| Native Title | 퍼스트레이디 |
| Also Know as | Peoseuteu Reidi |
| Director | Lee Ho-Hyun |
| Writer | Kim Hyeong-Wan |
| Distributor | MBN |
| Air Time | Wednesday, Thursday 22:00 |
| Content Rating | 15+ - Teens 15 or older |
| Runtime | 12 episodes |
| Genre | Melodrama, Politics, Thriller, Picaresque |
| Language | Korean |
| Country | South Korea |
| Release Date | 2025-09-24 |
| End Date | 2025-10-30 |
"First Lady" is a riveting political melodrama that dissects the collision of power, ambition, and shattered vows, where a presidential dream turns into a personal nightmare. Starring Eugene and Ji Hyun-woo, this MBN series delivers high-stakes intrigue, family betrayals, and unyielding resilience in the shadow of the Blue House.
"First Lady" (Korean: "퍼스트레이디") is a 2025 South Korean political drama directed by Lee Ho-hyun, known for "The World of the Married," and written by Kim Hyeong-wan, acclaimed for "Dream High 2" and "Hidden Identity." Distributed by MBN, it consists of 12 episodes, each approximately 70 minutes long. The series airs every Wednesday and Thursday at 22:20 starting September 24, 2025, on MBN. It chronicles the explosive fallout of a divorce demand just 67 days before inauguration, blending thriller elements with emotional turmoil. Filming began in early 2025, with a script refined over six years.
Cha Soo-yeon, a former National Assembly member whose political dreams were thwarted by her father, the party leader, has poured her ambition into her husband Hyun Min-cheol's rise from factory worker to president-elect. After enduring setbacks and scandals, their victory feels like vindication – until Hyun Min-cheol, now at the pinnacle of power, demands a divorce just 67 days before inauguration, blindsiding Cha Soo-yeon and derailing her vision of becoming the First Lady.
As Cha Soo-yeon grapples with betrayal, she uncovers layers of deceit: Hyun Min-cheol's secretive affair with his aide Shin Hae-rin, family secrets from their daughter Hyun Ji-yoo, and a hit-and-run scandal threatening exposure.
Complicating the unraveling is Yoon Ki-joo, Hyun Min-cheol's old factory friend turned adversary, who hurls tomatoes at their victory celebration, vowing revenge. Amid media frenzy, corporate machinations from Beomhan Construction, and a web of allies like stylist Lee Hwa-jin and reporter Son Min-ju, Cha Soo-yeon wages a fierce battle – not just for her marriage, but for dignity and justice.
The narrative escalates into a high-wire divorce war that shakes the nation, exploring how love fractures under ambition's weight.
Premiering September 24, 2025, "First Lady" debuted to promising ratings of 2.2% nationwide (peaking at 2.5%), a solid start for MBN's Wednesday-Thursday slot.
Episode 2 held steady at 1.8%, signaling viewer retention amid the shocking opener.
Early ratings hold at 7.5/10 from 15 users, lauding the "shocking divorce bomb."
The premiere recap called it "makjang o'clock" with "messy politics and scandals," earning 0 user ratings but 5,675 views.
Episode 1 recap highlighted the "time jump" and "ridiculousness," while another noted its "tension-filled" schedule through October 30.
Early buzz positions it as a "holiday thriller" blending "The World of the Married" intensity with political satire, though some await deeper emotional payoff.
Writer Kim Hyeong-wan's script, honed over six years, draws from "Dream High 2" for intricate plots, delivering "layered storytelling" on fractured relationships.
Stills of Cha Soo-yeon's tearful hug with a rigid Hyun Min-cheol foreshadow twists, symbolizing "power and love's collision" from Episode 1.
Yoon Ki-joo's victory rally assault marks a "symbolic conflict" opener, blending action with betrayal in a scene producers call "deeply impressive."
The August 2025 reading buzzed with "bold transformations," as Eugene and Ji Hyun-woo locked horns over divorce lines.
The trailer teases Hyun Min-cheol's cold demand amid celebrations, with Cha Soo-yeon's narration "I made him president" underscoring her rage.
Blends "unprecedented divorce battle" with family secrets, earning "spectacular narrative" praise for visual staging by director Lee Ho-hyun.
"First Lady" ignites 2025's drama slate with a powder keg of presidential peril and personal peril, where Eugene's fierce Cha Soo-yeon battles not just betrayal but her own ambitions. Ji Hyun-woo's conflicted Hyun Min-cheol and a taut ensemble amplify the makjang thrills, making it a binge-worthy dive into power's corrosive core. Though pacing critiques linger, its shocking twists and emotional rawness position it as MBN's breakout – a reminder that crowns come with thorns, and first ladies fight hardest.
Airs on MBN in South Korea Wednesdays and Thursdays at 22:20 from September 24, 2025 until October 30.
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