'Miss Lee' delves into SME corporate culture
Lee Hye-ri speaks during a news conference for tvN drama “Miss Lee” at Stanford Hotel Seoul on Oct. 14. / Courtesy of CJENM
By Jin Yu-young
South Korea, which relies heavily on its conglomerates for economic growth, is known for its competitive working culture in which large corporations hold much of the country's economic power.
This structure often pushes small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to the margins of the economy, leaving many employees of such companies feeling anxious.
In tvN's current drama “Miss Lee,” life as an employee at an SME is played out on the small screen. Having only recently entered the workforce, Lee Seon-shim (Lee Hye-ri) is a young, vibrant woman with a remarkable positive attitude. Like many of Korea's young adults struggling to find employment, she has not had much success in finding a job. When she finally lands a position at Chungil Electronics, she is disregarded by many of her co-workers, who refer to her as “Miss Lee.”
On the verge of shutting down, Chungil Electronics promotes Lee overnight to CEO, leaving her to face a panicked workforce and shoulder the burden of saving the company. Mentored by Yoo Jin-wook (Kim Sang-kyung), a company executive known for his uncompassionate and military management style, Lee is pushed to her boundaries in a position that demands more of her than she can provide.
Their relationship proves reciprocally beneficial, however, as Lee rises to the occasion and learns the ways of business, while Yoo, although harsh in his ways, grows to care for people rather than just numbers.
In a recent press conference at the Stanford Hotel Seoul on Oct. 14, many of the cast members as well as director Han Dong-hwa spoke on various elements of the drama, such as its portrayal of corporate culture in Korea. The drama aired its first episode in late September and is now approaching the halfway mark of the season.
“Rather than an incident-based drama, Miss Lee is based more on emotions and deeper issues. We wanted to focus on the relationships between people and carefully examine their daily lives,” Han said. “Even though it isn't as intense as other dramas, it is very moving and beautiful.”
Working in the entertainment industry as an actress and singer from a young age, Lee Hye-ri has little in common with her character but used her observation of others to inform her portrayal of Seon-shim. “My character is very busy,” Lee said. “Because of this, she has no time to care about her physical appearance. As someone who just started her work life, she has no idea of how others perceive her. When I see people in a similar situation to my character, I notice this trait in them, so I wanted to bring that out as much as possible.”
The drama is gaining a lot of attention from the public and has received positive reviews by the press. Cast members attribute this to its moving scenes and relatable storyline. Kim, who plays Jin-wook, said, “We wanted to make the audience happy. In order to do that we needed an accurate grasp of reality … Miss Lee is a chance for viewers to reflect on their daily lives.”
Perhaps another reason “Miss Lee” has had such a positive reception is the hope it gives to those struggling in the job market or at the workplace. Lee's positive spirit helps her grow as an employee and a leader. Other qualities of a good leader, as defined by Lee at the conference are “consideration and the willingness to pave the way for others.” As the show is reaching its midpoint, cast members expressed their anticipation at the continued character development of Lee and the remaining plotline of this office drama.
“Miss Lee” airs every Wednesday and Thursday night at 9:30 p.m. on tvN.
Jin Yu-young is a Korea Times intern.