Branding in Seongsu

Great plot.... but not so great execution....

I tagged it as completed but i couldn't finish the last ep and have 20 min left.... so close yet I cannot make myself to finish it completely....

The plot was quite interesting, at least in the beginning. Unfortunately it becomes quite average later on until it finally deteriorates towards the end. Nonetheless actors did a great job 👏 the change in acting with body swap was good.

As the story goes on, it becomes more... watered down. Like somewhere the main story of her being nearly killed gets lost and then it was about ML's revenge, which was then easily resolved with some video. The body switch also gets lost, as its not really explained why it happened and why it stopped.

The revenge plot from the ML felt mostly like a way to confuse us so we don't identify the killer straight away. It's thrown in them middle, when the FL felt secure about her relationship with him and it get resolved easily. After everything, it was hard to believe that ML had this genius master plan and yeah, he didn't.

During the middle of the series the ML and the SML for whatever reason are reduced to 1 dimensional characters who are there just to be mistreated by the FL. They all pile up in her apartment, for whatever reason. Like ok, the ML kinda has a reason to be there while the SML literally had no business being there, except for being reminded that the FL isn't interested in him at all, making him seem quite pathetic.

The comedic relief of the "underdogs group" didn't really work for me. They were all 1 dimensional:
- the gay guy who has only one personality trait: being gay
-the young girl: blogger/influencer. All she does is take pictures and care only about social media
- woman that has been ther for awhile

and no one was interesting enough so all of their scenes were a skip.

The main leads also didn't have much chemistry. And it's a really slow burn romance. Yes they do kiss early on but that's the most u gonna get in the series.

Also, even the body switch, after a few episodes it just becomes a method to inconvenience the fl as much as possible. So if there's an important meeting, u know they r getting switched, which just becomes annoying.

Other side plots were just not that memorable to even be mentioned.

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Branding in Seongsu — thoughts after watching ♡

okay, so Branding in Seongsu started with the classic body-swap trope, tapi ternyata ceritanya nggak sesimpel dua orang yang tiba-tiba bertukar jiwa terus jatuh cinta. there's actually more to it.

Drama ini berpusat pada Kang Na-eon, seorang marketing team leader yang ambitious banget dan selalu berorientasi pada kesuksesan, dan So Eun-ho, anak magang yang punya prinsip hidup cukup berbeda dari dirinya. Keduanya sering bentrok karena perbedaan cara pandang, sampai akhirnya sebuah ciuman nggak sengaja bikin jiwa mereka tertukar. imagine having to live someone else's life while still dealing with your own problems. literally a whole mess 😭

Tapi yang bikin ceritanya makin interesting buatku justru konflik di balik pertukaran jiwa itu. Awalnya aku mengira semuanya cuma gara-gara kesalahpahaman dan campur tangan pihak ketiga. Turns out, there's more going on behind the scenes.

Eun-ho ternyata punya alasan tersendiri untuk mendekati Na-eon, yang berkaitan dengan kejadian masa lalu dan dugaan bahwa Na-eon telah mengambil konsep branding yang seharusnya menjadi milik orang lain. Dari situ, ceritanya mulai bergeser dari sekadar rom-com menjadi drama yang juga membahas betrayal, ambition, dan revenge.

What I find interesting is how the story plays with our first impressions of the characters. Kadang kita terlalu cepat menilai seseorang dari apa yang terlihat, padahal kita nggak tahu keseluruhan ceritanya. Dan ketika masa lalu mulai terungkap, persepsi kita terhadap karakter-karakternya pun bisa berubah.

Selain itu, konsep body swap-nya juga memberi kesempatan buat Na-eon dan Eun-ho melihat kehidupan dari sudut pandang yang berbeda. Dua orang yang awalnya sulit memahami satu sama lain dipaksa menjalani kehidupan masing-masing. It's giving walk a mile in someone else's shoes, literally. Hahaha.

Overall, Branding in Seongsu punya perpaduan romance, fantasy, workplace drama, dan mystery yang bikin ceritanya lebih berlapis daripada yang kelihatan di awal. Kalau kamu suka cerita tentang dua karakter yang awalnya bertolak belakang, punya konflik masa lalu, dan perlahan mulai memahami satu sama lain, this might be your thing.

The point is: sometimes, the person you think you understand the least is the one whose story you haven't heard yet.

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Passable business drama with mystery

This is a business drama invovles enough mystery and bit romance. Soul swap plays a major role in which way story unfolds. In this we have enough and good mystery And to hook with the business scenes. Here we have Atypical characteristics of ML and FL (most likely reversed compared to other dramas). Romance does not plays a big role, so we have 'no breakups' and SML is there to pursue FL but 'no traingle' created. This mainy focuses on FL in her business phase. Loved the scenes between leads when souls are swapped ( mainly FL ). I enjoyed comedy in parts. Supporting Cast are OK. If you are for a passable and short business drama then go for this.
Note: It's good start with no expectations.

