My Bias, My Boss (최애의 사원): Cast, Where to Watch, and What’s Coming in the Finale (2026)
Episode 9 of My Bias, My Boss pulled a 3.5% nationwide rating on August 31, 2026, according to Nielsen Korea — up 0.1 points from the episode before it, and enough to keep the show at No. 1 in its own timeslot for a sixth straight week. With two episodes left before the September 8 finale, the show is heading into its final stretch as the most consistent performer in tvN’s current Monday-Tuesday lineup.
✅ Quick facts, up top:
- ✅ Premiered August 3, 2026 on tvN, Mondays and Tuesdays at 8:45 p.m. KST
- ✅ 12 episodes total — finale airs September 8, 2026
- ✅ No. 1 in its own timeslot every week since premiere
- ✅ Streams on Rakuten Viki, HBO Max, and Prime Video, availability varies by region
Jump to a Section
- What Is My Bias, My Boss Actually About?
- What Sets This Apart From Typical Office Rom-Coms?
- Who’s in the Cast?
- Why Is It Sitting at No. 1 in Its Timeslot?
- Where Can You Actually Watch It?
- What’s Coming in the Finale?
- FAQ
What Is My Bias, My Boss Actually About?
Nam Da-reum has spent 13 years as a devoted fan of Lee Chan, a former idol from the disbanded group D.N.X. who’s now a co-founder at fashion platform APPELLO. She takes a job there hoping to work near him — and instead gets assigned to Kang Ha-gi, APPELLO’s workaholic CEO and, inconveniently, Lee Chan’s childhood best friend.
What starts as office friction turns into a love triangle once Da-reum’s fan loyalty starts competing with real feelings for her boss. The series is based on the Naver webtoon of the same name (최애의 사원, “Favorite Employee”) and is directed by Park Ji-hyun.
When I compared the premise against other 2026 workplace rom-coms in this category, the idol-versus-boss setup is what separates it from a standard enemies-to-lovers office drama — the love triangle runs through fandom identity, not just workplace rivalry.
What Sets This Apart From Typical Office Rom-Coms?
Most workplace K-dramas build tension out of a boss-employee power gap. My Bias, My Boss adds a second layer most office rom-coms don’t touch: parasocial fandom. Da-reum’s 13 years of devotion to Lee Chan isn’t background flavor — it’s the emotional obstacle the whole love triangle runs through, since falling for Ha-gi means confronting a version of herself that no longer needs her idol the same way.
That angle has become more common in 2026’s K-drama lineup, as more shows lean into idol culture as source material rather than treating it as a side plot. D.N.X., the fictional group Lee Chan came from, functions almost like a fourth character in early episodes — its disbandment is part of what makes Lee Chan’s arc land differently than a standard second-lead storyline.
Here’s where people get tripped up watching it cold: the show reads like a love triangle on the surface, but the actual conflict driving most of the tension is Da-reum figuring out who she is once she’s not defining herself through fandom anymore.
Who’s in the Cast?
| Actor | Role | Character notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kim Hye-jun | Nam Da-reum | New APPELLO employee and longtime D.N.X. fan |
| Kang Hoon | Kang Ha-gi | APPELLO’s workaholic CEO, Da-reum’s direct boss |
| Cha Woo-min | Lee Chan | Former D.N.X. idol, APPELLO co-founder, Da-reum’s original bias |
Supporting cast includes Gong Ji-ho, Kim Ah-young, Hwang Sung-bin, Shin Yu-na, and Heo Joon-seok, rounding out the APPELLO office ensemble.
Why Is It Sitting at No. 1 in Its Timeslot?
When I checked Nielsen Korea’s numbers as reported by Soompi, My Bias, My Boss had stayed at No. 1 in its Monday-Tuesday 8:45 p.m. slot since premiere, climbing from its opening rating to 3.5% by episode 9 on August 31, 2026. That’s a modest number by tvN’s biggest hit standards, but it’s been steady rather than spiky — the show hasn’t had a single down week.
Reviewers have been less enthusiastic than the ratings suggest. One review called it a “by-the-numbers” workplace rom-com that leans on familiar tropes rather than reinventing the genre. That gap — solid ratings, mixed reviews — is fairly normal for comfort-watch rom-coms that lean on a well-liked cast rather than a twisty plot.
You’ll probably notice the show’s steadiness lines up with its cast chemistry more than its story beats — Kim Hye-jun and Kang Hoon’s dynamic is what most recent recaps single out as the reason people keep tuning back in.
Where Can You Actually Watch It?
| Platform | Availability |
|---|---|
| Rakuten Viki | Selected regions, with English subtitles |
| HBO Max | Confirmed streaming home in its reviewed markets |
| Prime Video | Listed as available in select storefronts |
Streaming rights for Korean broadcast dramas often split by region rather than going to one global platform the way Netflix originals do — check which of the three services is live in your country before assuming it’s on all of them.
What’s Coming in the Finale?
Episode 10 left Lee Chan visibly hurt after realizing Da-reum chose Ha-gi over him — the same outcome his own first love once handed him back in school. In response, he’s reached out to that first love, Han Jeong-yeon, now a CEO in her own right, to try to help Ha-gi move on, which sets up a messier final stretch than the show’s earlier episodes suggested.
With episodes 11 and 12 airing before the September 8 finale, expect the last stretch to resolve both the fan/boss dynamic and Lee Chan’s leftover feelings — workplace rom-coms in this mold typically wrap the professional conflict (her job at APPELLO) alongside the romantic one.
This part trips a lot of people up going into a finale week: episode counts vary by source, since some early previews listed 10 episodes total before the network confirmed 12. Go by the official 12-episode, September 8 finale date for now.
FAQ
Is My Bias, My Boss based on a webtoon?
Yes — it’s adapted from the Naver webtoon 최애의 사원 (“Favorite Employee”), which follows the same idol-fan-turned-office-worker premise.
How many episodes does My Bias, My Boss have in total?
12 episodes, airing Mondays and Tuesdays on tvN. The finale (episodes 11-12) is set for September 8, 2026.
Is My Bias, My Boss connected to any other 2026 K-drama?
No direct connection — it’s a standalone workplace rom-com, though its love-triangle structure has drawn comparisons to other 2026 tvN rom-coms with idol or entertainment-industry settings.
Sources
- Wikipedia — My Bias, My Boss
- Soompi — My Bias, My Boss Ratings Report
- South China Morning Post — My Bias, My Boss Review
Fact-checked based on public sources as of September 2, 2026. Streaming availability and ratings shift week to week — check current regional listings before assuming access.
