92

Misaeng: Episode 10

Things just don’t get any easier for our little Sales Team 3, do they? Chief Park seems like the monkey wrench that’s trying to tear everyone apart, but the mystery lies in exactly how he’s doing it (much less why). In order to find out, Chief Oh has to play his own careful game of “office baduk” — a match that has the odds stacked against him and could end with a ruined career.

 
EPISODE 10 RECAP

During his coffee break, Chief Park decides that he’d prefer his coffee made by a woman, and requests one of the female staff members also taking a break to make a cup of coffee for him. She politely obliges, but she and the other women silently tense up when he makes them uncomfortable with his lewd remarks (which he excuses by pretending he’s actually referring to a car in the magazine he’s reading, ugh).

They report the situation to Deputy Director Sun, and she immediately tracks down Chief Oh to tell him to keep a better handle on his employee. Chief Oh wastes no time in confronting Chief Park (in full view of the department), warning him that he’ll put up with negligence in his work, but he won’t tolerate Chief Park’s verbal abuse to the weak (aka Geu-rae) and sexual harassment of the female employees.

Chief Oh is in no mood to pretend Chief Park is a good team player, so everyone will focus on their own projects instead of trying to work together. Chief Park decides to start working on the Jordan used-car project since it’s highly profitable, and is surprised when Chief Oh tells him to expand the project to include not just passenger cars, but construction vehicles and accessories as well.

As Chief Oh makes a cup of coffee in the break room, Manager Kim is happy to hear about the Jordan used-car project, reminding Chief Oh how useful Chief Park is to the team. The fake laugh from Chief Oh signaling his agreement seems to convince Manager Kim.

In the resource department, Assistant Manager Ha silently watches as Young-yi tirelessly cleans the workspace, jumping to fulfill the petty demands of the other department employees — even if it means struggling to replace the heavy water bottle in the break room so she can make them coffee.

Geu-rae finishes putting together the halal project that had been reassigned to him from Chief Park, and Chief Oh notes the look on his face, asking him if it seems strange to him. In his cryptic-Yoda way, he tells Geu-rae the reason it seems strange is because there’s no trace of a big company’s selfishness.

On the rooftop for a smoke break, he’s surprised by a visit from Young-yi who’s trying to dry her trousers after the mishap with the water bottle. He waves her over (offering to trip Assistant Manager Ha again, pffft), and she apologies for interrupting him while he was lost in thought. When he finds out she once saw the proposal for the Jordan used-car project, he asks her what she thought about it.

When she hesitates to answer, he nods knowingly: “You thought it was strange, too.” Just as Young-yi is about to leave, Chief Oh asks about the guy from before, the one who so spooked her in the lobby that she excused herself from dinner. He recognized him as Team Leader Shim from Samjung Trading. She denies it, but Chief Oh says it would explain why she’s such an experienced newbie.

In a place far enough away from prying eyes and ears, Chief Oh discusses his concerns about the Jordan used-car project with Dong-shik and Geu-rae. Everything looks good on paper, and it’s already been approved by the legal and finance departments, but the subcontractor’s profit margin seems too high.

Dong-shik confirms that it looks like Chief Park is getting a kickback from the subcontractor, but they don’t know for certain. Chief Oh sighs as he says they’ll now have to find out if the new addition to their team is just a lazy pig or a troublesome mutt.

Back in the office, Chief Park is busy playing day-trader, checking on his stocks — but not too busy to be unaware of the new, weird atmosphere in the department. The rest of Sales Team 3 pointedly ignore him as they go about their business, but Chief Park isn’t fooled.

Baek-ki and his teammate are busy checking a delivery of steel samples in the storage room when Assistant Manager Kang arrives. He chides them for not having the samples delivered pre-sorted, and when his teammate (who was also the one who was prepared to report Chief Park for sexual harassment) immediately offers to organize it, Baek-ki insists on doing it instead.

Young-yi enters the storage room, teasingly telling him that she could hear him being scolded from down the hall. She notes that he seems to be following her method of acting like a servant instead of sticking to his previous method. In a flashback, we see him call the head-hunter to let her know that he’s changed his mind and has decided to stay at One International. Yay!

She helps him with his samples, and he asks her to dinner, his treat. But when she suggests he invite the rest of the newbies, he tells her that he doesn’t want it known that he was planning to quit. He jokingly adds that he regrets telling her in the first place, and it’s cute how they genuinely give each other a little smile.

Assistant Manager Sung confronts Seok-yul’s rudeness due to not greeting him like a sunbae — he can tolerate incompetence, but not someone who doesn’t know his “place.” He adds that if there’s any problem, Seok-yul can tell him anything. When Seok-yul asks him if he really doesn’t know why he’s acting like this, Assistant Manager Sung brushes him off, saying Seok-yul should just leave his personal life at home and not bother him with it.

Frustrated, Seok-yul claims he has a severe migraine and is unable to work, so he’ll be leaving early. Which means he won’t be able to work on the projects Assistant Manager Sung was about to hand off to him.

Assistant Manager Ha is annoyed to see that his coworkers have left a mess in their department, and gets a little huffy when he’s told that he shouldn’t worry because Young-yi will take care of it. When they send her off to do some personal errands for them, he confronts them about abusing her good nature — she had agreed to take care of odd jobs for him, not for the entire department.

He leaves to track Young-yi down, ordering her to immediately go to one of the factories to make sure shipments are delivered by the morning. His snotty attitude is made bearable by Seok-yul’s delightfully mocking faces behind Assistant Manager Ha’s back.

Chief Park is impatient for Chief Oh to make a decision on the Jordan used-car project, but Chief Oh calmly tells him he’s still reviewing it. The atmosphere is pretty tense, made even more so when Chief Park asks to see Geu-rae in private.

In an empty stairwell, Chief Park says he knows that everyone is working together to stop his project. He accuses Geu-rae of just being Chief Oh’s kiss-ass, and warns him that the last person who followed him so faithfully ended up getting killed.

Baek-ki must be taking cues from Seok-yul, because he happens to enter the stairwell above just in time to overhear Chief Park warn that Geu-rae is making the wrong decision siding with a loser like Chief Oh — he needs to side with either the Executive Director or the CEO, someone who will actually help him in his career. He roughly grabs Geu-rae’s chin as he tells him he needs to get a clue and to make sure the Jordan project gets approved.

