Actress and singer Hyeri just revealed a jaw-dropping detail about her role in the drama Friendly Rivalry – she bought all her own luxury clothes, bags, and accessories for her character! Talk about dedication!

On February 7th, Hyeri uploaded a new video titled “I guess I’ll watch the drama because of the kissing scene. Behind the scenes of ‘Friendly Rivalry’” on her YouTube channel. In the video, Hyeri and co-star Kang Hye Won spilled some behind-the-scenes tea about their drama, and Hyeri opened up about something fans didn’t expect!

Hyeri shared that her character in Good Rivalry, "Jae," is a top 1% student at Cha-Hwa High School. Jae is not only brilliant but also stunningly beautiful and comes from a wealthy family, so every detail of her appearance had to be perfect. To nail the look, Hyeri admitted that she took matters into her own hands and bought all the high-end clothes and accessories herself!

Hyeri explained that it was hard to get sponsorships for the drama's wardrobe, as products from brands need to be shown right away, but the airing of dramas takes time. So, to make sure her character looked flawless, Hyeri splurged on luxury items, from bags to clothes to accessories – all out of her own pocket!

When Kang Hye Won heard this, she was shocked. "Really? They were all expensive?" she asked, to which Hyeri replied with a laugh, "I did everything with my own money!" Hyeri even went the extra mile to buy items that she wouldn't normally wear in real life, like a ribbon headband, which she humorously confessed she has never worn again since.

Fans were loving the behind-the-scenes stories, and Hyeri even joked, “Should I hold a flea market and sell them at half-price?” Kang Hye Won playfully responded, “Half-price? I’m going right now!” leaving everyone laughing.

Hyeri’s commitment to her role just shows how far she’s willing to go to bring her character to life! Fans are in for a treat as they continue watching Friendly Rivalry!

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The new OTT series Newtopia has faced mixed reactions, with BLACKPINK’s Jisoo's acting and a slow storyline making viewers question if the show can survive.

Released on the 7th, Newtopia on Coupang Play promised to offer something fresh in the K-zombie genre. The drama follows an unlikely couple, Lee Jae-yoon (played by Park Jung Min), a late-blooming soldier, and his girlfriend Kang Young-joo (Jisoo), as they fight to survive in a zombie-infested Seoul.

The mix of zombies and romantic comedy sounded like an interesting twist, but the show hasn’t exactly hit the mark.

Jisoo’s second lead role after Snowdrop in 2021 was highly anticipated. But many fans and critics have been concerned about her acting, especially after she received some backlash for her unclear pronunciation and awkward expressions in her previous project.

Director Yoon Sung-hyun, aware of the concerns, said at the press preview, “Since Jisoo hadn’t acted for a long time after her last project, I was also initially worried, thinking, ‘Will she be okay?’ But Jisoo dedicated herself, doing script readings four days a week. She worked hard, and as a result, I had no doubts or difficulties. By episode 8, you'll feel that only Jisoo could have portrayed Young-joo. She did an amazing job.”

Despite his words of praise, Jisoo’s performance still left fans worried. While she showed some improvement, her portrayal of Young-joo seemed inconsistent, lacking the calmness expected from the character. However, her "girl crush" image, with her background as a "campus goddess," did add some intrigue to her role.

The main issue, however, wasn’t just Jisoo's acting. Newtopia also struggled with its pacing. While other recent hits like Trauma Center or Trigger grab attention right from the start, Newtopia spent too much time in the first episode on Jae-yoon’s military life and Young-joo’s personal struggles, making it feel like a waste of time. The show failed to showcase the humor and zombie elements it promised, leaving many viewers unimpressed.

On top of that, some characters came off as annoying, like Jae-yoon’s colleague, Line Ho (Im Seong Jae), and the "unlikable" senior character Seojin-wook (played by Kang Young Seok). Even Park Jung-min didn’t do much to help the show move along, making the 57-minute episode feel even longer.

Thankfully, the show picked up pace in episode 2, finally diving into the zombie chaos. But will that be enough to save Newtopia? With the first episode still fresh in fans’ minds, the jury’s still out on whether this K-zombie drama can find its footing and deliver the thrills viewers are hoping for.

The remaining six episodes of Newtopia will air every Friday at 8 PM, with one episode released per week. Stay tuned to see if the series can bounce back!

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