Drama Views: Misaeng (2014)

A workplace drama about Jang Geu Rae (Im Si Wan), his beloved Sales Team 3 comprising of Chief Oh (Lee Sung Min), Assistant Manager Dong Sik and Chief Chun, and his fellow interns - Ahn Young Yi (Kang So Ra), Jang Baek Ki (Kang Ha Neul) and Han Suk Yool (Byun Yo Han).



Pros:

- All around brilliant acting. So much so that I thought Siwan was the weakest. He is already very good, but surrounded by even better actors and actresses with more experience. They made me feel for the characters every step of the way. Special kudos to Lee Sung Min’s Chief Oh and Byun Yo Han’s Han Suk Yool. Byun Yo Han is already getting offers for lead roles! He’s super cute too, if I may add.

- Hitting the sweet spot of great writing, directing and acting. The writing was helped by the presence of a manhwa source, but not all manhwa adaptations succeed. Having gone through a similar (but less intense) experience of what Jang Geu Rae went through in his first few days at work, in being completely clueless to office work with everyone too busy to help, I could fully relate to what he felt. The director also made great stylistic choices. I especially loved the scene where Jang Geu Rae was looking at Chief Oh, and the background lights became heart-shaped! The entire show was a visual treat.

- Wonderful female leads in Ahn Young Yi and Director Sun (Shin Eun Jung). I particularly loved Director Sun because it is SO relatable, the difficult art of balancing a career and being a mom. And that she was such a supporting pillar for Chief Oh.

- Character growth was a prominent theme. Throughout the show we saw how all 4 interns grew, and it was one of the most satisfying takeaways at the end of the show. Jang Baek Ki growing from self-entitled guy who thinks he knows it all to one who knows how to ask for help and give credit to others’ hard work. Jang Geu Rae from that meek guy everyone steps on to a confident trading man with radical ideas. Ahn Young Yi stepping out from her past shadows. Han Suk Yool from being too impatient and doing stupid things like ratting on his boss on the company forum (-.-) to having the patience to just wait for karma to befall his superior. I particularly loved Suk Yool’s growth. I seriously hated him when he first appeared, but he was my favourite character by the end.

Cons:

- Sometimes too overwrought directing, with too many voiceovers. I like them, but at times it just felt TOO MUCH.

- The super unrealistic scenes in Jordan. The scenes with Jang Geu Rae jumping over rooftops was just unrealistic….a pity since the rest of the show was built on realism.

Favourite Scenes:

Jang Geu Rae treating Young Yi like a momma duck on his first day of work. Super cute!!

When Chief Oh and Director Sun were on the rooftop talking about Jang Geu Rae’s future.
(Actually I just love all scenes that have Chief Oh and Director Sun. Their friendship gives me warm fuzzies.)