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Acting is better than the story
I haven't actually finished this show but nothing I've seen so far suggests to me any major changes lie ahead. The show is carried at a stumbling pace by the warmth of some genuinely nice characters in that no-one is really rotten. The three main characters have some endearing qualities to them but it's their flaws that make this a show that's about killing time rather than enjoying.Let's start with Hwan-gi. The socially awkward introverted boss was a concept I liked and I found him a very sympathetic character. It's clear his problems came from being emotionally tormented by his father's relentless drive for perfection. I thought his relationship with Jhi-hye was surprisingly beautiful in the flashback episode - which for me was easily the standout episode and built on some great writing - partly because it was platonic and not romantic. She being the only person who understands his introverted difficulties and helps him really conveyed a sense of what she meant to him as a friend.
But the show struggles because of his relationships with his teammates. We see at different points he lets his guard down with them individually and shares some poignant moments, yet in the next scene, they remain awkward and fearful of him. It made no sense that having had a touching moment with his secretary early on in the show, that she remains super awkward around him and doesn't even try to help others understand him. I thought they could have built a great platonic bond but the show didn't tap into that.
The big issue is Chae Ro-Woon. Her motivations for joining the company are strong but never fleshed out to the point they become weak. I don't find it plausible that her inner mechanisms leading her to that company melt away within a few episodes. She never really seemed like someone in pursuit of revenge and was too easily sympathetic to Hwan-gi despite viewing him as the cause of her sister's death. This was so weakly developed it was disappointing. Having said that, I must also add that her character was still pleasant and the acting for the role was sublime in my opinion.
The music didn't often fit what tone the scenes required. I think this show tried to tell a serious story through a comedic lens and that was a bad mistake. It's no surprise that the flashback episode was really good because it was stripped away of all that extra gloss and was a bone-bare episode of human realism, hope and suffering.
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Eun Hwan Ki Storyline Works...Romantic Dynamic Does Not
There is actually a difference between an introverted person and a shy person. An introvert is someone who tends to be more within himself/herself. They usually don’t have any problem being alone. While they can struggle to interact with others, it’s not always the case. They have no desire to be the center of attention or be placed in the spotlight. More and more psychologists are finding that being able to be alone is a strength rather than a weakness. It’s not the same as hiding oneself away out of fear. That would be shyness.My Shy Boss is a decent romantic drama at best, with two characters who stand on a mountain of integrity among a sea of supporting characters who struggle to find any at all. Eun Hwan Ki is a master of ideas, and while he doesn’t realize it, he’s also a master of dealing with people. However, he’s also a bit of a recluse who prefers the quiet solitude of his penthouse apartment rather than handle the day-to-day interactions with employees and clients. He’s immensely creative and has a knack for seeing things that others fail to see. He’s also a great listener, but his biggest problem is that he always puts others ahead of himself. He’s the guy who’s going to take the hits, put himself in front of the bus, and do whatever it takes to protect those who are unable to protect themselves. In many ways, he’s the true hero of the story, and he has the humility to do so without asking for anything in return.
Seo Yun Jung is other. This is a woman that others should try to emulate. She’s no wallflower, and she has absolutely no problem pursuing what she wants. She’s also the only other character who is perfectly comfortable with herself. The scene that made me stand up and cheer for her was when she turns the tables on Eun Hwan Ki’s father. This isn’t a woman who can be used, bought, or sold. And she had absolutely no problem taking issue with the despicable actions of Eun Hwan Ki’s father and telling him straight to his face. While I understand that Chae Ro Woon is the love interest of Eun Hwan Ki, I was really hoping (even though I knew it wasn’t going to happen) that he would have ended up with Seo Yun Jung. She’s a pillar of strength, who isn’t just someone who can be a romantic partner, but one who will easily stand with Eun Hwan Ki no matter what. Chae Ro Woon cannot say that. I lost count how many times she oscillates back and forth, back and forth. And Seo Yun Jung is far more mature as well.
You’ll need a clipboard of names to keep track of all of the “who likes who” at any given moment. I’ve never seen a drama with so many dynamics; so many that you just might get a headache.
