Season 1 of the taut teen thriller “BITCH X RICH” introduced viewers to Kim Hye In (Lee Eun Saem), whose life spiraled after she witnessed a shocking incident involving a high school student. Transferred to the elite Cheongdam International High School, Hye In found herself entangled with Baek Jena (Kim Ye Rim), the cold-hearted queen bee of the school’s powerful clique, Diamond 6, and the prime suspect in an attempted murder case.
Baek Jena, with her icy perfection and commanding influence, seems untouchable. But beneath her flawless exterior lies a deeply complex persona. In contrast, Hye In, who appears to be a bullied outsider given her timid demeanor, may be masking something far more calculating. The first two episodes of “BITCH X RICH 2” introduce dramatic shifts in the Cheongdam International High hierarchy. A surprising alliance begins to form between Jena and Hye In, sparking curiosity and suspicion. With the arrival of new characters, tensions escalate as power dynamics shift, loyalty is tested, and secrets simmer dangerously beneath the surface. Here’s what you can expect for the first two episodes!
Warning: Spoilers ahead for episodes 1–2.
Hye In is targeted again
Hye In continues to face ridicule due to her underprivileged background, frequently mocked by her classmates who see her as a charity case. Her situation worsens when she witnesses the mysterious death of fellow student Oh Si Eun (Han Da Sol), an incident which places Hye In under suspicion. Si Eun, the former Queen Bee of the Diamond 6, has been removed from the club ever since her family goes bankrupt. She has also been publicly humiliated by Jena over her family’s misfortunes and is hell bent on exacting her revenge. She has access to video footage, which could destroy Jena’s reputation. One hears Si Eun threatening to post the video, only to be pushed off the terrace. It is Hye In who arrives on the scene to find her bloodied body on the floor.
As investigations begin, she becomes a target of increased bullying and isolation. The turning point comes when her father is publicly humiliated by a classmate’s mother during a school event, leaving Hye In devastated and emotionally shattered. But, it is clear this time around—Hye In will play by her own rules. She has come a long way since her entry as the timid newbie into the echelons of Cheongdam. When you can’t beat them, it is best to join them in their own games.
A rich girl in her crumbling world
Jena, meanwhile, grapples with her own turmoil. Her parents are headed for a bitter divorce, and news of her father’s affair with a contract teacher at school who is pregnant with his child has spread. The betrayal hits hard, culminating in a dramatic confrontation between Jena and her father. In a vulnerable moment, she freezes in the middle of a busy road, only to be pulled to safety by Hye In.
Despite her gratitude, Jena hides her emotions behind her usual icy demeanor. Hye In, though momentarily stunned, isn’t entirely surprised. However, Hye In could have well found the chinks in Jena’s armor. In the first season, Jena came across as the invincible mean girl, but here we get glimpses into her imperfect world. She is a girl devoid of emotional support whose affections are bought. Her father uses her as a pawn in his games, while her inebriated mother is oblivious to her struggles. At school, no one messes with her for what she stands for, but has anyone ever tried to get to know the real Jena? Season 2 shifts focus on Jena’s psyche as she navigates between her public persona and tries to protect herself.
Yul Hee: the real villain?
Min Yul Hee (Park Si Woo), Diamond 6’s second-in-command, is determined to destroy Jena. She spreads malicious rumors about Jena’s family and weaponizes Jena’s insecurities—especially the fear of losing her inheritance if her father’s mistress gives birth to a son.
Yul Hee’s ruthlessness knows no bounds. She’s widely believed to be responsible for pushing Kim Hae In (Jang Sung Yoon) off the roof for messing with her and the members of Diamond 6. Kim Hae In is one of Cheongdam’s charity cases who was known to extort money from the students by threatening to expose their secrets. She had also been accused of having an affair with Yul Hee’s boyfriend. Though it is widely believed it was Jena who had pushed Hae In, the truth was that it was Yul Hee who had done the same to exact her revenge. Yul Hee is shown threatening the comatose Hae In to never wake up. She manipulates the school chairperson into taking disciplinary action against Jena, hoping to oust her from Diamond 6 and ruin her reputation. Yul Hee hates Jena and won’t stop at anything.
Hye In plays her hand
Observing the brewing chaos between Jena and Yul Hee, Hye In seizes an opportunity. She asks Jena to let her into Diamond 6, only to be rebuffed and is told the clique isn’t meant for people like her. Undeterred, Hye In starts playing her cards. She has come a long way since her attitude of nothing will ever change in her life. We do see glimpses of her aspirational self in Season 1 when she tries too hard to be like one of the Cheongdam girls. She posed with luxury bags and shoes and fibbed about being rich, only for the truth to be revealed and for her to be disliked even more. Now, she wants to make the rich feel sorry for being rich.
Her first move is to hand over Yul Hee’s necklace, which was found near the unconscious Hae In, to Jena. Jena uses it to blackmail the school chairperson, blocking Yul Hee’s attempt to remove her. Yet, Jena remains unwilling to trust Hye In until Hye In plays her final card: a damning recording of the mistress of Jena’s father confessing her plans to manipulate him into accepting the unborn child as his. Will Jena take the bait? After all, the two have been frenemies and now are on a similar mission to destroy those who have wronged them. It is clear Hye In is indulging in psychological games, which are beyond Jena’s and Yul Hee’s comprehension.
New faces and rising stakes
Complicating matters is the arrival of the mysterious transfer student Cha Jin Wook (Kim Min Kyu). A fellow Diamond 6 member, Jin Wook is the son of a powerful family and is the chosen fiancé for Jena by her father. Though Jena refuses the idea of engagement, Jin Wook has his own plans. He coolly tells his mother he never enters a game he can’t win.
Meanwhile, Hye In finds an unexpected ally in Lee Sa Rang (Won Gyu Bin), a fellow student who becomes fiercely protective of her, even if it means risking everything.
Season 2 places Jena front and center. For all her wealth and influence, she’s revealed to be deeply fractured. Her strained relationship with her father, deep affection for her mother, and hatred toward his mistress fuel her simmering rage. Beneath the cold exterior, Jena is a lost girl, using power as a shield. On the other hand, Hye In, long marginalized for her poverty, is done playing nice. She’s determined to turn the tables on her privileged tormentors, not by brute force, but by using their own secrets against them. She’s not just surviving anymore, she’s out for blood. What will happen when Hae In wakes up?
“BITCH X RICH 2“ dives deeper into the twisted world of Cheongdam International High School, where no one is innocent and everyone has something to hide. With power plays, shifting allegiances, and emotional undercurrents, the new season raises the stakes and keeps viewers guessing and gasping at every turn.
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Puja Talwar is a Soompi writer with a strong Yoo Yeon Seok and Lee Junho bias. A long time K-drama fan, she loves devising alternate scenarios to the narratives. She has interviewed Lee Min Ho, Gong Yoo, Cha Eun Woo, and Ji Chang Wook to name a few. You can follow her on @puja_talwar7 on Instagram.
