Koreans drawn to drama about corporate doldrums
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Scenes from "Mi Saeng" / Courtesy of YouTube
Cable network tvN’s series “Misaeng” has become a sensation for what fans say is a realistic depiction of Korean corporate culture.
The show focuses on a 26-year-old named Jang Geu-rae ― played by Yim Si-wan from idol group ZE:A ― who has no job experience to speak of and struggles through his internship at a heartless corporation.
Viewers were drawn to seeing how such an inept character might find his way at One International, a fictional representation of Korea’s notoriously rigid corporate culture.
“Misaeng” ― which roughly translates to Before Birth ― is based on an online cartoon with the same name. The director of the show, Lee Jae-moon, told a local vernacular that he “wanted to show viewers a unique perspective towards the suffocating corporate life via security cameras.”
Many netizens have said they related to the show, which for them recalled painful and sometimes traumatic memories. Some said they cried watching Jang cry when he returned home from work.
Scene from "Naeil's Cantabile" / Courtesy of YouTube
In contrast, the new KBS series “Naeil’s Cantabile,” based on the Japanese television series “Nodame Cantabile” from 2006, is receiving poor reviews.
Critics said it failed to draw sympathy from viewers with its depiction of a needy high school girl with a passion for classical music.
“Viewers tend to like series closely attached to reality,” television critic Jeong Deok-hyun told the local paper.
“It’s the foremost element to consider when creating a remake series, whether from a webtoon or a Japanese series.”