My Royal Nemesis – Started Strong but Lost Its Way
I don't understand why so many people are calling this the best rom-com so far when shows like Filing for Love and The Perfect Crown exist.My Royal Nemesis was very promising in the beginning, but at some point the story became completely absurd. The main couple seemed to be fighting almost every single day, and their relationship relied heavily on constant misunderstandings and miscommunication. I find it frustrating when grown adults can't communicate properly, and it became repetitive after a while.
Another thing that bothered me was the female lead fainting in what felt like every episode. It quickly became an overused plot device rather than something that added to the story.
As for Cha Se Gye, he was initially portrayed as a fierce, highly capable businessman who excelled in his field. However, as the series progressed, he came across as much softer and less commanding than the character we were introduced to at the start.
Overall, the show had a lot of potential and a strong beginning, but the excessive conflicts, weak communication, and inconsistent character development made it difficult for me to fully enjoy. It wasn't terrible, but it definitely didn't live up to the hype for me.
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Do NOT Watch
The first 3-4 episodes were actually quite enjoyable, especially the comedy. Unfortunately, that's where all the good parts ended. As the story progressed, it kept creating more plot holes and inconsistencies instead of building a compelling narrative.Great Cast, but terrible writing. It felt like one of those shows that hooks viewers with strong opening episodes, only to completely lose direction afterward. Lately, I've noticed this trend in several K-dramas - great beginnings followed by a steep decline in quality. It almost feels like bait, and I regret spending my time on this one.
Time for a break from K-dramas🙄
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Despite the clichés and tropes, the story can hold itself on it’s own. It has a great sense of humor and manages to be sincere and heartwarming at the right moments. It also helps that there is sizzling chemistry between the two main characters, as well as the fact that they are very colorful, dynamic and fun to watch. That’s why it doesn’t really matter how ridiculous the drama gets, because has good foundations that are put to good use.
The tropes do more than just add some fun moments here and there, but to further the story and to place the viewer into the reality of the world within drama and draw out a familiar tone that makes the viewer comfortable because they know what they are getting. The main emphasis is always on telling a good story and using tropes and clichés to get something across. Which is a mark of good storytelling.
It’s not just decoration or fun additions. It frames the narrative and supports the characterization. The characters get to be chaotic, flawed people who learn and grow. Despite it all, even though they were wonderfully exaggerated, they also managed to feel tangible and real within the set reality that the drama envelops itself as the story tries to create a certain internal logic that works for this story. The drama tries really hard to create a certain internal logic for this story, so that the suspension of disbelief work, so you can set aside things and just allow yourself to enjoy the story.
The contrast between the past lives of our characters and the present was quite well handled, highlighting the main themes of the drama about being brave and allowing yourself to love someone with all your heart before it’s too late. A true second-chance love story with a lot of heart. Those twists and turns within the timelines is such a good way to convey longing to the viewer.
What also makes the drama such a deeply entertaining watch is how well it draws out the humor of it all. It takes a lot for me to laugh out loud, but it happened too many times while I was watching this drama to count. The humor is just so unashamed and often just wonderfully ridiculous without coming across as forced or pretentious. And it’s also fun to see how much the actors are allowed to play with things. You can see that the people who made these shows were having a good time, and that shines through.
Both Heo Nam Jun and Im Jiyeon manage to work incredibly well together to bring these characters to life, but also just to make those clichéd lines and funny humorous scenes work as well as they do. None of the things I’ve really praised the drama for would have worked as well if the actors hadn’t shown up on set, with full force, and performed those spectacularly clichéd lines with as much enthusiasm and skill as they did.
who constantly pop up within the narrative only to hinder thing or create conflict that don’t really matter, never functioning as anything else than boring archetypes to fill up some screen time. And the same can be said for some of the supporting characters and their side stories.
There were also a few pacing issues here and there; problems were solved a little too quickly, or certain story beats didn’t last long enough and so on. The story was also often too simple and perhaps illogical, as if it just needed the love story to work and rest didn’t really matter. But towards the end it started to seem a bit repetitive and chaotic. For better or worse, the drama didn’t delve too deeply into minor detail, because it didn’t matter in the long run, and therefore the drama wasn’t really expecting that level of snooping from its audience.
