Unlock My Boss

Just mixt fatasy/thriler/humor => An excellent watch

Eye-catching series that skillfully mixes fantasy, suspense, humor + a hint of romance. She is brought to life by great actors (I discovered Chae Jong Hyeop, who I find fantastic in this role).

PLOT: an unemployed man discovers by chance a smartphone, in which the CEO of an IT company was stuck. He will replace him as CEO and they will together try to understand, what led them in this situation, with the assistant's help.

PROS:
+ great casting, all the actors are good, including the child.
+ intelligent story, careful production, dynamic
+ cool OSTs

CONS:
- I'm a romantic, I would have liked a little more romance.
********************************************************************************
Série accrocheuse qui mêle habilement fantastique, suspense, humour + un soupçon de romance. Elle est mise en vie par de super acteurs (j'ai ainsi découvert Chae Jong Hyeop, que je trouve fantastique dans ce rôle).

PLOT: un chômeur découvre par hasard un smartphone, dans lequel s'est retrouvé coincé le CEO d'une société d'IT. Il va devoir le remplacer comme CEO et ils vont essayer de comprendre, avec l'aide de son assistante, ce qui les a mené là.

PROS:
+ super casting, tous les acteurs sont bons, y compris l'enfant.
+ story intelligente, réalisation soignée, dynamique
+ OST sympas
CONS:
- Etant une romantique, j'aurai aimé un peu plus de romance.

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Surprisingly fun to watch!

I know this drama, but I'm not really following this drama from the first time the drama aired. I was just randomly scrolling my Netflix homepage and found it on the top 10. I just watched it and surprisingly, it was fun?? I continue watching it until the end.

I know the story is not the kind of unique story, but I don't know why I keep watching it because it's fun.

I was also surprised for the actors. There are many famous actors in this drama and it makes the drama even better. The thing that I really like is the comedy scene that makes this drama really funny. I mean, the hyperbolic scene makes it even funnier.

I guess that's it. These days, I was not really in the mood to watch kdrama, but this drama makes me want to watch more dramas.

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Unlocked a gem!

What a treat this turned out to be. I was ridiculously sceptical about starting this drama as I thought the premise was quite a silly one. Someone being trapped in a phone? Get real! In all honesty it exceeded my expectations on more than one front.

The casting for this drama was done exceptionally well and translated through to the characters brilliantly. Not only did we get relationships in all forms and ages, we were able to emotionally connect and become attached to the bonds formed amongst the characters. Gi So Yoo did an incredible job playing Park Sung Woong’s daughter and the way she bonded with each character differently spoke volumes about the writing of the characters, especially the bond formed with Kim Sung Oh’s character, Ma Pi. There was special care taken to think and flesh out each character and their contribution to the show. This was evident in the final product and how easily attached we, the audience, became.

A special shout out goes to Ahn Nae Sang, because it was lovely to see him play such a dorkable character that actually lives past the second episode! His pairing with Kim Young Sun as his wife was also a great match for comedic banter between the two and their robot!

We cannot forget to mention the mystery element about the phone. How did the CEO get inside the phone? Was the CEO in the phone, actually the real CEO? Who was the mastermind behind it all? Did the CEO’s body disappear? For each episode you were kept guessing as to how it all came together and who the real villain of the story was. Surprisingly this was done without dragging and without making you feel stupid with a sprinkle of romance to keep our hearts in beat.

All in all, the flow of this drama was such an easy going one that even though being a mystery, it was light, easy and enjoyable to watch.

x dramafoxx

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Unlock My Boss wasn't something I saw myself getting interested in, but gave it a try anyways. I'm glad I did too! I couldn't stop watching and wondering what the conclusion was going to be.

I loved the balance this drama gave between thriller/mystery with a comedic relief. It always picked the right moments for comedy and switched when it needed to be serious. I felt that it would be hard to do, especially when one of your main characters is a smartphone, but it wasn't cheesy or weird at all.

This is one of those dramas where you love all the characters and the little found family they start making. I loved Se-Yeon and Mafia so much. I also loved Min-A and the light moments she helps put into the show. Chae Jong-Hyeop does such a great job portraying Park In-Seong and switching between his real self and his "acting" ceo self.

