My Royal nemesis" is one of the most discussed Korean dramas at the moment. The drama has surpassed the rating of 10% in episode 8 and is estimated to continue to explode in viewership in the second half.
According to Koreaherald, besides rating achievements, the most notable success story of the film is probably the rise of the male lead Heo Nam Jun.
From a relatively new face, he quickly became one of the most sought-after talents in the market. However, his path to success was completely different from what everyone imagined.
Heo Nam Jun's fame came quite suddenly to many viewers, partly because he has only been active for about 6 years and also rarely participates in promotional activities outside of acting.
This star born in 1993 grew up in a farming family, and the desire to be recognized by the public has appeared since she was young.
In an interview, he revealed that he once wanted to create a legacy that could last longer than his name, although at that time he did not know how to do it.
Initially, Heo Nam Jun thought he would work in the music field. Throughout his high school years, he prepared to take the university entrance exam with the goal of studying applied music. But then, he realized that music was not a suitable choice for him.
According to the advice of an acquaintance, he tried to switch to acting as a spiritual therapy. Creativity in acting has opened up a completely new path for him.
Heo Nam Jun studied acting at Sungkyunkwan University, course 2013. This is a prestigious school that has trained many famous artists such as Kim Moo Yeol, Moon Ga Young and Cha Eun Woo.
After graduating, Heo Nam Jun officially debuted as an actor in 2019.
In the early stages of his career, he mainly played minor supporting roles in works such as "Missing: The other side", "Snowdrop", "Sweet home", "Night in paradise"... Although many of those projects are very famous, his appearance time is quite short, so he has not yet received public attention.
The turning point came in 2024. In the movie "Your Honor", he played Kim Sang Hyuk - the hot-tempered son of a powerful tycoon. In "When the phone rings", he transformed into Ji Sang Woo - a trusted colleague.
The contrast between warm, trustworthy Ji Sang Woo and dark, scary Kim Sang Hyuk has proven Heo Nam Jun's ability to transform, helping him escape being framed in his image and paving the way for a bigger step forward.
In 2025, Heo Nam Jun appeared continuously in many major projects. He first took on the male lead role in the movie "A hundred memories", and also participated in the romantic science fiction movie "When the stars gossip" as a space scientist.
By early 2026, years of accumulated efforts finally brought him to his current position.
In "My Royal Nemesis", Heo Nam Jun plays Cha Se Gye - an arrogant tycoon heir who falls in love with a personality girl Seo Ri (played by Lim Ji Yeon).
This role has helped him transform from a reliable supporting actor into a true male lead, even compared to rising faces of comedy - romance films like Kim Jae Won.
According to Korean media, Heo Nam Jun is considering an invitation to star in the famous webtoon adaptation "Whale star: The gyeongseong mermaid".
Currently, he is one of the most noticed faces of the young generation of actors in Korea.