However, story often managed to cover up the flaws with the sheer entertainment value and the well-executed romance and the antics that main characters served up. Not to mention the magnificent performances of the actors.
My Royal Nemesis truly feels like buffet of old and well-seasoned K-drama clichés, served to us on a silver platter. Despite the simplicity of the story, it had a lot of entertainment to offer, some extremely lively main characters that I will cherish for a long time or actors that I can’t wait to see more of in the future. This story wouldn’t have been the same, or even worked at all, without the great performances of Heo Nam Jun and Im Jiyeon and for that I thank them wholeheartedly, because I enjoyed myself immensely.
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A Fun Time-Travel Romance Carried by Fantastic Chemistry
This was such a fun surprise. On the surface, it's about a struggling actress who becomes possessed by the spirit of a woman from the Joseon era, but underneath the fantasy and comedy lies a story about fate, second chances, love, and choosing the life you want to live. The time-travel concept isn't particularly groundbreaking, but it is executed in a way that keeps the story entertaining without becoming overly complicated.The biggest reason this drama works is the chemistry between the leads. From their very first encounter, they bounce off each other effortlessly. Their enemies-to-lovers dynamic is filled with hilarious arguments, playful banter, and plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. Once they fall in love, the relationship only gets better. I loved that they actually spent time together like a real couple by going on dates, watching TV together, walking hand in hand, and simply enjoying each other's company. Their romance felt warm, natural, and refreshingly free from unnecessary misunderstandings.
One thing I appreciated was that the writers never relied on forced breakups or poor communication just to create drama. Whenever problems appeared, the characters actually talked to each other instead of jumping to conclusions. It made their relationship feel much healthier than what we usually see in romantic comedies.
Heo Nam Jun was easily one of my favorite parts of the drama. I've seen him in previous projects before, but this role completely changed my opinion of him. First of all, his voice deserves its own fan club. I genuinely spent half the drama wondering how I never noticed it before. Beyond that, he gave his character so much charm and emotional depth. He starts off looking like the typical cold chaebol, but slowly reveals a surprisingly soft, awkward, and hopelessly romantic side. Watching that transformation was incredibly satisfying.
Im Ji Yeon was equally fantastic. She balanced comedy and emotional scenes effortlessly. Her chaotic energy, expressive reactions, and absolutely unhinged laugh made her character so much fun to watch. She could go from looking completely ordinary to looking stunning in the blink of an eye, and she fully embraced every ridiculous situation the drama threw at her.
Their fights honestly became one of my favorite parts of the show. Every argument, every slap, every dramatic crash-out somehow became hilarious instead of frustrating. The comedy landed consistently because both actors committed completely to their roles.
The supporting cast also deserves credit. The loyal assistant, the grandparents, the eccentric aunts, and even the adorable dog all added warmth to the story. I also thought the villain was surprisingly effective. He wasn't overly theatrical, but there was always something unsettling about him that made every appearance feel tense.
The production is solid throughout. The contrast between the historical flashbacks and the modern-day setting works beautifully, and the pacing rarely drags despite juggling romance, comedy, fantasy, action, and mystery. Could the drama have benefited from a couple more episodes? Probably. Some side stories could have been explored further. But I never felt like the shorter runtime hurt the overall experience.
Overall, this isn't a drama that reinvents the time-slip romance genre. Instead, it succeeds by executing familiar tropes exceptionally well. The writing keeps things simple, the romance is genuinely adorable, and the chemistry between the leads carries the entire show. Most importantly, it's simply fun. I had a smile on my face through most of it, and sometimes that's exactly what I want from a romantic comedy.