Seok-yul has invited himself along as Young-yi drives down to the chemical company. But when they arrive, they learn that the workers have just gone on strike so the product won’t be delivered in time. Worried, she calls the office, but Assistant Manager Ha isn’t around. She calls her other douchebag team member, and he just sighs in exasperation as he orders her to return to the office. If she was a man, he’d tell her to find a way to get the items delivered to the port by any means possible, but since she’s a woman…

Without even stopping to think, Young-yi asks the foreman if there’s a truck available. Seok-yul doesn’t have a drivers license, so it means she’s the one who gets to drive the truck. She nervously crawls along at 25 mph, reiterating to an annoyed Seok-yul (who just wants to go back to the city) that she was ordered to make sure the product was delivered by the morning.

Chief Oh finally makes his decision, and as he hands back the Jordan used-car project, he mentions the weirdness about the subcontractor profit margin. Chief Park insists that, based on his expertise, it’s not really that big of a margin margin. As Chief Oh just stands and listens to his explanations, Chief Park gets increasingly pissy and finally tells him to just forget it. Acting personally affronted, he dramatically leaves the office.

After Chief Park’s sudden departure, Chief Oh quietly orders Dong-shik and Geu-rae to meet with the subcontractors, making sure they record everything in preparation of an internal audit.

Geu-rae’s worried about the potential of an audit, not to mention arriving unannounced at the subcontracting office, but Dong-shik explains that all they’re doing right now is getting the facts to determine whether or not correct procedures were followed. They’re not there to judge Chief Park’s actions — it’s up to the company to decide what to do once they figure out the facts.

As they’re leaving the building, they run into Assistant Manager Ha and the resource team chief, who genially tells them to take good care of Chief Park since he was in their team. Oh, that explains so much.

When Assistant Manager Ha returns to the office, he’s surprised to see that Young-yi hasn’t returned yet. That’s because she’s still busy making her deliveries as she continues drives along at a snail’s pace. Seok-yul tries to talk her into going back to Seoul, arguing that they’ll never finish in time, but she’s a woman on a mission.

Chief Oh reports to Manager Kim, telling him his suspicions about the Jordan used-car project. Manager Kim knows that this sort of situation doesn’t just implicate one person, but everyone who’s approved the project — which includes himself. Chief Oh tries to reassure him that nothing’s been proven yet. But Manager Kim knows that where there’s smoke, there’s usually a fire.

As they prepare to enter the subcontractor’s office, Dong-shik gives Geu-rae tips on how to remain neutral and just focused on ascertaining the facts instead of judging the person. But they’re surprised to discover Chief Park is already there, and the manager of the subcontracting company greets them cheerfully.

Chief Park is ready to escort them out, smoothly telling them that he can answer any questions they have about the project. But Dong-shik stands his ground, telling him that they’re here to double-check that correct procedures were followed.

Chief Oh wrestles long and hard with what to do next, knowing that his decision to proceed with the audit could mean his manager would be fired. But just as he’s telling Dong-shik to withdraw from the investigation, his office phone rings — it’s Manager Kim. Chief Oh quickly tells Dong-shik he’ll call him back before hanging up.

Gloating, Chief Park tells Dong-shik that of course Chief Oh would drop the investigation. And Chief Oh is definitely about to, as he stands humbly before Manager Kim. For the benefit of Manager Kim and the company, he promises to stop the audit and instead take care of matters quietly within his own department. He only requests that Chief Park be reassigned to another team.

But Manager Kim surprises him by ordering him to continue with the investigation — the correct procedures must be followed.

As Chief Park cheerfully discusses personal plans with the subcontracting manager, Dong-shik’s phone rings. Chief Park and the manager are confident that they’re in the clear, so it’s a shocking blow when Dong-shik calmly tells them that the audit team will be arriving soon.

Furious, Chief Park takes Dong-shik outside to talk to him privately, and Dong-shik orders Geu-rae to stay behind, and for the subcontracting manager to not touch any documents. But as soon as Dong-shik leaves, the manager is on the phone, filling the executive director of the subcontracting company in on everything. Geu-rae quietly pulls out his phone and starts recording the conversation.

Chief Park tries to bully Dong-shik into stopping the investigation by threatening to call Manager Kim and the executive director, warning him that they’ll be on his side, not Chief Oh’s. But Dong-shik tells him that Chief Oh will be meeting with the executive director at that minute, so his call is in vain. Furious, he grabs Dong-shik by the collar, demanding to know why he’s doing this to him.

The subcontracting manager gets a phone call that makes him suspiciously happy, and Geu-rae keeps a close eye on him as he sends a fax. In a baduk game-theory voice over, Geu-rae says that it’s time to retaliate against their opponent. They’re putting their lives on the line as they navigate enemy territory, and whichever side makes the first mistake will lose.

As the audit team arrives (along with Chief Oh), Geu-rae’s voiceover continues, pointing out that in such an important situation as this, one must not be too rash or hasty. As they proceed, they must not make any mistakes, and it’s clear that if their opponent doesn’t die, then they’ll be the ones to die.

The audit team carefully combs through all the documents, but the subcontracting manager explains that their high profit margin is justifiable with a fax he just received from Jordan. That’s enough to satisfy the auditors, and Chief Park gloats once more while Geu-rae tries to figure out why (in baduk speak) it feels like he wants to make a “move,” even though he’s not confident what that move should be.

He suddenly realizes that the manager was speaking Korean when he called the Jordan company, and suddenly asks if someone in the company is Korean. This stops the auditors in their tracks, because their research shows the company is solely staffed by Jordan locals.

They discover a common name on the documents — a Muhammed Indira — and Chief Oh asks if he’s an executive. Suspiciously, the subcontractor manager says he’s the marketing director at the same time that Chief Oh says he’s the general manager. This Muhammed Indira turns out to be Korean, his real name Park Sang-joon, and is also confused about his job title.

The auditors get the investigation officially rolling again, but Geu-rae is doing his own investigation to find out the answer to something that’s been bugging him. He tries calling Young-yi for help, but she’s too busy driving to answer. His next option is Baek-ki, and, yay! Baek-ki agrees to look into it for him.

Meanwhile, Chief Park is totally losing it. As the audit team tries to figure out why Park Sang-joon lied to them, he interrupts, passionately claiming that since approving the high profit margin was his mistake, he’ll take responsibility.

Chief Park continues to bluster, and Geu-rae once again uses his baduk knowledge to point out that in order to understand the current move, one must understand the previous moves. Baek-ki texts him with the information he was looking for, and he realizes that what might have looked like a small problem (whether or not Chief Park was getting a kickback) might not have been so small after all.

It turns out that the executive director of the subcontracting company is actually Chief Park himself, just using his English name, and the rest of the employees (including the one who was assumed to be in Jordan) are Chief Oh’s extended family.

As they watch Chief Park being escorted away, Chief Oh says he probably thought his actions were just compensation for his hard work. He explains that in 2008, Chief Park had played a major role in getting a big contract, and after only being awarded a celebratory dinner, had returned to the office, disenchanted that everyone went back to their normal roles.