Most of the characters are people who are looking for love and attention in all the wrong places. They truly believe that they cannot be happy unless they are with someone. What they fail to realize is that it is literally impossible to find happiness in someone else if you fail to find it within yourself first. Why? Because you cannot give what you do not have.
If you love yourself, you will never contemplate suicide as an answer to being denied/rejected.
If you love yourself, you will never harm yourself or use it as a means of getting attention.
If you love yourself, you will never feel empty by being alone. In truth, you will find it empowering.
If you love yourself, you will never allow anyone to use you for their own selfish reasons.
Chae Ro Woon—much like Eun Hwan Ki—is an outcast within her own family. She’s the outgoing one, and nobody knows how much her older sister is suffering until it’s too late. The sad thing about suicidal people is that you cannot save someone who does not want to be saved. If someone is bent on killing themselves, they will find a way. Chae Ro Woon is very much like a kid. She’s immature, selfish, and she doesn’t realize the mess she’s made until it’s too late. Rather than trying to find out the truth about her sister, she reacts emotionally, and irrationally, and hellbent on revenge.
It's always hard to hate someone once you get to know them. Chae Ro Woon begins to wonder if she has it right as she gets to know Eun Hwan Ki and realizes that he’s not the monster that she thinks he is.
There are a number of cowardly and despicable characters in this series. Eun Hwan Ki’s father is about as vile and violent of an abuser as you’ll ever likely to find in a “parent.” He’s ashamed of his son for being quiet and shy, and he has no problem being abusive—both physically and mentally—toward him. Such a person has no business calling himself a parent.
There are several problems with this series. First, people who are that suicidal and prone to hurting themselves as Eun Yi Soo (Hwan Ki’s sister) can miraculously heal themselves. Most people need some kind of professional help. Hwan Ki makes a grave mistake by not helping her get the help that she needs. The writers should have taken this far more seriously than they did. I’ve known people who have attempted suicide, and it’s no quick fix. However, Eun Yi Soo at least seems to understand that her problem stems from not loving herself, which is true. That’s a good first step. Given that Korea has the 3rd highest suicide rate in the world, I would have hoped for a more thoughtful and realistic approach to this part of the story.
The romantic dynamic between Eun Hwan Ki and Chae Ro Woon just doesn’t entirely work. First of all, the two actors have good chemistry together but NOT good romantic chemistry. Again, I thought the Eun Hwan Ki/Seo Yun Jung was better from a romantic chemistry standpoint, even though they didn’t really share any romantic scenes. The romance between Eun Hwan Ki and Chae Ro Woon was like watching a grown-up and a kid. Park Hye Soo just doesn’t have the chops to act out romantic scenes realistically. She tries to flirt, but comes across more like a child wanting attention, which was annoying more than just once! This is largely due to Park Hye Soo being miscast. I would have had Park Hye Soo play Eun Yi Soo (the sister) and Gong Seung Yeon play Seo Yun Jung with Jang Hee Jin taking up the role of Chae Ro Woon Jang Hee Jin was fantastic in “Flower of Evil”. Jang Hee Jin has far more range and acting prowess than Park Hye Soo. And as I’ve said, the constant back and forth between Eun Hwan Ki and Chae Ro Woon became tedious and unrealistic very quickly. Soon, they’re kissing, and next they won’t even touch each other. That was just silly.
By episode 15, I was just waiting for the series to end. It loses much of its steam in the last two episodes, and the story feels like it’s treading water, trying to limp toward the finish line of the last episode. Of course, we get another childish scene with Park Hye Soo because she doesn’t get a Christmas card from Eun Hwan Ki. Chae Ro Woon is what we call a “high-maintenance” girl.
I found myself far more intrigued with Eun Hwan Ki and how he was able to empower his small team of “misfits” to start believing in themselves. While they each helped him to develop more courage to stand in the spotlight, we also see what he’s done for the members of his team. Eun Hwan Ki is also a man—much like Atlas—who’s caring the weight of everyone on his own shoulders. He’s noble and courageous. We only wish he’d use just an ounce of that strength and belief on himself. If they had left the romantic aspect out of the story, this would have been a far more compelling series because the strength of the story is Eun Hwan Ki, and Yeon Woo Jin did an absolutely fantastic job with the role. My only issue was that his “shyness” was handled with a lot of inconsistencies, but that is a small issue.
