The First Man (TV series)
| The First Man | |
|---|---|
-poster.png) Promotional poster | |
| Hangul | 첫 번째 남자 |
| RR | Cheot beonjjae namja |
| MR | Ch'ŏt pŏntchae namja |
| Genre | |
| Written by |
|
| Directed by | Kang Tae-heum |
| Starring |
|
| Music by | Choi In-hee[2] |
| Ending theme | "Dear My Sun" by Son Tae-jin |
| Country of origin | South Korea |
| Original language | Korean |
| No. of episodes | 47 |
| Production | |
| Producers |
|
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production companies |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | MBC TV |
| Release | December 15, 2025 – present |
The First Man (Korean: 첫 번째 남자) is an ongoing South Korean television series written by Seo Hyun-joo and Ahn Jin-young, directed by Kang Tae-heum, and starring Hahm Eun-jung, Oh Hyun-kyung, Yoon Sun-woo, Park Geon-il, and Kim Min-seol. The series follows the intertwined lives of two women driven by deadly desires, one seeking vengeance, and the other fueled by selfish ambition. It premiered on MBC TV on December 15, 2025, and airs every Monday to Friday at 19:05 (KST).
Synopsis
In 1995, twin sisters Oh Jang-mi and Ma Seo-rin were born. One of them was forcibly taken by Chae Hwa-young from their birth mother, Jeong Suk-hee. The child was later brought into Chairman Ma's house, where Hwa-young claimed her as her own child with Dong-seok. Ultimately, she joined the Chairman Ma's family and fulfilled her desire to enter the Dream Group. As the twins grow up, they lead vastly different lives, one is the spirited and righteous, and the other is a spoiled heiress. One day, when the twin sisters finally meet, they decide to swap identities in order to uncover the hidden truth. Jang-mi, who uncovers the truth, embarks on a journey of revenge to bring down the evil woman, Chae Hwa-young, and her people, and to make them pay for their wrongdoings. As Kang Baek-ho and Kang Jun-ho, two brothers, become entwined with the twins, romance, rivalry, and secrets slowly unfold.
Cast and characters
Main
- Hahm Eun-jung as Oh Jang-mi / Ma Seo-rin[1]
- Oh Jang-mi: The older of the twins who is a warm-hearted and principled young woman with a culinary dream, working hard to open her own restaurant. She inherited her mother's culinary skills. Her dream is to meet Chef Kang Jun-ho and become his apprentice, and she even got an interview to work with him, but in the end she couldn't make it. One day, Jang-mi's world is turned upside down when she discovers that Chae Hwa-young, someone she once admired, is actually her arch-enemy. After uncovering the truth, a burning desire for justice consumes her, and Jang-mi sets out to punish Hwa-young for her heinous actions.
- Ma Seo-rin: The younger of the twins, who grew up as the spoiled and troublesome granddaughter of the Dream Group, is a reckless woman who fears nothing in life and has everything she wants. Separated from her birth mother and twin at birth by Hwa-young, she was raised as her own, unaware of the hidden truth. After being mistaken for Jang-mi, she is driven by curiosity to find her, and unexpectedly becomes the first one to discover the truth, her investigation leading her to dig into Hwa-young's background.
- Oh Hyun-kyung as Chae Hwa-young[3]
- A former top star who hides her tough ambition and strong will behind a beautiful smile. She is the daughter-in-law and CEO of the Dream Group, and Seo-rin's mother, who's ruining another woman's life to achieve her ambition of taking over the Dream Group. Fueled by her ruthless ambition, she'll stop at nothing to keep Jang-mi from the Chairman and Seo-rin, even if it means silencing her forever.
- Yoon Sun-woo as Kang Baek-ho[1]
- A lawyer at Law Firm Leeho. His strong sense of justice compels him to help those in need. He is always kept girls at a distance, but Jang-mi is the one who gets him to open his heart. He's willing to help her seek justice and revenge.
- Park Geon-il as Kang Jun-ho[1]
- The head chef of Chang Restaurant at Dream Hotel, who is Baek-ho's older brother. He is a former three-star Michelin chef, known for being cold and unfeeling. But Jang-mi's presence brings out emotions he's never experienced before. He is Hwa-young's biological son, whom she desperately tried to find for many years, after leaving him in the orphanage to pursue a career and success.