The lure of money as compensation was too strong, and he willingly accepted any bribes subcontracting companies would offer (if he didn’t outright ask for a bribe), until he was clued into the possibility of making his own dummy corporation that could be awarded the contracts, so he would automatically get the extra money.

Dong-shik wonders how it will end for Chief Park. To those outside the company, it looks like a triumph of good over evil. But the corporate world has its own rules.

Assistant Manager Ha is working late at the office, and only wraps up his project after midnight. He’s a little concerned that Young-yi never returned to the office, and calls her up to yell at her for going straight home instead of to the office. But when he finds out she’s still driving to make sure everything is delivered to the port by the morning, he curses her out, demanding she return immediately. The deliveries don’t actually have to be done by tomorrow, and he’ll call someone else to take care of it.

Seok-yul is irate on Young-yi’s behalf, but she just silently drives on as she wearily fights back tears. They finally return to One International where Assistant Manager Ha impatiently paces, waiting for them. Once again, he curses her out for being so crazy, warning her that if she got into an accident, the company would be liable. Pfft, his astonished expression at finding Seok-yul hiding in the truck’s cab is hilarious.

The next morning, Manager Kim and Chief Oh silently wait in his office. Dong-shik explains to Geu-rae that lower-ranked employees like themselves don’t have to worry so much — most of the blame will be placed on those in higher positions, like Manager Kim. Depending on what the auditors find out, there’s a strong chance that Manager Kim will be demoted or lose his job.

Dong-shik adds that even though he’s just a worker bee and it seems like his actions have no impact, it’s still his work and his life right now. Geu-rae adds that “it’s just baduk.” No matter if you win or lose a game, it’s still just a game — not the end of the world.

In a voice-over, Geu-rae adds: “Regardless of the world, it’s still baduk, which is everything to me.” He thinks back to all the “games” his fellow coworkers have had to play as they navigate office life, and as he watches the lights go out on the One International building, he smiles. This “game” of baduk may seem pathetic, but it’s still baduk, it’s still his work, and it’s still the world to him.

 
COMMENTS

One of the difficulties in recapping a show like Misaeng is that there is so much subtle nuance that’s hard to capture on the page, and sometimes it’s a struggle to accurately convey each little gaze or expression. The show relies on an undercurrent of emotion, expertly conveyed by the actor’s mannerisms (however slight), editing, backing soundtrack, camera angles, and even just the way they let the camera linger for an extra beat.

There’s not enough space to accurately describe and give weight to the minor ways in which each actor seems to inhabit their character — the micro-expressions, the exchanged glances, or even just to explain that since we’ve spent ten episodes in such close emotional proximity with everyone, we can understand what they’re thinking just by the way they’re sitting.

Which is why it may seem foolish if you’re just reading the recap, but I’m impressed at the small way the show is managing to humanize Assistant Manager Ha. Yes, it seems impossible, especially since his words and actions are still rough and cruel. But the character, in those impossible-to-define ways, is managing to convey a sense of discomfort with how Young-yi is being treated by his department, and even possibly feeling some twinges of regret at how he’s treated her as well.

That’s not to say I like him — nope, he’s still got a long way to go. But I can see that he’s starting to appreciate (and even respect) Young-yi’s skills and work-ethic. Even though the trip to the chemical factory didn’t end as well as she hoped, I’m fairly certain he sent her away just so she could stop being the department’s glorified maid. He may not have handled it smoothly, but from the small ways he reacts to his surroundings, I do believe he feels some shame for the way he’s treated her, even if he’s too proud to admit it. I’m still waiting for him to really apologize and work hard to make amends — but I’m not going to hold my breath. After all, this show can definitely change our minds about certain characters, but it still doesn’t pretend anyone will suddenly become a saint overnight.

It definitely seems easier to slip down the “darker” path, as evidenced by Chief Park. In the flashback, he seemed like your standard salaryman, but his pride and ego at winning a huge contract — and then not getting the recognition (or reward) that he thought he deserved — meant he was willing to go down that slippery slope of making his own compensation. I’m not sure if the sexual harassment is a by-product of his new-found “forget you, I’m going to get mine” attitude, but it definitely cements him as one of those crush-anyone-to-remain-on-top employees. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out so well for him in the end.

I have to wonder if he would have gotten away with it if he had been assigned to any team but Sales Team 3. The show keeps pointing out that Chief Oh can’t move up the ladder because he cares too much about doing a job correctly than getting it done in a snazzy manner that will attract the attention of the higher ups. It almost seems like Manager Kim was asking Chief Park to get caught, except that doesn’t make sense since it looks like Manager Kim will be facing his own punishment as the one who originally signed off on the Jordan used-car project. (A project that makes me wonder if that’s the reason for the opening scene in the first episode.)

Another problem (that isn’t exactly a “problem”) with recapping Misaeng is this show is chock-full of goodies that could easily have me discussing them for ten pages, so I’ll just end with how delighted I am to see the newbies not just working together, but inspiring each other. Young-yi’s determination to find a “whatever it takes” solution to make sure the chemical resources were delivered was influenced by Geu-rae’s effort to do all he could, even if he wasn’t qualified. Geu-rae realized that Baek-ki was correct in his method of sticking to the procedures. Baek-ki’s accepted that perhaps Young-yi’s method of humbly working the crap jobs is perhaps the best way.

I’m looking forward to seeing how they can continue to encourage and motivate each other further, especially in an office environment that still does all it can to destroy an idealistic soul.

 
RELATED POSTS

Tags: , , , , ,

92

Required fields are marked *

It's weird but during the week i actually "miss" this drama. For all the stress, there is this weirdly comforting hauring vibe...like being with one's allies against the evils in the world. Love this drama.

I felt so conflicted about our villain. He really is a nasty piece of work and I wasn't happy that we had to understand why he went down that path...and yet it's good to see that bitterness could make someone go so off the rails. So am glad for that lesson...and very glad there was no redemption arc in sight. Thanks for the recap.

0
14
reply

Required fields are marked *

Urgh, yeah, I never thought about a redemption arc but if they'd tried to do it, i would've just scoffed! He was a horrible person and I loved watching him get more and more stressed as they got closer to figuring out his secret. Goodbye Chief Park, I hope we never have to see you again.

0
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

SIGH.... I could be wrong but that piece of trash was seen again in the preview ....this time with the director...???

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Wasn't it the executive director who said something about him being a undercover business con man? I'm feeling worried now...

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

yes, he was in the preview, noooooo, I hate his guts and am also worried about Chief Oh's words that the workplace doesn't handle things they way you would expect the law to handle them. I hope he gets fired!! No redemption please.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Do you feel like something is misaeng during the week without woori Sales Team 3?? Me, too...
( my apology for the bad joke ???)

