My Bias, My Boss review: A devoted fangirl, a CEO and a former K-pop idol fuel this delightful workplace rom-com

My Bias, My Boss review: What happens when your favourite K-pop idol becomes your colleague, but your actual boss is someone you've embarrassed twice?

My Bias, My Boss

Cast: Kim Hye Jun, Kang Hoon, Cha Woo Min, Gong Ji Ho, Kim Ah Young, Hwang Sung Bin, Shin Yu Na, Heo Joon Seok

Director: Park Ji Hyun, Jeong Da Hyung

Rating: ★★★

My Bias, My Boss review: A fangirl's dream collides with office chaos in this charming K-drama. (tVN)

K-pop has inspired quite a few K-dramas over the years. Shows like So I Married an Anti-fan, Imitation, Dream High and Doona! have all explored different sides of idol life and fandom. While some leaned more into fantasy than reality, Imitation remains one of the few dramas that genuinely captured what it means to be a K-pop idol. Going by its first two episodes, the new series My Bias, My Boss seems to be heading in that direction too.

TvN has premiered a new workplace rom-com, based on Seong Eun's hit Naver webtoon My Oppa is an Idol, which is produced by CJ ENM's Studio Dragon. The 12-episode series began airing on Prime Video India on August 3. The series brings together an over enthusiastic fangirl, a strict CEO, a former K-pop idol and a never-ending chain of misunderstandings. Even the Korean title, which roughly translates to My Favorite Employee, perfectly captures the playful spirit of the show.

The story so far

However, everything does not work out as expected. Rather than being with Chan for the day, Da Reum ends up reporting to Appello's strict CEO Kang Ha Gi (Kang Hoon). What makes it worse is that he is the same stranger whom Da Reum had embarrassed twice before. The first time, she bumps into him and ends up smudging her makeup all over his shirt. Then, when she gets drunk and tries to defend Chan against a few people who she thought were making fun of him, she ends up hitting Ha Gi with an ice cube, which results in him having a bloody nose.

The second episode increases the level of chaos significantly. Desperate to get a place in Appello's foreign work trip, mostly because Chan would be there, Da Reum tries her best to impress Ha Gi. However, her clumsy efforts end up failing miserably. Ha Gi starts thinking she is a spy sent from a rival company, while Chan figures out that she is someone who adores him forever. From there, the drama fully embraces the chaos, turning every misunderstanding into another reason to laugh.

Movie Review

My Bias, My Boss

3/5

2026-08-02T18:30:00+0000

Nam Da Reum has spent years idolising former D.N.X member Lee Chan, whose music helped her through life's toughest moments. When she lands a job at Appello, the fashion company he co-founded, she believes she's finally living every fan's dream. Instead, she ends up reporting to strict CEO Kang Ha Gi, the very man she accidentally embarrassed twice before joining the company. 

Director

Park Ji Hyun, Jeong Da Hyung

Cast

Kim Hye Jun, Kang Hoon, Cha Woo Min, Gong Ji Ho, Kim Ah Young, Hwang Sung Bin, Shin Yu Na, Heo Joon Seok.

Verdict

My Bias, My Boss knows its strengths and sticks to them. The drama leans into familiar K-drama tropes but the cast brings enough warmth and charm to make them feel fresh again. It is a delightfully frothy, laugh-out-loud romantic comedy and has all the ingredients to become one of the season's most enjoyable comfort watches.

What works

One of the strongest elements of the series is how the show presents its fans. While some shows might make a mockery of the characters' fanaticism for their idols, My Bias, My Boss is honest about the reason why fans develop such strong emotional bonds with their favorite artists. In Da Reum's case, Chan's music provided her a source of comfort when she was going through one of the hardest times of her life; his songs were like a ray of hope. That is why her fangirling doesn't seem excessive at all.

It's great that the show respects fandom as an entity without making fun of it. From depicting from the merch collection Da Reum has in her house to the excitement she feels when she meets her idol to the friendships formed through this shared fandom experience, it is never treated as something embarrassing or childish. The series embraces that part of her personality instead of asking her to outgrow it, which makes her even easier to root for.