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My first ever rant review-I couldn't take any more after episode 18

This has to be one of the worst kdramas I've seen in years. Terrible writing, poor casting, boring directing. Everything was terrible except Lomon being pretty, but I actually care about shows being good quality.

Characters
The absolute worst travesty a story can have is bad characters. Terrible plots can be elevated and made worth-while if you care about the characters. But I didn't like a single character here. The FL is a vile human being. She's not a "strong and woman," she's evil. Having flawed or morally gray characters can allow for dynamic personalities and character growth, but the FL is not morally gray, she's evil.
Her list of evils as of episode 18:
-She disrespects, degrades, and looks down upon anyone that works underneath her. SO MANY INSTANCES of her treating each character like a bug that she can step on to get her power back.
-Commits multiple instances of workplace harassment/power harassment
-Abuses her position by firing a worker for personal grudges
-ANIMAL CRUELTY. She helps a company cover up major amounts of animal cruelty, manipulates the ML who values animal safety to gather dirt, then fires him when she's done using him. Huhhhh??? We're talking thousands upon thousands of bunnies tortured for testing. The ML is an animal rights activist which she uses to gain a multi-million deal. Greed for money and power trumps any basic human empathy.

The ML is inconsistent where he values ethics and morals like a personality trait until it's no longer meaningful for the plot. All the side characters were stereotypes and boring. The antagonists were bland and un-intimidating.

Writing
This plot tried to tackle romance, comedy, thriller, and business. It managed to do none of those. The romance makes zero sense. The FL doesn't have a single empathy or kindness bone in her body. The ML has no reason to have feelings for someone that goes against all of his morals and ethics, plus tried to fire him over those. There's zero development to bring them closer and it felt like whiplash when suddenly they had feelings. They have zero reasons to like each other?? She hates him because he exists and isn't her. He shouldn't like her because she goes against everything he believes in, plus has been evil specifically to him. It's not like they built a comradere through the body swap, they still hated each other the whole time until suddenly they didn't.

The comedy felt out of place and a lot of it was at the detriment to the attempted thriller aspects. The FL was almost murdered; that's an extremely interesting plot. But... it went nowhere. I didn't feel any sense of suspense, fear for the FL's safety, nor fear from the mysterious killer. The show is mostly business with sprinkled romantic moments that have no footing alongside misplaced elements of thriller that emit zero fear. They couldn't even manage the business aspects right. Why were none of the workers doing risk assessments, conducting proper research, or even reviewing contracts?

What was the point of role reversal leads if they were going to body swap? Having a strong and overbearing FL is a breath of fresh air. Having an energetic, naive, and strong sense of justice ML is rare. Why have unique traits that are typically left for their counterparts only to have them body swap and make it all go away? I love strong FLs and sweetheart MLs, why write that to throw it away?

One final element. I only semi-liked Na Eon when she was in Eun-Ho's body. Lomon played the character as more of bold and assured character (but was still a terrible human being). When Na Eon was played by Ji Eun, she didn't feel confident, she felt arrogant and condescending. The eyes were the main problem; her eyes didn't look hard they looked condescending. Ji Eun should stick to comedy and lighter roles. Lomon on the other hand felt very awkward and unnatural when he played Eun-Ho. There were moments, it worked, especially towards the end. But for the most part, he just did not feel right for the character. He's way better at intense and dramatic roles.

I doubt anyone will actually read this, I just wanted to vent because what in the world was this terrible show? Why are there so many good reviews? Why were there so many inconsistencies in the writing of each plot-point and the very leads of the show?

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Most reduclous shit only getting rating for looks

Most of people rated this drama for there looks ML mostly because he is cool and fL is double cool

After body swap our intern working in company like a CEO because he is ML
Even if he is just a intern who should follow order and run errends now he can act as BOSS and do anything he likes because he has FL soul in him make SENSE ?
SINCE ML is so cool he can even comand his boss anytime he want and insult anyone he want
AND people here are praising this drama which even suck all fun of body swap
There is no displince in OFFICE how intern treat there senior how you should talk formal language in office to your seniors ?
Boring office and some sexual attraction not love chemistry, just physical attraction because ML and FL are north and south in there emotion understanding of each other.

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I'm from Bangladesh but I like KDrama . That's Why I'm watching this drama to I already watched 6 episode and I like this Drama it is very beautiful Actor Lomon is toooooooo cuteeeee 💜☺

Here is my review ......

"Branding in Seongsu" is a captivating Korean drama that delves into the competitive world of branding and entrepreneurship in the vibrant district of Seongsu, Seoul. With a compelling storyline, rich character development, and stunning cinematography. From the intricate relationships between the characters to the intricacies of branding strategies, every aspect of the drama is meticulously crafted to keep viewers engaged and entertained. With its blend of drama, romance, and business intrigue, "Branding in Seongsu" is a must-watch for anyone interested in Korean entrepreneurship, or simply a well-crafted story. Don't understand why people spread negativity ? looking forward to watch next episode ☺

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Kim Ji Eun and Park Solomon's drama is a breath of fresh air in this cliche trope of Body Swapping

The show from start to end is engaging, chaotic, mysterious, humorous and even dark at some points making the viewers curious on what will happen next. This isn't you cliche romantic stuff where the leads swap their bodies and fall in love later on but more about two extremely opposite people with each having their own secrets, motives and ambitions.

