Kim You-jung becomes angel-faced devil in thriller romance 'Dear X'

From left, actors Kim Do-hoon, Kim You-jung and Kim Young-dae pose during a press conference for Tving original series "Dear X" at CGV Yongsan I’Park Mall in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap

Tving's much-anticipated thriller-romance “Dear X” will showcase a chilling transformation of actor Kim You-jung, long known for her wholesome child actor image.

Set to premiere on Nov. 6, the series is Tving’s first production to stream globally via HBO Max across 17 Asia-Pacific regions, already generating significant buzz ahead of its release.

“Dear X” is directed by Lee Eung-bok, the acclaimed director behind “Sweet Home” (2020), “Mr. Sunshine” (2018) and “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God” (2016).

Adapted from the popular webtoon of the same name, “Dear X” follows Baek Ah-jin (Kim), a woman who hides behind a mask to escape her personal torment while relentlessly climbing toward the pinnacle of fame. In her ruthless pursuit of perfection, she leaves behind the “Xs” — those broken and discarded in her wake.

The drama delves into the downfall of Korea’s top actress, who conceals a cruel reality behind her stunning beauty, and the tragic love of Yoon Jun-seo (Kim Young-dae), a man who willingly descends into hell to protect her. Kim Jae-oh (Kim Do-hoon) stands as Ah-jin’s devoted shadow, bound to her by shared scars.

“When I read the original webtoon, I immediately thought of the theme of angels and demons. It struck me as a dark romantic thriller about a demon with the face of an angel, born under a cruel fate, and the two guardian angels who try to protect her," director Lee said Thursday during a press conference for the drama at CGV Yongsan I’Park Mall, reflecting on his first encounter with the source material.

Poster for the Tving orignal series "Dear X" / Courtesy of Tving

Lee said Jun-seo’s inner monologue — "Why do I love a wicked person?" — intrigued him to this project.

"I wondered why readers loved a webtoon with such a ‘bad’ protagonist and wanted to explore that. Rather than worrying about intensity or boundaries, I wanted to capture the aching tenderness of the two people who try to love and protect Ah-jin. People see her in all kinds of ways — not just as a villain. I want to make viewers ask themselves, ‘What would I do?’ or ‘Could I live like this?’" he said.

Kim You-jung, who rose to fame as a child actor and became a fixture of family-friendly dramas, embraces her darkest role yet in "Dear X." She takes on the role of top star Ah-jin, who conceals a merciless nature behind her dazzling looks, described by her as “a devil with the face of an angel.”

“If I thought of this role as a huge challenge, I might have become too tense, so I tried to let that go. I closely analyzed the webtoon and script, and as I read, I realized how intertwined all the characters are and how much the story conveys through those entanglements. Through conversations with the director, I gained both trust and courage and that helped me overcome my fear," she said.

"Dear X" positions itself as more than a simple revenge tale. With its lush cinematography, twisted romantic dynamics and sharp critique of Korea’s entertainment world, the series walks a tightrope between horror and heartbreak.

“Because the webtoon uses still images, it does a good job of emphasizing each character’s essence. The emotionless expressions and unreadable thoughts in those images were well portrayed. I thought hard about how to bring that to life in acting," the actor said.

"I tried to strip away unnecessary expressions and leave space for subtlety. There are many scenes where the emotions are conveyed through the eyes — I wanted the audience to feel that sense of mystery, of not quite knowing what she’s thinking.”