0
5
reply

Required fields are marked *

i definitely understand, cingdoc! i moped around after i finished watching the week's episode. this is bad.. i have yet to watch any drama that affects me like this. i thought am being clever by doing a "watch schedule".. after misaeng, i'll watch pride & prejudice and then, i'll go for pinocchio.. then maybe watch a movie.. trouble is, it's not enough to curb my addiction to this great drama! i struggle to watch P&P.. and this week, seems like there's only 1 episode, so there goes the schedule plan out of the window!

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

LOL... We are doing the exact thing ....btw, I watched YAI's Tough as Iron( nail) ??
I miss woori Sales Team 3 one min after I watched Sat's epi ?

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

hehehehe.. that's why i only waych Misaeng ona monday coz i know i'll watch 2 episodes in obe shot. i can't wait for the next episode. i think ST3 is gonna get a new member. ooh, the CEO of one international is coming and i think he'll gonna shake the company upside down.

0

I totally do. Sometimes i find myself rewatching episodes. It's ...wow. Have we bonded with these guys? Are they part of our workweek?

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

i think we all are kinda protective of ST3 and the other newbies. the ST3 is the underdog of the sales department and we just looove rooting for the underdogs, don't we? i never thought i could watch and rewatch a korean drama but i did..

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I have double reason to look forward to Friday now (...saturday really though as have to wait for subs)

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Misaeng is the only Korean drama I watching at the moment (in fact, it's the only drama I'm watching right now)... I definitely miss it during the week.

I would rather not see the villain redeemed either (didn't he essentially commit a crime? shouldn't he go to prison?), but if they do go for that at some point, it would depend on how they do it...

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Me too, I also miss it during the week. I love this show.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I think the "comforting" vibe is actually when we know office workers like us are all having to face the same stress, though not all. And we need each other to go through it.

So even though we faced stress in the weekdays, we can't wait for Friday to "add" our stress with this drama..no ? hehe...

I hope miss Finance Manager do not get reprimand for this Jordan project too.... that will be sad when she's also one like Mr Oh.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

It turns out that the executive director of the subcontracting company is actually Chief Park himself, just using his English name, and the rest of the employees (including the one who was assumed to be in Jordan) are Chief Oh’s extended family.

You meant Chief Park's extended family

0
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

By the way, thank you for the recap. :)

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

nope. it's Chief Park's extended family.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Ohhh, good catch! I did indeed mean Chief PARK's family, not Chief Oh's. Sorry for any confusion!

My brain meant one thing but my fingers typed another. :p Apparently too many Chiefs spoil the broth, uh, recap...

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I don't understand what you mean, and what jjahuie mean.
It's Chief Park's extended family. Not Chief Oh's.

And this part "Suspiciously, the subcontractor manager says he’s the marketing director at the same time that Chief Oh says he’s the general manager." it's not Chief Oh. Chief Park says he's the GM"

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Awesome episode! And awesome recap @odilettante!!

Misaeng is my new crack, and I am absolutely loving it! How can each episode be better than the previous one?

About Assistant Manager Ha, he is a total douche, but I thought that his concern for Young-yi causing an accident and doing more damage than good was kind of justified. We saw how nervous she was while driving that truck. He could have obviously handled it in a better way rather than lashing out at her and being cruel.

I just love the new relationship between Kang Daeri and Baek-ki! It's so glad to see Baek-ki doing that work even after Kang daeri corrected his mistakes- but that momentary happy/impressed (?) look on Kang Daeri's face when Baek-ki offeered to sort the pipes was too good!

Also, I am loving Jang Geu-rae's journey through the corporate jungle!

0
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

Am loving the growth in Bark-Ki was so thinking he was just gonna be that 'bad guy' in the series, but am so glad that he is a full fleshed out character, neither good or particularly bad and how great was it that he helped Geu-Rae out?!

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

This is why I love love love this drama. That there's no black and white, no straight-out "hero" vs. "rival", or love triangle with "heroine" vs. "evil, scheming love rival". They are all real people, not some contrived individuals whose thought processes make no logical sense. Sure, not everything every character does is good, but at least there's no one where you think "this character is bonkers". And those that seemed unsympathetic at the beginning, we get a bit of insight into their characters as time goes by, whether that's Baek-ki's superior or Young-yi's boss (he's still a misogynist, but at least not without feelings of guilt).

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Exactly! And it's so beautfully shot, too!

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

All I can say is, GO JANG GEU RAE! The frustration that has been building ever since the introduction of Chief Park finally boiled over in this showdown...and what a great one it is. I know I've basically been hailing the writers as the new messiah but mad, mad props to them once again because even when they showed Chief Park's fall to corruption they didn't portray him as an over the top villain. It was very human. He had a moment of weakness by accepting a bribe and it just snowballed into bigger and bigger situations. I'm anxious to see what happens to the Dprt Manager and Chief Park. From the preview it seems that the Dprt Manager will be fired and even though the workplace has been portrayed as a battlefield where everyone is out for themselves just to earn their salary, you could tell that behind his scolding and such, he really cared for his workers. Chief Park's isn't gone it seems...I wonder what that forebodes.

Seok-yul has been developing very interestingly. I actually think he's the most skilled worker out of the newbies but he doesn't have the greatest work ethic. It was actually kind of hilarious pairing him up with 02 as they were driving the container truck at a measly 25 mph. Also lol'd when Assistant Manager Ha told him to get out after he pretended to be sleeping. I'm glad Seok-yul is a bubbly and energetic person because he's the glue of the newbies, probably the one on good terms with everyone besides YY but there's some obvious tension between her and BK and awkwardness between her and JGR.

02(hehe) aka Youngyi is showing her resolve. I think her skills are obviously being wasted and AM Ha recognizes that and we see the first signs of remorse/guilt when he rebukes his own coworkers for treating her that way. I mean, it still irks me how they treat her, but I'm betting she'll be able to officially join the team and stop being a servant to the team. Hoping sooner than later because she has so much talent as we've seen and also some interesting backstory. Chief Oh remarked how he knows now how she has so much experience, aka she was getting up there at a different company (her father's?) I think YY acting as a maid isn't weakness either, it's the same strategy Jangok used...wait, be patient, and play countermove smartly.

It wasn't a huge episode for Baek-ki but I'm glad he's finally starting to accept the lessons of Mr. Kang, they're a good team. Go newbies!

0
5
reply

Required fields are marked *

Ah, never mind, I doubt her father owns Samsung...but if she worked at Samsung it would easily explain how she is so experienced. They're not the company all salarymen/women want to work at in Korea for no reason. Good pay, good services, prestige...the question is, why did she leave? Did she get fired/was she facing harassment? Any clues?