FL's character isn't some damsel in distress but one strong, cold, bossy, ruthless and arrogant wolf who is ready to go through hell and even put others through it to get the job done. ML's character is a loud, chaotic sometimes childish guy who works under the FL and often faces the brunt of her actions. Both of their arcs end up getting interconnected with each learning to work with the Swap and at the same time going ahead to achieve their own motives.

The best part of the drama is that romance isn't forced down the throat of viewers but is kept subtle while keeping the main focus on the mystery and thrill factor of the show.

The cast especially the leads have nailed their roles. Both did justice to their own and each other's characters too. I would say it is a must watch if you are looking for something new.

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Breathes new life to a familiar trope. excellent acting, strong protagonists

STORY: it's a perfectly mix of a romcom, thriller/mystery, office drama and body swapping. our badass but sometimes morally grey heroine is killed but wakes up in the body of heart-of-gold entry level boy, who has complicates feelings for her. together, in alternating body formations, they try to find who at work would benefit from her dying and why are they switching bodies.

ACTING: its strong suit! it's amazing how perfectly the two protagonsists act in their body AND in the other one's, you can immediately tell if it's the real Seun Ho or her in his body. the style, the mannerisms, the form of speech changes completely and it's fascinating to watch! plus Lomon is better where he's playing her.

THE ONE BAD THING: i can't believe i'm saying this in 2024, but there's homophobia. there's a gay man in a minor role who's demoted, contantly ridiculed for his sexuality and his style, is presented a an annoying caricature and is only accepted when they use him to turn profit for the branding company. disgusting. just because he's not getting attacked doesn't mean the show doesn't look down on him. do better, korea. hence my 9.5 instead of a perfect 10 rating

CONCLUSION: watch it for the pleasure of being surprised and amused.

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hmm I thought it will be more fun?

Went into this drama thinking it will be a fun casual drama but was shocked to find out there was a crime plot involved. This was actually interesting and it started out well. There was a lot of potential until coincidentally they made every suspicious person a suspect (you will understand this if u have reached this part).

The portion on the body switches was interesting and I thought it will be the reason for character development in the leads. The female lead was a strong individual who was strong headed and fierce and did not really show compassion for others. However, the male lead was the complete opposite. Although the male lead has a sudden change in personality because of something, there was no change made to the female character....until the ML turned on her...

What I liked about the plot will be the marketing strategies and ideas they came up with to establish an unknown brand. It was a new field that we dont see very often in kdramas.

Overall, this will not be a show I will rewatch as the chemistry between the leads felt in the earlier episodes was all lost towards the end...

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A villain to hate and love

NOTE: there's no real spoiler in the sense that I'm not commenting on any specific scenes that give away plot surprises/twists, but the character of the FL is so different and surprising, that that in itself, feels like a spoiler to me.

As of this writing, I've seen as many episodes as have been aired on viki, and eagerly await for more.

The thing is, I started and stopped in the middle of episode 2 because the FL's looks are jarring as is her character.

Then, for the lack of anything else that interested me, I picked it up again and started to "get" it.

So far, the FL, is really gonna be the one to hate, or love, or both, or neither. I know that sounds so contradictory, but I totally went through it all: not really caring for her in the beginning cuz I couldn't be bothered to invest any interest in her; then I really disliked her because her morals are so much in the gutter; and now, I totally love her extreme villainy, the kind you see all the time from ugly, mean, manipulative, sadistic men, and I mean ugly in the sense that they — and she — are so ugly to their core that hell is not punishment enough for the crimes of humanity they perpetrate. It's actually hard to explain but better to experience yourself.

This is the first time I've seen such a portrayal from a woman. Sure, there's lots of villainous women, but it's the usual backstabbing, scheming types of cliches. The FL here is so in your face, unapologetically bad, you start respecting her choices; well at least I do. Plus, she sorts of "humanizes" her villainy in her version of a playful, devil-may-care "playboy" type of character (just sooo like what guys do in dramas).

Now I don't know if I'm just hoping that deep down, she knows what she's doing is despicably bad, and that there's a grand plan behind her shenanigans, or that at some point she's going to be as glorious in her own special way to right the wrongs she's currently so ingloriously perpetrating.

The ML is not bad. He's the eye candy, but I like it that he doesn't lose his identity and his diametrically opposed views to the FL. In the first 3 eps that have aired so far, we get a hint of them battling it out and it's not in the senseless cliched way you might see in drama; it feels more authentic so looking forward to see what happens next.

In any case, so far, so good.

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