Dear.M (Korean: 디어엠) is a 2022 South Korean television series starring Park Hye-su, Jeong Jae-hyun, Roh Jeong-eui, Bae Hyun-sung, Woo Da-vi and Lee Jin-hyuk. It is the spin-off of the webseries Love Playlist. Directed by Park Jin-woo and Seo Joo-wan, and written by Lee Seul, the series follows the university life of six students at Seoyeon University as they search for "M" — the writer of a community article.
The airing of the first episode was postponed from its originally scheduled premiere date of February 26, 2021, on KBS2, in light of emerging school time bullying allegations against the lead actress, Park Hye-su. The series was originally part of a restructured 'Golden Friday' line-up on the KBS2 channel and was planned to air every Friday at 23:10 (KST).
It was instead released on OTT platforms U-Next in Japan, and on Viki in selected regions from June 29 to July 6, 2022. The next six episodes were released on July 6, 2022.
Four years after the cancellation of its planned broadcast, cable channel KBS Joy scheduled it to air on Mondays and Tuesdays at 9:50 p.m. KST time slot from April 14, 2025, to May 20, 2025. On June 25, 2025, KBS announced that Dear.M will finally air on KBS2 starting July 9 to August 14, every Wednesday and Thursday at 23:05 to 00:20 KST.
Contents
Synopsis
Things are turned upside down when an anonymous confession is published on Seoyeon University's student forum. Four students – Ma Joo-ah (Park Hye-su), Cha Min-ho (Jeong Jae-hyun), Seo Ji-min (Roh Jeong-eui), and Park Ha-neul (Bae Hyun-sung) – from different departments come together in search of "M", the writer of the mysterious confession. They go through university life, changing friendships and realistic budding romances in the course of their search.
Cast
Main
Park Hye-su as Ma Joo-ah
Ma Joo-ah (21) is a 2nd-year student in the Department of Business Administration (Enrolled in 2019). Her dream is to find her first love. She is full of energy and an only daughter raised by a single mother. Cheerful and warm-hearted, she has been best friends with Cha Min-ho for twelve years. Her nickname Akma-Joo-ah (Devil-Joo-ah) was given to her by Min-ho since she keeps making fun of his past relationships. Due to her inquisitive nature, she is always meddling in her friends' business, but she is also generous and willing to help anyone who needs it. Joo-ah entered Seoyeon University through a support program that assists single-parent families, and she is uncomfortable when asked about her admission process. Although it has been one year since she entered Seoyeon University, she is still unsure about what she wants to do in the future. While others say they study hard because they have dreams, she studies hard because she doesn't have dreams. She has been single her entire life, but things start to change on the first day of the second semester of her second year when her heart flutters because of a guy. Her roommates are Seo Ji-min and Hwang Bo-young.
Roh Jeong-eui as Seo Ji-min
Seo Ji-min (22) is a 2nd-year student in the Department of Economics (Enrolled in 2019). Her dream is to become the leader of the cheerleading squad. She boasts bright floral beauty as the Centre of the Seoyeon University cheer squad and is one half of Seoyeon University's official 'Magnet Couple' along with Park Ha-neul. Behind her innocent appearance, there is a reversal that causes a girl to crush. Ji-min is very adept in social situations and knows how to stand up boldly to seniors in the face of injustice. "Couple items" such as "couple rings", "couple trips", "couple photos"—everything is a hot topic when it comes to the pair. She is older than most of her peers as she repeated a course. Since many students in her grade either took a leave of absence or had to fulfil their enlistment duties, she is not close to many people except Ha-neul. However, later, she reunites with Choi Ro-sa, with whom she went to high school, and they quickly become close.
Woo Da-vi as Hwangbo Young
Hwangbo Young (24) is a 1st year student in the Department of Business Administration (Enrolled in 2020). Her dream is to be able to eat all she wants. Unlike her young and cute-looking appearance, she is a very chic 24-year-old college student. She is deeply empathetic and is good at detecting subtle emotions. Although she has yet to obtain her Bachelor's degree, she is said to possess a Master of Dating. Young is relentless in relationships and will not hesitate to separate from someone who does not align with her relationship views. In Dorm 103, she often provides love advice to Ji-min, who is in the midst of a passionate relationship, and Joo-ah, who is experiencing her first crush. She graduated from a prestigious vocational high school and was employed immediately in a public corporation in the financial sector. However, after suffering discrimination from college graduates in various ways, she studied hard again and entered the Department of Business Administration. She has Type 1 Diabetes, and thus has kept an insulin syringe pouch with her every day since elementary school. Because of this, she has to be mindful of what she eats.
