Wholesome Kdrama
I’ve been a fan of Sejeong so I was so excited to hear about her new drama. I may be biased but this was so cute and heartwarming! The friendships between the two males leads and females leads were adorable. This definitely brings me back to when I first watched kdramas.It has that cheesyness and cliches that all of them do but done in the right way. Sejeongs acting was phenomenal! She played such a bright character so well. Let’s not forgot about her iconic lines!
Of course like everyone else… I agree that the ending was rushed. Like what ever happened to the grandpa? Other than that I really enjoyed the drama :)
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This review may contain spoilers
Well, despite not really feeling like I fully embraced this K-drama, I really did enjoy it. I do not watch and enjoy many Korean romance dramas, which is the reason. Surprise, right? But still, I would say I enjoyed it on a minimal level. It definitely had an old-fashioned, romantic K-drama vibe, which I kind of love.The fact that I dislike tricking someone I am dating and that it was glaringly obvious that his girlfriend and his employee are the same person are two major reasons why I may not have enjoyed this drama to the fullest. You cannot tell me that wigs and makeup, especially the kind that was applied to the lead female character, will completely alter someone's appearance. I suppose I really cannot say because it might change in some circumstances. But like I said earlier, it is actually a good K-drama.
Consequently, this is a must-watch for anyone who enjoys Korean romantic comedies.
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Hilarious
So I am relatively new to the kdrama scene but I am aware of Clichés in romance and got the idea of this tv show playing into them.The first episode was hialrious, and to be honest there were a lot of comical scenes later on as well. The main actress is very fun and the male lead is protrayed to be just as she percieves him too, an individual full of entitlement.
I do think there are points in which the show lacks, there were some unresolved plot points that would have been nice to see but if you are looking for a laugh and maybe some second hand embarrassment this show is great.
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Very cliche but amazing well made and fun
The cast are amazing for this. Everyone got great lines and delivery and the situation is sometimes so out of this world,you just have to sit and watch everything unfold into madness lolI'm surprised these well put together shows and also very popular shows don't get more seasons but I'm sure there more stories they can tell but I guess they don't over stay their welcome.
But I do enjoy this one a lot. The main 4 cast members are amazing.
Looking forward seeing more stuff about all of them.
I've already seen the other brother in other stuff already.
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This review may contain spoilers
A Must Watch
A great RomCom.Comedy: Well written/acted/presented comedy scenes.
Story: is good. A simple well known story. They did not try to do too much with the story. Kept it simple. Sometimes less is more. For this show it was more than enough.
Acting: Very good. Especially FL. Supporting Female Actress was a good find.
ML did a decent job to carry the show.
Seo Hye Won was funny as hell. I rewatched her scenes few times. Cute and Funny.
ScreenPlay: Very well done.
Love the show.
This is one of the show I thought it could have more episodes.
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A Solid, Lighthearted Watch
The "Reel" AttractionLike many, I was drawn to this drama through viral clips and reels. While I am not usually a big fan of the rom-com genre, I decided to give this one a chance specifically for the lead actor, Ahn Hyo-seop. Having loved his intense, serious acting in Dr. Romantic 2, it was interesting to see him shift into a more "cartoonish" and arrogant CEO role.
The Real Stars: The Power Duos
For me, the romantic plot was secondary. The true highlight of the series was the friendship duos.
The Womance: The bond between the two female leads was goals. Seeing a drama where the women actually support each other and have fun together—rather than fighting over a man—was the most refreshing part of the show.
The Bromance: The relationship between the CEO and his secretary was equally entertaining. Their bickering and underlying loyalty felt more "exciting" than the predictable romance tropes.
Plot & Pacing
The story is nice and easy to follow, but it lacks the high-stakes tension I usually look for in a drama. It hits all the classic clichés: a blind date mix-up, a fake relationship, and a grumpy boss. While it’s executed well and the production is bright and polished, it wasn't quite "exciting" enough to keep me on the edge of my seat. It’s a "comfort" watch—good for when you want to turn your brain off and just smile.
Final Verdict
If you are watching for deep plot twists or heavy emotional journeys, this might not be for you. However, if you are a fan of Ahn Hyo-seop or you simply enjoy seeing great friendship chemistry, it’s a fun ride. It didn't convert me into a rom-com lover, but I don't regret the time spent watching these duos on screen.
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This review may contain spoilers
Just let some things go and you will enjoy.
Business proposal is a fun, yet frustrating rom-com. The writing is good but at times it gets in the way of the bright, entertaining cast.In the entire series, main actress Se-Jeong (Shin-Hari) stands out. There were times in the story when her talents were underutilized at crucial moments. As a whole, the story was entertaining and fun, but halfway through it became repetitive and redundant. There was a feeling that they were trying to stretch 130% beyond the main theme. As the series went on, this improved towards the last three or four episodes. Yeong-Seo, the best friend of the main character Shin Hari, seemed to have more chemistry with her boyfriend than she did. Now I see why they shared the best couple award. Business Proposal provides some fun laugh out loud moments. So, I do recommend it. You just may have to try and not take it too seriously...
