It follows two women who return under false identities and join forces to expose a major conglomerate’s hidden crimes.
The casting of Park Jin-hee and Nam Sang-ji as the female leads has already attracted attention.
Under a 100-episode daily format, the series mixes revenge, female solidarity, and a workplace romance (often called "womance").
Between revenge and solidarity, Red Pearl asks
One-line summary.
KBS 2TV’s new weekday evening drama Red Pearl will air Monday through Friday starting February 23, 2026.
The show is planned as a 100-episode daily drama, following the conventional long-form structure familiar to Korean viewers (KBS is Korea’s national broadcaster; KBS 2TV is its channel 2).
The story centers on a powerful family-run conglomerate called the Adele Group and two women who infiltrate its inner circle under assumed names to reveal buried crimes and pursue revenge.
The genre is rooted in family melodrama but is described by the producers as a thriller that leans into revenge, mystery, and heightened melodramatic elements.
The leads are Park Jin-hee and Nam Sang-ji.
Park plays two roles, twin sisters, marking her return to a daily modern drama after a long absence.
Nam’s character adopts the name Chloe Lee and enters the Adele Group with a new professional identity.
The creative team says the relationship that begins as revenge will evolve into mutual understanding, solidarity, and a womance that complicates romantic expectations.
Production context.
This work is part of KBS’s effort to bolster its evening daily lineup.
However, the production clearly borrows proven formulas while highlighting female-centered stories and womance elements to attract newer viewers.
Traditionally, daily dramas connect strongly with at-home family audiences and benefit from scheduling that fits household viewing patterns.
Meanwhile, the format has limits.
A 100-episode arc demands careful control of pacing and narrative detail.
As a result, the show faces risks of repetitive plotting or resorting to sensational twists to keep interest high.
Key characters.
Character outlines are clear in the press materials.
Park’s double role covers Kim Myung-hee and Kim Dan-hee, twin sisters.
The older sister, Myung-hee, starts as an ordinary nurse but meets an untimely death following a tragic event.
The younger sister, Dan-hee, then assumes her sibling’s name and life to quietly plan revenge.
Nam Sang-ji’s character has a more international profile.
Baek Jin-joo loses her family in an accident, abandons her given name, and reinvents herself as Chloe Lee, a global brand consultant.
She infiltrates the Adele Group from inside to prepare her revenge, but unexpected emotions and conflicts complicate her plan.
People around the Adele Group act as catalysts for the revenge narrative.
The group’s chairman, his wife, rival heirs, and the head of a new-business task force are entangled in power struggles, greed, and betrayal.
Their actions tie into financial interests such as cash flow, investment choices, and corporate governance, which adds social weight to the story.
Thematic axis.
The show places personal revenge alongside the conglomerate’s hidden wrongdoing.
On the one hand, it asks whether private action can stand in where law and institutions fail.
On the other hand, identity deception intensifies each character’s inner conflict and moral ambiguity.
The producers’ promise of a womance is not just romance.
They frame the narrative as an experiment: women bound by revenge who come to support and understand one another.
In this process, tensions between family roles, workplace duties, and social expectations will shape the drama’s social meaning.
Pros vs cons: two competing views
High expectations.
Supporters first point to genre strengths.
Familiar elements—conglomerate intrigue, revenge, identity concealment—have historically secured steady audiences.
Particularly in evening slots, daily dramas can drive ratings through emotional resonance with family viewers.
Therefore, the Adele Group’s internal power struggles and money-related conflicts could engage a broad audience.
Moreover, the female-duo structure suggests longevity beyond a single twist.
Park and Nam both bring acting reputations that could add psychological depth to their roles.
Park’s return and the technical challenge of a dual role, paired with Nam’s professionally positioned revenge character, could refresh the genre’s usual beats.
Thus, the blend of tested format and contemporary sensibility might help KBS regain momentum and spark conversation.
Consequently, optimistic viewers expect emotional payoff and strong relational arcs rather than mere shock value.
Big concerns.
Critics warn about formula fatigue.
If twins, false identities, and a corrupt conglomerate return without meaningful variation, the series risks feeling unoriginal.
In a 100-episode run, producers may be tempted to employ excessive melodrama or sensational scenes to stretch the plot.
That could make the show unsuitable for family co-viewing in an evening timeslot.
There is also a moral debate about revenge-driven plots.
When protagonists bypass legal channels, the narrative can invite questions: is this justice or glorified vengeance?
On the other hand, portraying corporate villains as one-dimensionally evil could oversimplify complex social and economic problems.
Such moral imbalance might hurt the drama’s reputation.
Ultimately, critics will weigh whether the series escapes the safety of familiar formulas or merely recycles them.
Analytical balance.
This debate goes beyond personal taste.
Proponents highlight reliable entertainment value; opponents call for social responsibility and freshness.
Thus, a fair stance is to reserve final judgment until episodes air and to evaluate directing, writing, acting, and editing choices.
For example, if the revenge plot exposes legal gaps and criticizes institutional failures, ethical concerns may ease.
Conversely, if revenge is reduced to emotional payback without critique, viewer fatigue and criticism will likely grow.
So the production team’s narrative balance will determine critical outcome.
Pressure points.
Key worries are clear.
First, glamorizing violent revenge: the leads’ initiative can be cathartic, but unethical methods may spark controversy.
Second, melodramatic excess: a long run invites repetition and gratuitous escalation.
Third, exaggerated villainy among corporate figures risks flattening real-world complexity.
These issues affect family audiences and public sensibilities, so viewers should watch critically.
Outlook and conditions.
The fate of Red Pearl hinges on its tone in early episodes.
If the writers avoid simplifying the ethics of revenge and probe systemic corporate problems, the show gains depth.
However, leaning on shock value would erode long-term trust.
Acting choices matter too.
Park’s dual-role performance and Nam’s embodiment of an international professional will affect believability.
Audiences are likely to favor psychological nuance and relationship development over mere spectacle.
Conclusion: what to hope for and what to guard against
Key takeaway.
Red Pearl builds a female-led revenge-and-solidarity story on top of a tried daily-drama framework.
Park Jin-hee and Nam Sang-ji’s casting ensures early attention.
Yet the 100-episode length will constantly test narrative quality and restraint.
So viewers should hold two expectations at once.
Hope for emotional catharsis and moving depictions of solidarity.
At the same time, guard against excessive sensationalism and uncritical praise of revenge.
In the end, the drama’s value will depend on how well direction, writing, and performances work together.
After the premiere, judge whether the series transcends cheap melodrama to reflect social issues, or whether it stays trapped in familiar patterns.
What will you decide after watching the first episode?