Supporting
Lee Jung-shik as Moon Joon
Moon Joon (24) is a 3rd-year student in the Department of Computer Science (Enrolled in 2016). He is the son of Moon Taek-gun, CEO of Levan Soft. Joon is considered a role model by Min-ho and many other juniors because of his gentle manners and leadership skills. He is also an older student who has returned from completing his military service. He lives in a single premium one-person room with rent that is more expensive than at the dorms. Also, he lies to his father about making a mobile app, using Cha Min-ho as his cover.
Hwang Bo-reum-byeol as Choi Ro-sa
Choi Ro-sa (22) is a 2nd-year student in the Department of Computer Science (Enrolled in 2018). She is the Vice President of the cheer squad and a bright and straightforward student who went to the same high school as Seo Ji-min. After finishing her first year, Ro-sa goes on exchange for a year and a half. Upon returning, she is worried about having no friends, but coincidentally reunites with Ji-min, whom she had lost contact with, and they get along just like old times. Ro-sa, however, becomes filled with jealousy towards Ji-min as she slowly develops a crush on Ji-min's boyfriend, Ha-neul.
Kwon Eun-bin as Min Yang-hee
Min Yang-hee (20) is a 1st year student in the Department of Computer Science (Enrolled in 2020). Her nickname is the Goddess of Engineering. Her father is a pilot, so she grew up in wealth and always wears luxury brands. She can be oblivious, but her charms make her impossible to hate.
Cho Jun-young as Ban Yi-dam
Ban Yi-dam (21) is a 1st year student in the Department of Psychology (Enrolled in 2020). He takes photography classes and has a free-spirited, unconventional personality.
Do Woo as Choi Tae-jin
Choi Tae-jin (25) is a 4th-year student in the Department of Computer Science (Enrolled in 2015).
Production
Development
In late June 2020, it was reported that Love Playlist would be rebooted under the working title Dear.M: Love Playlist 2021 with new cast members, except for Bae Hyun-sung and Kim Sae-ron.
Casting
In September 2020, Park Hye-su Kim Sae-ron, Jeong Jae-hyun and Bae Hyun-sung were cast in lead roles, with Kim and Bae reprising their roles from the web series Love Playlist. The series marks Jeong Jae-hyun's acting debut. On October 12, 2020, Kim Sae-ron left the series due to a row over the cast billing order. On October 14, the production company cited a "difference of opinion" as the reason for Kim leaving the cast. Roh Jeong-eui replaced Kim.
Filming
The series is entirely pre-produced with filming scheduled to be completed in early February for the production team to focus on post-production and music editing.
Release
The release of Dear.M was indefinitely postponed due to a controversy involving school violence allegations against Park Hye-su. In response to a petition on the KBS Viewer's Rights Centre requesting the removal of the actress from Dear.M, KBS Chief Producer (Jo Hyun-ah) stated, "As the truth is being challenged on the relevant matter and a police investigation is underway, KBS has implemented postponement of the drama, and we are monitoring the situation until the facts are revealed. Depending on the result [of the investigation], we will implement measures for all matters including the organisation and re-shooting of Dear.M." KBS stated that television series Imitation originally scheduled for May 21, 2021, will be aired on May 7, 2021.
In April 2021, it was announced that, for the time being, the series would be broadcast tentatively in August 2021. On January 11, 2022, it was announced that presently the series has been put on hold till the police investigation results come out.
In March 2022, it was announced that Dear.M would be aired first in Japan in the second half of 2022. KBS further confirmed that they were negotiating with other countries regarding the series' copyright license. In May 2022, the Japanese streaming platform U-NEXT announced in a press release that they would be exclusively distributing Dear.M starting in late June 2022. In June 2022, Viki restored Dear.M in their catalogue and re-released teasers.
On June 29, 2022, the first six episodes of Dear.M were digitally released on Viki and U-Next. Its next six episodes were released on July 6, 2022.
Controversy
On February 24, KBS canceled the broadcast program as actor Park Hye-soo, who plays Majua, was embroiled in controversy over school violence. The schedule for the reorganization is undecided, and the schedule for the reorganization is unclear, as it is impossible to change roles due to the nature of the pre-produced drama that has already been filmed. Unless the allegations are clearly resolved, it seems difficult to air on terrestrial television.