- Kim Min-seol as Jin Hong-ju[1]
- The assistant manager, who later becomes team leader at the Dream Hotel, is a ruthless and ambitious woman with deep feelings for Baek-ho. She is Jun-ho's classmate at a culinary school in the US. She hates both of the twin sisters, one for always mocking and treating her like a servant, and the other for stealing her love.
Supporting
Jang-mi's family
- Jung So-young as Jeong Suk-hee[4]
- Jang-mi and Seo-rin's biological mother. She was once a bright and intelligent woman, but Hwa-young ruined her life. To protect the other twin, she took a risk and suffered a tragic accident that left her with the mental capacity of a five-year-old.
- Kim Hak-seon as Oh Bok-gil[5]
- Jang-mi's adoptive father. He grew up with Suk-hee in an orphanage. After a tragic accident happened to her, he took care of her and her child and loves them like they're his own family.
- Lee Ki-chang as Oh Tae-pyeong[6]
- Jang-mi's adoptive older brother and the son of Bok-gil. He loves singing and chases his dreams, but repeatedly gets scammed and loses hope. He is Baek-ho's best friend.
- Jeon A-reum as Oh Tae-sook[5]
- Bok-gil's daughter, who is Tae-pyeong's older sister, and Jang-mi's adoptive sister.
- Kim Ra-hee as Yeon Bo-ra[5]
- Tae-sook's daughter.
Chairman Ma's family
- Lee Hyo-jung as Ma Dae-chang[5]
- The chairman of the Dream Group.
- Kim Young-pil as Ma Dong-seok[5]
- Jang-mi and Seo-rin's biological father, and Suk-hee's lover, who is the heir of the Dream Group, has gone missing for many years.
- Lee Jae-hwang as Lee Kang-hyuk[4]
- Hwa-young's trusted secretary.
- Ahn Joo-in as Yang Geom-sun[5]
- Chairman Ma's housekeeper.
Baek-ho's family
- Baek-ho's father.
- Choi Ji-yeon as Han Young-ja[5]
- Baek-ho's mother.
Hong-ju's family
- Kim Seon-hye as Yeom San-wol[5]
- Hong-ju's mother, who successfully seduces Chairman Ma and becomes his second wife. She is Hwa-young's elementary school classmate and her former assistant.
Production
Development
Produced by MBC C&I and DK Entertainment and planned by Jang Jae-hoon, the daily drama is directed by Kang Tae-heum, who previously helmed Desperate Mrs. Seonju (2024–2025), and Seo Hyun-joo of The Second Husband (2021–2022), and Ahn Ji-young co-wrote the screenplay.[3][1] The series revolves around a woman driven by desire, who devastates another woman's life to attain her goal, while the other woman seeks revenge by choosing a new path. Director Kang stated that the title 'First Man' could also be called 'First Love'. He aimed to convey that love can help overcome any obstacle or hardship through this series.[7][8]
Casting
In October 2025, Hahm Eun-jung, Oh Hyun-kyung, Yoon Sun-woo, Park Geon-il, and Kim Min-seol were officially confirmed to star.[3][1] Additionally, Hahm previously led the KBS2 daily drama Queen's House (2025), and Kim Min-seol, a participant from Single's Inferno season 4, made her leading role debut in the series.[9] The next month, it was announced that Lee Hyo-jung, Jung So-young, Jung Chan, and Lee Jae-hwang had joined the cast.[4]
Release