There were a few ups and downs within the story itself and honestly the end left a lot of unanswered questions and a good open ending. That would be my main issue with the show after watching. It does leave an ending perfect for a second season, but hate having to wait to see if there is one. Especially with the way they leave you off.

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Unexpectedly Good

I honestly have to give it up for Unlock My Boss...I genuinely didn't think this series would turn out to be good because I thought the story sounded silly, like you can't blame me on that part. But I gave it a go and it had me captivated, the storyline was unexpectedly good and it was actually interesting.

The only bad side about this entire series is the ending, it was rather abrupt and tho the ending was satisfying I wanted to see a little more(?) like you barely saw what happened with Min-a after Hyun-Ho got arrested and her dad returned in a PVA state and she's left only with Soojin at home — or are Insung and Seyeon still living with her? That's something I wanted to see more of and not to mention Inseong and Soyeon's romance. But I guess since the romance is just a side story it's not necessary.

Overall it's a good fantasy/thriller series and I do recommend it.

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a sci-fic that everyone needs to watch ASAP!!

I think this drama has a little bit of potential from the beginning, since it gets you entertained by each scenarios that the story has. But where in fact this drama was a sci-fi, seems interesting and sometimes circulating questions ponders in your head of how he was inside that phone (seems weird, right? :'D). The drama seems to be good, but mixed with reality of dreams and pursuing your goals in life, with unexpected outcomes, bursts with emotions and feelings that I could relate to. With this, I think this drama seems to be okay with me, but I would go through with each parts of why this drama was interesting and entertaining to begin with.

STORY/PLOT
Kim Sun Jo was one of the CEO of the country's largest IT companies in SK, he was a genius as every life plans where planned well, but with challenges left to solve and take that brings him down. Due to its accident that causes his life to twist around in a wrong direction, he became a victims from an unknown killer by a senseless murder. But as he was still in a coma, his spirit was entered in his very own invented smartphone where he got trapped spent his life inside the CPU. Until, a university graduate student who's dream was to be an actor, Park In sung, found out a phone near in his neighborhood and as Sun Jo asked for help to In sung. As he take the advantage to save him, and willing to do the favor of Sun Jo in exchanging for his services. As In Sung entered the company acting as the President/CEO, there he met Sun Jo's secretary Jung Se Yeon. As they are together to solve the case and the truth about where and how did Sun Jo entered to a different dimension.
With this plot when I read everything, I get the point why it seems interesting that the fact that this was sci-fi, and how everything might goes without getting spoiled. When watching, it was very interesting, I think most of the parts of every episodes makes me want to never stop watching it because of how it gets even more interesting and exciting at the same time. With the plot as well, it blends so much with a little bit of romance, even if it focuses more about the comedy and mystery of this drama. But again, the story seems to be well, but then the endings needs to be fixed. I think it would have a better ending then what it was shown to make the story has a better one, with no flaws or I considered it as a good one. I also love how the story really explains how the sad truth gets hidden by how it is covered by people's words and decisions. Sometimes we chose what is better for us or for them, but we don't think of how hidden truths might give us an impact.

CINEMATOGRAPHY AND OST
So with this part, I really REALLY love the OSTS!! every ending scenes of each episodes gives me the thrill when it hooks me in every ending! It really blends every scenes, that make my soul cry, and how it gives reflection to the scenes and the characters feelings during that specific scenes to give atmosphere. The cinematography of this drama was a meh okay for me. There are some scenes that are pretty obvious that the blue cgi was kinda obvious.

CAST AND CHARACTERS
Chae Jong Hyeop, gosh he had lots of potential, especially he got so famous by his character so called "the potato boi" from a famous kdrama nevertheless,, I really like his role, the way he smiles lightens the mood, and nothing really changed his career from the previous projects he had, but for sure I could see lots of improvements, from the sad scenes and such. With his character, Park In Sung was never a disappointment for me, In Sung made his life so much twists that he never expected to involve in a case where he acted to be the CEO without any experience or degree. Park Sung Woong, it was my first time to see him ever since I watched kdramas. I like his role, but sadly I can't see a lot of his acting skills because most of the time, he was only a voice actor. But in his character, Kim Sun Joo was the same with Park In Sung, but the fact where his decisions where never been easy especially as a CEO. Love the way he blends with the other characters as well. Seo Eun Soo, was also the first time I saw here ever since the day I started to watch kdramas. She was pretty good at acting, but before I could really describe her, same as Park Sung Woong, I need to discover both their other projects that are different from their roles in this drama. Well Seo Eun Soo was pretty tbh! I could really see how she fits so well with her role as a secretary. With her character as Jung Se Yeon, I think it was never been easy for her to be part and getting involved by SunJoo's case because she also has personal matters in her private life. Thanks to her boss, she could provide what she needs in her life. But again, the other casts did so well! I appreciate their efforts in being part of this drama, kudos to the team <33

