K-drama Review: Idol I

Idol I was a very easy five stars for me. If you enjoy murder mysteries, psychological dramas, or legal thrillers, then this show is for you. And it's a must-watch for all K-pop fans!

English Title: Idol I (2026)

Writer: Kim Da-rin

Director: Lee Kwong-young

Length: 12 Episodes

Tropes: Murder Mystery / Whodunit, Celebrity / Pop star hero, Hidden Identity, Shared Past, Slow Burn Romance, Second Lead Syndrome, She fell first / He fell harder.

My Score: 5/5

Description: Never meet your idols. Tough criminal lawyer Maeng Se-na (Choi Soo-young) learns this the hard way when she steps in to defend her idol who is accused of murdering his fellow band-mate. Maeng Se-na has a big secret - she's a superfan of K-pop band Gold Boys and especially of its lead singer, Do Ra-ik (Kim Jae-young). But the real Do Ra-ik is nothing like the man she imagined him to be. As they work together to solve the murder and restore his reputation and career, the case both re-opens old wounds and brings them together. For Do Ra-ik, especially, the case collapses his already-fragile life, forcing him to face his demons and, ultimately, emerge a changed person.

If you enjoyed this show, then watch: Namib, Imitation, Celebrity, Her Private Life, Sh**ting Stars, Lovely Runner, and Record of Youth.

I'm reviewing this one while it's still fresh in my mind, as I made no notes at all while watching - which shows how engrossed I was! Idol I hooked me from beginning to end and I was sad when it was over. It's also a show I definitely intend to watch again (most likely more than once) hence the five stars.

One of the things I love about K-dramas is the way they blend genres. Idol I starts as a mystery-thriller, incorporates legal elements, becomes a psychological character study exploring idol life, and is threaded through with a romance (Of course! Would any K-drama be complete without its romance?)

This show also has everything that is best about K-dramas. In addition to the blend of genres enabling it to appeal to a wide range of tastes, it also features excellent acting, high quality production value, great pacing, and a good script with nuanced, multi-faceted characters.

I enjoy a good murder mystery, and this show more than delivers on the suspense. Not only are we kept guessing who really killed Woo-seong, but I especially love that the male lead (ML) is an unreliable and unpredictable character, so we're also kept guessing for quite a few episodes whether or not he really is innocent or guilty. (Unlike, for example, Suspicious Partner, where the murder-accused female lead is very obviously - at least to the viewer - not the killer.)

One of the things I loved most about Idol I is that it takes a far more realistic, gritty view of idol life than most other K-dramas revolving around celebrities. One review I stumbled across describes Idol I as a "darker, more mature successor to Her Private Life." I completely agree. In both stories, the female lead (FL) is a devoted K-pop fan who keeps her fan-girling secret from her work colleagues then ends up meeting her idol in real life. But where Her Private Life remains a light-hearted rom-com, Idol I digs deeper into the darker side of fame.

As much as I loved Sh**ting Stars and Her Private Life, they take only a superficial look at fame and celebrity culture while placing an emphasis on the romance and comedy aspects of the stories. Idol I has its rom-com moments, but its characters are not simple or stereotypic characters, nor is the exploration of fame as black-and-white - and it's not afraid to show the worst aspects of fandom.

I enjoyed how realistically Idol I captures the fan experience; the stress of trying to buy concert or fan event tickets, waiting with bated breath for every bit of news, collecting merchandise, the excited rush to catch a live-streamed concert (Which millions of fans around the world will experience together on March 21st!), the online communities and forums, and the supportive community and friendships that can be found within the fandom.

However, Episode One shows the equally realistic but far less palatable underbelly of fandom, making for very uncomfortable viewing. The ML has to contend with aggressive behaviour at a fan signing, tabloid reporters and haters, and even stalkers who intrude into his home. These incidents hit especially hard in light of recent real-life incidents experienced by K-pop idols. The fan obsession, the hate, and the intrusion into the ML's private life is very scary and threatening, making it understandable that he initially distrusts the FL and only accepts her as his lawyer because he has absolutely no one else to turn to.

