Edited by Seo Hayne
Translated by Kim Hoyeun
A workplace is where you work to get paid, but some enjoy office romance as well. While working eight hours a day, they sneakily indulge in secretive, romantic overtures. JTBC’s The Interest of Love, which is steadily gaining popularity, depicts the romance inside the bank. In Extraordinary Attorney Woo, which became a breakout hit last year, Park Eun Bin and Kang Tae Oh’s office romance doubled the fun of the drama. This article introduces the dramas and movies that deal with office romance.
Business Proposal (2022)
Business Proposal tells the story of a girl who met her boss on a blind date she went to per her best friend’s request. Ha Ri, who tries to avoid her boss, Tae Moo, whom she met as her friend, ends up starting a contract relationship with him, and their awkward and stiff relationship turns soft as the two grow closer after going through various incidents. The drama received great love for its fast-paced, delightful portrayal of a typical love story of a rich man and an ordinary woman. The cartoon-like directing and the actors’ deft performance also added to the fun of the show. In particular, Kim Se Jeong‘s performance in her first rom-com continued to make headlines, and her chemistry with Ahn Hyo Seop also received a great response.
Forecasting Love and Weather (2022)
Forecasting Love and Weather draws out the work and love of the people working at the Korea Meteorological Administration. Park Min Young and Song Kang turned into those in a secret realistic yet heart-fluttering relationship. The story moves swiftly, unraveling an office romance, an affair, calling off the engagement, and another office romance in just four episodes. Also, each episode compared the situation the characters were in with the weather, drawing sympathy from the viewers. For example, when the female lead was about to start a new relationship after getting hurt by her long-time lover and fiance, her confusing thoughts were compared to “the change of seasons.” The work life of the characters is also quite interesting, proving the effort the writer has put in by doing her research at the KMA for two years.
She Would Never Know (2021)
She Would Never Know tells the romance between Yoon Song Ah (Won Jin Ah) and Chae Hyun Seung (Rowoon), two members of the marketing team of a cosmetic brand. Yoon Song Ah, a marketer in the third year of her career, has been dating Lee Jae Shin (Lee Hyun Wook), the team leader, for two years. But one day, Hyun Seung finds out about their relationship, and to make things worse, Song Ah realizes that Jae Shin is actually getting ready to tie the knot with the granddaughter of the founder of the company (Lee Joo Been). Hyun Seung tells Song Ah, “Don’t put on that lipstick (also the Korean title),” which implies that she’ll put on a new lipstick after throwing away the old one. The show calmly portrays the love of these two people who go through various events to confirm their feelings for each other.
Monthly Magazine Home (2021)
Monthly Magazine Home, starring Jung So Min and Kim Ji Seok, depicts the romance between the CEO of a magazine and the new editor. Misunderstanding-to-love story is quite familiar, but this drama differentiated itself from the other rom-coms by using the topic of “getting my own place,” people’s biggest concern these days. Viewers especially sympathized with the realistic portrayals of characters with different values of “home.”
What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim (2018)
What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim garnered immense love worldwide, thanks to Park Seo Joon and Park Min Young‘s fantastic chemistry. The story begins when Secretary Kim, who has flawlessly assisted the vice chairman for nine years, suddenly tells her boss she wants to resign to live her own life. Lee Young Joon goes all out to stop her from resigning, even proposing to her, and their relationship that goes from boss-secretary to romance allows a new kind of fun. The actors’ performance that vividly gave life to the characters’ personalities received lavish praises, and Kim Seo Joon and Park Min Young’s kiss scene became a hot topic.
Love and Leashes (2022)
Netflix movie Love and Leashes is a rom-com based on BDSM. The story begins when a “special item” Jung Ji Hoo (Lee Jun Young) bought for himself for his sexual fantasies gets mistakenly delivered to Jung Ji Woo (Seohyun). Though the movie doesn’t include such explicit scenes, it received favorable responses by colorfully painting out two people with different tastes and fetishes starting double life with a secretive contract relationship. Seohyun and Lee Jun Young’s transformation in the movie is also quite refreshing.
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Editor Seo Hayne: I like actors as they faithfully lead through their long running-time. I also like idols who accomplish everything on stage within 3 minutes.