0
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

It's Samjung, I think. Not THE Samsung.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

After she saw the guy in the lobby she called her dad and asked him to stop it.

So, are we supposed to think he is her father (are different names possible?)? Or is he someone her father wants her to marry to? Or did the guy harass her at her last working place (hence her constant refusal to touch anybody in the office) and her dad pressures her into forgiving this guy for business reasons?

It's so confusing.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

It's samjung. And in Korean drama they can't use actual company name.
So you can see Kim don-shik said twingter, not twitter.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yes Seok Yul is totally the glue! I think it'd be awesome of Yoda Oh gave him some advice, though I think that might not happen too soon. I think him and YY get along quite well, in their own weird way. She's definitely comfortable around him, just look at the way she shoved that snack in his mouth haha. Plus props to him for staying with her drives all the way. They aren't team newbie for nothing~

In some ways I feel Seok Yul's pride in himself might even be bigger than Baekki. Maybe he's the one with the less patience in the group?

I'm curious about YY too, I think maybe her team leader was too protective of her? So she felt she was coddled a bit or, anything she did wrong her leader might've just covered for her, or did it for her instead? So she had no independence, which I believe can be equally as bad as how she is treated right now.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

It's sheer torture seeing Young Yi suffer week after week. Sometimes I question the wisdom of Director Sun's to Young Yi that she tell the truth and do the right thing no matter what. Now Young Yi has to keep suffering for it. If I knew that a new intern would suffer severely if she" told the truth," I don't know that I would tell her to do that. I mean, the Resource team guys are such sexist asshats to begin with, but the BL "betrayal" no doubt made things a lot worse.

Also, I'm confused as to why Sales Team 3 is making purchasing decisions. Doesn't One International have a purchasing department? The purchasing department generally has particular procedures for evaluating suppliers and internal controls to prevent the kind of bribes/kickbacks that were at issue here.

1
6
reply

Required fields are marked *

Probably, part of it was due to Chief Park's reputation as a 'winner' in business deals. Review of the work of people, with a good work reputation, is usually superficial, casual, more forgiving and favorable.

The other part may be that Chief Park knew well how to conform and handle the process/protocol. So that, even purchasing or auditing would not scrutinize his deals too closely because all the "i's" were dotted and the "t's" crossed.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Well, the director didn't exactly tell her to tell the truth. She asked her if she could personally be ok with the decision if she hid the truth to protect herself. Young Yi is obviously the type of person who would not be ok with that, which is why she made the choice she did.

0
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

Clearly it wasn't that clear cut for Young Yi, because otherwise she wouldn't have asked for advice to begin with. YY WAS hesitant about taking that course of action and said she was concerned about criticism. Director Sun said that it was an issue of conscience, which implies that staying quiet was not the right thing to do.

I don't think Dir Sun should have brought up the "conscience" issue with a newbie. Even Chief Oh was willing to not pursue Mr Park's bribery scheme in order to not rock the boat for Manager Kim and the higher ups in the company, so how much less of an obligation does a newbie have to be the whistleblower?? Ultimately the newbie would be the one shouldering that entire burden, and Dir Sun wouldn't be able to protect her from any of the fallout.

0
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

So basically if you're weak and powerless you can't afford to have a conscience? I understand your point, the director should have YY's wellbeing as her priority, but I don't think I can get behind your way of thinking here. A large part of Misaeng's message is that you should always do the right thing no matter how costly. Having a conscience is inconvenient and dangerous and therefore largely dispensed with in the corporate world, but characters like Chief Oh and Young Yi refuse to go with that paradigm. Yes, they suffer for it, but I can't help but think that it's completely worth it. Young Yi may not have the same power as Chief Oh, but I don't think that means she should have to compromise with herself. If it required power to be courageous then it wouldn't be courage, would it?

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Your post reads very holier than thou. It's easy to wax poetic about "doing the right thing no matter how costly" when you are sitting behind a computer and not in YY's situation. Are you telling me that if YY came to you for advice, you would tell her to just go ahead with it, knowing how much she would suffer and knowing that you couldn't do anything to help her? I don't agree with that.

This is a very realistic show, but at the end of the day it's still a show. In the real world, YY wouldn't just be asked to clean desks and such for a few weeks. She would be fired at the very least for unauthorized disclosure of the key code to her team's file cabinet. Now she's out of a job. Is something you would want on your conscience, for having advised her to take that route?

0

I don't think Director Sun was egging her one way or another in that scene. It was up to Young Yi to figure out what's harder for her, being bully at works by her superior or stay silent and have that weighed on her conscience. Even if the Director didn't pointed that out, Young Yi would have been weighed down by that issue anyway because so far that's how the show has portrayed her character. It's not a pragmatic decision but it's one that fits into her characterization.

In the real world, she may get fired for leaking the key code to another team but at the same time, they're within one company so I think the ones in deeper water would be the ones hiding the paper works since after all, that's definitely company property.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

As far as I am concerned, this was the best episode so far. Especially the last scene with Geurae's narration was really moving. Once asked why he plays so fiercely and passionately when it's only baduk, Jo Chi Hoon the master baduk player replied because it was still his baduk which was everything to him.

With most adults spending majority of their time at work, I can really relate how the work one does comes to define oneself. If your work equals yourself, then you want not only to work hard and produce handsome results, but you also want to do so with a sense of fairness, conscience and integrity.

Park Gwajang failed here. But Geurae learns a lesson even from someone like Park Gwajang, from his failure. As he looks up at the company building with the lights going out window by window, it is as if his black stones on the baduk board of the corporate world are increasing one by one.

0
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

My favorite episode too - in the past I may have quibbled with one or two business-related things, but now I unreservedly love this show. The writing and the production design -- I just can't find enough superlatives to lavish here ... and the cast is really something very special -- in their individual performances and especially as an ensemble. Special shout out to Kang Sora for the utter lack of vanity in her performance.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

This drama just keeps getting better, doesn't it? :-D

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yes it is. I even told my HR these 20 episodes can be used as a 20 hours training in our office - to learn and reflect of so many office issues, from newbies to highest management.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

"there is so much subtle nuance that’s hard to capture on the page, and sometimes it’s a struggle to accurately convey each little gaze or expression. The show relies on an undercurrent of emotion, expertly conveyed by the actor’s mannerisms..." I so agree with that statement, there are so much nuance and subtlety to how the actors portray their characters and react to their surroundings that they've created real palpable people who exist in our everyday lives rather than caricatures that can be taken as a joke for our entertainment. This show makes you think and contemplate and immerses you in its world. I also agree with what you said about assistant manager Ha in that I think that he felt he went overboard and was disturbed by how she was treated and that he sent her to keep her from doing the team's maid work. When he got angry at the end, I felt that it was more out of worrying and astonishment that she would go that far and feeling guilty for leading her to go that far. I'm starting to, not fully like, but appreciate him as a character.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Thanks for the recaps! I can imagine how difficult it is to recap Misaeng. Each episode is so complex from the story to every character. Even when I'm watching I would have to pause or replay a scene just to have a better understanding and check the subtle nuances that I've missed.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Me too! Haven't come across a show I have to re-watch scenes, either due to the humour or the nuances I miss especially as I have to read subs at the same time, one of the dramas that made me wish I knew Korean.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

This is by far one of the best shows I've seen, in any language and on any TV station. The presence of the show lingers on long after the two episodes for the week are up and the wisdom this show imparts to me weekly is so, so needed in my life.