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A Strong Start That Slowly Lost Its Magic
Just a small disclaimer before I begin, this review comes purely from my personal experience watching the drama. There’s no hate, agenda, or ill intention behind anything I write here. These are simply the thoughts I had while watching, you might agree with some of my points, disagree with all of them, or fall somewhere in between and that’s completely fine, we all connect with stories differently. This is just one viewer’s perspective, so let’s keep things respectful and appreciate that different opinions can coexist.It’s been quite a while since I actually finished a drama from start to end, lately I’ve found myself dropping shows halfway through, sometimes even after just 2 or 3 eps, so the fact that I completed this one already says something.
What initially pulled me in was the premise, yep the sould-swapping, reincarnation, past lives, and a cold, arrogant male lead who was obviously destined to fall hard? I’m sorry, but that’s exactly the kind of setup that gets me every time. The trailers looked great, the concept sounded promising, for the first few eps, I was genuinely invested, the story felt intriguing, the pacing was engaging and I loved how this drama incorporated the joseon storyline alongside the present-day narrative, it added mystery and depth beyond the usual romantic comedy formula. What worked for me was that it wasn’t relying solely on the romance, there were bigger conflicts, darker motivations and questions that kept me wanting answers, it felt like there was something more substantial beneath the fluffy surface.
Unfortunately, somewhere around episodes 7, 8, and the rest, i started losing interest. It’s hard to explain, but the magic slowly faded, it stopped feeling like it was moving forward, charas development felt stagnant, the narrative started spinning its wheels, and everything became oddly flat, ar first I thought it was just a temporary slowdown cz many dramas need a few eps to find their footing but the deeper I got into this one, the more I felt like nothing particularly exciting was happening. The biggest example for me was seori, early she was fantastic, strong-willed, independent, awkwardly navigating a modern world she didn’t understand and her joseon speech patterns made her genuinely entertaining to watch hut later on, especially once the romance became the main focus, she started losing some of the qualities that made her unique. I understand the intention, she's adjusting to modern life, becoming more comfortable, opening herself up emotionally but the transition didn’t feel completely natural to me, It felt rushed, almost like the chara changed cz the plot needed her to, not cz she organically grew into that version of herself and honestly, this issue extends to the romance itself.
The relationship between seori and segye moved way too quickly for my taste, well in most dramas the first 7 or 8 eps are dedicated to denial, tension, emotional buildup, and gradual character bonding but here, it felt like they skipped several steps and jumped straight into romantic moments and the result is that I never fully bought into the relationship, they had cute scenes, sure but that’s kind of the problem, it felt like the drama was prioritizing romantic scenes instead of building the emotional foundation necessary for those scenes to truly hit, a lot of their interactions felt manufactured rather than naturally earned. I know many viewers loved their chemistry, but personally, I never got butterflies, I never found myself kicking my feet or feeling their happiness, instead I often felt like the drama was trying really hard to convince me that these two belonged together rather than letting me naturally arrive at that conclusion myself. Even Segye’s “head over heels” devotion sometimes felt excessive not cz the chara shouldn’t be in love, but cz the emotional progression wasn’t strong enough to support how quickly he got there. Ironically, I found mundo’s storyline far more interesting than the main romance 🤔, by the middle i caught myself skipping some of the lovey-dovey conversations between the leads but paying full attention whenever mundo appeared, well despite being the villain he was genuinely compelling, yes i should’ve hated him, but somehow I couldn’t. That’s probably a testament to how well the character was written and performed.
I also understand that this drama only had 14 eps, considering the complexity of balancing two timelines, reincarnation, historical connections, mystery, romance, and character arcs, the story may simply have needed more room to breathe. Honestly, I think this could’ve benefited from 20 eps or more not cz more eps automatically make something better but cz the emotional development would’ve had space to unfold naturally instead of feeling compressed.
Performance-wise, jiyeon gave everything she had. There’s no denying her commitment, that said, there were moments where her portrayal felt a little too heightened for me, I admire the intensity she brought to seori but occasionally it crossed into overacting territory. That’s purely personal preference, though. Meanwhile, I want to give special credit to seung jo, his performance was fantastic, no matter how manipulative or terrible mundo became, I still couldn’t bring myself to fully hate him. His facial expressions, emotional restraint, and overall screen presence made him incredibly watchable.
