SBS Friday-Saturday drama My Royal Nemesis has managed to achieve both growing TV ratings and strong OTT success in just two episodes. With its unique premise of a notorious Joseon-era villainess awakening in the body of a struggling modern actress, combined with Lim Ji Yeon’s comedic performance and her chaotic romance with Heo Nam Jun, the drama has quickly become one of the hottest topics among viewers.
The series premiered on May 8, and by its second episode on May 9, it had already set a new personal best in terms of ratings. It also rose to first place on Netflix’s TOP10 Korean TV series ranking, surpassing If Wishes Could Kill.
5.4% in just 2 episodes, fastest success on OTT
According to Nielsen Korea on May 10, My Royal Nemesis episode 2 recorded a domestic rating of 5.4%. This marked a 1.3% increase over the 4.1% rating achieved by the first episode on May 8.
The drama’s OTT performance was even more explosive. As of May 10, My Royal Nemesis ranked first in Netflix’s TOP10 Korean TV Series category. According to global OTT ratings site FlixPatrol on May 11, the series also reached number two globally in Netflix’s TV shows category.
The series ranked first in 24 countries/regions including South Korea, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Paraguay and Vietnam. It also entered Netflix’s TOP10 in the United States for two consecutive days.
Lim Ji Yeon attracts attention as evil Joseon with comedic acting
My Royal Nemesis tells the story of Shin Seo Ri, an unknown actress possessed by the spirit of Kang Dan Shim – a legendary Joseon era villain – and Cha Se Gye, a ruthless chaebol heir described as a “monster created by capitalism”. The drama is directed by Han Tae Seop and written by Kang Hyun Joo.
Lim Ji Yeon takes on the dual role of both Kang Dan Shim, who dies after drinking poison during the Joseon era, and Shin Seo Ri, who awakens some 300 years later in a drama set in 2026. Because the character moves between historical drama, comedy, action and romance, many viewers have described it as a virtually dual-role performance.
After the broadcast, viewers flooded online communities with reactions like: “It’s really a lot of fun. Lim Ji Yeon is amazing,” “Lim Ji Yeon is possessed – she absolutely flies,” and “The character seems multidimensional and her acting makes you excited for next week already.”
In particular, the phrase “How dare you open that disgusting mouth”, along with the flower fight scene between Shin Seo Ri and Cha Se Gye, quickly spread in online communities.
Netizens also commented, “Watching Lim Ji Yeon is like watching an acting class,” “Comedy acting is hard to pull off, but it’s really funny,” and “It’s been so long since a drama made me laugh so hard,” further fueling the drama’s growing word-of-mouth popularity.
Heo Nam Jun’s “Enemy Chemistry” Revives Its 20% Rating Prediction
Heo Nam Jun plays Cha Se Gye, grandson of Cha Dal Su, president of the Cha Il Group and third-generation chaebol heir. Known as a “monster of capitalism,” Cha Se Gye immediately clashes with Shin Seo Ri after meeting her in modern times.
Their relationship, which begins with misunderstandings and even a slap, gradually develops into a chaotic “love-hate” dynamic full of tension, bargaining and emotional conflict.
During the production press conference, Heo Nam Jun praised his chemistry with Lim Ji Yeon, saying, “It was incredible, honestly one of the best experiences I’ve had in my life.”
Confident of their on-screen pairing, he added: “I think the ratings will do very well because the filming was so much fun. I think the top rating will be over 20%.”
Lim Ji Yeon also confidently said, “Everything will emerge naturally in the drama itself. You can definitely look forward to the chemistry.”
Episode 2 quickly accelerated Shin Seo Ri’s chaotic adaptation to modern life. After proposing to Cha Se Gye to keep her by her side and being rejected, she returned to her small room and reunited with her grandmother Nam Ok Soon.
Meanwhile, a video alleging workplace abuse while filming a supporting role spread online as the “Heebin possession meme”, unexpectedly turning Shin Seo Ri into a viral figure.
Towards the end of the episode, Shin Seo Ri suffered a panic attack after seeing black goat soup, which triggered memories of the poison she drank during the Joseon era. Cha Se Gye later saved her, suggesting a turning point in their relationship.
The SBS Friday-Saturday drama program has already produced several big hits including Taxi Driver, Flex X Cop, The Fiery Priest, The Judge from Hell and Good Partner.
Although still in its early stages, My Royal Nemesis has already emerged as a highly anticipated new drama, simultaneously achieving rising ratings, first place in the Netflix Korea chart and second place globally.
SBS’ My Royal Nemesis will air its next episode on May 15 at 9:50 pm KST.
Sources: Naver
