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tvN’s highly anticipated rom-com My Dearest Nemesis premiered on February 17, 2025. The drama drew viewers in with its unique blend of romance and gaming dynamics. While the drama’s intriguing plot has captivated audiences, the age gap between leads Moon Ga-young and Choi Hyun-wook has been a trending topic since casting was announced.
K-drama fans initially expressed skepticism over the 5-year difference between 28-year-old Moon Ga-young and 23-year-old Choi Hyun-wook. Particularly, many raised concerns when they learned that Choi Hyun-wook's character in My Dearest Nemesis would play the boss of Moon Ga-young's. Many questioned how the dynamic would be portrayed, given their real-life ages.
However, the premiere episode of My Dearest Nemesis quickly addressed this concern by revealing that their characters also have a 4-year age gap in the story. Choi Hyun-wook’s Ban Ju-yeon first met Moon Ga-young’s Baek Su-jeong when he was 15, while she was a 19-year-old high school senior preparing for college.
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This made the setup feel more natural to the viewers. With the noona-dongsaeng (elder sister- younger brother) romance now paired with a video game twist, fan reactions were shifted. One viewer of My Dearest Nemesis commented addressing the discussion about the age gap,
""he's too young to be a ceo and too young for her" THATS THE PLOT!! he is a nepo baby who suddenly becomes a ceo but well i love their chemistry," the user wrote.
"not really into noona-dongsaeng trope but i'm up for #MyDearestNemesis. the first episode reminds me a slight of Love O2O <the game date session > it's fun and MUN KAYOUNG IS REALLY PRETTY AND HOT. ARGH love it already <33333" shared one netizen.
"not only did she get catfished her online boyfriend turned out to be a whole MIDDLE SCHOOLER. never let your kids online date parents" read a comment, explaining the age angle in the relationship of the main leads.
"The first Ep of the new Korean drama, #MyDearestNemesis was fairly entertaining. A 19-year-old gamer girl meets her online crush, "Black Dragon," whom she believes to be 22. Upon meeting him in person, she is shocked & terribly disappointed to discover he is only 15 years old!!! She understandably rejects him and becomes disheartened about romance. Many years later, a twist of fate reunites them, and he is her boss at work!!" a viewer of My Dearest Nemesis explains the plot device.
Fans praised the pilot episode of My Dearest Nemesis, calling it a fresh and engaging start, especially with the gaming twist. After the premiere, excitement only grew, with the storyline’s execution winning them over. Viewers of My Dearest Nemesis expressed excitement to see how Ban Ju-yeon and Baek Su-jeong’s relationship would unfold.
"This drama is peak comedy. I couldn’t stop laughing! Soojung scolded her brother for gaming all night, only to get hooked herself. She even fell for JooYeon (Black Dragon) who turned out to be a middle schooler & then cried her eyes out." shared a viewer of My Dearest Nemesis.
"pilot episode of #MyDearestNemesis was TOOO good this is the most entertaining first episode i’ve seen in a drama in so long.. pretty characters with their own personalities n a fresh creative storyline ROMCOM KDRAMAS ARE SO BACKK" posted one individual on X.
"this game part is what makes the drama different… hope there will be more, it was fun to watch!" shared another viewer of My Dearest Nemesis.
The pilot episode of My Dearest Nemesis also introduced Oh Eui-shik and Im Se-mi as the gaming partners of Choi Hyun-wook and Moon Ga-young’s characters. Their appearance added an extra layer of excitement, as both actors previously starred alongside Moon Ga-young in the 2020 tvN drama, True Beauty.
Fans of both dramas were beyond thrilled and nostalgic to see the trio reunite on screen, making the moment a special treat for the viewers.
"this true beauty reunion and IM SEMI OH MY GODD SHE’S INSANEE" wrote this netizen.
"“you look like my homeroom teacher” lmao i love this true beauty reunion" added an X user.
Ban Ju-yeon lies about his age to Baek Su-jeong in My Dearest Nemesis
My Dearest Nemesis ' Baek Su-jeong (Moon Ga-young) first met Ban Ju-yeon through an online game in 2009. As a high school senior, she discovered her younger brother gaming through the night. Frustrated, she scolded him, but he defended himself, saying his friends looked down on him for falling behind in gaming levels.
Determined to help, Su-jeong joined the game to boost her brother’s rank. That’s when she encountered Black Dragon, the in-game persona of Ban Ju-yeon.
Through in-game chat, Su-jeong told her he was 19, while Ju-yeon claimed to be 22. She admired his gaming skills, and he, impressed by her in-game character’s abilities as a healer, invited her to join his team, that had In Se-mi, Oh Eui-shik.
Their connection deepened as they started talking outside the game. They shared personal stories— Su-jeong revealed she had lost her mother, and with her father always busy, she had to raise her little brother alone.
Meanwhile, Ju-yeon, an orphan and only child, confessed to feeling lonely. The two bonded over their struggles, promising to support and rely on each other. Su-jeong further admitted she had always wanted an "oppa"— an older brother figure she could depend on, and Ju-yeon promised to be that person for her.
One day, their gaming group decided to meet at a café. Everyone arrived except Ju-yeon. The group teased Su-jeong, suggesting that Ju-yeon was attending for her and they would look good together.
However, when Black Dragon finally showed up, everyone was stunned— instead of a 22-year-old man, a middle schooler barely 15 years old (Moon Woo-jin) stood before them, dressed in adult clothes and pretending to be older.
Unsure how to react, the group decided to head to a karaoke bar. There, while serenading Su-jeong, Ju-yeon's cap fell off, along with a hidden wig that disguised his bowl-cut hairstyle.
Su-jeong, unable to contain her anger, lashed out at him for lying about his age. She accused him of deceiving her and stormed out. Ju-yeon ran after her, desperately confessing— he was 15 but insisted that age and names didn’t matter. He called her his “destiny.”
He then dramatically knelt before her and declared:
"Black Dragon's heart... I'm trapped in dark loneliness. The one who can free the Black Dragon is only you. My love, my destiny. Please grant me love and freedom."
A curious crowd gathered around them, cheering for Su-jeong to say yes. But she was mortified— especially when she spotted two classmates who had bullied her laughing at the scene.
Furious and embarrassed, she rejected him outright, shouting that age wasn’t the issue— he was. She called him "pathetic," and said his real-life persona was nothing like his online one. She left in tears, while Ju-yeon collapsed on the street, devastated, only to be dragged away by his bodyguards back to his academy.
Su-jeong and Ju-yeon cross paths again after 16 years. Now, Su-jeong is a department head of the planning department of a department store, known in the company as the "Director Killer." Ju-yeon (Choi Hyun-wook), returns as the new director— and the grandson of the company’s owner.
Adapted from the webtoon He’s a Black Dragon (그놈은 흑염룡) by Hye Jin Yang (혜진양), My Dearest Nemesis airs every Monday and Tuesday at 8:50 pm KST. It is also available for streaming on Viki.
