Friendly Rivalry

SEASON 2 please

Me encantó la serie, muy buen drama, la fotografía igual, el marketing que le dan a la serie, los actores, Hyeri y Subin cada vez me sorprenden más, me gusta y de verdad se los recomiendo…no se van aburrir. Woo Seul Gi creció en un orfanato en una provincia. Se muda a Seúl y se matricula en la escuela secundaria Chaehwa, que es una escuela para el 1% de los mejores estudiantes de Corea del Sur. Woo Seul Gi no se lleva bien con los otros estudiantes. Una estudiante llamada Yoo Je Yi se acerca a ella y se hacen amigas.

Yoo Je Yi es la estudiante más poderoso de la escuela. Tiene un coeficiente intelectual alto, proviene de una familia adinerada y es atractiva físicamente. Ha vivido siendo la envidia de los demás desde que nació y es consciente de su superioridad. También es lo suficientemente astuta como para saber aprovechar su posición. Ella muestra especial interés en la estudiante transferido Woo Seul Gi. Pronto desarrollan una peligrosa relación entre amistad y obsesión

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Chaotic but Decent Show

Recommended if: you like mind games, obsession, manipulation, complexity
Not recommended if: you want something simple to watch or looking for a cute GL (there is suggested romance but it's not the focus of the show)

***

It seems that I'm part of the minority who enjoyed the plot of the show. It started with one case, branched out all over the place, and entangled the characters against each other. The way they presented how the events unfolded by balanced use of showing and telling created intrigue and kept me interested every episode.

However, there were times where too many things happened at once that it became confusing to follow. The characters were also more of a tool for the plot than well-developed entities. Their motivations were questionable, especially Jei. That's where they built on the mystery and thriller—instability, intensity, and complexity. I believe the show had a strong foundation but became ambitious at some point, and suffered loss of connection and impact to the viewers by the end.

Nevertheless, its a decent show that has its own charm. Its an interesting and fun chaos. I might not watch it again, though.

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Unexpected

At first I thought the story would be something casual, but the topic was heavier than I expected. You see teenagers trying so hard to be the best that they even resort to choices they wouldn't normally make if they weren't under the pressure of the strict grading system and the high expectations of adults. They all cross lines one way or another, and I believe this was presented to us very well. The acting is good, and so is the storyline.
And I kind of did expect this to be a GL, so I'm a bit disappointed that I didn't really get to see the two main characters, Je I and Seul Gi, get together. You only saw hints of it, but I still think the series is worth watching.

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Very strange drama

During the first few episodes, I was really excited. I was really enjoying the story, but at a certain point, I felt like the drama was starting to lack sense and increasingly strange things were happening. The moment I saw a teenager performing surgery, I really felt like the drama had lost all logic. At many other moments, very absurd things happened. I also feel like the characters aren't very well constructed, and the romance could have been much more than it was, or really wasn't, because it only lasted one episode and there were many confusing twists in the story. I think it was a confusing and slightly strange story, but I must say that I enjoyed watching the drama. It's not a drama I would watch again, but it really is a drama to watch if you're bored one day.

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I was really intrigued by this series. I had never watched a Girl Love (GL) drama before.

At the beginning, I found the story interesting the characters, the story behind her father’s death… Then we learn that the real culprit is actually her girlfriend’s father, involving drugs and so on. I thought there was great chemistry between all the characters.

But I have to admit that towards the end, after the fake death of her sister, I found the story a bit incoherent and rushed. She has a conversation with her father, then suddenly she stops talking to her friend. She treats her really badly. From that point on, I got a bit lost. At first she stops replying to her, avoids her completely… Then they come up with a plan, but it doesn’t go as expected, so he does something she wasn’t aware of. This leads to her needing surgery. And in the end, she goes live and jumps out the window with her sister. I didn’t really understand the ending I found it rushed and poorly explained.

Apart from that, the beginning up until almost the end was really good. I still recommend it anyway.

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I finally finished it

To be honest, it took me a year to finish this show because I had thought it would be a promising GL, which was my fault for not looking into it beforehand. However, now that I have finished watching it, I can assert that the plot is a bit far-fetched. Besides that, I enjoyed the show overall: incredible cast, astounding production and music. I will definitely be watching the second season once it comes out.

Even though this show was never promoted as a GL, it is impossible to me -and to most people I believe- not to see Seulgi and Jeyi as more than friends. Hopefully, now that GL's have gained more popularity in the Asian market, the production team will turn the girls' "friendship" into something more.

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My Review of the“Friendly Rivalry”

After watching Friendly Rivalry, I can honestly say it’s one of the more unique K-dramas I’ve seen recently. From the very first episode, it pulled me in with its intense atmosphere, subtle tension, and the complex relationship between the two main characters. I’m giving it an 8 out of 10, and here’s why.

The story takes place in an elite all-girls school, where a new student, Woo Seul-gi, transfers in and quickly crosses paths with the school’s queen bee, Yoo Je-yi. What follows is a twisted and layered relationship—part friendship, part rivalry, and something deeper that’s never fully spoken out loud but always felt. That blurred line between closeness and competition was one of the most intriguing aspects of the entire show for me.

The acting was excellent. Both leads were incredibly strong in their roles. Hye-ri as Je-yi had this magnetic, unsettling presence—she was captivating to watch and you never quite knew what she was thinking. Chung Su-bin did a great job portraying Seul-gi’s emotional turmoil and quiet strength. Their chemistry carried the entire series and made every scene between them feel charged and meaningful.

The plot itself was well-paced for the most part, though I’ll admit the middle episodes slowed down a bit. There were moments where I felt like certain storylines didn’t really go anywhere or were stretched longer than needed. But the mystery surrounding Seul-gi’s past and her father’s death added an emotional and even thriller-like edge that kept me interested throughout.

What really stood out to me was how the drama tackled darker themes—academic pressure, emotional manipulation, trauma, and identity—without turning into melodrama. It’s not your typical light high school romance. It’s heavier, more psychological, and at times morally ambiguous. That’s something I personally appreciated, as it gave the series more depth and weight.

One area where I was slightly disappointed was the way the potential GL (girl love) dynamic was handled. There was undeniable chemistry between the two leads, and many scenes hinted at a deeper emotional or romantic connection. But the show never fully committed to it, and that left me feeling a bit unsatisfied. It wasn’t outright queerbaiting, but it did feel like they were playing it safe by keeping things ambiguous.

Still, overall, Friendly Rivalry was a compelling and emotionally engaging drama. It was beautifully shot, the music matched the mood perfectly, and the psychological tension kept me hooked. It’s the kind of show that leaves you thinking even after it ends.

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