The First Man was set to premiere on MBC TV in the second half of 2025 and air in an MBC Monday–Friday timeslot.[10] The series was originally scheduled to premiere on December 1, 2025, but was postponed. In November 2025, a script reading was revealed, and it was officially confirmed to premiere on December 15.[11][4] With 121 episodes, the series is slated to end in June 2026.[12]
Original soundtrack
Part 1
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Dear My Sun" |
|
| Son Tae-jin | 3:57 |
| 2. | "Dear My Sun" (Inst.) |
| 3:57 | ||
| Total length: | 7:54 | ||||
Part 2
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Like a Wave" (그저 난 파도처럼) |
|
| Sondia | 4:04 |
| 2. | "Like a Wave" (그저 난 파도처럼; Inst.) |
| 4:04 | ||
| Total length: | 8:08 | ||||
Viewership
The First Man : South Korea viewers per episode (thousands)
Source: Audience measurement performed nationwide by Nielsen Korea.[13]
| Episodes | Episode number | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | ||
| 1–25 | 879 | 806 | 866 | 911 | 916 | 967 | 980 | 844 | 996 | 928 | 873 | 914 | 829 | 968 | 948 | 834 | 1002 | 838 | 936 | 892 | 970 | 895 | 893 | 893 | 882 | |
| 26–50 | 968 | 900 | 982 | 856 | 911 | 963 | 897 | 916 | 888 | 983 | 959 | 995 | 983 | 936 | 990 | 895 | 949 | 920 | 867 | 655 | 813 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | |
| 51–75 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | |
| 76–100 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | |
| 101–121 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | – | ||||
| Ep. | Original broadcast date | Average audience share | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nielsen Korea[13] | ||||
| Nationwide | Seoul | |||
| 1 | December 15, 2025 | 4.9% (8th) | 4.6% (7th) | |
| 2 | December 16, 2025 | 4.5% (8th) | 4.3% (7th) | |
| 3 | December 17, 2025 | 5.1% (9th) | 5.1% (8th) | |
| 4 | December 18, 2025 | 5.3% (8th) | 5.2% (8th) | |
| 5 | December 19, 2025 | 5.2% (10th) | 5.4% (7th) | |
| 6 | December 22, 2025 | 5.2% (9th) | 5.2% (6th) | |
| 7 | December 23, 2025 | 5.5% (8th) | 5.1% (7th) | |
| 8 | December 24, 2025 | 4.7% (8th) | 5.0% (6th) | |
| 9 | December 25, 2025 | 5.6% (7th) | 5.6% (6th) | |
| 10 | December 26, 2025 | 5.1% (10th) | 5.4% (8th) | |
| 11 | December 29, 2025 | 5.0% (9th) | 4.7% (9th) | |
| 12 | December 30, 2025 | 5.5% (7th) | 5.5% (5th) | |
| 13 | December 31, 2025 | 4.6% (10th) | 4.6% (8th) | |
| 14 | January 1, 2026 | 5.0% (10th) | 4.9% (9th) | |
| 15 | January 2, 2026 | 5.0% (10th) | 5.0% (9th) | |
| 16 | January 5, 2026 | 5.0% (9th) | 4.7% (6th) | |
| 17 | January 6, 2026 | 5.6% (8th) | 5.2% (6th) | |
| 18 | January 7, 2026 | 5.0% (8th) | 4.6% (7th) | |
| 19 | January 8, 2026 | 5.1% (8th) | 4.6% (6th) | |
| 20 | January 9, 2026 | 5.0% (10th) | 4.6% (10th) | |
| 21 | January 12, 2026 | 5.5% (9th) | 5.2% (7th) | |
| 22 | January 13, 2026 | 4.9% (8th) | 4.7% (7th) | |
| 23 | January 14, 2026 | 5.0% (8th) | 4.8% (7th) | |
| 24 | January 15, 2026 | 5.1% (7th) | 4.7% (7th) | |
| 25 | January 16, 2026 | 5.1% (8th) | 4.7% (10th) | |
| 26 | January 19, 2026 | 5.4% (9th) | 5.5% (6th) | |
| 27 | January 20, 2026 | 5.3% (8th) | 5.2% (7th) | |
| 28 | January 22, 2026 | 5.4% (8th) | 5.0% (7th) | |
| 29 | January 23, 2026 | 4.8% (10th) | 4.9% (9th) | |