Also one thing I do appreciate about the drama is that it constantly invited viewers to theorize. I love stories that leave room for interpretation and discussion but by the final, I was hoping for clearer explanations regarding some of the timeline mechanics and lingering questions. Instead, it felt like writer-nim occasionally followed vibes over logic, which…well, happens.
And now let’s talk about heo namjun as lead, well this probably unpopular opinion, I don’t think he’s a bad actor at all, in fact I quite enjoyed his performance, he feels natural, grounded, and refreshingly different from the typical ML, he has a mature, masculine look that stands out in an industry often dominated by flower-boy visuals, but my issue was never his acting ability, It’s his screen presence, cz some actors can completely steal a scene as supporting characters, yet struggle when asked to become the emotional center of a major production, being a main lead requires a different kind of gravity, they need the ability to command attention even when they're doing absolutely nothing, that intangible quality where the atmosphere changes the moment they enter a frame. At this stage of his career, I don’t think he fully has that yet. When he appears, my reaction is often, “Oh, yep he's here" not "THERE HE IS" and yes, those are two very different feelings. Many actors aren’t conventionally handsome or idol-like, yet possess overwhelming lead energy, like the camera naturally gravitates toward them, the scene bends around them, atmosphere shifts when they take control of the frame. That’s the kind of presence I’m talking, yes It’s quite difficult to measure because it’s not really about acting technique. It’s charisma, star quality and aura or whatever you want to call it, right now, namjun feels like a very good actor who is still growing into being the central force of a large-scale drama, maybe that’s cz this is still early in his leading-man journey, or maybe he simply hasn’t found the project that perfectly unlocks his full potential yet.
And honestly? That’s completely fine cz the talent is already there, the foundation is there, I genuinely enjoyed what he brought to the role. I just don’t think he’s fully reached the point where his presence alone can carry the entire weight of a drama.
That's it.
And overall, this isn’t a perfect drama, It’s messy, it’s uneven, and sometimes it rushes where it should slow down and lingers where it should move faster but despite all of my criticisms, I never hated watching it, the concept was interesting, it kept me curious, several performances were memorable and even when it lost some of its momentum, it remained entertaining enough for me to see it through to the end, just a drama with a lot of potential that, for me, never quite became as great as it could have been.
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Watch for Heo Nam Jun and Supporting Cast - NOT for Storytelling ⏳☄️✨
Let’s start with our leads and the foundation of our story, its romantic arc. First, I gained so much respect for Heo Nam Jun through this series! I have seen him do decent work in the past, but this character gave him an opportunity to shine, which he did brightly 🌟 His character went from two dimensional chaebol, to emotionally complicated prince, to a love stricken, heart driven man - fluidly - with a clear evolution that we could follow and get behind. He very much carried the romance, particularly when our comedic time slipping aspects needed to mellow so we may connect to the heart of this love story. If you are a fan, i would watch the entire series for him, easily.Im Ji Yeon, on the other hand, doesn’t exhibit the same fluidity between comedy and melodrama. Through this series, i am noticing that I have a preference for her realistic characters, which of course this one was not. She tends to rely on outside/in personality development in comedy, which works for short pieces, like a comedic film, or the theatre. This character, however, was complex. The script didn’t fully sell it, so in the end it landed on her to make us believe it. For my taste, her farcical/comedic approach to her astronomical time slipping character was very appealing at the top, but needed to melt at some point to support the romantic arc, which was the absolute core of this world. Further, she needed to be able to meet the emotional development of her co-actor / romantic interest. Unfortunately, for my oreference, she opted to stay with the personality driven character that was relevant at the top of the series, but not toward its more heart wrenching aspects toward the end. The director is ALSO very much responsible for this. Although I enjoyed her plant whipping 🌿 chasing antics when it was appropriate, we needed to FEEL this life altering, time bending kind of Love.
As for our supporting cast, it was mostly A list actors, and i truly celebrate them. It would have been a blast to be part of this set, with this group of diverse and talented actors. They also carried the piece in the places where our directing and screenwriting disintegrated. I laughed a lot and cursed them often (as appropriate for the narrative 🫰🏽).
