Cha Ju-young is gaining attention for her unique villainous character in ENA's Monday-Tuesday drama "Climax." Completely different from the stewardess Hye-jung she portrayed in "The Glory," she showcases a new acting transformation through this work.

"Climax" depicts the fierce survival competition among prosecutor Bang Tae-seop (Ju Ji-hoon), who joins a cartel to reach the pinnacle of power, and the people surrounding him. The drama deals with the dark realities intertwined with politics and the entertainment industry, recording a nationwide paid viewership rating of 3.9% according to Nielsen Korea after just three episodes.

In the drama, Cha Ju-young plays Lee Yang-mi, the president of WR Hotel and a key figure in WR Group, who holds power through sexual bribery in the entertainment industry. Cha Ju-young uses her mid-low voice and distinctive acting tone to express Lee Yang-mi's forced elegance and the true nature of her power. Especially, the changes in her voice when belittling and intimidating others versus when giving specific instructions reveal the character's duality. Additionally, exaggerated physical acting, such as insulting actress Chu Sang-ah (Ha Ji-won) or jumping on a trampoline in front of a male instructor, emphasizes the character's sense of power.

The character Lee Yang-mi attracted actors' interest from the script stage, and Cha Ju-young collaborated with director Lee Ji-won on set, exchanging ideas and discussing speech patterns, visuals, and props to create a three-dimensional character. Director Lee evaluated, "It was a role that could easily lose balance, but she completed Lee Yang-mi with her own elegant yet cheeky charm."

In the third week of March, Cha Ju-young ranked within the top 10 in the Good Data Corporation Fundex survey of popular actors, alongside Ju Ji-hoon and Ha Ji-won. Among viewers, there are ongoing reactions that her styling, which makes it difficult to guess her age, and her rhythmic speech are impressive.