In Nice to Not Meet You Episode 1, it opens with actor Lim Hyun-jun, played by Lee Jung-jae, meeting his ex-lover after many years. He worked at a small printing shop, far from the fame he once had.
One day, while delivering printed books, he ran into Kwon Se-na, played by Oh Yeon-seo. She was now a top actress, polished and famous, while he lived quietly in the shadows.
Their meeting was awkward and cold. Se-na looked at him with a faint smile and said, “You haven’t changed much.” Her tone carried both surprise and discomfort. She then asked, “You knew I was here, didn’t you? Why did you still come?”
Her words hit him hard. She accused him of making her feel guilty, as if he wanted to remind her of the past she had erased. Lim Hyun-jun replied calmly, “I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.” He then turned away, his pride clearly wounded.
That short encounter revealed their history. Fifteen years ago, they were caught in a scandal. Se-na denied their relationship to protect her career. Hyun-jun took all the blame, even kneeling to plead that the article not be published.
That single moment destroyed his name in the industry and changed both their lives forever.
Later that night, Hyun-jun met his old manager, Hwang, over drinks. They spoke about how things used to be. Hwang told him, “You had the talent to be a top star. But dating Kwon Se-na ruined it all.”
His words were harsh but true. Hwang even cursed Se-na for being selfish, saying she lied to survive while Hyun-jun’s career collapsed. Hyun-jun listened quietly, unable to argue.
A Night of Mistakes and a Strange Encounter
In another scene, a different story unfolded. Wi Jeong-shin, played by Lim Ji-yeon, was a political reporter chasing a corruption case. She uncovered a powerful lawmaker’s dark secret, but things went wrong when her informant suddenly died.
Blamed and cornered, she was reassigned from politics to the entertainment department — something she saw as humiliation. Angry and frustrated, she shouted at her boss, “I’m not going to write gossip news! I’m a political reporter!”
On the same night, Lim Hyun-jun drove his car across a bridge, lost in thought about his ex. Suddenly, he heard a strange voice from the backseat. It was Wi Jeong-shin, completely drunk.
She had mistaken his car for someone else’s and climbed in by accident. When she woke up and saw him, she panicked and called the police, saying she had been kidnapped.
Both ended up at the police station. The black box footage later showed that Hyun-jun was innocent. However, it also captured him yelling angrily about his ex, calling her a “terrible person.”
After seeing that, Wi Jeong-shin realized her mistake. She felt deep shame and apologized, crying in front of him. Hyun-jun told her gently, “When bad things happen, it’s not always your fault. Don’t be too hard on yourself.” He offered her a hangover drink before leaving.
That moment was unexpected. Two strangers, both broken by life in different ways, crossed paths through pure accident. It wasn’t romantic yet, but something about their meeting felt like the start of something they didn’t see coming.
Fame, Failure, and a New Beginning
Lim Hyun-jun’s past as an actor soon came into focus. Years ago, he rose to fame through the drama Good Detective Kang Pil-gu. It made him a household name.
He even won awards and cried on stage, saying, “I want to act for a long time, without being forgotten.” But fame didn’t last. His image as the detective became a burden.
He bought a luxury car but was afraid to drive it because people judged him for breaking his “honest man” image. Even his agency CEO warned him not to be seen in it. Hyun-jun snapped, saying, “I bought it with my own money. Why can’t I even drive it?”
He was tired of being seen as only one kind of man. “People see me as Detective Kang Pil-gu, not as me,” he said. His frustration showed how fame can trap a person in their own image.
Meanwhile, Wi Jeong-shin was still struggling in her job. After her demotion, she tried to expose Eunseong Group’s chairman, Lee Dae-ho, for corruption. He refused to answer her questions, and she snapped.
At a red carpet event, she rushed forward with a USB drive full of evidence. In the chaos, the drive slipped, his pants tore, and he became a laughingstock in front of reporters and fans. Hyun-jun, who was nearby, tried to help but ended up equally embarrassed.
That public scene became a turning point. Two people — one a fallen actor, one a disgraced reporter — were suddenly linked by a scandal neither expected.
Ending
The episode ended on a tense but intriguing note. Hyun-jun and Jeong-shin’s paths crossed again, this time under the eyes of cameras and gossip.
He was a man trying to rebuild himself. She was a woman chasing justice but losing control. Both had faced public shame, and now they stood at the edge of something new.
The story blended comedy, regret, and realism. It didn’t use dramatic background music or fancy visuals. Instead, it focused on the awkward and human moments that come after failure. Nice to Not Meet You episode 1 built a world of second chances — quiet, messy, but painfully honest.
How Does this Article Make You Feel?
Kavita Mishra is a dynamic writer and passionate Korean entertainment enthusiast, combining her love for K-pop and K-drama with a flair for storytelling. With a keen eye for the latest trends, Kavita crafts articles that capture the pulse of K-pop idols, chart-topping hits, and the most buzz-worthy dramas taking over screens worldwide.
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