Survive as a Celebrity Manager (2022)

It’s Not That Bad

For a change, it seems I’m on the opposite end of an unpopular opinion.

I placed spoilers at the end of this review.

I thought this was an interesting and funny series. I don’t know how much it mirrors the French TV series (Call My Agent!), but I thought this script was good. However, It’s not perfect. There were some aspects of the script that I did not like. See spoiler alert at the end of this review for more information. I thought the cast was wonderful. I liked the group dynamic and that all of the characters were likably flawed. I also loved seeing the various guest actors in each episode playing mock versions of themselves. The one main critique is the pacing. The series starts off strong but gradually losses energy throughout the series. As for the ending, see the spoiler alert on my take of it.

Random Note: As stated above, I did not see the French TV series this was based on which is probably why I enjoyed this series. Is the series perfect? No, but I don’t think it deserves all the hate it’s getting. I’ve seen far worse dramas than this one.

******Spoiler Alert******

The relationship development between Ma Tae Oh and So Hyun Joo is inconsistent for the first half of the series. It does not progress in a natural way.

I did not need the hinted incest love attraction throughout the series between two of the characters. This was unnecessary and seemed out of place. It also served no purpose in this series (for now at least).

Everything towards the end of the last episode is hinting at a second season. If so, the ending is perfect. I would absolutely watch it. If not, then I’m completely pissed off how they ended it.

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Loved it & planning on rewatching when I’m in the mood something casual

I loved this show . Honestly started on a whim since I kept seeing it on Netflix & the first episode was a bit slow. But the relationship between main characters. Janes character was my favourite! I love strong female characters with a complicated personal background. I loved how every episode had a real celebrity playing their own character & it was nice to see the ones I recognised from the dramas I’ve watched.

I loved the quality of the show and the realist aspect it had. The fact that the agents were constantly facing a new problem and how they over came it was so real! It was the perfect casual show to watch, nothing too serious & usually each episode has its own plot/storyline but you get to follow the main characters personal story too. Would recommend 100% and definitely planning to rewatch when I’m in the mood for a laugh. I loved that this show wasn’t too serious and from seeing other reviews on here, it’s a shame people didn’t like it

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"Grab a brush and put a little makeup"

Some twenty years ago, give or take, an underground music genre exploded into public awareness. Emo became the hot scene with its ironic song titles, asymmetric haircuts, punk influenced guitars and melancholy, introspective themes. At the peak of its popularity, System of a Down released a blistering track titled "Chop Suey!" about drug addiction and death from their album "Toxicity". What does this have to do with the 2022 Korean television drama "Behind Every Star"? Ok, quiz time:

Which of the following explains the commonality between the song and the show?

A. Toxicity is the name of the album and an accurate description of almost every character in "Behind Every Star"

B. "Grab a brush and put a little makeup" from the song also describes how the agents in "Behind Every Star" don't really solve anything. They just put a pretty facade on things and hope they go away.

C. The people responsible for both seem to have been heavily influenced by mind-altering substances, with differing outcomes for whether that was a good thing or not.

D. The tone and pacing of both cover the widest possible spectrum.

E. All of the above.

Answer below.

For those reading this review, please know that the song is excellent and to expect any return on the time invested in reading this review, please seek it out. It may not be everyone's style, but it is the absolute only hope to get any entertainment value from anything mentioned here.

Because it will not be found in "Behind Every Star".

It's part procedural drama with guest stars that are generally clients of Method Entertainment's agency. The agents have a more traditional serial arc. The procedural has some modest success with a few guest turns from the likes of Park Ho San, Oh Na Ra, Kim So Hyun and Kim Ji Hoon and more playing themselves as stars with various neuroses. The serial drama portion is a Category 5 hurricane of unpleasantness and odor and boor. Or bore? Both actually.

Seo Hyun Woo's Joong Don and Lee Seo Jin's Director Ma have absolutely zero charm, spine or energy. Kim Gook Hee's Eun Soo is a fairly significant supporting character that is entirely defined by her inexplicable attraction to Director Ma. Choi Yeon Kyu's Won Jae appears every episode multiple times but doesn't speak. Or perhaps he does, but it's meaningless filler. Hwang Se On's Hee Sun has the most potential of any character but her storyline alternates between a unlikely crush and an infinitely more unlikely series of acting misadventures. Shin Hyun Seung's Eun Gyul appears often. Has lines. Does things. Interacts with other characters. Things that should allow a viewer to obtain some impression or evaluation of what he might be like as a person. But he is so bland that absolutely nothing can be gleaned from observing him. He is as shapeless and formless and colorless as an inert gas.