Overall, the series is okay at best. If there is a central theme to this series, it’s for people to start putting themselves first. Learn to love yourself before you decide to share that with someone else. “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay” is still the best drama series yet made on people who are psychologically and emotionally scarred. And just because you have feelings for someone, doesn’t mean that they should automatically reciprocate. And, yes, love is about courage; about taking risks and putting yourself out there. The quiet ones who never tell others how they feel will always live a life of regret.
And if you know someone who’s attempted or might attempt suicide, get them professional help! Sometimes, you have to acknowledge that you love someone so much that you cannot help them, but you will find someone who can!
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I liked the layer by layer reveal the plot/ reasons during last episodes. The Fmc is annoying at first but came on track later. I really liked the Fmc's sister Han Chae Ah . I wud have loved if she were the main lead instead of Park Hye Soo. She was more beautiful than Fmc in my opinion and her acting also very good than Fmc.
this might be a miscast. For whatever short time she had Han Chae Ah nailed it be it love or sad. Also the story stagnates after characters introduction. I mean it doesn't move forward and most of the story development, romance happens after 10th episode.
Also the Mc's friend, i mean come on i don't understand why he doesn't get sued for sexual harassment being touchy with almost every woman he comes in contact with, like they were his buddies. This is after what he had done before( you wud think he wud change)
Although there were flaws i enjoyed it becoz of Mc, romance, comedy (little) it is worth of 8 / 10.
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This show works without bitchy or fake second leads, without a super mean villian. Nobody was the really bad guy, everyone had their reason to act how they did.
All characters grow as the story evolves. Not just the mean leads.
Yes, the female lead was annoying a few times but she was also strong. And the male lead was really cute and loveable.
This drama is nothing outstanding but if you are into rom-com´s with a lot of loveable and funny characters you should give it a try. I would recommend it for a rainy, boring weekend to pas the time nd put a smile in your face :)
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Show feels different
When I completed the show it seemed obvious that the show took a different turn/s along the way from where they originally intended. Turns out somewhere after episode 4 they rewrote some things and changed certain things, mainly that they didn't like how the FL was.This is upsetting because it obviously the ML and FL were both going to develop into different characters like any drama has in character development, but I guess people wanted changes soon.
Overall, I enjoyed the show but upon hearing how they made changes because of fan's voices, it left a sour taste in my mouth. Yes, I know this happens all too much but the tone was just off and different, aside from the story changes. This felt unfinished or maybe rushed. Can't really explain it.
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A drama I continued watching even after days of not watching an episode
I think I enjoyed this drama so much because it left me wanting more. If your someone like me who tends to binge watch a series for 1-2 days but when you get to the last few episode you drop it, this drama is for you. Even with dramas I like, for some reason if I don’t binge watch it all I have trouble with finishing the series. I started watching this series during my last week two weeks of school and so didn’t have the opportunity to binge watch it. However, even thou this drama took me about 3 weeks to finish that was only because I didn’t have time to watch it and the fact that I consistently watched a show for 3 weeks really amazed me.This drama was so much more than just a love story but it was one of pain, regret, healing and more. The character development was evident and well paced and the actors really put a lot of emotion into their roles. This wasn’t one of those romances that frustrates you because both people like each other but won’t admit it or there’s some misunderstanding that make you mad. While there are misunderstandings in this story, they aren’t ones that will make you unsatisfied with the story but rather hopeful as to how they will solve the situation.
I tried to look for a really good romance to watch for days and not only went through countless lists and recommendations, but I also started a few and only stuck with this one. I’m someone who tends to like my romance dramas mainly focus on the romance and I’m not saying this drama didn’t have a lot of romance but the parts that were not relationship based also had me very entertained.
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My re-watch value doesn't mean anything about the drama itself, I almost never rate my re-watch values more than a 5.0 unless I rate a drama 10/10.