This week's voiceover for the ending is my favorite so far.

On an aside, does anyone have a link to the original webcomic/webseries/or whatever it is that this is base off of? I'm curious to see it, even if it's not in English!

0
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

It's my hope that the success of the series will prompt a translation of the print and/or webtoon versions. It's hosted at the portal Daum, but I haven't been able to find any translations.
http://webtoon.daum.net/webtoon/view/miseng

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Ohhh... would love that too...

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

That voice over + new OST = chills + tears!!

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

“Misaeng” Original Comic Books Hit Two Million Copies in Sales, Becomes Year’s Bestseller

http://www.soompi.com/2014/11/25/misaeng-original-comic-books-hit-two-million-copies-in-sales-becomes-years-bestseller/

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

There’s not enough space to accurately describe and give weight to the minor ways in which each actor seems to inhabit their character — the micro-expressions, the exchanged glances, or even just to explain that since we’ve spent ten episodes in such close emotional proximity with everyone, we can understand what they’re thinking just by the way they’re sitting.
Yes, odilettante, I couldn't agreed more than that.

I hate Chief Park to the bone, or maybe the actor played so well that make us hate him a lot.
And I thought I couldn't love Chief Oh more, but this episode prove me wrong.
JGR and Dong Shik rule the world, yay! I love their relationship. Or maybe a simple case, I love Im Siwan, no matter what.

Thank you for a wonderful recap, odilettante ^^

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

The irony of Chief Park is that he was caught because of his own arrogance. He should have played the game better by keeping his head down, quietly doing his work for the company and not called attention to himself.

But, he was arrogant and flaunted his bad behavior. So, he, deservedly, got caught. Since he was so arrogant that he didn't know when to shut up, I have to wonder if he, subconsciously, wanted to get caught.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

AMEN! I think Chief Oh tolerance was just giving Chief Park enough rope to hang himself eventually!

MISAENG is a very good series so far.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Adding my kudos for the wonderful recap. This show has so many nuances and to capture them all can't be easy.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

+1

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

am not buying how assistant manager ha is suddenly feeling these twinges of remorse, although i also agree that he sent her on the trip so that she could avoid doing all the other menial jobs that her co-workers had assigned her. when did this change come about? in the beginning, his co-workers had been the ones chastising him for being purposely mean to her, so i'm not understanding this sudden turnaround. this better not be a case of him bullying a girl that he secretly finds attractive. i don't want him portrayed in a sympathetic light either, because i hate his character.

0
9
reply

Required fields are marked *

It's easier to hate and scorn someone who you think is acting too big for their britches. Young Yi's clear competence probably also made Manager Ha feel a little threatened and jealous. But it's one thing to pick on someone who will stick up for themselves and quite another to pick on someone who meekly acquiesces to your every demand. The latter will just make you feel like a bully.

I think it's very plausible that Manager Ha would become uncomfortable with the way Young Yi is demeaning herself, especially when she made it clear that it was for him (to 'support' him while he works on the big project). And he has shown twinges of concern in the past even while behaving horribly to her. When Young Yi dropped those wooden planks on her foot in the garage, he was still pissed at her for her betrayal. But he had a moment of frustrated concern when he yelled at her to go to the er and muttered "why did she take those planks" as he watched her limp to the elevator.

0
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

I agree -- sometimes it takes getting what you think you want to realize it isn't. I intensely dislike the character but appreciate a writer who wants to do more with a character than make him a standard-issue jerk.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

They're all sexist jerks in that team, but Assist Mgr Ha is the only one with any self-realization.

It's a pity Young Yi was brought to tears in this episode. I always feel bad for her, while also admiring her determination.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

i felt like all three of them grudgingly accepted her competence when she submitted her proposal, but they still went back to assigning her these menial tasks, and all of them had been sexist in their comments toward her, so it's weird for me that manager ha is suddenly the only one turning around in his attitude towards her. i agree that he's starting to feel twinges in his conscience, especially since she took geu-rae's (or was it baek ki's?) advice to comply with their demands- he feels a bit thrown off. i just feel like it was a bit sudden, so it could have been shown a little better.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

You might want to rewatch episode 9, because I believe they made a fantastic job in displaying his inner conflict on that matter in that episode.

One of the problems with Misaeng is that there are so many fantastically crafted scenes intertwining plot and character portrayal that sometimes things slip my mind on the first watch and I have to repeat the episode again to become fully cognisant of what I have been watching.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I think it is the perfect example of GR's "preserve your flow and it becomes the opponent's backflow" strategy. Young Yi simply kept enduring and serving the team in any way she could, and her boss was eventually the one who had his perspective changed.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

My take on Assist. Manager Ha and please correct me if I'm wrong because I only watched ep. 5-10 of this show (I wasn't in the emotional head space to watch Geu Rae toiled through all that bleakness in the beginning cause you know, it hits too close to home and all that) but so far, I don't find him as much of a gross turn off as Chief Park or even the other Resource Team 3 workers. The reason is that while he's an asshat, I feel that he's just a really angry guy in general. I feel that no matter what the sex of his underling is, he would treat them with lots of contempt automatically. Whereas Chief Park or Resource Team 3's Director basically regard women as sexual playthings, Assist. Manager's actions have been more angry dismissal cause Young Yi hasn't been playing within the established rules of the team.

And I think he was genuinely worried about her being on the road in this ep. partly out of concern and partly out of guilt for how she has been treated thus far by his team. Of course, all that translate into verbal assault in his world =/

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

"The reason is that while he’s an asshat, I feel that he’s just a really angry guy in general."

Hahaha, so true! I think it's mainly his mouth that's angry. He's got resting bitch face, lol!

