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On February 7, 2025, U+ Mobile TV released a new teaser for the upcoming K-drama Friendly Rivalry, generating excitement among fans. The 1-minute-39-second clip features lead actresses Lee Hye-ri and Chung Soo-bin in an unexpectedly intimate moment.
The scene depicts Chung Soo-bin's character, Woo Seul-gi, sitting awkwardly in a bathtub filled with foam as Lee Hye-ri’s character, Yoo Je-i, teases her. Je-i playfully asks if it's her first time sharing a bath with a friend, then notices her flustered expression.
Sensing Seul-gi's discomfort, Je-i asks her, "You are not thinking something weird, are you?" When Seul-gi hesitantly responds, Je-i leans in, saying, "Something like this," and caresses her lips and cheek before kissing her—leaving Seul-gi visibly stunned.
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The teaser immediately sparked excitement online, with fans flooding social media with reactions. Many expressed shock and anticipation, with one viewer of Friendly Rivalry commenting:
"I WASN'T EXPECTING THIS HSHSHSHSSH"
"guys are we dreaming?!?! kdrama just entered gl world with hyeri as one of the main lead !!!! this cannot be happening 😭😭😭" said an X user.
"i was just ised to read something like this in fanfics and still can't believe they did it ahsvsvnabsnzkajavsgsAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH" wrote one netizen.
"The kiss only lasted a second but I was already having a tantrum and kicking my legs in the air. 😖😭😭" shared an individual on X.
"they really kissed omgg the way jaeyi brushed her thumb against seulgi's lips before kissing her and she looked like she wasn’t done yet, i just know she’d lean in for a second kiss 😩" commented another viewer of Friendly Rivalry.
Viewers were thrilled to see a same-gender kiss in a mainstream Korean drama, especially with a popular star like Lee Hye-ri.
"Not a gl fan but it means a lot to the extremely conservative korean society i mean hyeriii!? This is huge and i hope this is not just baiting 😳" read one more comment.
"FIRST MAJOR UNCENSORED GL KDRAMA I HAVE PRAYED FOR TIMES LIKE THIS 😭😭😭😭😭 BEGGING Y’ALL TO SUPPORT THE SHOW PLEASEEEEE " wrote one X user.
"wow it’s been ages since a mainstream kdrama having an onscreen kiss between two women I can’t believe it’s finally happening" expressed this netizen.
"i needed that kiss to have lasted at least 5 more seconds but yknow what considering how conservative korea is ILL TAKE IT" added this person on X.
More about Friendly Rivalry
On February 6, 2025, Friendly Rivalry's production company, STUDIO X+U, held a press conference at CGV Yongsan I-PARK Mall with director Kim Tae-hee and cast members Lee Hye-ri, Chung Soo-bin, Kang Hye-won, Oh Woo-ri, Kim Tae-hoon, and Young-jae in attendance.
Addressing Friendly Rivalry's incorporation of GL elements, director Kim Tae-hee stated:
"We focused on capturing emotions in a way that resonates beyond just a teenage audience."
Lee Hye-ri added:
"The scene felt natural in the story. I wasn’t concerned because the emotions were well-developed in the script."
STUDIO X+U’s upcoming drama Friendly Rivalry is a mystery thriller set within Chaehwa Girls' High School, a prestigious institution for the elite. Based on Song Chae-Yoon's webtoon Sunuiui Gyeongjaeng, Friendly Rivalry follows Woo Seul-gi (Chung Soo-bin), a transfer student who enters this fiercely competitive world. She finds herself caught in a web of ambition, secrets, and a tragic past.
Woo Seul-gi grew up in an orphanage in the countryside before moving to Seoul to attend Chaehwa High School, a place reserved for South Korea’s academic elite. She struggles to fit in among her privileged classmates until Yoo Je-yi (Lee Hye-ri), the school’s most influential student, takes an interest in her.
Yoo Je-yi is everything Seul-gi is not—wealthy, brilliant, and effortlessly admired. With a sharp mind and a deep awareness of her own power, she knows exactly how to manipulate those around her.
Drawn to Seul-gi, she offers her friendship, but their connection soon blurs the line between loyalty and obsession. As hidden motives and dangerous alliances unfold, Seul-gi realizes that stepping into Chaehwa High’s world means playing a game where the stakes are far greater than just academic success.
Describing her character, Lee Hye-ri said:
"Je-yi has it all—looks, intelligence, and status—but she’s unpredictable and intimidating. I had to tap into a sharper, more calculating side of myself for this role."
Addressing her return to a school uniform role in her late 20s, she admitted:
"It could have been a challenge, but I saw it as an opportunity. The story has layers that resonate beyond just teenage experiences."
With an intense storyline filled with psychological tension and shifting dynamics, Friendly Rivalry is set to premiere on February 10, 2025. As the release date approaches, fans are eager to see the chemistry between the two actresses as well as how the series will bring its webtoon origins to life.
