On March 28, 2025, South Korean actress Hyeri sparked excitement among fans when she revealed in a YouTube interview that she felt more at ease kissing a female co-star in the drama Friendly Rivalry. This confession was made during her guest appearance on Baek Eun-ha’s channel, titled “Goo Jun-pyo, get out of the way! Yoo Je-yei is here! Actress Hyeri.”
Discussing the intimate scene with co-star Chung Su-bin, Hyeri expressed her hopes for a tasteful portrayal:
“I hope it’s expressed beautifully. I wanted to film it nicely. I was worried that those scenes would be expressed provocatively or become elements that are just written. It was a very important scene. The director, actress Chung Su-bin, and I all thought about filming it nicely.”
She elaborated on her experience, noting that kissing a woman didn’t feel drastically different from kissing male partners:
“I actually thought, ‘Could it be different?, but I actually felt more comfortable. I was surprised. It’s not that different.”
Hyeri’s candidness about her comfort level with same-sex kissing has rapidly gained traction on social media, igniting enthusiasm within her fan community. One Twitter user shared,
“And girls won again.”
This sentiment was echoed by other fans who appreciated seeing women support one another:
“Love to see women supporting women—I mean, women kissing women,” a fan reacted.
Many users predicted that Hyeri would become a beloved figure within the queer community in South Korea:
“Watch her become the new favorite female artist among the queer community in We,”a fan mentioned.
Fans widely appreciated Hyeri’s straightforwardness, with comments like:
“Hyeri’s candid confession is a breath of fresh air! She felt surprisingly comfortable with her female co-star in that kissing scene,” a user reacted.
“Hyeri keeping it real! Love her honesty,” a user shared.
“Isn’t Hyeri like 30? I googled the show and it’s about high school students. Korea is going a bit wild with their castings lmao. Show any good by the way, I like what I’ve seen from Hyeri,”a user mentioned.
Insights into Friendly Rivalry
Friendly Rivalry is a gripping mystery and thriller series that features an impressive cast, including Lee Hyeri, Chung Su-bin, Kang Hye-won, and Oh Woo-ri. The show aired from February 10 to March 6, 2025, with episodes released every Monday through Thursday at midnight (Korean Standard Time).
Based on a webtoon of the same name, the drama consists of sixteen episodes. The official synopsis from Asianwiki describes the plot:
“Yoo Je-Yi is the most powerful student in the school. She has a high IQ, comes from a wealthy family background, and is attractive physically. She has lived as the envy of others since she was born and is aware of her superiority.”
The synopsis continues:
“She is also cunning enough to know how to take advantage of her position. She shows special interest in transfer student Woo Seul-Ki. They soon develop a dangerous relationship between friendship and obsession.”
Hyeri, renowned for her roles in various dramas such as Reply 1988, May I Help You, and My Roommate is a Gumiho, continues to capture the public’s attention with her bold performances.