not an actor bias, rather a character bias), those two guys were alright but not perfect for Yumi and their issues were not compatible with the well-meaning, loyal Yumi. If you watch, you will love her and only want what’s best for her, not for her to “not change bf”.
The third guy is Soonrok (Kim Jaewon). He is an introvert who feels energized when he is home. Outside, he runs on “low power mode” and doesn’t do much else other than work. But when he meets Yumi his brain starts lighting up when outside, and he begins to get closer to her little by little. We will see his story in season 3.
Studio X+U was established to create original OTT content for LG U+ Mobile TV. They produced low- or mid-budget youth thrillers like High Cookie, Friendly Rivalry, and Night Has Come. Twelve was the first big budget project they worked on for an external streaming service. Following the failure of the drama, Studio X+U had to close down, and deleted their YouTube and Instagram channels recently (March 2026), taking away all the behind-the-scenes content and promo content for those previous dramas along with them.
In the past few years, makjang dramas have changed tone. Makjangs used to be all about cheating, women screaming, exposing and getting back at each other, catfights, rich family shenanigans, family/birth secrets, betrayals, murder, and whatnot, embellished with dramatic music and colourful characters. Typical makjangs won’t fly with younger or more serious audiences now. Recently, makjangs have developed to a “makjang thriller” category where all those elements are present, but it’s more thriller-focused. But the makjang elements are still there. Only two episodes have aired and we already got comical villains, a sauna b*tch fight, cracking an egg on the “heroine”, a failed sugar baby crying wolf, Cha Jooyoung screaming at the top of her lungs… I feel Climax belongs in the makjang thriller category, it’s dark and mysterious but also dramatic and sometimes over-the-top, not somber. Other examples - Reborn Rich, The Impossible Heir, Buried Hearts, When The Phone Rings, and the recommendations listed (Eve, The World Of The Married).
[YMMV, this is just my observation. Also I’m not dissing the makjang thriller genre, I watch it.]
It’s almost here, just a month away. I’m so excited! I love noona dramas / sunbae-hoobae dramas so I know I will love and enjoy this final chapter. Kim Goeun is one of my favourite actors and Kim Jaewon has grown on me through You And Everything Else and The Art Of Sarah. I can’t wait to watch more of them, and together no less!
do I need to watch the other 2 season for me to understand this? Cause I'm only here for jae won :33
Yes! The drama is about Yumi going through happiness, excitement, pain, and heartbreak in her relationships, and her cells/emotions (the animated blue things) dealing with all of it and taking the journey with her. It’s very endearing. Sunrok (Jaewon) is her perfect match, so watching the previous stories and guys will help you appreciate Yumi-Sunrok more!
The information is not official yet, all the actors are temporarily listed as main characters
^^ Exactly, thank you! The article released some time ago had information provided by the agency BH Ent. for their actor joining the cast. The article listed the returning “main cast” but it didn’t seem to be from production side (Studio Dragon, YLAB Plex) or the director, so I’m not counting it as official confirmation, the reporter could’ve simply filled in the information. From the main cast, only Hwang Minhyun, Han Jieun, Hong Mingi, Shin Soohyun, and Jeon Soyoung are officially confirmed by their agencies. Cha Woomin’s agency hasn’t confirmed his reprisal, and have added his other two upcoming works to their website but not Study Group 2.
Everything that can go wrong, will go wrong.
Yonah Kim is the plot 🔥 I’m very much in love lol.
^ Kim Junghyun choosing this role
Han Seolah built a little life for herself, but lives with the guilt of setting fire to her parents (even though they wished for it). This is her big secret she doesn’t want exposed. She found someone who loves her, but he ended up passing away. I think this was just a tragic incident. However, the next few deaths of her lovers were definitely carried out by someone wishing to be her main, the only man by her side.
We know the photographer friend was watching the fire incident when they were 15, so he likely knows this secret. The main suspects are the photographer friend and the CEO, both have connections to her past, but I suspect the friend more. He has “always been there for her” but she never took him as a romantic partner; if he’s in love with her (likely), that’s gotta sting.
Han Seolah seems more of a tragic heroine than a sociopath or psychopath to me (like Baek Ahjin from Dear X). The show is designed in a melancholy way, wanting us to pity her. The music, the scenes focusing on her expressions and sad eyes, everything so far suggests melo/tragedy instead of crazy twisty female power fantasy thriller. Everyone suspects her when something bad happens, and she can’t say “No! I’m a good woman. I’ve never done anything wrong!” because she technically killed her parents and lives with this secret and guilt. So I’m not suspecting her at all like I suspected Baek Ahjin, Sarah Kim, and whoever else.
The first guy after the ex was Woong (Ahn Bohyun). He is very prideful. For example - when he wasn’t doing anything and she got a job and wanted to pay the bills, buy things, and pay for food, his ego saw it as his own weakness, he felt like he is lesser than her and distanced himself from her. He also had a female best friend who was in love with him and was hellbent on subtly destroying their relationship by getting in the way; Woong called her out a little too late, before this he kept meeting her and making excuses for her.
The second guy was Babi (Jinyoung). He was the sweet office coworker who remembered her favourite things and made fast moves. But when another cute office girl told him she liked him despite knowing he has a girlfriend, he didn’t say no and didn’t push the girl away, he kept talking to her and marvelling at their coincidences, thinking she is his soulmate. Note - the show gave a lot of Soonrok’s webtoon scenes to Babi. In season 2, Woong got rich and was able to step up for Yumi, but I think Yumi deserves a supportive sweetheart, not just a rich ex who can take care of her.
In my own opinion (I’m a little biased against the previous guys because they had their issues and Yumi, while she has her own insecurities, is a sweetheart and doesn’t need to deal with all that. Adding - I like all the actors Kim Goeun, Park Jihyun, Lee Sangyi, Ahn Bohyun, Kim Jaewon, Jinyoung, so it’s not an actor bias, rather a character bias), those two guys were alright but not perfect for Yumi and their issues were not compatible with the well-meaning, loyal Yumi. If you watch, you will love her and only want what’s best for her, not for her to “not change bf”.
The third guy is Soonrok (Kim Jaewon). He is an introvert who feels energized when he is home. Outside, he runs on “low power mode” and doesn’t do much else other than work. But when he meets Yumi his brain starts lighting up when outside, and he begins to get closer to her little by little. We will see his story in season 3.
[YMMV, this is just my observation. Also I’m not dissing the makjang thriller genre, I watch it.]
Officially confirmed cast so far: Hwang Minhyun, Han Jieun, Hong Mingi, Lee Jonghyun, Shin Soohyun, Jeon Soyoung.
Update: Yoon Sangjung (Choi Heewon) confirmed!