Overall, it was a fun and a good watch during weekends. Especially it only has 12 episodes, i think viewers would get satisfies with how it goes, just like me hehe.
Good for binge watch (since it is a 12 eps kdrama, i think its enough to kill the allotted free time), good for time kill, great for beginners and good for re watch as well.
Well here I am, as I end the note, hoping that the casts would have other roles to enter in their future careers, hoping that they could strive higher recognitions as well! a good kdrama, and again, kudos to the team, rooting for them!! :>

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Interesting concept but the execution leave much to be desired

I dropped it in the fifth episode but I skipped forward to see what happens in the next episodes and... I guess it's okay if you have nothing better to watch or it is one of your first kdramas ever, but for someone who's seen dozens of them the execution of the story is not interesting enough to keep you hooked.
From the start there are quite a few unanswered questions, and I dont mean the main intrigue here ... I haven't read the webtoon but in the drama you can immediately tell that we are talking AI here and not some man's soul trapped in a smartphone [since the kdrama's universe does not have any magical elements]. The relationship between Park Inseong and the CEO is cute at times but you just can't help thinking that this man's body is lying somewhere/he might be already dead and here we got two grown-ass people who somehow believe that someone's soul could be trapped in a smartphone.
We also don't know how, if its just an AI, CEO's smartphone ended up sending calls for help? Was it just because he witnessed the whole situation? It's unclear.
I think it would've been better if they had figured out very fast that the smartphone CEO is just an AI and tried to solve the mystery starting from there... maybe that would make it an 8-episode series and I wouldn't complain.
I do admit it was kind of funny though seeing obvious "Parasite" references in the earlier episodes.

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ball of fun

i can’t even be mad at the sort of shoe-horned in side character backstories that bypass the legwork of actual character building, since it works anyway lmao, like rly well, but also because the lead is just done so damn well.

just a straight up decent friggin guy, whose decent-ness as a human being gets continuously highlighted as more virtuous than it is, merely because the environment this is set in fosters turning down ones humanity. a humble guy going nowhere in life fast forwarded to a major CEO position, casually making amazing decision over anything he touches because he’s not perverted by the system yet.

oh and also the wacky fun as hell concept of park sung woong being trapped in a phone orchestrating the whole thing. that man really brought the same caliber of performance he usually brings, while playing a pulsating personal assistant blob on a phone.

wholesomeness from the left, wholesomeness from the right, a healthy amount of meta-ness as sprinkles, and to top it off some deep cutting reflection on the uncanny viciousness that is the korean job market

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Great Mystery, But Something is Missing.

Yes, it has a good storyline. A good mixture between thriller, mystery, romance, and comedy. The comedy amount is quite small, but everything is on point. The way they picture In Seong's mind so wild and unrealistic is really hilarious and fresh. Now, let's talk about the main course: the mystery. The idea itself is quite fresh and appealing. A CEO who became unconscious while his body trapped inside the phone, using was using another person to save his life. Earlier build up phase was fun. However as the story progressing, I couldn't find any sparks and it became dull. It's missing something punching on the point, especially because the clues keep dropping in the lap.

While everyone was suspicious after In Seong sudden appointment as CEO, no one really suspicious when he was digging for the truth, at least until he striked it to their face all by himself. Mi Ran, on the other hand, got a sudden power of controlling the media, only to be controlled out again later on. It was shocking too that the all-knowing-trapped Kim Seon Ju didn't even anticipate this. Things like this made their actions seem reckless, and the results of it were all just pure luck.

It was weird that Seon Ju put suspicion on Se Yeon, but never on his house butlers. They never put any safety measures on their own families, despite knowing the potential threat. Se Yeon mother stayed in a VIP room. It was very obvious she wouldn't be able to afford such room, but no one put any suspicion. The backstory of Jang Ju Seong was very shallow. We only know he was unfairly treated as an athlete, but it ended there.