Joo Hyun Young who made a minor character in 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo" into a viral online phenomenon does the opposite here - takes a major character and eliminates any sign of life from it. To her credit, the two portrayals are so incredibly different that it shows incredible range.

But the absolute rotting cherry on top of this reeking sundae is Kwak Sun Young's Je In. She is as self-destructive, shallow, selfish, shortsighted and superficial as any character that has ever leapt from writer's desk to screen. And all of it in a most uninteresting and grating manner possible. Even had the remainder of the show around her been praiseworthy, her presence alone would very likely have torpedoed everything she touched.

Apparently, "Behind Every Star" is an adaptation of a popular and successful French production. But it would be easier to understand the recent breakthrough in nuclear fusion than how this wreck of a drama is in any way associated with something that members of the human species sat through and enjoyed.

Not recommended. Answer to quiz: E

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It's a really good simple drama

Every episode that had a different case made this drama become one of my favorite drama. It's really easy to follow and will not give you a headache. Sometimes it had a complicated conflict between the artist and manager, but it got resolved in one episode. I love when each episode had a different guest star. It's made the drama more realistic, and I can get an insight from the manager's struggle. Also, the character development is good. I like the cast, my favorite character is Jane. She really cares about her job and strive to excellency. Sometimes she made mistake, and later she realized that she is wrong. I hope she can handle her new problem in season 2. I am waiting for the season 2 to coming!

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Not worth the time (for me)

I liked the concept of this show - I find the machinations of the Korean entertainment interesting - so I thought I'd give it a chance. Unfortunately - there's not much here to keep you watching. While I definitely disagree with reviewers that have rated this 1/10, I have dropped it, because it hasn't held my interest on any level.

"Behind Every Star", as other reviewers have mentioned, is a remake of the French show "Call My Agent". I haven't seen this program, so I'm not sure what was and wasn't taken from the original, but I find the vibe of "Behind Every Star" to be quite trashy for a K-Drama. This in itsself isn't a dealbreaker, but is one of a few factors adding up to just making this a not very enjoyable viewing.

I found it didn't really satisfy my intrigue as to how the Korean entertainment industry works - the plots of each episode generally revolve around an Entertainment Agency's managers trying to smooth over some minuscule issue that's been unnecessarily turned into a big, er, drama, by their Actors' absurdly inflated egos. It doesn't come across as particularly realistic; which might be OK if the show was more skewed toward comedy, but I didn't find the antics of the egotistical Actors particularly funny or entertaining. Several real well-known actors are playing themselves through the series, so I can only assume making them narcissists was intended to be funny, but this just didn't work for me.

Which brings me to the characters - I don't think a character necessarily has to be likeable, but they need to be compelling in some way. Most of the characters here I found both very unlikable and very uninteresting.
The show largely centres around veteran Manager Jane Chun, who I think the viewer is supposed to like, but just comes across as very irritating, and self-centred. The shows other lead is newbie manager Hyun Joo So, who I think you're also supposed to like and sympathise with, but she also comes across as very annoying; bumbling, soggy and spineless; we're supposed to believe she's driven enough to secure a career in Entertainment despite the odds, but not driven enough to even attempt to do her job properly.
Most of the other Management staff come across as cold/nasty and uninteresting, while the Actors are mostly egomaniacal 2D caricatures. The only characters I really liked were: the Agency's receptionist, wannabe actress Hee Sun Kang, who manages to get the viewer on her side despite being a bit of a bitch (Se On Hwang lights up the screen in this role); and the Agency's camp and dramatic office gossip queen Jin Hyuk (though some viewers may find his flamboyant mannerisms over-the-top and offensive). Manager Joong Don Kim was OK, he comes across as probably the most realistic and relatable charatcer. Steven Noh as Tax Office auditor Sang Wook Lee has good screen presence but not much character. I liked the actresses Soo Mi Kim and Hyo Rim Seo playing versions of themselves.

Coincidentally, I've just just started watching "Sh**ting Stars", which is also about the Korean Entertainment industry. And despite having the classic quirky K-Drama vibe and some over-the-top moments and characters actually comes across as more realistic then "Behind Every Star". I haven't finished it yet, but of the two, I'd definitely recommend "Sh**ting Stars" instead.