| 30 | January 26, 2026 | 5.2% (9th) | 5.0% (7th) | |
| 31 | January 27, 2026 | 5.3% (7th) | 5.0% (6th) | |
| 32 | January 28, 2026 | 5.1% (8th) | 4.5% (9th) | |
| 33 | January 29, 2026 | 5.1% (8th) | 4.8% (7th) | |
| 34 | January 30, 2026 | 5.0% (10th) | 4.8% (8th) | |
| 35 | February 2, 2026 | 5.2% (9th) | 4.9% (9th) | |
| 36 | February 3, 2026 | 5.1% (8th) | 4.8% (8th) | |
| 37 | February 4, 2026 | 5.3% (8th) | 4.8% (7th) | |
| 38 | February 5, 2026 | 5.4% (8th) | 4.9% (6th) | |
| 39 | February 6, 2026 | 5.1% (10th) | 5.0% (8th) | |
| 40 | February 9, 2026 | 5.2% (8th) | 4.7% (7th) | |
| 41 | February 10, 2026 | 4.9% (8th) | 4.5% (8th) | |
| 42 | February 11, 2026 | 5.1% (7th) | 4.7% (7th) | |
| 43 | February 12, 2026 | 5.1% (8th) | 4.7% (7th) | |
| 44 | February 13, 2026 | 4.8% (10th) | 4.8% (9th) | |
| 45 | February 16, 2026 | 3.5% (10th) | 3.6% (9th) | |
| 46 | February 17, 2026 | 4.2% (10th) | 4.1% (8th) | |
| 47 | February 18, 2026 | |||
| 48 | February 19, 2026 | |||
| 49 | February 20, 2026 | |||
| 50 | February 23, 2026 | |||
| 51 | February 24, 2026 | |||
| 52 | February 25, 2026 | |||
| 53 | February 26, 2026 | |||
| 54 | February 27, 2026 | |||
| Average | — | — | ||
| ||||
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Ahn, Byeong-gil (October 22, 2025). 새 일일극 '첫 번째 남자' 함은정-윤선우-박건일-김민설 뜬다 [Hahm Eun-jung, Yoon Sun-woo, Park Geon-il, and Kim Min-seol are set to star in the new daily drama The First Man] (in Korean). Sports Kyunghyang. Retrieved November 4, 2025 – via Naver.
- ^ MBCdrama (December 15, 2025). [첫 번째 남자 2회 예고] ＂걸리는 거 아냐?＂ [[First Man Episode 2 Preview] "Aren't You Getting Caught?", MBC 251216 Broadcast] (in Korean). MBC Drama. Retrieved December 15, 2025 – via YouTube.
- ^ a b c Kim, Kyung-yoon (October 15, 2025). [방송소식] 함은정·오현경, MBC 일일드라마 '첫 번째 남자'서 호흡 [[Broadcast News] Hahm Eun-jung and Oh Hyun-kyung to Star in MBC's Daily Drama The First Man]. Yonhap News (in Korean). Retrieved November 4, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Yoo, Jeong-min (November 19, 2025). MBC '첫 번째 남자' 함은정·오현경→윤선우, 대본리딩 현장 [MBC's The First Man stars Hahm Eun-jung and Oh Hyun-kyung, along with Yoon Sun-woo, at a script reading]. iMBC (in Korean). Retrieved November 19, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h 첫 번째 남자 - 등장인물소개 MBC [The First Man (Character Introduction)]. MBC (in Korean). Retrieved December 9, 2025.
- ^ Yoo, Jeong-min (October 23, 2025). 이기창, MBC '첫 번째 남자' 캐스팅...의리+팔랑귀 매력 선보인다 [Lee Ki-chang cast in MBC's The First Man... Showcasing his loyalty and charm] (in Korean). iMBC. Retrieved November 4, 2025 – via Naver.
- ^ Kim, Soo-ah (December 10, 2025). '♥결혼' 함은정x윤선우, '첫 번째 남자'로 나란히…"자신 있다" 시청률 10% 겹경사 터질까 [종합]. Xports News (in Korean). Retrieved December 12, 2025.
- ^ Choi, Soo-bin (December 10, 2025). "1인 2역으로 차별화"…'첫 번째 남자', 함은정의 연기 변신(종합). The Fact (in Korean). Retrieved December 12, 2025.
- ^ Yeon, Hwi-seon (December 10, 2025). 김민설 "'솔로지옥4'처럼 최선 다한 '첫 번째 남자', 첫 주연 너무 떨려" [Oh!쎈 현장] [Kim Min-seol: "I did my best as the The First Man, just like in 'Single's Inferno 4'. I'm so nervous about my first leading role"]. Osen (in Korean). Retrieved December 12, 2025.
