Is Cha Joo-young the Next Big Star? A Deep Dive into Her Captivating Role in Climax

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Cha Joo‑young, who broke out on Netflix’s The Glory (2022 and 2023), delivered a finely tuned study of a character’s shifting psychology. Her chilling performance — down to the microtremors of her facial muscles — commanded attention.

In ENA’s Monday–Tuesday drama Climax, the episode that aired on March 30 followed Lee Yang‑mi (Cha Joo‑young) as she revised a carefully plotted plan. Earlier in the series, Lee had been maneuvering to corner Bang Tae‑seop (Ju Ji‑hoon) and Chu Sang‑a (Ha Ji‑won).

Lee confronts an unforeseen twist: through Kwon Jong‑wook (Oh Jung‑se), she learns that Kwon Se‑myung (Kim Hong‑pa) may be tied to the O Gwang‑jae (Seo Hyun‑woo) case that Choi Ji‑ho (Oh Seung‑hoon) exposed. The suggestion that Kwon could be the real killer leaves her momentarily stunned.

When Lee goes to find Kwon, she sees him talking with Bang Tae‑seop. After Kwon collapses, Lee rushes forward; his cutting words drain the color from her face and silence the room.

But she is not easily intimidated. A flicker of fear passes, then Lee studies the unconscious Kwon with a sharp, calculating look that betrays a dangerous ambition. She immediately issues orders to Choi Ji‑ho, leaving viewers wondering what she will do next.

Cha Joo‑young brings Lee’s emotional volatility to life, pulling viewers into the character’s interior with magnetic clarity. In her confrontation with Kwon Jong‑wook, a dismissive tone gives way to vulnerability, revealing how the plot’s unexpected turns unsettle Lee’s inner world.

Most notably, her nuanced shifts between fear and ambition in front of Kwon ratchet up the episode’s tension. Backed by rigorous technique and range, Cha continues to captivate audiences week after week.

Climax airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 10 p.m. and streams on KT Genie TV and Disney+.

Sojeong Lee, TenAsia reporter