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The plot covers two romances:
Plot A: the perfect billionaire grandson who falls for a pretty, silly and loveable girl from a humble background
Plot B: the rebellious billionaire daughter who falls for a serious, earnest, and secretly hot man with a bit of a past
The plots carries along with hijinks, and secrets, and slapstick humor. Never too stressful, serious, or well, unexpected.
Comparisons to Secretary Kim are inevitable. But in Secretary Kim, the power balance is much more subversive.
The acting is competent all around, but the chemistry between the two main leads was a bit lacking. Common for the genre, but they both were like two teenagers with a crush. The secondary romance was much more naturalistic and lived in, and they had good banter and physical chemistry. I enjoyed that romance a lot more.
Music didn't really register, no need to really rewatch. I grade on other criteria:
Complex Themes: 5
Follow your heart and be earnest and everything will work out. Lies are always found out.
Character Growth: 4
Really, none.
Interactions between Women: 6
The main female lead genuinely engages with her female coworkers about developing products and succeeding at their goals. While interactions with her mother and best friend are often centered around men, they are not always, and the main lead has plenty of screentime with other women.
Production values: 7.5
At this point, I expect more. While with a larger budget than dramas of 10 years ago, the clothing and style was a bit lackluster, as were the sets. There was little to no creativity attempted with the filming.
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Is Business Proposal an outstandingly written Korean drama or just so so run-of-the-mill?
Business Proposal is a very well written Korean drama. If you did not get that, each person has his own taste, but I think that you missed something. Many seem to have missed the intricate nuances from this great concept drama. Business Proposal is a real-time parody of the melodrama being viewed by the grandfather on the television at the same time the Korean drama we are viewing is running concurrently. As the grandfather watches the over-the-top melodrama on Television, the real-time action of the drama Business Proposal becomes more over-the-top, while parodying that action seen on TV. I have not seen this concept in a Korean drama. Do you understand how hard it is to write two dramas in one and intertwine them seamlessly into one cohesive drama (like with Extraordinary You)? This was not a run-of-the-mill drama. If you did not catch the parody of the TV drama being acted out real-time in the main drama that you were watching, you might want to watch this drama again with a different lens.The girl in the TV melodrama the grandfather is watching does not get the approval of the rich TV parents, because she is the daughter of the owner of a fried chicken shack. Not only is the lead female of Business Proposal the daughter of a fried chicken shack owner, the lead female even takes the name of the lead character (Shin Geum-hui) as a pseudonym from the TV drama the grandfather is watching. Also the rich son wants to marry for love and wants to be free from parental control and choose the person he loves. The grandfather exclaims, “It is hard to get married these days”.
Secondly, Business Proposal has several reverse Korean drama tropes or tropes formally acted upon by the male lead which in this drama is acted upon by the female lead.
The female lead holds the umbrella over the male lead first. The female lead kisses the male lead first, but calls it an accident. This is when the male lead asked if his mouth was a light pole that she could just run into by accident? The female lead was the one escaping abroad in the break-up instead of the male lead trying to escape the relationship through break up and moving abroad. The female lead pinned the male lead to the wall, instead of the reverse, all adding inventiveness to the story. I thoroughly enjoyed the Korean drama Business Proposal and it was in my top five for the year 2022 for its acting, editing, all star cast, and comedy relief. Some may want to give Business Proposal a second look.
Whenever you see the TV melodrama the grandfather is viewing, please look for that action to be played out in real-time action in the main drama in scenes to come. If a Korean drama speed is going too fast to read subtitles and view the action, there is no shame in stopping the action and reading the subtitles then rewinding the drama to view the action again. Sometimes, the action does go to fast and I don’t have a problem using the pause button.
Whenever I want to convince a nonbeliever that Korean dramas are the way to go, I use the Korean drama Business Proposal. Viewing this drama always makes a new Korean drama convert. Because of the top notch hilarity in the drama, you may want to clear space around you for rolling all over the floor before viewing, however.
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A Captivating Romantic Comedy
The television series "A Business Proposal" follows the story of a young employee who, due to a misunderstanding, finds herself having to go on a date with her company's director. The plot, masterfully crafted, evokes a deep emotional impact on the viewer, creating an immediate connection.The actors' performances are exceptional, maintaining a high level of quality from beginning to end, contributing to making the viewing experience extremely enjoyable. The main characters skillfully capture the essence of their roles, conveying authentic emotions and engaging the audience in a captivating manner.