- ^ Jang, A-reum (October 16, 2025). '김병우 감독과 결혼' 함은정, '열일' 이어간다...'첫번째 남자' 주연 [Hahm Eun-jung, who married director Kim Byung-woo, continues her hard work... Starring in The First Man]. News 1 (in Korean). Retrieved November 4, 2025.
- ^ Ahn, Tae-hyun (October 16, 2025). 티아라 함은정, 11월의 신부된다…'9세 연상' 김병우 감독과 결혼 [T-ara's Hahm Eun-jung will be a bride in November, marrying director Kim Byung-woo, who is nine years her senior]. News 1 (in Korean). Retrieved November 19, 2025.
- ^ Kim, Hyo-jin (January 9, 2026). '첫 번째 남자', 시청률 추이 보니…OTT 다시보기 정보? ['First Man', looking at the viewership ratings trend... Information on rewatching on OTT?]. Top Star News (in Korean). Retrieved January 13, 2026.
- ^ a b Nielsen Korea ratings:
- "Ep. 1". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). December 15, 2025. Retrieved December 16, 2025.
- "Ep. 2". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). December 16, 2025. Retrieved December 17, 2025.
- "Ep. 3". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). December 17, 2025. Retrieved December 18, 2025.
- "Ep. 4". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). December 18, 2025. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
- "Ep. 5". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). December 19, 2025. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
- "Ep. 6". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). December 22, 2025. Retrieved December 23, 2025.
- "Ep. 7". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). December 23, 2025. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
- "Ep. 8". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). December 24, 2025. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
- "Ep. 9". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). December 25, 2025. Retrieved December 26, 2025.
- "Ep. 10". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). December 26, 2025. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
- "Ep. 11". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). December 29, 2025. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
- "Ep. 12". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). December 30, 2025. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
- "Ep. 13". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). December 31, 2025. Retrieved January 1, 2026.
- "Ep. 14". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). January 1, 2026. Retrieved January 2, 2026.
- "Ep. 15". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). January 2, 2026. Retrieved January 3, 2026.
- "Ep. 16". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). January 5, 2026. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
- "Ep. 17". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). January 6, 2026. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
- "Ep. 18". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). January 7, 2026. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
- "Ep. 19". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). January 8, 2026. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
- "Ep. 20". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). January 9, 2026. Retrieved January 10, 2026.
- "Ep. 21". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). January 12, 2026. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
- "Ep. 22". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). January 13, 2026. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
- "Ep. 23". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). January 14, 2026. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
- "Ep. 24". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). January 15, 2026. Retrieved January 16, 2026.
- "Ep. 25". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). January 16, 2026. Retrieved January 17, 2026.
- "Ep. 26". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). January 19, 2026. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- "Ep. 27". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). January 21, 2026. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
- "Ep. 28". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). January 22, 2026. Retrieved January 23, 2026.
- "Ep. 29". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). January 23, 2026. Retrieved January 24, 2026.
- "Ep. 30". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). January 26, 2026. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
- "Ep. 31". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). January 27, 2026. Retrieved January 28, 2026.
- "Ep. 32". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). January 28, 2026. Retrieved January 29, 2026.
- "Ep. 33". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). January 29, 2026. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
- "Ep. 34". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). January 30, 2026. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
- "Ep. 35". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). February 2, 2026. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
- "Ep. 36". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). February 3, 2026. Retrieved February 4, 2026.
- "Ep. 37". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). February 4, 2026. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
- "Ep. 38". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). February 5, 2026. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
- "Ep. 39". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). February 6, 2026. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
- "Ep. 40". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). February 9, 2026. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
- "Ep. 41". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). February 10, 2026. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
- "Ep. 42". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). February 11, 2026. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
- "Ep. 43". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). February 12, 2026. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
- "Ep. 44". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). February 13, 2026. Retrieved February 14, 2026.
- "Ep. 45". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). February 16, 2026. Retrieved February 17, 2026.
- "Ep. 46". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). February 17, 2026. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
External links
- Official website
(in Korean) - The First Man at IMDb
- The First Man at HanCinema