Chae Jong Hyeop did excellently here. He almost carried out the whole show. Lee Sang Hee looked like a total psycho. Also the soundtracks were amazing.

Does this show deserve better recognition? Yes. Does this show considered a hidden gem? I wouldn't say so. It still missing something to make you want to binge-wathing it.

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Boss Celll ■ Preposterous Premise □ Praiseworthy Performance °7.3° °VG° ?%?

As Un🔓MB opens, it's the turn of the millennium and Y2K is the current panic. Y2K had a lock on the zeitgeist. It turned out to be low fizz kombucha. Good for the inner workings, a tad sour, and mostly forgettable. Seo is a kid and he's hanging with his mom. He's clipping his toenails and doing other very un-techie stuff. He isn't thinking about the corporate ladder and the fierce competition in the business world. That comes later.

Fast forward a couple decades and tech is still front and center. We survived Y2K but will we survive Y-AI? As always, machines aren't really the problem. People are. And in the realm of IPOs and product launches, psychopaths seem to rise to the top. Our villain is one of them, and true villains are excellent at hiding their true selves.

Seo. He’s SO over it all. He's been toiling away looking for a job. He's always told he doesn't have experience. How can he get experience if he never is hired? Why does life have to be such a conundrum? Ahn Nae Sang (The Devil Judge-8.2, Racket Boys-8) makes an appearance as his dad. I haven't seen him do much comedy, and he's pretty funny. Seo’s parents are cute together and create a buoyancy the show floats upon.

Un🔓MB is a 2023 release that is rated 91 on AWiki. Director Lee Chul Ha brought us Spirit Fingers & Okay! Madam, while screenwriter Kim Hyung Min also penned Sweet Home-8.4 & Smashing on Your Back. Un🔓MB is 1 season consisting of 12 60-minute episodes where one can gaze upon the boyish face and guileless smile of Chae Jong Hyeop (Castaway Diva, Love All Play). That will be enough for some, but even with a near cringe-inducing name like “Unlock My Boss,” this show delivers more than wistful smiles. For anyone in the know, however, this is a full 404 error as viewers who understand tech will probably dislike it. They don't get remotely geeky with the plot or try to explain things. The viewer is expected to treat tech like magic.

Back to Seo. His interview doesn't go well. In ep1, our 2 leads collide when he's on his way in for “questioning”. They bump and her coffee goes all over his shirt.

Him: Meltdown.

Her: She grabs him and drags him to the bathroom to switch shirts. He acts like a blushing maiden through the entire encounter. She moves with emotionless efficiency. Thus, they meet. He's pretty depressed, now, so he doesn't notice how cute she is

Seo Eun Soo (Duel, Missing: The Other Side-8.3) is Jung Se Yeon/”Yeo”. She works for that tech company which is why she was there,running into Seo on the day of his interview. When we first see her, we have to wonder if /she's/ a robot. (Her boss, the CEO, says she's more robotic than AI.) We'll soon learn why she's emotionally stunted: She's in deep debt from providing for her mother's hospitalization while the shy-🔓s never stop compounding the interest. So, Yeo's under mega pressure. While she seems listless, she's merely been squeezed into a very tight spot and has lost all joy in living.

She has a head crusher following her every move. He's relentless. (Kim Sung Oh from Money Heist: Korea & Secret Garden-7.6 is Jung Ju Seong, or Ma Fi, for Mafia. Sometimes he's “Uncle Mafia," as CEO Kim's daughter refers to him.) Ma Fi cranks the show's rating up by a full point. He is almost comic relief as the relentless leg-breaking juice man. He can easily trade bosses, but the job remains the same: When he must guard an elderly female patient in a hospital ward, he gives all the infirm, elderly women at the ward the same cold, dead stink-eyes he would when threatening a rival gang member! The women are perplexed and vaguely terrified. Everyone looks sus to Uncle Mafia 😅. The only person who chinks Ma Fi's armor is the CEO ‘s baby girl, Kim Min A (Gi So Yoo from The Good Bad Mother). He's actually started to practice /smiling/ in the mirror 😬 ~ all for her.

