Idol I () is a 2025-26 South Korean television series written by Kim Da-rin, directed by Lee Kwang-young, and starring Choi Soo-young and Kim Jae-young. The series follows Maeng Se-na, a renowned lawyer, as she defends her favorite idol, Do Ra-ik, against a murder charge. It aired on ENA on December 22, 2025, to January 27, 2026, every Monday and Tuesday at 22:00 (KST), and subsequently streaming on Genie TV.
Synopsis When Maeng Se-na's favorite idol, Do Ra-ik, is wrongly accused of murder, the determined defense lawyer digs deeper, but finds a shocking truth about the man she idolized.
Cast and characters Main Choi Soo-young as Maeng Se-na Park Sharon as young Se-na A star lawyer known as the "Villain's Lawyer" who only handles the criminal cases that others don't want. Surprisingly, she's been a huge fan of the Gold Boys group for ten years, and she's fiercely loyal to her favorite member, Do Ra-ik. She meets him as a lawyer when he's accused of murder. She's sure he's innocent and wants to prove it. But as she learns more, she discovers a different side to him. Kim Jae-young as Do Ra-ik Heo Jun-seo as teen Ra-ik Kim Hee-seong as young Ra-ik The visual center and vocalist of Gold Boys who becomes a murder suspect. He hates his sasaeng fan more than anything else in the world. He's tired of living life on others' terms and wants privacy. He's a Gold Boys member who went solo, but changed his mind and wanted to return to the group. Then, tragedy strikes when Woo-seong dies at his place, making him a murder suspect. Jung Jae-kwang as Kwak Byung-gyun A prosecutor from a prestigious legal family, known for being cold-blooded, clashes with his former school rival, Se-na, over the Ra-ik case. Choi Hee-jin as Hong Hye-joo Ra-ik's ex-lover. Kim Hyun-jin as Park Chung-jae Se-na's private investigator.
Supporting
Park Jeong-woo as Choi Jae-hee The drummer of the Gold Boys band. Choi Geon as Lee Young-bin The youngest member of the Gold Boys band. Ahn Woo-yeon as Kang Woo-seong A member of the Gold Boys band, who dies mysteriously, sending shockwaves through the fandom and sparking a tangled investigation. Oh Gi-gwang as Youngest detective The youngest detective with sharp instincts uncovers the truth behind the murder case involving Ra-ik.
Production The series is planned by KT Studio Genie, directed by Lee Kwang-young, written by Kim Da-rin, and AStory managed the production.
In February 2025, Kim Jae-young and Choi Soo-young were reportedly set to star. On August 6, Choi Soo-young and Kim Jae-young were officially confirmed to star. On August 14, Saram Entertainment announced that Choi Hee-jin had been cast. On August 28, Kim Hyun-jin was confirmed to appear. On September 24, Park Jung-woo's appearance was confirmed.
Viewership
+ Average TV viewership ratings Original broadcast date Average audience share(Nielsen Korea)Nielsen Korea ratings:
Nationwide Seoul 1 December 22, 2025 2 December 23, 2025 2.260% 2.257% 3 December 29, 2025 2.938% 3.201% 4 December 30, 2025 2.667% 2.578% 5 January 5, 2026 3.532% 6 January 6, 2026 2.828% 2.722% 7 January 12, 2026 3.209% 3.219% 8 January 13, 2026 3.077% 2.853% 9 January 19, 2026 3.233% 10 January 20, 2026 2.644% 2.603% 11 January 26, 2026 3.443% 3.272% 12 January 27, 2026 2.750% 2.479% Average In the table above, the represent the lowest ratings and the represent the highest ratings. This drama aired on a cable channel/pay TV which normally has a relatively smaller audience compared to free-to-air TV/public broadcasters (KBS, SBS, MBC, and EBS).
Accolades
Awards and nominations +Awards and nominations Award ceremony Year Category Nominee Result SEC Awards 2026 Best Asia Series I Dol I
References
External links