On many levels, this is a wee bit Hallmarkish and possibly goofy, but it does touch on some difficult issues as well.

So often, what others imagine is way worse than the truth. MSB is a reminder that if we aren't honest about our vulnerabilities people will fill in the blanks with some of their darkest thoughts. It's a worthy message.

FL, Ms Chae Ro-won(CRW) and ML, Mr. Eun Hwan-gi(EHG), though completely opposite personalities, are each isolated by broken down families. EHG's father is coldly domineering. EHG and his sister are always grasping for cover to cloak their scars from an unfriendly, unfair, and unfamiliar world. Unfortunately, they end up hiding, which feeds their entrenched isolation. CRW lives in a dead home. Her family died when her sister, Ji-hye (Han Chae Ah from The Bridal Mask), committed suicide.

CRW has always been suspicious about what led to her sister's death 3 years prior. Brain PR, her sister's employer, is hiding the truth behind it. She's #certain. All the signs point directly at Ji-hye's immediate boss, EHG. So CRW, determined to expose the truth and get justice for her sister, obtains a position at the company.

Brain PR was started by said domineering dad, Eun Book-dong (Kim Eung Soo from Because This Is My First Life-7.7). Mr. Eun had stepped down and passed leadership of the company to EHG and Kang Wu-il, his future son i/l, so that he could pursue poli⬆ical📶goals. Mr. Kang and EHG have been friends since childhood. Kang is polished and a veritable savant at making dramatically successful presentations. EHG is shy to the point that it's a debilitating disorder.

While EHG knows the names, details, strengths and weaknesses of every BPR employee, and while he would like to forge relationships with them, his employees only see a privileged rich kid when they look at him. They take quietness for condescension, and averted 👀 for disdain. Most employees are terrified of him. The resplendent Mr. Kang is the leader that they want.

Enter The Can-Opener: Ms Chae. If anything, this singer/actress is too headstrong. She infiltrates Brain PR and rips the lid off, allowing light and air in. Such is the premise. The execution is not bad. Their goal, obviously, was to make a cute r💓mance: Nothing more, nothing less. They succeeded. In typical Kdrama fashion, two people are introduced to viewers that are extremes of themselves. Ms Chae is obnoxiously uber aggressive in the first couple episodes, and young Mr. Eun is agonizingly and exasperatingly recoiled within himself. He is terrified of human interaction.

Some things they do well are the likable characters, the fun PR projects they take on, and an above average first kiss. The actors are amazing at displaying character changes via physical manifestations. Some stand up straighter and become more attractive as they grow, as others start to slouch over with drooped, pale faces from guilt weighing them down. Director, Song Hyun Wook, has gifted us with The King's Affection-8.3, Another Miss Oh-7.5, & the popular The Beauty Inside, but he's also responsible for the underwhelming Revolutionary Love-5.7. He seems to be taking 2 steps forward and a step or half-step back in his career - he's growing. The King's Affection is a masterpiece. Actor Yeon Woo Jin (Queen for Seven Days) is our painfully shy boss who gradually finds courage once he's forced open by the electric actress and magnificent singer, Park Hye Soo (Saimdang, Light’s Diary-8.5). Gong Seung Yeon (Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency-7.4 & the marvelous, outrageously funny My Only Love Song-8.7) displays fragility in MSB as EHG's sister, while Yoon Park (What Happens to My Family?) as Kang, her fiance, begins the show as if he's conquered the world - until things don't go his way. The whole cast is excellent, and the acting is one of the show's strengths.

At other times, there's sloppiness, odd plot points and a bit of wandering around that felt like padding. Ep16 is strange. The last scene was satisfying, but there were many things that didn't happen that might have taken the viewers to deeper insights. MSB chose to remain in the shallows. That isn't the worst criticism. Entertainment should challenge us at times, but other times we need to veg.

Lovers of r💓mance are likely to enjoy taking a mental break at Brain PR, but if 💓 is not your genre, close the door and apply elsewhere.

Quote:

Being under the impression that you know everything is dangerous.

〰🖍 IMHO

🎬7 🤔5 🎭7 💓7 🦋5 😅6 🎨7 🔚3

Age 13+

👀📺again? ⛔

Originally 〰️🖊 10/2021


Other shows that are good viewing for younger audiences are:

9+Trollhunters-9.5 (slightly scary. Worst language is “butt snack”)

10+ C🇨🇳 Accidentally in Love-6.5 B-level scripting, acting, and directing, but still fun/strangely relaxing to watch,
Holes-8,
Howl's Moving Castle-8.9,
K🇰🇷 A Love So Beautiful-7,
My Dog Skip-8,
K🇰🇷 Part Time Idol-5.5 (suicide addressed),
Paulie-7.4,
Saiki-8,
K🇰🇷Spark-6.4,
K🇰🇷 Strongest Delivery Man-6.6

11+ Belle-8.5,
K🇰🇷 Flower Boy Next Door-7,
Girls Und Panzer-8.1 (1 each d@mn, he!!),
Labyrinth-7,
C🇨🇳 A Little Thing Called First Love-8.5,
Love Chunibyo And Other Delusions-8.4,
K🇰🇷 The Miracle-7.7,
One Piece-7.5 there is scattered PG-13 language,
Watership Down-8.5


12+ K🇰🇷 99 Days With the Superstar-7,
Colourcloud Palace-8,
Farming Life in Another World-7.7,
Goonies-8,
Here Comes Miss Modern-7.8,
Hotel del Luna 8.4,
1995 Jumanji-9,
K🇰🇷 My ID is Gangnam Beauty-7.5 ,
C🇨🇳 Love Between Fairy & Devil-8.9,
Piano In The Forest l-8,
K🇰🇷 So I Married My Anti-fan-6.8,
Your Lie In April-9

13+ K🇰🇷 Boys Over Flowers-8.3 ~ melodrama to the max;
K🇰🇷Cinderella and the 4 Knights-5.6,
K🇰🇷 Heirs-7.3,
K🇰🇷 My Shy Boss-6.5,
K🇰🇷 Playful kiss-7.3,
Princess Resurrection-7.6,
Senryu Girl-7.5,
Special A Class-8.2

14+ My Runway-7.5
Princess Principal-8.6,
Toradora-8.5,