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Where's my agent?

Behind Every Star (2022)

I didnt watch the original French drama so I'm not going to compare it with this Korean remake.

Likes
1. I liked the episodic celebrity cameos esp Jo Yeo Jeong, Oh Nara/Park Hosan, Kim So Hyun, Lee Soon Jae, Daniel Henney (although his episode was the only one with a bad ending).
2. At first I thought Ma Tae Oh is the bad guy in the office but actually he's the one I like the most, despite his personal mistakes. And I love how much he actually dotes on Hyunjoo esp when everyone found out.
3. Heo Sung Tae is fun to watch even if his character is annoying. I wouldn't want a boss like him! Lol.

Dislikes
Except for Tae Oh, all the other leads' stories are not that good. I don't like the tax guy, i prefer Jane with Jungdon not the the receptionist, even Hyunjoo lacked the spark of a young passionate agent. The weird sibling romantic vibes between Hyunjoo and Eungyul.

The french drama has 4 seasons, while this remake's 1st season covered 2 seasons. Not sure if they'll be renewed for season 2 and if I'll continue watching (maybe if they can get even better cameos).

Rating: 8/10

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Lee Seo Jin

I’m basically watching Behind Every Star because of Lee Seo Jin. However, I’m finding that this is the first time I don’t like his character, Director Ma. What a shock. That only tells me how versatile he is because I’ve loved him immediately in Lovers, Times, Lee San and GyeBaek.

Love the concept of the drama though. Because I'm enjoying the rest of the cast, especially Noh Sang Hyun, Seo Hyeon woo, Kim Tae oh and Hwang Se-on I am going to continue watching this drama. Hopefully Director Ma will grow on me. If not I will just back to rewatching Mr. Lee in Lovers and Yi San.

This drama ended up being just “eh”.

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a short and simple review

this is a short and simple review of the overall things/points.
a nice story with mostly happy endings,
a lot of plots and side stories in one drama.
fresh and interesting,
but slightly draggy ish at times.
overall a nice watch :)

i think this drama was something different from most dramas so it's kinda interesting, although it does include some cliché tropes / side stories. there are pretty much only happy endings, and tho at times it seems a little forced, it is still pretty nice. so pretty much all of the side stories/plots are gonna end well. the ending was slightly incomplete due to the plots, so it'll be continued in season2. i think this deserves a try/go, i hope u will enjoy it! also the last episode includes a lot of group photos, which is a bonus!

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Behind every star

Having been a fan of " Call my Agent " ( English title ) the French series , I was interested in seeing a Korean version or adaptation of the series . I was not disappointed . I loved it , the story , the pace , the characters , the script and the acting . It is more moderate than the French one , less provocative , but all the central points , the pressure , the tension , survival of the company , dealing with actors , of the story remain , placed in a different setting and a different culture .
Each character is well portrayed , well acted , well developed .
Short for a K drama , it holds its own throughout .

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Addicting and fun to watch

Behind Every Star is for fans of Shooting Star and The Fabulous, of stories full of glitter and dazzle, full of drama and angst with comical storylines that will flip you off your bed laughing.

With incredible acting that does justice to the comical and dramatical theatrics of the story, this remake is an incredible undertaking. For fans of the original series, Call My Agent, this might become a tedious task to watch as it copies the storyline completely but for fans who are watching this for the first time through the Korean remake, Behind Every Star is a fun watch.

Even though I absolutely adore the current love story, I would have loved even more if they were bold enough to stick to the original character sketch of Jane and kept her as a lesbian female lead than turning her just for the public opinion sake.

Apart from that, Behind Every Star has everything that a hit series needs. A strong storyline, a perfect cast and enough fodder to feed the audience. With drama everyday coming from new ways at Method Entertainment I think we have more than enough story to get entertained even more.

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A remake of Call My Agent

It took me awhile before I realized that this show is a remake of French TV comedy series Call My Agent. While I did very much enjoy the original Call My Agent series, behaviors and actions that seem plausible, relatable, humorous or ring true for French characters seem way less so or even impossible for S. Korean characters, and thus many of the things the charactors do and say feels very inauthentic and unlikely in the Korean context. Whereas most kdrams are a window into S. Korean society, this drama is not because it's written for French characters, so it's kind of an odd and confusing watch.

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