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I don't see a big change. I've been half-heartedly defending Ha since at least episode 9, where he clearly showed discomfort with the treatment (his teams and his _own_) of Young-yi. As early as episode 5, where the sexual harassment by the resource department chief was discussed, he showed some reluctance in his chiming in into the resource department favourite sport of misogyny.

I see no evidence so far that he is interested in Young-yi as a woman, at all.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Thanks odilettante, that was a great recap.

And what can I say, I've gotta agree with all the comments so far. Such a thoughtful production, with such care for the details and such respect for the viewer - a real gem of a show!

If ever I forget to regard each individual in my life as a Person rather than a role/object/inconvenience, etc, Misaeng has jogged me into looking once again with new eyes at the individual Persons around me.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I can't even deal with expressing how much I liked this episode. They had brilliantly setup Chief Park to be the ultimate asshole that, seeing him get busted, sent me into a frenzy of cheers and fist pumps. Geu Rae outsmarting the man who looked down on his education was such a sweet victory.

I know this doesn't make sense logic-wise or story-wise but, does anyone here think it would be totally mind blowing if Young Yi turned out to be the rebellious daughter of an ultra powerful gangster?

Thanks for the recap Odilettante!

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I will bet that Chief Park doesn't get jail time, but will quietly be allowed to resigned because the negative publicity will adversely affect the company's reputation and therefore, its value.

And, this also means no demotion or lose of job for anyone else. However, the company will probably put in an overseer to ensure that this kind of fraud does not happen again. And, this overseer will be in a position even higher than the Exec. Director.

But, even if there is no demotion or job loss, all their careers are dead in its track. There will be no promotion ever for them. And, I wonder if this includes the woman Finance Manager, who was so exacting, as to 'form'.

Thank you so much for the recap. An unwieldy job for this excellent drama.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

this episode is awesome. i just don't know where to begin.. but one of the lessons taught here is to remind us the consequences of our choices in life. Chief Park was a very good employee, a legend in the steel department..i understand his frustrations in not getting any rewards for his 'success'. he could continue to be a star worker who might climb up the corporate ladder(he's no longer a mere employee but an assistant manager) but he choose the other path.. wealth. he became greedy and greedier to the point of committing a corporate crime and would keep on doing so had he not been strike down by a lowly team as ST3, especially by a unqualified GED holder. heh.

Am so glad to see a very humble Baek Ki who decided to start from ground zero. he works extra hard to prove that he's willing to learn and in doing so, earning trust and respect from his boss. he did exactly what JGR did.. learning and keep on learning. and he learned to be patient just like JGR and YY. as GR said, you need to back down to move forward.

YY .. oh man, this is one supergirl who in the past hurt badly in the corporate world. still not sure what had happened to her in the samjung company but it hurt her bad. she's trying to prove that she's not the one who can be defeated easily when the odds are against her. but i pity her when she was cursed by that MCP AM Ha. fine, you're worried abt the girl, u jerk, but do you have to heap abusive words on her? sheeesh.

as for SY.. well, his awakening might be coming soon. he needs to learn from all the other newbies. and i believe he will. hopefully.

btw (spoiler alert!!), i saw some pictures put up in one of misaeng's fb.. seems like me. choi died.. car accident or suicide? aw, man. i hope the ppl in one international will not treat our ST3 badly for being whistleblowers!

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

haha. I think you saw fanmade thing.
That's Shinsegae(Korean crime movie)-like version of misaeng.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

It's just fake. so don't worry about it.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I really want someone to do a Bond like poster with the silhouettes of our Sales team threesome- that would be awesome! :D

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I just wanted to add, because I work in an office environment, that Misaeng draws a viewer in through the human stories. I can relate to Young-yi's ambition to work hard, and then have it be "over ambitious", getting her into trouble. She wanted so badly to do her best for her team and company, she missed seeing the risks she was taking. It is hard to find balance when you are trying to prove yourself.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

And also she is in a position to have to squash her business abilities to play the game. It is so frustrating, but realistic, I agree. Odilettante talked about the nuances that make up each person's character. Chief Park lives his life maneuvering to snatch more for himself from the system that he feels screwed him. And while I don't like Assistant Manager Ha much right now, he was, after all,worried about Young-yi having not returned.

I love Gue-rae's patience and clear thinking which can so easily be interpreted as boring and unaccomplished. He is the poster employee who laterally transfers life's experiences to new areas as he confronts them. I like how the show portrays that very very much.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Odilettante: I just wanted to say that you are doing a FANTASTIC job at this recapping. You also captured a lot of the happiness that comes with watching and enjoying the show…but also, some of the frustrations of attempting to share that experience with other people. I agree that the show is so well written and acted that, at this point, many of the emotions and underlying meanings of actions are revealed by the merest glance or body position of a character/actor. It is amazing.

Oh, and this is my own opinion here, I am VERY happy that they took the DOUSCHE bag Ha and are adding even more layers to HIM (I mean, of all people!! lol) Whenever this drama started, I truly hated his character! What. A. Horrible. Person! Now…(dad-gum-it!!) the writers are making me see even Ha as an actual person. (I know! I couldn't believe it either!) It seems that in real life and in Misaeng, there aren't very many 2-D characters.

Thank you so much for your recaps! Keep up the good work!
:)

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

To be honest, I sympathize with Young yi's boss, even though, and I repeat, the ass**** needs to have his mouth washed with soap. Young yi had no business driving that truck herself. Especially without checking with her direct boss (though I totally understand why she didn't, he was unavailable, and even if he were, is the least supportive boss on the planet.) This is due to liability issues which would very likely cost the company a ton if she'd gotten into an accident.

I just feel so bad that they've practically destroyed her self confidence, that she feels she needs to go to such lengths to be acknowledged by her team, especially after hearing the sexist remark on the phone, that it would have been no problem if she were a man, she would have been asked to get a truck to pick up the stuff. I felt like telling the idiot, no, it doesn't matter that she's not a man, what about insurance coverage, liability issues?

I know Chief Oh realizes what a gem he has on his team. Kudos and applause go to Geu Rae for finding proof that Chief Park is engaged in dubious activities. He has once again cemented his value to the team and organization although I am a little afraid of the fall back on him and Team Sales No. 3.

Love how Baek ki is warming up to Geu Rae, first he thawed enough to dispense with helpful advice, and now he actively performed a search that proved instrumental in catching Chief Park. HOORAY FOR BROMANCE!

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Odilettante, there is a huge error in the recap. The Jordan company was staffed by relatives of Chief Park, NOT Chief Oh!

This drama is the best. The absolute best. I was holding my breath at so many parts, but watching our baby duck Geu Rae provide the crucial missing piece to bring down Asshole Park made me yell with joy.

btw does anyone know where I can find the name and address of the drama production company, or Lee Sung Min's agency? I badly want to send them a fan letter for this drama even if I have to write in English. First time I have ever wanted to send a fan letter!

