A talented lawyer and a secret fan of a K-pop idol takes his case after he is accused of killing a fellow band member. The first episode of the new series Idol I shows how their different worlds unexpectedly connect.
The episode introduces Maeng Se-na, a brilliant but isolated criminal lawyer played by Choi Soo-young. She has just won a high-profile case defending a famous table tennis player against accusations of blackmail and assault. Her colleagues at the law firm celebrate her victory and promotion, but she leaves quickly. They think she has no social life, but they do not know her secret: she is a devoted superfan of Do Ra-ik, the lead vocalist of the popular boy group Golden Boys.
At home, her room is filled with his posters and merchandise. Her friend Park Chun-jae brings her fried chicken and sees her room, joking she looks like an obsessed fan. Se-na explains her love for Ra-ik is not romantic but is about supporting him as an artist.
Meanwhile, Do Ra-ik, played by Kim Jae-yeong, is struggling with his new solo career. His debut single is not performing well on the charts. He is also dealing with intense pressure from obsessive fans, known as sasaengs. At a fan meeting, one fan causes a scene, upset that he changed his phone number, which triggers a panic attack for Ra-ik.
His problems get worse when two fans sneak into his apartment. A drunk and angry Ra-ik yells at them to leave. The fans secretly record the argument and post the video online, causing a major scandal that hurts his reputation even more. His agency’s CEO scolds him, telling him an idol must always keep a perfect image.
“Idols must maintain a flawless image. You lost your humanity the day you chose this career,” Ra-ik’s CEO tells him after the viral video scandal.
Se-na tries to buy a ticket for Ra-ik’s first solo concert but finds they are sold out immediately. She arranges to meet a ticket scalper outside the venue. When she meets the scalper, she threatens him with legal action, and he runs away without giving her the ticket or taking her money. Se-na and her friend Chun-jae chase after him.
At the same time, Ra-ik arrives late to his own concert. He is anxious and has just come from a therapy session. Fans recognize him and start chasing him, so his manager tells him to hide. In her search for the scalper, Se-na sees a man in a hoodie and mistakes him for the ticket seller. She pulls down his mask and is shocked to see it is Do Ra-ik.
To stop her from drawing attention, Ra-ik quickly pulls her close, covering her mouth while fans run past. For Se-na, this brief, silent moment is a dream come true.
Inside the concert venue, tension among the Golden Boys members is high because Ra-ik is late. His bandmate, Choi Jae-hee, insults his talent, suggesting fans only like him because of a sad story about his mother. Their argument turns into a physical fight.
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Another bandmate, Lee Young-bin, tries to break up the fight but is accidentally shoved and fractures his arm. Young-bin is rushed to the hospital with Jae-hee. This forces Ra-ik to perform the concert alone, without his band.
Later that night, the only supportive bandmate, Kang Woo-seong, visits Ra-ik at his home to check on him. They talk about the old days and Ra-ik’s future. Woo-seong is happy when Ra-ik says he will stay with Golden Boys, but his smile fades when he realizes Ra-ik is only staying because his solo career is failing.
The next morning, Ra-ik wakes up to a horrifying scene. He finds Woo-seong dead on the floor of his living room in a pool of blood. With the victim found in his home, Ra-ik immediately becomes the prime suspect.
News of the murder and Ra-ik’s arrest spreads quickly. Se-na sees the reports on the news. Without hesitation, she puts on her professional suit, grabs her lawyer identification, and rushes to the police station.
She arrives and announces she will be his legal representation, setting the stage for their official, professional meeting. The episode ends as the fan and her idol, now lawyer and client, see each other under these dire circumstances.
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