There is hardly any romance to speak of. This is a rarity in the Kdrama world and many people will criticize Kdramas (and often rightly so) that there is too much romance, and that it is often stupid and cringe worthy. Not with Misaeng. You think at the start that there would be romance, but then you realise that the story doesn't focus on that at all. This drama to me, was all about subverting expectations. Melodramatic and over-the-top music? None of that. Corny acting? None of that. Predictable plot? Not at all. Every episode ends on a happy, or at least somewhat happy ending? Certainly not. This drama goes to some very, very dark places and that's why some people can't handle it. But if you want to watch something realistic, and not have everything end with "happily ever after", then this is for you.
On top of all that, the acting is first-class. I loved how most of the actors in this weren't extremely well-known, and they chose quality over popularity. The main actor Im Si-wan is great, and you will feel sympathy for him from the first episode. The supporting cast are also wonderful. But it is Lee Sung-min who truly is the best, and gives a world-class performance. I believe he is one of the finest Korean actors of all time.
Finally, when it comes to the plot, Misaeng is also original. The story is a mixture of over-arching story lines, as well as smaller stories contained in each episode. It is by no means an episodic series, but many episodes do contain self-contained plot lines as well as stories which are continued onto the next episode. This is what I love about Misaeng, because it balances both of these out. I usually dislike dramas which focus way too much on plot-lines and having crazy twists at the end of each episode, and not enough time is spent on character development and smaller plot-lines in the background. Misaeng has the perfect mixture. By the end of the 20 episodes, I guarantee you will feel attached to all the wonderful characters, and you'll be very sad. Not because it has a devastatingly depressing ending (it doesn't), but because you'll hate saying goodbye to all the characters, and wishing that the series was longer.
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At first, I struggled to put into words why I enjoyed this show so much. I guess it’s because there are so many relatable and very human moments in this show, and lessons to be learnt. And they are pretty universal, but feel especially relevant to those who work in office environments and large organizations.
The characters are well-developed, and they mostly don’t make decisions that are baffling or completely illogical. Even if they do, their characters and backstories are so well filled-up that you understand and/or empathize with their situations.
Im Shi-wan always strikes me as being too pretty, but I did watch him in The Attorney and he was excellent there. He is also excellent. At the beginning, I found his prettiness really distracting, but he plays the reserved and thoughtful Jang Geu-rae perfectly.
Lee Sung Min is excellent as a frazzled, but compassionate and dogged supervisor, whose gruff demeanour betrays his tender heart.
Byun Yo Han is truly the breakout star of this series, playing a chirpy and sparkling character who must also overcome obstacles and learn what it means to be a worker. Glad to know he’s know getting good roles that are also fitting for his age.
I can totally envision myself rewatching specific episodes, especially after a tough day at work.
Overall, I HIGHLY recommend this show to all.
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The story drive you to the real life.
The cast placed at the right spot and they act perfectly. The characters are strong and impactful that make you miss them after the final episode.
The music support the story very well.
Super worth to watch and re-watch.
The whole production are very detailed. I personally like the shots,cinematography and colour tone.
Highly recommended for 23-35 years old and also for company workers. I don't think this drama has to be reviewed with long lines. It's just perfect tv drama to be watch and enjoy.
Watch! You'll learn something worth to your life.
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So boring...
Everybody seems to love this show so I'm writing this review to offer a different perspective.If you're tired of looking at your aquarium or your screensaver, this show will offer a bit more excitement.
I watched it based on the ratings and recommendations.
I wish I didn't. I don't know how I managed to get through the 20 episodes of 1h15.
The whole thing could have been summed up in 1 episode.
Watching the people in this office is almost as boring as watching the people in my office.
There so little to say about this show that I have to write this sentence to reach the 500 characters limit.
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The story at first seems (through reading the synopsis) as a simple story, which you'd think might be rather dull or not original enough, but then you watch and you're swept off your feet.
I am just genuinely so thankful for the boom the drama had in Korea and among the Korean drama fans on the internet, because otherwise I would have lost the marvelous chance of enjoying and falling in love to pieces with this one of a time drama.
This drama might seem heavy to some people at one look, and I can imagine people who would read people's reviews on how they felt they could relate to Jang Gu Rae and feel like they all experienced his efforts and hard-times, they'd think "we are not old enough/ we have not been employed yet/ I am housewife" and etc...just not expecting to feel any relation to the drama or its characters, but oh are they soooo wrong. I am positive any viewer whichever age they might be whichever their background or education and employment status might be, will see themselves beautifully reflected in many of the characters of the drama and not just the protagonist Jang Gu Rae.
I can never explain how I was so glad I gave this drama a chance, and I can never tell you how you will be attached to each and every character in this well-written drama even the nasty characters which are supposed to portray a negative aspect, because you will still relate to their imperfections and their errors, and you will at one time be cheering against them and the next moment cheering for them.
This drama portrays company life in Korea, and many parts and developments in the story rely on certain cultural aspects in Korea, the former and/or the latter might differ slightly ~ greatly from other countries' but I believe the main message the drama aspires to convey, and the biggest picture it is trying to draw through its story and characters, is a universal one that is similar everywhere.
One of the best Korean dramas I have watched and will mostly ever watch (I have to be honest I can never be sure about the last part because the Korean drama industry keeps surprising us with well-worthy dramas like this one). I believe anyone who for any reason didn't/decided not to watch or has been putting off this drama for later, is definitely missing on a great and exceptional experience...you're thinking I'm exaggerating? with that thought give it a try and judge for yourself.