I didn't realize this was going to have a fantasy element, but wouldn't you know, CEO Ju from the company the Seo applied to, was attacked. His consciousness (his soul?) was transferred into his phone which Seo picks up. The phone starts talking to him! CEO Ju (Kim Seon Ju, played by Park Sung Woong who was adorable in Man to Man-6.7), this CEO is going to need help, and he will need this secret kept in absolute confidence.

Looks like Seo is SO hired! He is to act as the CEO's replacement. He's under the constant supervision of the CEO by way of his earbuds. In that way, it reminds me of Ratatouille-9. It's an acting gig! Seo has always wanted to be an actor! In his past, standing up for a coworker against a sexual-assaulting boss short-listed his entertainment career.

Yeo is a smart girl. She becomes suspicious very quickly. Before long, she knows too much and is rooked into being Seo's assistant - in the deception as well as the job. They're now 2 super agents in their own cell of 2. It's cute.

As of ep7 it still felt quite a bit like set up. The plot is just beginning to get rolling at that point. Our ML is a cutie while the FL is still a mystery as she's so quiet. The corporate machinations and sabotage are a tad heavy and outrageous, but all in good fun. Perhaps the best thing that can be said is that, with 12 episodes, Un🔓MB doesn't wander, it keeps its focus, and maintains a level ride - no detours, crashes, or stutters.

Unlock? The boss is locked in a cell… a cell phone. The title may sound like a cheesy romance rag, and the premise may seem very silly, but they tie it together well. Un🔓MB is competent. The art of the show is mostly good. Early in ep1 there's a nifty little sequence where Seo and CEO Ju are contrasted. Seo is in his cramped, utilitarian apartment eating a cheap, utilitarian meal with his roommate. “Turn out the light, it's too bright in here,” Roomie says. Seo doesn't feel like getting up so he throws /trash/ at the light switch and turns out the light. Next, there's a quick cut to Ju entering his spacious, open-floor-plan mansion. “Turn on the lights," he speaks to his AI. Boom! Let there be light! That's all they needed to show the contrast between the two men's lives. The OST is above average. I Shazamed:: Red Dragonfly by Cho Yong-pil, HOME by BUMJIN (that one is a 10) & Lie to me by Sion.

The show coasts by, but in ep10 when many Kdramas start to lose their way, Un🔓MB goes deeper and adds tumblers. First, they reinforce the dignity of the cleaning lady. Next, they set up a contrast between CEO Kim (a VIP among VIPs) and Seo's mother, (a penniless nobody). They become equal when they each become comatose. In fact, Ma Fi ends up rescuing each of them, reinforcing their connection. There is no escaping the human condition, ultimately. In the face of launching AI that has now surpassed us in intelligence, that appears to be the theme.


QUOTES🗣

We don't need to abide by the law against those who tossed it to the dogs, do we?

Skirting the foot of the hill by myself, I come to a lone well by a paddy and silently look into it. Therein is a man as well. I hate him, but I know not why. I turn away from him and go away. While going away, I come to feel compassion for him. I return again and look into the well. Therein remains that man. Again, I come to hate him and go away. While going away, I come to long for him. In the well there is the moon, shining bright, clouds flowing by and the sky spreading open. A blue wind wafts. It is autumn. And the man, therein, is but a remembrance.
~Self-Portrait~


IMHO〰🖍


RATINGS 🎬7.5 🖊6.8 🎭7.8 💓6 🦋5 🎨7 🎶8.8 🔚7.3 🤗6 ▪ LEVELS 🌞5⚡4.5 😅3 😭4.5 😱4 😬3 🤢2 🤔5 💤0



Age 14+ for scattered language and violence

Re-📺?
This one's in the good-to-pass-the-time category, but I may never pass this way again….

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slight romance. Sloppy, & somewhat opened ended ending

This was was a more violent, suspenseful thriller than I expected. I would have given it a perfect score but they killed off a character I really liked. There is only a small bit of romance. the ending is slightly surprising and though it ends with most storylines tided up, it is a bit sloppy and little open ended.

**spoiler** it felt like a plot hole right at the end for the little girl's situation. The "newly minted" main couple are living the lives they want, thought it's unclear what the Female lead is actually doing for a job, and no mention of who is running the company ! with the main couple no longer living with the little girl, the little girl has no one but the house keeper , who she never seemed that close to so it's sad.

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