The comedy is equally enjoyable. Most of the laughs come from misunderstandings that spiral further out of control with every episode. While Da Reum is doing everything she can to avoid embarrassing herself in front of Chan, Ha Gi becomes convinced that she's either hiding something or could even be a corporate spy. The situations are ridiculous, but the writing never pushes the jokes too hard, allowing the humour to land naturally.

The romance also unfolds at a comfortable pace. Ha Gi may come across as distant and all business, but the epilogues quietly reveal what's really going on in his head, adding a different perspective to many of their interactions. Whether it's staying back at the office, walking Da Reum home in the rain or taking care of her after she's completely wasted following the company dinner, his feelings are shown through thoughtful actions rather than dramatic gestures.

Directors Park Ji Hyun and Jeong Da Hyung keep the storytelling light and energetic throughout. The stylish Appello office and fashion industry setting give the drama a polished look, while workplace rivalries, performance pressure and suspicions surrounding a possible corporate leak add just enough tension without taking attention away from the romance.

Performances

It's been quite a year for Kim Hye Jun. Few young actors get the chance to headline two dramas airing around the same time, and even fewer get to show such different sides of themselves. While she's back as the fierce and determined Jung Ji An in A Shop for Killers 2, she's also winning hearts as the adorably awkward Nam Da Reum in My Bias, My Boss. The contrast between the two roles is remarkable and proves just how versatile she is.

Hye Jun is undoubtedly the heart of this drama. She fully embraces Da Reum's awkwardness without ever making her feel too loud or over-the-top. Even during the character's most embarrassing fangirl moments, there's an honesty and warmth that makes you want to cheer for her instead of cringe. She keeps the performance grounded, making Da Reum feel like someone who could easily exist in real life.

Kang Hoon slips into the role of Kang Ha Gi effortlessly. After several supporting roles and scene-stealing appearances, it finally feels like a drama has given him a character worthy of his screen presence. He perfectly captures the emotionally guarded CEO whose carefully planned life slowly unravels because of one unpredictable employee. His understated expressions and dry reactions become some of the funniest moments in the show.

Cha Woo Min, who has quietly built an impressive body of work over the past few years with Study Group giving him breakout moment, also leaves a strong impression as Lee Chan. Instead of playing him as just another charming celebrity, he brings a quiet loneliness to the character. Beneath the fame and admiration is someone carrying his own emotional baggage, making Chan feel far more layered than the typical idol love interest.

Despite her limited screen time, K-pop group TZY member Shin Yu Na makes a strong impression as Chan's actress ex-girlfriend. She brings just the right mix of confidence, irritation and attitude to the role.

What may not work

Da Reum's larger-than-life personality may not work for everyone. Her dramatic reactions and boundless energy can feel a bit much at times, though whether that bothers you will come down to personal taste.

Another aspect that stands out is the way the show handles rumours about Chan and Ha Gi's relationship. For now, the gossip is mostly played for laughs, and that can feel a little jarring. Given how the drama was promoted, the queerbaiting trope may leave some viewers disappointed. That said, we're only two episodes in, so there's still plenty of room for the story to take a different direction.

Kim Hye Jun, Kang Hoon and Cha Woo Min on the posters of My Bias, My Boss.

What to expect

The first two episodes make it clear that this isn't going to be a straightforward love triangle. Ha Gi is already starting to see Da Reum differently, even though she still looks at Chan through the eyes of a devoted fan. Meanwhile, Chan is beginning to realise that Da Reum isn't just another employee. She's someone who has supported him through every phase of his career. As they spend more time together, Da Reum will have to decide whether the dream she's held onto for 12 years still matches the person standing in front of her.

There's also more to Ha Gi and Chan's friendship than the drama has revealed so far. The story has dropped a few hints about a painful past, especially one connected to Ha Gi's mother. If handled well, that emotional thread could add more depth to the series than the usual workplace romance.

Verdict

My Bias, My Boss knows its strengths and sticks to them. The drama leans into familiar K-drama tropes but the cast brings enough warmth and charm to make them feel fresh again. It is a delightfully frothy, laugh-out-loud romantic comedy and has all the ingredients to become one of the season's most enjoyable comfort watches.