The directing was decent and mostly supported the story, minus the already mentioned lack of support of the romantic unfolding. Unfortunately, It was a mediocre script. They took a crazy risk with this concept, and it had potential to be great, but it needed to be fully developed in order for us to suspend disbelief and simply enjoy it at face value. Dramaturgy (script development) needs a home in Kdrama land. In this case, aspects of the story seemed added part way, while others fell away, leaving holes in its stead. In general, our script lacked coherence. Yet! It was entertaining, at that superficial level.
All in all, i enjoyed the ride ⏳☄️✨ even with the disappointment of the script and imbalanced depth of our romance.
(Initially a comment, but thought it might be helpful to others later 🤓)
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Enemies, banter, and everything i wanted
I’m a sucker for time-travel dramas, so I always go into them with high expectations, and this one honestly delivered. What I appreciated the most is that it never overcomplicated its own concept or relied on unnecessary drama just to create tension. The story stays surprisingly straightforward, letting the characters communicate instead of dragging out misunderstandings, which made everything feel so much more refreshing. The chemistry between the leads was one of the biggest highlights for me, but that only worked because both actors completely sold their characters. They felt incredibly comfortable together, making every interaction, from the playful banter to the more emotional scenes, feel natural and believable. I found myself smiling every time they shared the screen. I also loved how the romance and the time-travel element complemented each other instead of competing for attention. It was entertaining, heartfelt, and exactly the kind of drama that reminds me why I love this genre so much.Was this review helpful to you?
Excellent cast and above average plot
Not being a fan of historical romances, this one is great for those who want to have a little bit of everything: modern romance, historical romance, plot twists, cute scenes between FL and ML, among many others.I would recommend this to someone who absolutely loves unravelling, simping, sucker for FL MLs. I think ML in this K-drama might be the best execution of that I have ever seen. I would say it is also an enjoyable watch if you love the psycho power couple dynamic, both leads are quite crazy and definitely don't act rationally (but that's the beauty of this drama I think).
What I liked: ML was just a chef's kiss, FL actually had personality development and was entertaining from start to finish, melodrama in this was quite refreshing, and the cute romance scenes which will absolutely make your day.
What I disliked: Ending wasn't as bad as I feared (meaning the end rushing wasn't that bad), but definitely the script quality got worse towards the end of the drama, the historical part of it could have been much more nuanced (I felt like it was there for the sake of having two alternate timelines), it was at times pretty boring because it got repetitive at some point.
I would say it is a better drama than most because of four reasons. 1. Excellent casting and chemistry between ML and FL. 2. Drama has a creative layout from the start. 3. It executes the romantic, heart-fluttering scenes to perfection. 4. The ending was actually bearable and good (I have been traumatised before watching this....)
Since I gave it 8 stars overall, I would definitely recommend it.
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This review may contain spoilers
My Royal Nemesis: Time Travelled, Potential Didn't
My Royal Nemesis actually started well. There were strong themes of what the show was trying to establish in the first episode itself. The mix of Joseon, time travel, romance, and succession struggles made be excited. It had potential.Did they use it though? No, not fully anyways.
I don't have complaints about their acting. I understand it was Namjun's first main charcter role and he did quite decent I won't lie. His expressions were full Diva at times. I loved it for the most part.
The early episodes did spark curiosity. I'll be honest, the base foundation of Cha Se Gye's character wasn't fully developed in the beginning. It was all over the place. It was hard to predict how this character would fit in the show. Well he managed somehow.
Whereas Kang Dan shim turned Shin soeri had fully established what she wanted to portray herself as, and she stayed true to it most of the time.
Unfortunately, one of the most striking issues lied in how she adapted to her new environment.
She is thrown from Joseon into 2026, and I loved the curiosity portrayed by her. I loved how weird she looked at things she did not understand . But that aside, let's be real here. She had grown up in the palace, and so you would naturally expect her to have gone through all the cutthroat palace politics there is (she literally died due to all the unfairness).
But no, her character was made unnecessarily naive. Till the end.
There was a LOT of wasted potential here.
