Warning: The article may contain spoilers for ENA's series "Climax"

For viewers growing weary of soft, feel-good Korean romance dramas, there is a newly buzzing K-drama offering a very different viewing experience: ENA’s latest series “Climax.”

On top of the intense, fast-paced storytelling Korean dramas are famous for, it also features more provocative elements like scandals surrounding sexual favors, homosexuality and murder-for-hire.


Starring Ju Ji-hoon, known for his roles in Netflix’s “Kingdom” (2019-20) and “The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call” (2025), alongside Ha Ji-won, “Climax” has steadily gained attention since its release on March 16.

The series topped Disney+ Korea’s daily Top 10 series chart for 10 consecutive days as of Friday. It was also ranked as the most buzzed-about TV drama series during the week of March 16 to 22, according to FUNdex, a popularity aggregator by GoodData Corporation. Actor Ju, likewise, topped its charts in the performer category during the same week.

The mystery melodrama “Climax” takes place in the ruthless worlds of the business and entertainment industries. It follows Bang Tae-seop, an ambitious, self-made prosecutor striving to climb Korea’s power hierarchy. Unlike a conventional morally upright authority figure, Tae-seop aligns himself with whomever he believes will further his own path to power.

The series has a star-studded lineup, with actor Ju portraying Tae-seop and Ha playing Chu Sang-a, a former top star and Tae-seop’s wife. It also features Afterschool’s Nana, Oh Jung-se and Cha Joo-young from “The Glory” (2022-23).

Directed and penned by Lee Ji-won, best known for the 2018 film “Miss Baek,” which received multiple honors at major Korean awards ceremonies, including the Blue Dragon Film Awards and the Baeksang Arts Awards, the series has drawn attention in part for its provocative subject matter.

High-dopamine themes

"Climax" incorporates themes such as ambition, betrayal and desire, while also touching on issues rarely covered in Korean dramas, such as sexual blackmail and gossip “MeTubers” — a fictional term used for YouTubers in the series — as well as media manipulation, homosexuality and murder-for-hire.

“It felt like it put out the desires everyone knows but doesn’t really talk about,” actor Ju said during the show’s press conference held early this month, citing it as the reason why he decided to participate in the project.

Online reactions suggest that part of the appeal lies in that sense of novelty, with viewers describing it as “something worth watching for the first time in a while” and “a kind of drama rarely seen in Korea.”

From its opening episodes, for instance, it explores issues such as sexual bribery in the entertainment industry, as Tae-seop jumps into a politically sensitive case involving a leading presidential candidate that might even jeopardize his own career. Proceeding with the investigation, Tae-seop ultimately directly witnesses the candidate’s sexual exploitation scene in her hotel room and records it, exposing the scandal.

As the story progresses, additional plotlines involving a murder-for-hire case, questions surrounding Tae-seop and Sang-a’s marriage and Sang-a’s relationship with another woman further complicate the narrative.

Ha’s portrayal of a same-sex romance, including a kissing scene, has also drawn particular attention since it was aired. Being her first in a nearly three-decade career, Ha’s bold character portrayal surprised many viewers, as such depictions are still relatively uncommon in Korea, with some describing it as an unexpected twist.

Powerhouse performance

The actors' performances have also been cited as a key draw, with some viewers highlighting the cast’s intensity and range, calling it “a showcase of powerhouse performances.”

Many cited Ju’s acting, especially when, he records the candidate having sex with a rookie actor and whistles as if to say "gotcha" while doing so — a pivotal turning point in his career. Online comments include, “Ju Ji-hoon is so good at portraying characters like Tae-seop” and “When I saw him whistle, it left me with chills.”

Others highlighted Ha’s performance, including her portrayal of same-sex romance, with comments such as, “Ha Ji-won’s performance made the narrative all the more convincing,” and “I loved how she conveyed every emotion with just a look.”

At the same time, however, there were also a few mixed reactions. Some criticized Cha’s portrayal of Lee Yang-mi, in particular her accent, which some viewers found distracting.

Now at the midpoint of its 10-episode run, “Climax” continues to build momentum, though questions remain over how it will resolve its multilayered narrative.

Its performance has also drawn attention from viewers, especially compared to "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" (2022). Whether it can match the popularity of one of ENA’s most successful projects may be worth watching. The 2022 ENA hit show started at 0.9 percent viewership and ended at 17.5 percent, while “Climax” began with 2.9 percent, and its final tally remains to be seen.

Director Lee displayed a lot of confidence in the show during the press conference: “Given its strong cast, I believe the series could achieve ENA’s highest ratings ever.”

TV series “Climax” airs Mondays and Tuesdays on ENA. It is available for streaming on Disney+, Genie TV in Korea and on Viu and Rakuten Viki internationally.

BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]