Business Proposal
The following is just a review and my own personal opinions. I study film and have been watching K-Dramas through their rise in International acclaim over the past decade. With that said, please enjoy
Beloved and popular webtoon-based drama, Business Proposal follows Sin Ha Ri as she finds herself accidentally on a blind date with her company's CEO, Kang Tae Mu. Written by Han Sul Hee and Hong Bo Hee, and directed by Park Seon Ho the story follows a Webtoon of the same name by HaeHwa (Si-jin). Business Proposal was not HaeHwa’s first iteration of this work as the webtoon adapts their web novel The Office Blind Date. While there were some changes from the Webtoon to the drama, the original writer fondly enjoyed the final product. All in all, this story packs an exciting ride of romance, and drama fueled by some well-delivered irony.
What truly delivered in this drama were the characters. The story itself was quite fun but it also struggles against standing out within the secret office-romance storyline. However, the characters carry the story which is what we want to see from a character-driven story. I do think the side characters tend to overshine the leads, but I still enjoyed following the story of the leads. The side characters, Jin Yeong Seo and Cha Seong Hun, each had dynamic personalities that pulled in viewers during all of their scenes. I also think it was quite interesting that Netflix decided to focus on the side characters being the hot eye candy rather than their leads, either way, it worked. I’ve seen numerous edits of Yeong Seo and Seong Hun and I sit there and watch them every time. While the concept of “sexiness” is still slowly working its way into commonality in the K-Drama genre- its use can help a drama stand out and gain more attention from international audiences. It’s no surprise to me that I see these steamy moments come out of Netflix’s K-Dramas more than any other studio, they are known for catering their dramas to also appeal to American audiences.
The heavy product placement is another interesting aspect of this drama— with Ha Ri, Tae Mu, and Seong Hun all working at Bibigo. I will be the first to admit, I was influenced and I don’t regret it. I went to my local H-Mart and bought many Bibigo products to try out of curiosity. Some I loved and some disappointed me. There’s a balance of watching a show like Business Proposal with heavy product placement where you have to be able to understand the ways you’re being subliminally influenced. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying the show or even giving in and trying the product, but a viewer must understand how purposeful every element of mention of the product is. I loved seeing the behind-the-scenes of how a company like Bibigo might develop products, but it was also likely a heavily sanitized version that leaves out things like over-working and underpaying workers. Even the concept of a character like Tae Mu who is a rich CEO but also a down-to-earth nice guy is just a way to convince us that executives of Bibigo have the consumer’s best interest in mind— when more often than not, they’re too busy being focused on the depth of their own pockets.
Nonetheless, I did like this drama and I would recommend it; there is just a lot of consciousness that needs to be had when consuming a drama like this.
Plot: 4
Character: 5
Production Quality: 4.5
Drama/Comedy: 4
Memorability: 4
Final Rating: 4.3
Citations
Si-jin, Lee. “Creator of ‘a Business Proposal’ Delighted by Global Attention to Webtoon and Drama Series - the Korea Herald.” The Korea Herald, 21 Mar. 2022, www.koreaherald.com/article/2820962. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.