The only witness to the attempted murder incident at Cheongdam High School, Kim Hae-in, is played by actress Lee Eun-saem, who gained attention in “Right now, our school is…”. Her rival, Beak Jaena, is portrayed by Yeri of Red Velvet. This youth school suspense drama intertwines power struggles and bullying within the school, envy for wealth, and the hunt for the perpetrator of the attempted murder.
| Drama Rating | ★3.1 |
| OST Rating | ♫2.8 |
| Genre | School, Chaebol, Suspense |
Overview | Bitch x Rich
【Original Title】청담국제고등학교 (Cheongdam Gookjoe Kodeun Hakkyo)
WAVVE/Netflix Wednesday Drama (10 episodes in total). Broadcast started on May 23, 2023.
Viewing started on June 12, 2023, currently watching Ep8 as of June 23, 2023.
Director: Min Ji-young
Screenplay: Jung Seong-woon
Planning and Production: Wavve Studios / WHYNOT Media
Music: Jung Seung-hyun
Synopsis | Bitch x Rich
The drama depicts a psychological battle between the only witness to an attempted murder of a high school girl, a transfer student from a poor family, and the famous queen who is the suspect in the incident and holds the most power in the school.
Kim Hae-in (played by Lee Eun-saem), raised in a poor family, had been working as a tutor by pretending to be a college student, with the aim of becoming a model student and a public official. One day, Hae-in happens to be at the scene where a female student from Cheongdam International High School is pushed from the school rooftop.
Hae-in witnesses the perpetrator on the rooftop, but the school proposes her to transfer on the condition that she remains silent about it. Meanwhile, Beak Jaena (played by Yeri), the queen of the powerful “Diamond 6” in the school, bullies the fearless transfer student, Hae-in.
Hae-in learns that Jaena is trying to expel her from school and decides to stand up against Jaena. She decides to utilize the fact that she is the only witness to the incident…
Drama Review | Bitch x Rich
The plot, intertwining an attempted murder incident with the usual school drama, showcases the creativity in the screenplay. Additionally, the portrayal of the often dark depiction of wealth disparity by the heroine Lee Eun-saem ensures a certain brightness. Her firm stance against the unpleasantly rich will likely draw viewers’ approval.
Yeri’s portrayal of a student flaunting her chaebol family’s power is outstandingly convincing. Furthermore, the two rookie actors supporting the heroine, Lee Jong-seok and Yu Jung-hu, radiate a freshness indispensable to youth dramas.
However, as the drama ends with a cliffhanger, it leaves many viewers with a sense of unsatisfactory conclusion. This is likely to spark discussions.
Cast | Bitch x Rich
A fresh casting includes Lee Eun-saem, known for school dramas, Yeri from Red Velvet, and two young rookie actors, Lee Jong-hyuk and Yu Jung-hu.
Lee Eun-saem (as Kim Hae-in)
Hae-in is a cheerful high school student who attends school and aspires to be a civil servant. She works part-time at a convenience store and also tutors secretly, using the student card of her friend Lee Sung-ju, who goes to Korea University, due to her family’s poverty.
One day, she visits Cheongdam High School to meet the principal but ends up witnessing an attempted murder. The principal plots to silence her and plans to transfer her to protect the school’s reputation.
Lee Eun-saem was born on October 10, 1999. She made her debut at the age of seven in the KBS1 drama “TV Novel – Your Scenery” in 2007. After appearing in the 2009 movie “Flying Penguins,” she concentrated on her studies.
She made her acting comeback in 2017 with the movie “Midnight Runners (starring Park Seo-jun/Kang Ha-neul)” after graduating from high school. Since then, she has appeared in super-hit dramas like “Revenge Note,” “The Miracle We Met,” “Bad Papa,” “Priest,” “Black Dog,” and “Red Sleeve Cuff” each year.
Her popularity skyrocketed when she played Park Mi-jin in the Netflix drama “Right now, our school is…” (2022). She also played a major role in “Cheer Up” the same year. She finally took her first lead role in this drama.
Lee Eun-saem is well-liked for her portrayal of foul-mouthed characters and has earned the nicknames “18 seat (Shippalcha ※1)” in Korea and “Ms. Shibal” overseas.
K-Trivia (※1) What Shippal means | Insults
“Shippal (십팔)” is the pronunciation of ’18’ in Korean. It sounds subtly similar to the Korean swear word “ssibal (씨발).” For the record, it translates to English obscenities.
Kim Yerim (as Bae Je-na)
Je-na is the queen of “Diamond 6,” which holds the most power within Cheongdam International High School. She dislikes the attitude and background of the transfer student Hae-in and bullies her. Using the students under “Diamond 6”, Je-na tries to somehow force Hae-in out of the school.
Kim Yerim was born on March 5, 1999. She debuted as a member of the South Korean girl group Red Velvet in 2015. Later, she made her drama debut with a cameo appearance in “Descendants of the Sun” in 2016. She had her first leading role in the drama “Blue Birthday” in 2021, and a movie version was released the following year. It was remade in Japan in 2023.
Lee Jong-hyuk (as Seo Do-yon)
The king of “Diamond 6,” led by Bae Je-na, the ultimate authority within the school. Son of the principal of Cheongdam International High School. He accidentally finds Hae-in’s profile in the principal’s office, becomes interested in its contents, and approaches her in order to search for the perpetrator of the attempted murder incident…
Lee Jong-hyuk was born on June 23, 1997. He made his drama lead debut in 2021 with “Not in the Textbook” and “Heartway”. He then appeared in “@Deleted Account”, “Cheer Up”, and “Our Romance Simulation”.
Yu Jong-hu (as Lee So-man)
He can’t forget the impression of a female student from another school who appeared one day in a bucket hat. When he finds out that the transfer student is Hae-in, he becomes interested in her.
Yu Jong-hu was born on October 27, 1997. He made his drama debut with “Bad Girlfriend” in 2022. Since then, he has appeared in “New Romance Playlist” and “Miss Du Lian”.
