Kim Bo-ra to Lead K-Pop Vertical Drama 'The Real Heiress' on ReelShort

Actress Kim Bo-ra is stepping into short-form drama for the first time. She will lead the vertical series "The Real Heiress" (Jinjja Jaebeol 3sega Naya!), a teen romance set in an elite international high school.

The project is a co-production between KT Studio Genie and the global short-form drama platform ReelShort. Short-form vertical dramas, filmed for phone screens and released in bite-sized episodes, have become one of the fastest-growing formats in Asian streaming.

"The Real Heiress" takes place at Hwimyeong International High School, a campus ruled by the children of powerful families. The story follows Hae-in, the true heiress hiding her identity, and Si-eun, the fake heiress who has taken her place. The two clash over a recommendation letter to the world's top university, along with love, ambition, and power. Kim Bo-ra plays Hae-in, while Ahn Sol-bin plays Si-eun.

Hae-in is the only daughter of Chairman Seo, who runs MK Group, described in the series as South Korea's leading financial conglomerate and the operator of Asia's largest private equity fund. She refuses to lean on her family name and instead carves out her own path. Even under pressure, she stays composed.

Kim Bo-ra is known to K-drama audiences for her work across a wide range of genres. Her past credits include the dramas "SKY Castle," "Touch," "Flowers Blooming in the Sand" (Moraedo Kkochi Pinda), "Black Out," and "Mantis" (Samagwi: Sarinjaui Oechul), as well as the films "Ghost Mansion" (Goegimaenshyeon) and "Metro Ghost Train" (Oksuyeok Gwisin). "The Real Heiress" marks her first project in the vertical short-form space.

Born in 1995, Kim Bo-ra made her acting debut in 2005 with the drama "Wedding." She married director Cho Ba-reun, whom she met on the set of "Ghost Mansion" in 2021, in June 2024 after three years of dating. The couple announced their divorce in May of last year, 11 months into the marriage.

"The Real Heiress" premieres on ReelShort on the 23rd.