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Excellent writing, acting, directing, and cinematography.
None of the characters are perfect. They are real people, just like us. They face the same worries. They experience the same office politics and the reality of the unjust working world.
No kdrama cliches in this drama. No makjang plot devices. Just a simple story about an average guy entering an office, and working hard, like many of us do today.
Happy endings are not always possible, because we don't live in a fairytale world. But we can create our own versions of fairy tales, as we pursue our chosen dreams.
In the office, you might face sexism, unfairness towards junior talent, nepotism, unsound business practices, people taking credit for your work, and more. You might have to question your own ethics as you pursue success. You will also meet mentors and rivals. With each project, you will create precious memories with comrades, which become the foundation of close friendships and mutual respect. We don't live a perfect world, but it is full of color and richness as we deal with both the good and the bad,
The entire drama is a work of art. There are a lot of subtle moments, which is refreshing compared to many korean dramas that just "tell" you what's going on. The use of music is meticulous. The way it has most of the scenes without any background music is more comparable to that of many American films.
As you watch, you become completely invested in the characters. You want them to be able to overturn all of the injustice they face in the office. While some injustice is dealt with and some are not, the leads still live on bravely. At the end, you still feel completely satisfied, as you experience some pretty incredible character development across the ensemble cast.
As Senior Manager Oh said, "To win is to endure." And so, we continue to endure on, in the multifaceted and colorful real life that we live in, to be the winners of our lives.
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A series that must be watched....
I am one of those people who always like romantic kdramas, or even if it is office drama, I expect the romance. but miseang isn't like that.it is one of those series that perfectly shows the reality of working in the corporate world. but doesn't mean you feel mundane like your work life.
the show, with every episodes, teaches me a valuable lesson, and also taught me a lot about corporate terms.
this is the kind of show only adults can say how great it is made.
i even went to Wikipedia page to see the viewership percentage, and with every episode the viewership increased in ascending order. if a drama has a viewership rating from episode one low to gradually increasing to highest, you can simply say this is a masterpiece.
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A real slice of life masterpiece
The younger demographic who haven't entered the workforce yet may not find this drama too interesting but as a working adult, I was absolutely invested in the plot and characters of this drama.This isn't your typical romantic kdrama where a female employee gets with the CEO, but that was one of the reasons why this drama was so refreshing. It showed the hardships, struggles, as well as the happy moments associated with office life. This drama made me laugh, tear up, and at times just completely feel like I was in the same boat as the characters.
Definitely recommend this drama to all the people in the workforce who are at a point in their lives where they feel like they are not progressing or feel stuck in the same spot. Misaeng really helped me heal a lot from the struggles I was facing at the time I watched this.
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This isn't your typical kdrama and that's a good thing...
This isn't your typical kdrama and that's a good thing, it's memorable and stands out for being unique,disclaimer i'm not saying this is the only drama out there that stands out because they are plenty more.
STORY
The story is pretty good, when you strip it all down its pretty basic but that's what i enjoyed about it because it didn't require too much attention but it also didn't get boring that you'd want to drop it.
TIP WHEN WATCHING (skip if u want): The story often links things to the game Go but don't let this put you off if you don't know how to play because I don't and the messages were easily understood but I also turned a Go scenario into a chess one because that's the board game I know well and that also added a sense of nostalgia.
ACTING/CAST
Honestly the reason why this whole show worked was due to it's amazing casting. Even just looking at the actors in their roles you could get a sense for their characters characteristics and this goes for all of the characters, their acting went hand and hand with this and it made for one of the best castings they could've achieved.
MUSIC
I'm not great on commenting on music because I feel its all down to personal taste and its not something I actively listened out for in this drama.
RE-WATCH VALUE
I don't think this is that re-watchable as a whole but maybe as an episode, just due to the episode lengths being long and with the amount of episodes but again I think you'll only truly know this yourself if you watch the series (you should its good).
OVERALL (GENRES/SIMILAR DRAMAS/...e.c.t...)
GENRES
This Drama was a roller coaster of emotions the tags and genres pretty much sum it up.
E.C.T...
Jang Geu Rae must be protected at all cost.
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Precious life lessons
It's been a long time since I last gave a drama 10 stars but here we are. Misaeng is a true gem that brings both stress and relief to your soul in your hardest moments. This drama caught me in some of my difficults periods of my life and gave me so much strenght, helped me deal with stress and insecure thoughts I've been having for such a long time about my place in my life, about my life path, my goals and my journey. There are two characters that warmed my heart and made me proud even though they're roles but I do believe that we need more people like them in this world. One of them is undoubtedly Han Suk Yool. The very best symbol of kindness, fragility, dignity and loyalty and I absolutely adored him. I love people like him in real life and I couldn't help but love him in the movie as well. Byun Yo Han did such an amazing job with his role and I'm rarely impressed.Oh Sang Shik is the other character that is sharing the same moral values as me and that reasurred me that this is totally fine. It's just that life's more difficult that way. He's the type of a mentor that every person needs in life, and who will lead you to the right path and he will do it without any back thoughts.
The drama touches on so many important topics humanity needs to think about everyday because all those things are just a huge burden for all of us. Apart from all of it, Misaeng is a great example of the typical korean lifestyle, the hierarchy culture and the excessive stress that it leads to, especially for those who work in big companies.
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