SBS Friday-Saturday drama My Royal Nemesis has managed to achieve both rising TV ratings and strong OTT success in just two episodes. With its unique premise of a notorious Joseon-era villainess awakening inside the body of a struggling modern-day 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 recorded a new personal best in ratings. It also climbed to No.1 in Netflix Korea’s TOP10 TV series rankings, surpassing If Wishes Could Kill.
5.4% In Just 2 Episodes, Faster Success on OTT
According to Nielsen Korea on May 10, episode 2 of My Royal Nemesis recorded a nationwide rating of 5.4%. This marked a 1.3% increase from the 4.1% rating achieved by the premiere episode on May 8.
The drama’s OTT performance has been even more explosive. As of May 10, My Royal Nemesis ranked No.1 in Netflix Korea’s TOP10 TV series category. According to global OTT ranking site FlixPatrol on May 11, the drama also reached No.2 worldwide in Netflix’s TV show category.
The series ranked No.1 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 Draws Attention As Joseon Villainess 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 villainess from the Joseon era — 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-layered role of both Kang Dan Shim, who dies after drinking poison during the Joseon era, and Shin Seo Ri, who awakens roughly 300 years later on a drama set in 2026. Since the character moves between historical drama, comedy, action, and romance, many viewers described it as practically a double role performance.
Following the broadcast, viewers flooded online communities with reactions such as, “This is seriously so fun. Lim Ji Yeon is amazing,” “Lim Ji Yeon is possessed — she’s absolutely flying,” and “The character feels multidimensional, and her acting makes you excited for next week already.”
In particular, the line, “How dare you run that filthy mouth,” along with the flower-fight scene between Shin Seo Ri and Cha Se Gye, quickly spread across online communities.
Netizens also commented, “Watching Lim Ji Yeon feels like watching an acting masterclass,” “Comedic acting is hard to pull off, but she’s genuinely hilarious,” and “It’s been so long since a drama made me laugh this hard,” further fueling the drama’s growing word-of-mouth popularity.
Heo Nam Jun’s “Enemy Chemistry” Revives His 20% Ratings Prediction
Heo Nam Jun plays Cha Se Gye, the grandson of Cha Dal Su, chairman of Cha Il Group, and a 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 filled with 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 about their on-screen pairing, he added, “I think the ratings will do very well because filming was so fun. I believe the highest rating will surpass 20%.”
Lim Ji Yeon also confidently stated, “Everything will naturally come through in the drama itself. You can definitely look forward to the chemistry.”
Episode 2 quickly accelerated Shin Seo Ri’s chaotic adjustment to modern life. After proposing to Cha Se Gye that he keep her by his side and getting rejected, she returned to her tiny room and reunited with her grandmother Nam Ok Soon.
Meanwhile, a video exposing workplace abuse during a supporting-role shoot spread online as the “Heebin possession meme,” unexpectedly turning Shin Seo Ri into a viral figure.
Toward 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 rescued her, hinting at a turning point in their relationship.
SBS’s Friday-Saturday drama lineup has previously produced several major 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 by simultaneously achieving rising ratings, Netflix Korea’s No.1 ranking, and global No.2 status.
SBS’s My Royal Nemesis will air its next episode on May 15 at 9:50 PM KST.
Sources: Naver
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