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I can't believe how worked up I got when Geu-rae knew something was wrong at the audit meeting and but delayed pinpointing what was wrong exactly. There was me practically screaming at my computer screen 'Say it Geu-rae say it' in Korean no less LOL my neighbours musta thought someone was possessed next door. I literally screamed with joy when he outed the Parks. Great great redemptive (as I don't think I could have stomached any more 'patience' from Geu-rae) episode, loved it. And show you have me hook line and sinker :-)

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I was so proud of our Geu Rae. Waiting for the perfect moment for his revenge on Park and using his impressive Go trained brain for it. Love. Love. Love.

Does anyone alreday know wether this will be released on DVD or not? A SLA DVD never saw the light of the day and I really fear the same for Misaeng.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Thank you very kamsa Odilettante for the recap even though it is hard, I agree.

These show keeps getting better and better every week! Fighting Team Sales 3!!!

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Thanks for a fantastic recap, odilettante!! You certainly capture the nuances!

Three cheers for Avengers Team 3! It was sooo satisfying to see each of them do their bit, and most of all, to see Geu Rae connect the dots and save the day just in time!!

I respected Chief Oh for not gloating over Chief Park's downfall, and shedding some light on what made him the way he was today. The company bears some responsibility.

Still, no matter how much C. Park believed he was "compensating" himself, it still doesn't change the fact that he's crossed a serious line, and he's guilty of both bullying and sexual harassment. (Altogether a charming package, this one.)

I know that companies tolerate a lot from employees who bring in the money, but of all the douchebags we've met so far, he really takes the cake!

Kudos to Manager Kim for knowing what needed to be done and instructing Chief Oh to go ahead with the audit! Even if the worst case scenario didn't come to pass (ie being fired/demoted), it was a big risk he was taking, and all for the sake of his subordinates and his company.

(Like others, I'm a bit worried about the Ep 11 preview, and how "corporate justice" will play out...)

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I'm waiting for this recaps just to know comments/opinions about AM Ha & I almost agreed with all the comments. He totally worried about YoungJi but he express it with anger & speak harshly. Maybe... maybe he had trauma working with woman? <or maybe I was so imaginative ^_^)

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

odilettante, thanks for the recap.

What a nice treat this show has turned out to be . Si-wan is doing a great job. Geu Rae needs to be careful. Lee Sung Min is wonderful as Chief Oh.

Such a hostile work environment. Chief Oh should cut back on his drinking. Looking forward to this week's episodes.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

My wife works for a very large multi national and is fairly high up in the food chain (not bad for someone who started in the secretarial pool ... just wanted to brag) ... and she gnashes her teeth every time Young Yi is abused because she says she can relate to some of the things she had to go through ... though she says that even though she faced that sort of harassment ... she also received a lot of support from other co-workers and she's more pissed off that others in the show aren't openly trying to stand up for Young Yi.

But she does acknowledge that in other countries, this sort of behavior is more open than in the US.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Wonderful recap as usual <3

You're right, the newbies really do inspire each other :') I hope they'll each find their own best way to handle their situation while still sticking together and supporting each other.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Love this show. It's fun to watch new slaves adjusting to their place on plantation while the old ones help them or trip them. Great actors and characters development. I would write the last scene captions this way: "The cute tired young male slave stopped, turned around, and looked upon the lit windows of his prison with happiness."

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

This episode was just too good, I knew something was gonna go down when in the preview Park was calling someone a jerk. My heart was racing so fast at the confrontation, I think a big kudos to Dong-shik for showing Geu-rae how to handle the situation as well. A calm leader will also provide a calmness to their subordinates as. I totally agree about the editing and camera angles, everything in general! The small parts really add up to the overall high quality of the episodes.

If I think back to episode 6 where we had IT assistant manager Park, who is the total opposite of this Park. It's interesting to see the dynamic on how they both survive in the corporate world. We're shown extremes on both sides of the coin, and ultimately no matter what they do everyone is working to earn a living, in this world of theirs.

I like how they tackled this issue of corruption. It only takes one person to start a whole chain of events. Park's greed is something that I'm sure happens alot in asian countries, and yes in the west too. However I find this kind to be more prominent in Asia. There's always government activity to stop this kind of issue, especially in China. The way they tackled this is also smart, angling it from a small perspective of personal greed. When in reality as Chief Oh realises, this case goes way back and influences so many more people. This isn't just about him doing the right thing anymore, morales compared to someones job, which is more important? I'm glad Manager Kim decided to give Chief Oh the green light, because if you don't stop cases like these, they just keep going on and on.

Thanks for the great recap odilettante!

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

oh goshhh!! I LOVE this show!

I'm so glad the show brought it back to Geu-rae! As much as I enjoy the other characters... my focus is primarily on him ( and Chief Oh is the second character I adore). His journey is what hooked me from the opening scene of E1! Hope the show continues to deliver the goods!

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

This drama is pure awesomenes. Too good to be true. It's real, touching, it's not boring, I think I'm in love...

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

am in Africa n I love this show to pieces....its different from most k dramas i've whatched...sales team 3 fighting!

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

man, the way the entire Chief Park saga went down was almost as tense as a thriller.

and I really need to stop commenting because I'll be here all night and won't be able to 5 star the living hell out of the other episodes like Misaeng deserves.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I’m just glad I won’t be seeing the face of that CHIEF PARK again! Gosh, I really have that character!!! Everything about him is disgusting! 🤮

1
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Ha and his Gang of Douches, Cackle and Snort-Chuckle, are like that not because they know she gave the code. They treated her awful from the start. No, there are two problems:
1) She is a woman, very competent, and not pretending to be amazed by their impressive manliness. Some men are really provoked by that. If say, you are a woman and have been doing martial arts at some point, you will be sure to have met at least one of them, one who suddenly did dangerous things beyond the standard for training, to keep you in your place. If you look in comments sections elsewhere but nice dramabeans, oh ... some places they are plenty. I suppose, in "Resources", a starter kit of one or two douchebags has attracted more of the kind, so that it has become a whole douchebag department where she has to sit and put up with ... everything, more or less.
2) Yes, Ha has some bad feeling about how unfair he is treating her. And that makes him angry. So when he found out she was driving around, he immediately felt how unfair it was, and what an A-hole that made him, and he decided that this was of course her fault.
People who treat other people so terrible and unfair start to hate these people to scramble for a way to justify that bad treatment.
***
Does she have a driver's license for a truck, BTW? Where I come from, there are several kinds of licenses, and you don't just drive a truck without special training.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *