What happens when a former idol becomes a charismatic CEO?
Can workplace romance bloom between a boss and his new employee?
And what if a best friend suddenly turns into a rival in love?
These captivating questions are situated at the core of tvN’s soon-to-be-released romantic comedy “My Favorite Employee,” which has confirmed rising star Cha Woo-min as its lead. The announcement, made on September 3, 2025, has already generated energy throughout the fandom, making it one of the most-awaited projects in 2025.
A Fresh Take on Workplace Romance
If you’re an avid reader of webtoons or if we’re looking for a new drama and the title “My Favorite Employee” (a.k.a. “My Favourite Employee”) sounds fun then you will not be disappointed. Based on the hugely popular webtoon “My Oppa is an Idol”, “My Favorite Employee” mixes classic workplace comedy with a healthy dose of romance, and a love triangle that packs the punch!
The series promises lots of laughs, and even brings us an emotional punch, that we love when professional life gets blended with love life.
With filming expected to start late 2025 and the official premiere in 2026, it sounds like a reason to save the date!
The Central Cast
Cha Woo-min as Lee Chan
Cha Woo-min portrays Lee Chan, a former idol now successful CEO, who is known for his charm and charisma but has a challenging protected past. He has emotional scars from a troubled childhood. Lee Chan’s life takes an emotional turn when he develops feelings for Nam Da-reum. However, Lee Chan’s best friend, Kang Ha-gi also has feelings for Nam Da-reum creating an uncomfortable emotional love triangle.
Kim Hye-jun as Nam Da-reum
Actress Kim Hye-jun of course takes on the role of Nam Da-reum, who enters Lee Chan’s company as a new employee. Initially, she is simply excited to be working under her long-time idol. However, as their work relationship unfolds, her admiration for him changes. She will now have to find a way to work with him, while falling in love with him, as well as remain loyal to him while pursuing her own ambitions.
Kang Hoon as Kang Ha-gi
Kang Hoon, who will portray Kang Ha-gi, the president of the company and Lee Chan’s nearest friend. Though Ha-gi has a calm demeanor that offers a stark contrast to a more passionate Lee Chan, he initially seems supportive of Nam Da-reum on her journey, which will begin to create strain and stress on the three’s relationship (and in both their personal and work lives).
The overall central cast creates a romantic triangle with oodles of chemistry, tension, and emotion to engage and draw viewers in.
Plot Dynamics
Fundamentally, My Favorite Employee is a story about love, friendship, and finding oneself. While Lee Chan, Nam Da-reum, and Kang Ha-gi’s romantic triangle is the most visible aspect of the story’s drama, it straddles the boundary between light-hearted workplace comedy and serious discussions of ambition, trust, and vulnerability. Their slow-burn romance gives viewers equal parts excitement with heart-racing moments and emotional whiplash, so it’s a great option for K-romantic-comedy fans in search of something relatable.
Behind the Scenes
The series will be directed by Park Ji-hyun, adding authenticity and creativity to the drama. Having now enter pre-production, filming is set to begin late 2025/ early 2026 with the series confirmed to be released in 2026 on tvN. There has been no more cast or production information given, but the already confirmed cast has helped create the hype. So more teasers, stills, and news from the drama will start to be released over the next few months and fans will surely be happy
.
Cha Woo-min: Rising Star of a New Generation
Cha Woo-min (real name Kim Min-woo) is a young actor, born on October 24, 2000 in Busan, South Korea, who has quickly made a name for himself as one of the best young actors in his generation. Born in Busan and originally from Jeju, Cha graduated from the Seoul Institute of the Arts. He made his acting career debut in 2021, and has turned what could be a acting resume into quite the collection not just dramas, but films as well.
Woo-min’s big productions include Night Has Come (2023), Study Group (2025), as well as he was involved in other productions such as Weak Hero Class 1 (2022), Love Untangled (2025), Melo Movie (Netflix, 2025), Buried Hearts (2025), and Treasure Island (2023). Most recently, Cha Woo-min starred in Netflix’s History of Confessions (departed on August 29, 2025) and received widespread-awesome recognition for playing the “most popular boy in school”.
With every role he takes on, Woo-min has demonstrated a range of different qualities along with charisma and emotional depth. So, it will be exciting to see him take on the role of Lee Chan in My Favorite Employee.
Why This Role Matters
Contrary to some of his previous youthful characters and the standard portrayal of an idol-turned-CEO, Lee Chan provides Woo-min the opportunity to play a mature, complex character. The character, an idol-turned-CEO, not only emphasizes Woo-min’s charm but allows him to engage with both vulnerability and resilience. And, when placed in a love triangle with two equally strong leads, the drama allows for plenty of chemistry and surprise storytelling.
In terms of fans, it’s time to consider that Woo-min’s next major leap is upon us, one that could solidify his role as a male lead in the Korean drama industry.
Join Our WhatsApp Channel
Conclusion
As Cha Woo-min attains the role of Lee Chan with Kim Hye-jun and Kang Hoon, My Favorite Employee has already established itself with one of the most exciting romantic comedy projects on the horizon any time soon. The established cast includes some significant promise of not only romance and comedy, but also emotional suspense that we can get into and keep invested in right from the getgo.
As this drama moves its way into production, we can look forward to any casting announcements, teasers and the actual premiere in 2026. In the meantime, one thing is for sure, My Favorite Employee is a project that K-drama fans around the globe are anxiously waiting to watch.
