As 2025 kicks off, several Korean dramas, including The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call and Friendly Rivalry, have sparked a global binge-watching craze. Particularly, Friendly Rivalry has unexpectedly ignited heated discussions on social media, despite being aired on a niche streaming platform, showing potential to become a phenomenon-level K-drama.

Friendly Rivalry is a Korean suspense thriller starring Lee Hye-ri and Chung Su-bin, adapted from the webtoon of the same name. Set in Korea’s top-tier private girls’ school, the drama follows academic prodigy Yoo Jae-i (played by Lee Hye-ri) and transfer student Woo Seul-gi (played by Chung Su-bin) as they form a complex relationship driven by competition and self-interest. While appearing to support each other, both harbor hidden agendas, engaging in a high-stakes battle over academics, family secrets, and power struggles.

Unlike traditional campus romance dramas, Friendly Rivalry integrates suspense and thriller elements, featuring a fast-paced narrative, intricate foreshadowing, and masterful cinematography that perfectly balances tension, storytelling, and artistry. The two lead actresses deliver outstanding performances, particularly in their expressive gazes and emotional transitions, earning widespread acclaim. Thanks to these strengths, the drama has gained both high viewership and critical praise, continuously breaking domestic streaming records while topping overseas streaming charts.

How to Watch Friendly Rivalry?

Friendly Rivalry premiered on February 10, 2025, in Korea via U+ Mobile TV and U+TV. Viewers in Japan and Taiwan can watch the drama on streaming platforms such as Hulu, iQIYI, and Hami Video. However, due to the limited number of available platforms, many viewers outside these regions have resorted to using VPNs to unlock and watch the series.

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FlyVPN also offers multiple long-term free servers. Users interested in Friendly Rivalry can try connecting to free servers in Seoul or Tokyo and then access U+TV, Hulu, or iQIYI to check if the drama is available for streaming.

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