She adapts to her new environment far too quickly, which takes away many opportunities for both comedy and character development. A fast learner is still easy to accept, but what feels disappointing is seeing how much more interesting her journey COULD have been.
She didn't need to adapt effortlessly to prove she was capable. In fact, a strong royal consort should be intelligent and quick-witted even when she's confused. She could have picked up on important clues, read people's intentions, and made smart observations without immediately understanding all the rules of her new world.
Dan-Sim/Seo-Ri's personality is unpredictable. She goes from badass to helpless in a snap. There was something off about this character that I honestly can't put into words. Her unpredictability gave me whiplashes.
As for Cha Se-Gye, we never truly feel the psychological trauma he is supposed to have endured since childhood. He looks solid during times of adversity which adds little depth to this character. I love a down-bad male lead, but also with their own struggles. Not just a puppy who trails behind their owner.
The side character antagonists were under-developed and honestly, this is the least of their problems I'd say. I liked Choi Mun Do, partly because how handsome he is. I mean...ahem. But again, a little more backstory could have been nice.
See it's not bad. The twist was good. I understood the intention and locked away my logic in the locker. It's just that...some things can't just be looked over. Time travel romance is my favourite genre so I was hoping for a little more. There are plot holes that you can't even deny, I'm sorry.
By the end of the series, they managed to show a wholesome ending. Good for them I guess.
Note: These critics are purely my opinion, but if you are still going to defend aspects that clearly needed work, I'm sorry, it's simply not a conversation yll are ready for.
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A Hilarious Watch that Unfortunately Falters Towards the End
Starting with the good❄️The Acting - I truly do think that everyone did a good job, but I think my standouts were Im Ji Yeon, Heo Nam Jun, and Yoon Byung Hee.
Despite Byung Hee being a supporting character in every show I've seen him in, I always know that his acting will be good and I will very likely be laughing my behind off. He truly never disappoints
Im Ji Yeon - The last time I saw her was in The Glory (OK, so, truthfully, it was in 'The Killing Vote,' but I dropped that shit so quick I couldn't even tell you what her character was like). Now back to The Glory. I think all, if not the majority of us, can agree that she straight-up traumatized us there. Her character was to be feared, loathed, and hated. That is (fortunately or unfortunately) a character that stays with the audience. From that to this is such a 180, and a glorious one. She played the unhinged Sin Seo Ri beautifully. And I think that proves what an amazing actress she is.
Heo Nam Jun - If you'd have asked me b4 the Twitter thirst traps, I'd have told you that I'd never seen this man in any show. Come to find out he was in both seasons 2 and 3 of 'Sweet Home'. Girl, I never clocked him them😭. I am glad that he got his chance to shine in this drama, though. This is a man who KNOWS how to use his facial muscles. I do not think the romance would have worked as well as it did if his microexpressions weren't as good as they were.
❄️ The Comedy - I have had so much fun with this show the past 7(?) weeks. Anytime Friday would come around, I just knew that I was in for some foolishness. This cast has made me laugh so much over the past few weeks, and I thank them for it. I think the drama deserves recognition for its hilarity (alongside the acting, of course). They stuck the landing on that romantic comedy tag.
❄️The romance - They both might have been crazy, but they communicated. Even in the midst of all that was going on, they always found their way back to each other. Cha Segye fell fast and fell harder than anyone else, and Seori is a bit prickly, but they were both into each other. You see that their love is mature and reciprocal. They never lingered in misunderstandings
Now let's talk about the bits that had me feeling dissatisfied
🌠Inconsistent characterization - Cha Segye & Sin Seori
👩🏻Seori is shown to have a 6th sense for danger in the 1st ep or so, but that wholly disappears by the time the show hits ep 11 or so. The show starts setting up situations for Se Gye to save her. Situations that do not make sense if you recall the woman we started the show with.
For example, that incident with the water. Ep 1 Seori would have started seeking help the minute she felt weird. Actually, she'd have never stayed in that isolated room till late at night. She'd have started asking questions when she saw that these wardrobe pple were taking too long to find her
👨🏻On the other hand, Cha Segye started off being very bullheaded, smart, and cunning. He doesn't let anyone (aside from Seori, that is) lead him on like a fool or take advantage of him. However, when the show requires it, suddenly his cunning and smarts go out the window. He constantly underestimates Mun do allowing him to one-up him.