Enjoy Introverted Boss :)
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Confusing
I have mixed feelings about this show. The story is one big mess and character motivations and actians dont make a lot of sense. When i finished it i looked at reviews cause i was curious and i found out the script was rewritten after first few episode so that explains my confusion. The thing is with this show is that characters act just unnaturaly they say weird stuff and everything just feels soooo fabricated. It drove me crazy i actually had hard time to keep watching. What kept me watching was i think actually FL. Most peolle say she was annoying and nosy but i find it cute and refreshing. What i was not finding cute was ML introvertness. Its ok to show how and outline how shy he is but dragging the show first six whole episodes where in every single one of them they are showing in your face how much he is introvert i was literaly screaming "take off the fucking hoodie you idiot" my main complaint is that there is so much scene that could have been soooo good and funny but screenwriterd just usually killed it by shoving in your face how your beloved ML is shy... snore. And im not even talking about the big plot and resolution with older sister that was actually literaly the stupidest and dumbest shit i have ever seen in any korean drama.In the end it got better but still... this show just feels weird. The cast was great actors had chemistry but the writing was so soo bad
Edit:
I feel like this review sounded mean. This show is actually not that bad like i made it sound but more like only the story is just bad. There are some substories and scenes which were actually great and i once i burst out laughing which doesnt happen a lot. If the screenwriters showed us little bit less ML being yet again silent and if they just never came up with that old sisters story this show would be actually pretty good. Its the thing that the main plot stupidness just overshadows everything else so you overlook some very good scenes and themes.
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One of the things I like about this drama is the portrayal of mental health in Korean media. I haven't seen kdrama in years, so I'm not sure about how much it has progressed but I am glad that at least this drama gives mental health an avenue for discussion instead of it being taboo in traditional Korean culture. Unfortunately, the thing I did not like about that was how comical it was, and how it pretty much merged social anxiety and introversion in one? When those two are different? Anyway, what's important is that its opened that topic up, but I hope that even if this is a romantic comedy, people would take that aspect of it seriously. Another thing also brought up here was a trans character, and their acceptance. It was a small part of the whole thing but, still I appreciate that so much.
Overall, despite a rocky start, it was still quite enjoyable. I loved the chemistry between Yeon Woo Jin and Park Hye Soo! They are such a cute couple here, and the height difference.. I live for it. The rest of the cast seemed to have fun too, and that's what I like about romcoms like these... It's that very fluffy feeling you get when you can see everyone having fun. I really liked the soundtrack as it was well incorporated into the scenes and the songs were catchy, I admit they kept me in the mood to see this even if there were some parts that were just "meh" to me. The "meh" parts are actually why I gave this drama a low rewatch value, as there were a lot of points that got predictable to me. I was also very annoyed with Chae Ro Woon at the start, but it was nice to see her grow throughout the series. Yeon Woo Jin was very very cute here, I can make a whole separate review just about him but I am wrapping up already so yeah HAHAHA
Despite the points I mentioned above, it's still a fun watch if you'd like something light, though there are some quite triggering parts when it covers the mental health issues. I'd compare this drama to probably, tiramisu. Tiramisu looks like a sweet dessert cake, but the coffee is there with a bitter taste. Even so, the bitter coffee taste compliments the sweetness, and the layers of the tiramisu would apply to the layers of Chae Ji Hye's story and what it has to do with the characters around her.
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Cette critique peut contenir des spoilers
When I was first getting into dramas back in 2018, I had this one on my list when I first saw a clip of the the 3 mains together, intoxicated in a single bed, one cuddling Ro Won, while the other, I assumed was the main male lead, staring deeply into her eyes, and caressing her face. I was like...I really want to know what is happening in this scene, but never was able to find it, until 2020, when they decided to add it to Netflix. I dropped everything to binge watch it, and it was A LOT different than I thought it was going to be able. It was a good combination, back and forth between a very silly stereotypical drama, but then they would have serious scenes at dealt with suicide, self harm, and fears. It was nice to have that comic relief, but at the same time, it confused me. For example, the plot. About a year ago, my roommate had watched this drama on a sketchy site, and when I started watching this drama last week, she told me that there were so man twists and turns that she never saw coming. And I agree with her, there were a lot of twists, but I felt like the writer/director was VERY obvious about what was going to play out. It took until episode 5 for me to understand what was happening - episode 5 was the "flashback" episode, that told is what had happened to Ro Won's sister before her death. But even in that hour flashback, I was still getting confused based on how Ro Won's sister acted about everyone. It got to a point where I was like...ok...I mean yes, that makes sense...but it doesn't, but for the sake of wanting to understand the story at this moment, yeah sure. Let's go with that. Maybe I am just over analyzing everything. But when it came down to all the twists at the end, I was happy that I wasn't insane and overthought everything.
