Shin Hye Sun and Lee Jin Wook are captivating audiences with their heartwarming romance in ENA’s Dear Hyeri, delivering a perfect example of classic autumn love.
Despite limited accessibility—Dear Hyeri is not available on popular OTT platforms and is exclusive to the new channel ENA and its own platform, GenieTV—the drama has defied expectations by both increasing in viewership and generating major buzz.
Premiering on September 23rd with a modest 2.0% rating (Nielsen Korea), the drama has steadily gained traction through word of mouth. By the recently aired episode 8, it hit a series-high of 3.5%. The 12-episode drama centers on announcer Joo Eun Ho (Shin Hye Sun), who, after suffering deep emotional wounds, develops dissociative identity disorder, and Jung Hyun Oh (Lee Jin Wook), who hides his own childhood trauma as they help each other heal through their evolving romance.
Shin Hye Sun’s portrayal of a woman with two distinct personalities—Joo Eun Ho, a struggling 14-year veteran announcer, and Joo Hye Ri, a parking attendant—has captivated viewers, especially as she navigates relationships with both Lee Jin Wook and Kang Hoon’s characters. Her complicated yet touching dynamic with Hyun Oh, an ex-boyfriend she still carries feelings for, has particularly resonated with fans, with their bickering masking a deeper, heartfelt connection.
Shin Hye Sun’s ability to transform between two personas, altering not just her style but also her tone and voice, has earned her widespread praise. This powerful performance helped her climb to 4th place in Good Data Corporation’s buzzworthy index (as of October 15th), right behind notable names like Culinary Class Wars‘ Anh Sung Jae, Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born‘s Kim Tae Ri, and The Judge from Hell‘s Park Shin Hye.
Meanwhile, Dear Hyeri itself has proven its popularity by ranking 4th in a combined TV and OTT non-drama buzz survey, surpassing several popular variety shows and dramas.
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