'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Based on a popular webtoon of the same name, Friendly Rivalry premiered on February 10, 2025. It is a mystery thriller series set at Chaehwa Girls’ High School, an elite institution catering to South Korea’s top 1 percent, where intense academic competition drives the students.
As the first two episodes of the drama have been released, Chung Su-bin plays Woo Seul-gi, a transfer student who becomes entangled in her classmates’ hidden ambitions while uncovering the truth behind her father’s mysterious death—once a key figure in crafting college entrance exam questions.
Meanwhile, Lee Hye-ri takes on the role of Yoo Jae-yi in Friendly Rivalry, a brilliant student who has never lost her position as the top-ranked scholar. As the daughter of the owner of J Medical Center, Jae-yi is both wealthy and influential, and with her striking beauty, she naturally commands attention wherever she goes.
Trending
As the first two episodes were released, fans found the intense chemistry between Lee Hye-ri and Chung Su-bin quite interesting, and they took to X to opine about the same.
"Moving so fast like a wattpad fanfic written by a 13 yro," said one fan.
"I can’t believe i’d live to see the day this kind of epic, slowmo, magical moments in kdramas but with two women instead," commented another.
"Only 2 episodes in to #FriendlyRivalry and they’re already doing all this. They might be moving just as fast as real life lesbananas omg when r they gonna move in tgt," wrote one viewer.
The approach taken in Friendly Rivalry has seemingly been well-received by fans so far.
"Idc if she's an obsessive psychopath i want her," a fan said.
"The tension is INSANE… pls just drop all the episodes already, because idk how i’m supposed to survive this!!" reacted another.
"A Psycho and an Addict. i love it," one user commented.
How Hye-ri prepared for her role in Friendly Rivalry
The production team of Friendly Rivalry recently released an interview wherein Lee Hye-ri discussed the appeal of her character, Yoo Jae-yi, and the efforts the actress put into portraying her, as reported by Star News on February 3.
She shared that reading the script gave her a sense of liberation, as it involved "breaking taboos." Furthermore, Hye-ri found the story’s unique atmosphere captivating and believed such roles were rare opportunities in her career.
Describing Yoo Jae-yi, Lee explained that, on the surface, she appeared perfect—coming from a privileged background, excelling academically, and being admired at Chaehwa Girls’ High School. However, the actress added:
"Behind her perfect appearance, she hides her shortcomings, and Jae-yi's seemingly good-intentioned actions may have other intentions. It will be more fun to watch while trying to guess the hidden meanings in the scenes that are visible on the surface."
As this role was unlike anything in her previous filmography, Lee Hye-ri saw it as a new challenge. To embody Jae-yi in Friendly Rivalry, she focused on maintaining an unreadable, cold gaze that contrasted with the character’s outwardly gentle demeanor.
She made a conscious effort to think and act as Jae-yi would, emphasizing that she enhanced the mysterious and compelling nature of the character by stripping away conventional justifications. Additionally, she paid close attention to styling, ensuring Jae-yi appeared fashionable and refined in the school uniform as well as the casual outfits, using accessories and bags to elevate her visual presence.
Reflecting on what Friendly Rivalry meant for her career, Hye-ri believed it would reveal an entirely new side of her acting.
"I think you'll be able to see a side of 'Lee Hye-ri' that we've never seen before. While I've played many bright, energetic, and positive characters in the past, Jae-yi is a ruthless character with a dark side," Hye-ri said.
She anticipated that viewers would be surprised by this transformation, possibly questioning if they had ever seen this version of her before.
The next episode of Friendly Rivalry is scheduled to be released on February 11, 2025.