The show does a great job of exploring the isolation and internal pressures these performers face, such as the tough career issues behind the music that the fans see and enjoy (like contract renewals and the control exerted over them by their record labels) and the impossible ideals that are demanded of them, not allowing them to be vulnerable or less than perfect. Idol I also explores the internal tension between band-mates who are, after all, different people with different needs and goals forced to live and work together in a very intense, lonely bubble.

As a storyteller, I've always found these dual aspects of celebrity fascinating; the conflict between the glamorous lifestyles, the artistry of the performers, and the rose-coloured view we non-celebrities have of celebrities, with the less appealing aspects that we fans barely glimpse. However, this story intrigued me more than for just its storytelling potential. As a fangirl myself, it made me do some introspection on my own (slightly) obsessive fan behaviour, my relationship with my idols, and what it means to be a fan. I hope that this show is a wake-up call for those fans who maybe are a little too obsessive, and that it makes them consider how true fans should behave. Hopefully, it will make fans want to protect their idols (like with the Purple Ribbon Project), respect their privacy, and support and encourage them to enjoy healthy romantic relationships.

The FL starts the story as a superfan, who admits to feeling jealously possessive of her idol and not wanting him to have a romantic relationship. This superfan behaviour could risk the character being unlikeable, but the writer reduces the "ick" factor by giving her a back story that makes her obsession more understandable and acceptable. (As I always tell my clients - you can get away with anything in a story, as long as you give the characters a solid and relatable motivation for their behaviour!) This makes an interesting contrast to Her Private Life in which the FL's behaviour is not only obsessive but even stalkerish - but she gets away with it because she's shown as a kind, sympathetic person who is supportive of her idol and of his having a private life (a tough topic that the show admittedly dodges by simply not giving her idol a romantic relationship!)

The casting of Idol I is particularly interesting as the superfan FL is played by a real life idol, Soo-young of girl group Girls' Generation, while the idol ML is played by an actor who has only recently ascended to leading roles. I discovered Kim Jae-young (the ML) for the first time recently in 100 Days My Prince in which he played an assassin. He was already worth noticing in that secondary role, but he is amazing in this one. He manages to capture the character's nuances and complexity, and is able to be dangerous, vulnerable, and the ideal rom-com hero at different stages of the show.

In the list of tropes above, I mentioned Secondary Lead Syndrome. This term is usually applied to the "loser" in a love triangle, the secondary man who, while worthy of being a good match for the FL, does not ultimately win her heart. Idol I does this a little differently, in that the secondary ML, while worthy, is never really considered as her love interest, so there is no love triangle. If you're not a fan of love triangles, then this is the show for you.

Another secondary male lead in the show is ambitious prosecutor Kwak Byung-gyun (Jung Jae-kwang) who is hell-bent on prosecuting Do Ra-ik, whether he is innocent or not. This sub-plot, while adding conflict and tension to the story, does not show Korea's legal system in the best light. Much like Suspicious Partner and The Good Detective, prosecutors are shown as corrupt and politically motivated rather than pursuing the law and justice. In fact, Korean laws on the whole appear weak and very subjective - which seems entirely plausible in light of the ongoing legal troubles which actors Kim Soo-hyun, Cha Eun-woo and Kim Seon-ho are currently experiencing.

Finally, Idol I only has 12 episodes so it manages to avoid the saggy middle syndrome that often affects longer K-dramas. This results in tighter plotting, and a show that never veers from its core story, nor loses its momentum or suspense. While the second half could benefit from tighter pacing, the central mystery keeps the viewer engaged from beginning to end.

What can writers learn from watching Idol I? You know what... you've earned a break. Just sit back and enjoy this one!

If you still need to be convinced to watch Idol I, check out the official trailer: