My Royal Nemesis

Synopsis

During the Joseon dynasty, Kang Dan-shim gains notoriety at court for her cunning and ambition. Through manipulation and intellect, she ascends to the rank of royal concubine. In the 6th year of King Anjong's reign, Dan-shim died after being forced to drink the poison bowl. Her death triggered a shaman's spell, causing unnatural events such as midsummer frost and a total lunar eclipse.

However, her fate does not end with her death. Her soul awakens in 21st-century South Korea, inhabiting the body of Shin Seo-ri, an unknown actress who plays minor roles in historical dramas. In this unfamiliar era, Dan-shim gradually takes control of Seo-ri's life and, due to her unpredictable nature, quickly adapts to the modern world. She crosses paths with Cha Se-gye, the ruthless chaebol heir. The two develop a tense, conflict-driven relationship complicated by a love-hate dynamic.

Navigating the unfamiliar world, Kang Dan-shim realizes this twist of fate gives her a chance to escape her predetermined destiny and reshape her life.

Cast and characters

Main

Lim Ji-yeon as Shin Seo-ri / Kang Dan-shim

Kang Hye-rin as young Seo-ri / Dan-shim

Oh Eun-seo as young Seo-ri

Shin Seo-ri: An aspiring actress, Shin Seo-ri was once known as the child lead in the drama Sonagi, but as an adult she became a nameless actress. She later becomes possessed by the spirit of Joseon-era villainess Kang Dan-shim and develops a vicious personality.

Kang Dan-shim: A ruthless and cunning concubine of the Joseon dynasty, known as the most reviled villainess in the court. She rose from low birth to the position of first-rank concubine without strong support, leveraging her sharp wit and manipulative tactics. She has an incredibly strong sixth sense. Following her death by poisoning, she awakens 300 years later in 2026 and inhabits the body of Shin Seo-ri, who is filming a poison scene for sageuk drama. In that new world, she crosses paths with Cha Se-gye, who may be her last chance to rewrite her fate. She also decides to keep pursuing Seo-ri's dream of becoming a well-known actress.

Heo Nam-jun as Cha Se-gye / Grand Prince Cheongheon (Yi Hyeon)

Yeom Geon-hwi as young Se-gye

Cha Se-gye: The infamous third-generation chaebol heir to Chail Group and CEO of Biojei, he is known as a "monster of capitalism". As he crosses paths with Seo-ri, who's possessed, he is confronted by her.

Yi Hyeon: The solitary figure marked by past trauma, he wore a half-mask to conceal facial scars from a mysterious fire he alone survived. Contrasted with Yi Jae, who represents the "light", he is described as the "shadow" and labeled as Ghost Prince and Dokkaebbi (Goblin) Prince (in his time) laler as Ill-fated Prince (in history). He is the youngest son of King Mukjong & his second queen, Lady Min, the younger brother of King Anjong and a scholar who fell in love with Seo-ri/Dan-shim.

Jang Seung-jo as Choi Moon-do / Anjong (Yi Jae)

Supporting

People around Seo-ri

Kim Min-seok as Baek Gwang-nam

Seo-ri's next-door neighbor who becomes her road manager.

Lee Se-hee as Yoon Ji-hyo

Kim Na-eun as young Ji-hyo

A top star with 19 years of experience in the entertainment industry and Seo-ri's rival.

Kim Hae-sook as Nam Ok-soon

Seo-ri's beloved and caring grandmother, who raised her since she was a child.

Baek Ji-won as Hong Bu-seon, CEO of Doran Entertainment.

Oh Min-ae as Geum Bo-sal / Geum Jeong-ae, a shaman who knows that Seo-ri is a spirit from Joseon.

Park Jin-woo as Gu Pil-gyu, a Gosiwon manager.

People around Se-gye

Yoon Byung-hee as Son Jae-chan, Se-gye's right-hand man

Chae Seo-an as Mo Tae-hee, the precious daughter of Mo Chang Group, who is Se-gye's blind date.

Yoon Joo-sang as Cha Dal-su, Se-gye's grandfather, who is the Chairman of Chail Group.

Jung Young-joo as Cha Ju-ran, CEO of Chail Food and Se-gye's eldest aunt.

Baek Eun-hye as Cha Ju-mi, CEO of Chail Apparel and Se-gye's second aunt.

Production

Development

The series is directed by Han Tae-seop, who helmed Cheer Up (2022) and Hot Stove League (2019–2020), and Kim Hyun-woo, and the screenplay is written by Kang Hyun-joo. The production is handled by Studio S, Studio Dragon and Gill Pictures.

Casting

In June 2025, Artist Company confirmed that Lim Ji-yeon had received an offer to play the role of Shin Seo-ri and was considering it. The next month, Heo Nam-jun was offered to play the male lead. Lim and Heo's appearances were officially confirmed by October 2025, and Lee Se-hee, Chae Seo-an, Kim Min-seok, and Jang Seung-jo were reportedly cast.

Filming

Principal photography began in the second half of 2025.

Release

My Royal Nemesis was reportedly scheduled to premiere on SBS TV in the first half of 2026, airing on a Friday–Saturday timeslot. The series' special teaser was unveiled at the 2025 SBS Drama Awards and confirmed for a May 2026 release. By April 2026, the series was confirmed to premiere on May 8. It is also available for streaming on Netflix.

Original soundtrack

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Reception

Critical reception

My Royal Nemesis received generally positive reviews for being a fast-paced and entertaining rom-com despite its familiar time-slip premise. Much of the acclaim centers on Lim Ji-yeon's standout dual performance, frequently described as the "true anchor" of the drama. Critics lauded Lim's ability to balance slapstick comedy, emotional depth, and romantic tension. Reviewers highlighted how naturally she switches between a Joseon-era concubine's formal speech and modern comedic situations, while keeping the character emotionally grounded.

Writing for Cine21, cultural critic Oh Soo-kyung commended the series for its active and self-determined female protagonist, describing Hee-bin Kang Dan-sim as one of the more proactive time-travel characters in recent Korean dramas. Oh highlighted the drama’s feminist themes, particularly its reinterpretation of historical "villainous women" such as Jang Hui-bin, and its resonance with modern audiences through themes of independence and rejecting restrictive social roles.

Cultural critic Kim Sung-soo noted the drama’s success in humanizing its Joseon-era villainess and spotlighted Lim Ji-yeon's ability to balance comedy and tragedy. Kim Sujin of Segye Ilbo commended Lim's nuanced dual-role performance, particularly her subtle adjustments in voice pitch and gaze intensity, calling it proof of her status as a leading actress.

In a review for Sports Seoul, Lee Seung-rok lauded Heo Nam-jun's performance, describing him as the drama's "discovery". The review highlighted his strong screen presence, deep voice, precise diction, and nuanced facial expressions, comparing his charisma to a young Lee Byung-hun.

South China Morning Post reviewer Pierce Conran commended Lim Ji-yeon's "spirited performance" in the fish-out-of-water comedy and strong dialect delivery, while describing Heo Nam-jun’s portrayal as charismatic but somewhat familiar within chaebol heir archetypes.

Some reviewers noted that the series relies heavily on familiar K-drama tropes (time travel, enemies-to-lovers, chaebol dynamics), describing it as "old wine in a new bottle" or "predictable" in places. Nevertheless, most found it bingeable thanks to its self-aware humor, strong chemistry between the leads, and confident execution.

Ranking

On their first week, the series ranked No 1 in Netflix's Top 10 Non-English shows globally with 3,900,000 views for the 4 May 2026 to May 10, 2026. My Royal Nemesis ranked Top 10 in 44 countries worldwide, including not only Asian regions such as Korea, Japan, the Philippines, and Thailand, but also Europe and South America, such as Greece, Brazil, and Mexico.

The series became the first among SBS Friday-Saturday drama to rank No.1 on Netflix's weekly Global Top 10 Non-English Shows during its first broadcast week. The series also generated significant buzz in South Korea, leading the drama category on Good Data Corporation FUNdex as of May 26, topping both TV and OTT charts within three weeks of its release. Lim Ji-yeon and Heo Nam-jun ranked second and third in actor popularity respectively. The series maintained their top position in both TV and OTT for their fourth week with Lim, Heo and also Jang Seung-jo ranking first, second and sixth place for actors popularity.