I'm still so mad at the writer(s) for making this man legit beg Mun Do not to destroy Seori's house. I think he even got on his knees (don't quote me on this, though). The point is, the businessman Cha Segye, the man who built a business despite Mundo, his useless aunts, and his grandfather, would've never done that. I hate that they made him do that.
On to other cast members
🌠Choi Mundo - Why was this man so horrid? You could say that he was made like that. Like, he was horrible in the Joseon era, so he's bound to be horrible too in the modern day. However, I feel like this explanation is a little lazy. While his actions in the Joseon era were very much on the extreme side, he had a reason.
Watching palace dramas is knowing that court politics and accession to the throne is a cutthroat game (quite literally, as they will behead you). So in Joseon, he was horribly protecting his seat.
But what is the explanation in the modern day? Jealousy? Coz he was born poor, and Cha Se Gye has a proverbial silver spoon? That's it? A jealous kid became a jealous (I'm assuming) 40-yr-old who wanted to usurp a conglomerate seat that was never his to begin with? Ai🤦🏾♀️
🌠Mo Tae Hui - How did she go from obsessing about getting married to Cha Se Gye and using her economic power to put him back in his 'rightful seat' to besties doing dealings together? That was quite the sudden and weird switch. We should have seen her come to terms with the fact that Se Gye would never be hers, no matter how much she tried. I think they tried showing that to us in the scene where she was speaking to the foreigner at the museum, but based on the fact that she never knew about what happened in the past btwn them, it doesn't make sense
🌠Grandfather - How did this man rise to being the head of this conglomerate? How did he manage to work out the politics of business and grow his company when he couldn't see the evil that was Mun Do all along? Mun Do was right for telling him that he was always a horrible grandfather to Cha Segye. And grandpa was dead wrong in calling Mun Do a burden. Yes, Mun Do was awful, but he cannot just spew those words after using him for all those years.
🌠The aunties - I felt like they never used them enough. They could've been a hilarious duo had they been better utilized.
🌠Ji Hyo - By the time the show was hitting ep 15, she had become one of my favourite characters. However, I cannot help but lament at who she could have been. The weird romance they were pushing btwn her and Baek Gwang Nam was honestly... weird. Funny, but weird. I'd have preferred that they had instead made her story more of a true rival to Sin Seori.
In one of the episodes, Ji Hyo had said that she hated Seori when she was younger, as Seori was better than her. And that once Seori disappeared, she always lived with some kind of anxiety regarding her career. Ji Hyo grows as a character during the course of the show. She's not just a mean character but a complicated, nuanced one. So, rather than the romance, I'd have preferred if she were shown to be using the now 'old but new' Seori as a tool to improve herself.
🌠That one random extra actress - Why on earth was she being mean to Seori? At 1st I thought the Mun Do had bought her off, but the show ends with us never knowing why she suddenly turned evil. Weird
🌠 Other Questions
a. What was the point of Mun Do's kid?
b. Why and how did Mun Do's assistant turn coats? He was never painted as a spy, so... why the change of heart?
c. Back in Joseon, why did Mun Do marry Dansim? He'd already achieved his goal, so what was the point of having her in his bed and elevating her status?
d. Did we really need all the drama and anxiety between eps 11 and 16? I cannot even count the number of times I repeated the line, 'They better not give me another 'Mr. Queen' ending in this one. I do not think the drama about her maybe going, maybe not going, then actually going back to Joseon was necessary. Even Segye's stabbing, what was that about? Did I miss the reason behind why he was stabbed and by who, or was that just the writer's way of forcing Seori to go back to Joseon🤔?
🌠Final Thoughts🌠
Would I recommend this? Honestly, yes. It wasn't perfect. Okay? It wasn't. However, despite the unnecessary drama that the writer(s) added from ep 11 to 16 and unanswered questions, I think this is a solid romcom.