As for the characters, I loved Eun Hwan Ki, and the actor who played him. It was awesome seeing someone who struggled with social anxiety in a main role. I believe it was a symptom of being an introvert, but magnified because of believing it was his fault for his secretary's suicide. I identified so much whenever he would over think in the simplest of situations, and thinking about the possible outcomes, and once you decide on the lesser of the evils, you think about how everything could go wrong, and then you end up doing something completely different and wrong in that situation. That was one of the things I didn't like about the drama, but also did - Eun built up is relationships with everyone one by one, slowly...so we didn't really see anyone standing up for him or helping him until the second half of the drama. And even then, maybe middle second half of the drama. It hurt my heart seeing how closed minded people were being and assuming the worst, but I guess that is a drama cliche. It just hurt how long it lasted. Like yes, if people thought of me like that, I would hide myself from the world too. But when he finally came out, he was the cutest, dorkiest character ever, and I loved him with all my heart. Well until the ending where he was so used to internalizing everything and blew up. And it sucks, but oh, I can identify with that too. It is hard when you want to be with someone or hangout with someone who is completely different from you in the way you act and speak. But it is interesting with a character like Chae Ro Won, who did an amazing job in her role btw, who I had a love ate relationship with. They definitely played her as a young bubbly extrovert who, when it mattered, was an MVP support system for Eun and his team, but in normal everyday situations, was airheaded and really didn't think about what others thought. I cannot atest to her actions as I am not an extrovert by any means, but I did see a lot of similarities between her and my roommate who oozes extrovertness. Yes...that is a new word now. But maybe that is an introverted person's view of extroverted people. Who knows. I just had a love hate relationship with her because her character went from close minded to caring for him and helping him and taking the time to understand him to then again being closed minded because hey we are in love. Other than that, the actress did an amazing job, and it seemed like she was super natural in her role.
As for the other characters, I liked them, but I was indifferent, except for the characters who played a part in Ro Won's sister's suicide or thought they did. They were "traumatized" that it took them 3 years and a lot of pushing for them to realize, hey...maybe I'm putting the blame on the wrong person and maybe we should talk about it so my relationships with myself and other people can be healthy? It made me want to dislike a lot of characters, but I guess at the end, they redeemed themselves. And with that, I didn't care for a lot of side relationships.
Overall, I think an 8.5 is fair. I enjoyed it, but it also hurt my heart to see Eun misunderstood. But in the end, he did the best he could in order to protect everyone else, even if he had to be the one who went down. I think I couldn't give it anything higher because the time jumps and present time with flashbacks weren't super obvious and I got confused a few times. Also, it was nice to see them have "regular" problems after everything settled, but at the same time, I feel like there was a little bit too much weight that went into these problems vs Eun being apart of the reason her sister killed herself. Like you jumped back super quick and forgave him because you knew he was a great guy, but screw him because he didn't write me a chirstmas card. Like...what? The gravity of these situations are equal and you can talk about this without exploding. It was a turnoff as I thought they would be the most mature couple out of everyone, yet that was not he case.
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I tried so hard and dropped it for months in between each episodes for the 5 first episodes.
Cause the female lead IS SO ANNOYING. And also cause at the beginning the male lead is a total caricature, and the story is blend and the acting is not catchy and it’s a office romance which I hate...
BUT, I gave it a last try a year later , I passed the episode 5 bar and it got way better because suddenly, the story focus on the psychology of the characters in a much complex and subtle way.
Yeon Woo Jin did an amazing job in his role, keeping the deep emotional side and the comic of his caricatural character in balance.
He saved the drama. Despite his love interest being annoying until the end.
So I would recommend it only for his performance and for the fact that this drama was able to get me til its end a year after I dropped it.
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