The world of K-dramas is about to get darker, sharper, and more intoxicating. Dear X, starring Kim You-jung and Kim Young-dae, made its first major splash at the 2025 Busan International Film Festival and is now set for its highly anticipated streaming debut on Thursday, November 6, exclusively on HBO Max.

Adapted from the award-winning NAVER Webtoon by Van Zi-un, Dear X unfolds as a 12-episode romance thriller that dives deep into obsession, ambition, and deceit. The story follows Baek Ah Jin (Kim You-jung), a successful actress who hides her past trauma behind a façade of perfection, using manipulation and cunning to stay at the top. By her side is Yoon Jun Seo (Kim Young-dae), a man who loves her fiercely and protects her at any cost, even as their relationship teeters between devotion and destruction.

Helmed by acclaimed director Lee Eung-bok (Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, Descendants of the Sun) and co-directed by Park So-hyeon, the series brings together a powerhouse creative team. It is developed by Studio Dragon, produced by Monster Union and Siwoo Company, and written by Choi Ja-won and Van Zi-un.

The cast is equally star-studded, featuring Kim Do-hoon (Love Scout, Your Honor) and Lee Yul-eum (The 8 Show, Queen: Love and War), rounding out a dynamic ensemble that promises complex chemistry and unforgettable performances.

Dear X also marks a major milestone as the first exclusive new original series to premiere on HBO Max under the recently announced multi-year partnership between CJ ENM and Warner Bros. Discovery. The collaboration will soon bring even more of Korea’s most anticipated content to international audiences. In 2026, a TVING-branded hub will officially launch on HBO Max in 17 markets, including Southeast Asia, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, offering fans exclusive access to TVING’s latest K-drama premieres and CJ ENM classics.

As anticipation builds, Dear X stands ready to pull viewers into its glamorous yet dangerous world, where love and ambition collide — and nothing is as it seems.

Stream Dear X from November 6, only on HBO Max.