The acting is incredible, the comedy lands, the villain is an actual true villain, and the plot is actually good. I truly believe that this show is actually worth investing your time in (esp those 1st 10 episodes)
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MRN: Fun Banter, Forgettable Romance
By late June 2026, I can comfortably say that this drama is a decent rom-com. Compared to most rom-coms released this year so far, it fares better than many of its peers. Is it the best rom-com out there? Absolutely not. But it's not bad by any means either.What worked best for me in this drama wasn't the romance—it was the comedy. The banter between the characters was easily the highlight of the show. Whether it was Segye-Seori, Segye and Mr. So, Seori and Gwang Nam, Seori and Jihyo, or even Segye and his grandfather, the interactions felt lively and entertaining. Those relationships carried much of the show's charm and often left a stronger impression on me than the romantic storyline itself.
Story-wise, the drama is full of clichés and doesn't really bring anything new to the table. I had my fair share of issues with the writing, especially towards the final stretch of episodes, and there were several moments where the story felt predictable and convenient. That said, compared to many recent rom-coms that struggle to make even familiar material entertaining, this drama does a decent job. The story itself isn't particularly strong, but the performances, comedy, and character interactions help elevate material that could have easily fallen flat.
As for the central couple, I enjoyed Seori and Segye's interactions and found their banter genuinely fun to watch. However, I never became fully invested in them as a romantic pair. Their relationship felt more like a mutually beneficial partnership than a passionate romance. I believed in them as companions, but not entirely as lovers.
Lim Ji-yeon was genuinely hilarious as Dam Shin in Seori's body. Dam Shin's interpretation of the situations around her and her reactions to everything happening were some of the funniest parts of the drama. She was particularly strong in the comedic scenes and the few darker, more authoritative moments she had throughout the series (something that is her forte as an actress). However, once the character entered romantic territory, it often felt like she was acting rather than naturally living through the emotions of the character, and because of that, I gradually lost some connection with Seori. Also, "cute" doesn't suit LJY at all; whenever the drama asked her to act cute, it came across as more cringe than charming.
Heo Nam-jun also did a pretty good job as Cha Segye. His comic timing and delivery were solid throughout the series and matched the tone of the drama well. Much like Lim Ji-yeon, he was at his best during the drama's lighter and more comedic moments. While I wasn't completely sold on some of the more vulnerable emotional scenes, he still managed to make Segye a consistently likable presence throughout the show. And just like Lim Ji-yeon, he isn't someone who naturally pulls off cute acting either.
The main villain deserves a mention as well. Jang Seung-jo was excellent, as expected. He's one of those actors who rarely disappoints and brought a strong presence whenever he appeared on screen.
Overall, this was a enjoyable watch. In a time when we're constantly getting flashy, overhyped, big-budget dramas that often end up feeling hollow, this one felt surprisingly refreshing. It may not be a drama that stays with me for years or one that I'll think about long after finishing it, but for the time I spent watching it, it was entertaining.
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This review may contain spoilers
An Exquisite Experience With Weirdly Endearing Characters!!
What happens when a royal nemesis from the past collides with a villain from the present?This was my first time watching Heo Nam Jun play a positive role, also my first time watching Im Ji Yeon. I was quite unsure of their chemistry, or how the story would shape up, given the fact that they both play characters who give off weird antagonist vibes. Who would think that a legendary villainess from the past would be paired opposite a bratty heir. Im Ji Yeon embodies the very soul of Kang Dam Sim, the First Ranked Royal Consort who was unfairly executed by poison. In her dying moments, her soul is transported to the future with the help of her loyal shaman. Landing in the 21st century, she creates chaos when she has an unexpected encounter with Cha Se Gye, an equally arrogant and cold-hearted chaebol. Instead of acting shocked, she thanks the heavens for a new chance at life and adapts to this new situation where she decides that Cha Se Gye will be her new backer. Poor Se Gye has no choice but to follow the will of this crazy woman who turns his life upside down.
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https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2026/06/21/my-royal-nemesis-series-review/#more-2488
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