Hyeri is breaking new ground with a provocative role in an upcoming high school drama. The press conference for STUDIO X+U’s new series Friendly Rivalry was held on Thursday at CGV Yongsan I’Park Mall in Seoul, attended by director Kim Tae Hee and stars Hyeri, Chung Su Bin, Kang Hye Won, Oh Woo Ri, and more.
Friendly Rivalry, based on a popular webtoon, is a mystery thriller set in the ultra-competitive Chaehwa Girls’ High School, a school for Korea’s top 1%. The story follows transfer student Woo Seul Gi (Chung Su Bin) as she becomes entangled with Yu Je Yi (Hyeri) and her friends, while investigating the mysterious death of her father, a former college entrance exam writer. The series is helmed by Incomplete Life: Prequel director Kim Tae Hee.
In a departure from typical high school dramas, Hyeri’s character engages in taboo behaviors including smoking and clubbing, culminating in an intense bathtub kiss scene with Jung Su Bin.
Despite the potentially controversial material, Hyeri expressed confidence in her choice: “I actually wasn’t too worried. When I read the script, the emotional flow made perfect sense,” adding, “In later episodes, the two characters grow closer and also drift apart, and it becomes an obsession for one side. I thought this scene would effectively show both the characters’ emotional changes and Je Yi’s character development.” She continued, “I filmed while imagining how beautifully Je Yi and Seul Gi would be portrayed in the drama.”
Director Kim Tae Hee addressed the mature content: “From the planning stages, ‘Friendly Rivalry’ wasn’t aimed at teenagers. While we show raw teenage emotions and narratives, we anticipated an adult rating,” explaining, “Rather than worrying about content restrictions, we focused on capturing contemporary teenage sensibilities in a way that even adults who’ve been through the college entrance exam competition could understand.”
Regarding both the same-sex kiss scene and her first high school drama role, Hyeri shared, “While it could have been an intimidating role, my ambition was greater,” noting, “I took courage because looking closely at the drama, I felt you needed to be at least in your late 20s to understand certain aspects.”
Friendly Rivalry premieres on U+mobile TV and U+tv on the 10th.
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