"A Business Proposal" is a KDrama that definitely deserves a recommendation, especially for fans of romantic comedies who want to laugh and immerse themselves in an engaging storyline. The series offers a perfect balance between humorous moments and touches of sweetness, creating a captivating atmosphere that will leave the audience craving for more.
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This review may contain spoilers
As a hopeless romantic, I truly enjoyed it!
I have been a hopeless romantic all my life, yet seen so few rom-coms. At first, I was a bit hesitant because I usually watch crimi and psychological thrillers. Nevertheless, I did not regret it!All the actors did an amazing job. I especially liked the acting of Lee DeokHwa, who played Kang TaeMoo's grandfather. His character was so funny, and he managed to deliver it so well. Hats off to main leads, too! I really liked the female lead's personality. She was an independent and strong woman, yet goofy and cute. The male lead was very loveable. At first, he might seem to be your typical cold and ruthless CEO, but that could not be farther away from the truth!
It was full of clichés, but not to my surprise; We are talking about a rom-com, after all. However, they were all well made, never once annoying or boring. The story was predictable, but it still managed to hold my attention until the very end. There was a lot of romance, no breakup or love triangle. Both the main and second couple had great chemistry and a lot of kissing scenes, which were all well executed.
The only thing I did not like that much was the ending. It felt a bit rushed and left a lot of questions. When it turned out the grandfather had an illness and they had to leave South Korea, I could not wrap my head around it. Why introduce such a deep and complex storyline in the last episode?! We did not get a proper ending for the second couple as well.
I really liked the "drama in a drama" solution. I wish we could have seen more of that series the grandfather was always watching! All the animations were funny and gave a nice mood to the whole.
If you like rom-coms with loveable characters and no annoying clichés, I definitely recommend you this one!
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This review may contain spoilers
When the best friend goals are this strong you can't go wrong!
The relationship between the best friends in this show is so wholesome. They’re funny and messy and so chaotic it’s absolutely relatable. Shin Ha-ri and Young-seo are absolute goals. They’re both head strong women trying so hard to be independent and successful but also secretly wish to be wooed (a secret I think most of us share these days).
The main couple themselves (Kang Tae Moo and Shin Ha-ri) are so sweet. While Kang Tae Moo might start off as the typical cold-hearted mean spirited boss, it doesn’t last all too long as he opens himself up in a way that is both endearing and funny. The series presents plenty of wonderfully light-hearted moments intermingled with drama. Shin Ha-ri’s family dynamic is realistic and its what makes her so likeable as a main lead. She has an embarrassingly loud but loveable mother and a brother who is simultaneously always there and yet never around when needed. Kim Se – jeong does a remarkable job of portraying Shin Ha-ri, as she is sometimes clumsy and awkward around Kang Tae Moo but somehow it’s never cringey. A defining moment for me in the series was that at some point both female characters found themselves in an embarrassing situation and both male leads stepped up to help without blinking an eye. More over the fact, once it was over, they didn’t speak about it again. They made it so the girls were allowed to keep there dignity. Many shows would not have given them such a courtesy. The show is filled with moments where the characters learn to lean on each other – a particularly endearing episode sees Shin Ha-Ri realising one of Kang Tae Moo’s fears and subtly helping him through it. She’s rather masterful in how she does it and you can’t help but love her for it. It’s sweet and one hell of a green flag moment.
An important point to note (for me at least), is that unlike in What’s wrong with Secretary Kim, the female lead here does not sacrifice her own ambitions for the male lead. Shin Ha-Ri’s an ambitious and exceptionally smart woman and in both cases (Shin Ha-ri and Jin Young-seo) they follow through with their own goals. It’s hearty and wholesome and a completely perfect comfort show. It does not disappoint in the romance or drama genre. I only wished it was longer. 12 episodes didn’t feel like it was enough for these characters and I would have loved to see more of Shin Ha-Ri and the grandfather bonding towards the end. Another time jump last episode but it wasn’t as painful as you’d think.
The cast and performance:
Ahn Hyo-seop and Kim Se-jeong give a brilliant performance as the main leads in this drama. But if you’ve been following this drama you might have heard about the secondary leads, Seol In-ah and Kim Min-kyu who basically steal the show at every turn. The actors delivered so well on the comedy and managed to balance it out well with the romance and drama. It was an all round brilliant performance.
Final thoughts:
I personally loved with office romance over What’s wrong with secretary Kim? But that’s my own preference. There is plenty to love in this drama. Its sincere, heartfelt comedy that will melt your heart. It’s got some brilliant characters with great depth and the relationships in this are all top tier. From Shin Ha-ri’s relationships with Young-seo, to that she shares with her family and Kang Tae-moo, it will leave you wanting more. As I said 12 episodes was just not enough.
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