A Business Proposal

Title: 사내맞선 |Sanaematseon| The Office Blind Date | A Business Proposal
Genre: Romance | Comedy
Episodes: 12
Broadcast Network: SBS
Broadcast Period: February 28, 2022 to April 5, 2022

Synopsis:

Kang Tae-Mu is the heir of GO Food, a company founded by his grandfather. He has been in an overseas office, but has come back to Korea to be installed as the company’s president. He is an achiever, serious and detail-oriented, and his grandfather sees him as a workaholic, thus, already wants him to settle down as soon as possible to have grandchildren. While Shin Ha-ri, a relatively new researcher but has been making name at GO Food due to her talent is single and hardworking. She has been in love with Lee Min-Woo, a chef and a friend for a long time but to no avail. She is also the best friend of Jin Young-Seo, a rich heiress, but, never felt real love from her father. So, when Jin Young-Seo heard that her father arranged a blind date for her, she persuaded Shin Ha-ri to take her place and pretend to be her. That’s what started for Kang Tae-Mu and Shin Ha-ri to cross path. What made the date different is that even if Kang Tae-Mu is also not enthusiastic on this blind date, he found himself amused and not bored with Shin Ha-ri. So, when he learned the truth, he offered Shin Ha-ri a business proposal, so, he can temporarily put on hold the aggressive matchmaking activity of his grandfather for him. But, in the end, it seems he found his match, the only question is will they be able to make it work considering their difference in their social status.

Characters:

• Ahn Hyo Seop as Kang Tae Moo
• Kim Se Jung as Shin Ha Ri
• Kim Min Gyu as Cha Sung Hoon
• Sul In Ah as Jin Young Seo
• Lee Duk Hwa as President Kang Da Goo
• Kim Hyun Sook as Yeo Eui Joo
• Im Ki Hong as Gye Bin
• Yoon Sang Jung as Food Product Development Team 1
• Kim Kwang Gyu as Shin Joong Hae
• Jung Young Joo as Han Mi Mo
• Choi Byung Chan as Shin Ha Min
• Song Won Suk as Lee Min Woo
• Bae Woo Hee as Ko Yoo Ra
• Seo Hye Won as Jo Yoo Jung
• Seo Kwon Soon as ‘Be Strong, Geum Hee’ Actress #1
• Kim Jung Hwa as Ye Ri
• Joo Hee Jae as Kwang Bok Yi
• No Eul as Shin Geum Hee
• Kim Joo Ah as Real Estate Agent
• Kim Do Hee as Woman Who Greeted Da Goo
• Chae Hoon as Udon Noodles Restaurant Employee
• Kim Kyu Jong as Tae Moo’s Father
• Na Eun Saem as Tae Moo’s Mother
• Han Ji Hyo as Da Hye
• Kim Won Shik as Mr. Park on Episode 1
• Choi Ki Sub (최기섭) as the Man that Young Seo Met on Episode 1
• Lee Ki Young as President Jin on Episode 3,10-12
• MeloMance as Themselves on Episode 3
• Lee Ki Hyuk as Shin Jung Woo on Episode 4-6
• Tei as Hamburger Food Truck Owner on Episode 6
• Kim Young Ah as Jin Chae Rim on Episode 8-9

8-9)

• Hwang Bo Ra as Herself on Episode 9
• Kim Jung Young as True Light Orphange Director on Episode 9-10

My Review:

It has been quite a long time since I am able to truly enjoy a light and enjoyable romcom and I’m glad I got curious enough to check it out why it is #1 in Netflix. It seems indeed there’s a reason why.

So, What do I Like About this K-Drama?

(1) I am not that familiar with the leading actor, Ahn Hyo Seop as Kang Tae Moo and actress, Kim Se Jung as Shin Ha Ri. Maybe I have seen them already in the hundreds of Kdramas I have watched for more than 20 years, as that’s how long I have been a K-Drama addict. And, upon checking, Ahn Hyo Seop seems to be in the “Abyss”, “Dr. Romantic 2” and “Still 17”, all Kdramas I have watched, but, for the life of me can’t remember him. So, after this, I will not forget his face anymore because both him and Kim Se Jung did splendid work on this KDrama. They have chemistry and have acted their roles flawlessly.

(2) The supporting actors, Kim Min Gyu as Cha Sung Hoon and Sul In Ah as Jin Young Seo are also great in their roles. In fact, they are the ones I can recognized to have seen in the KDramas I have watched before like Kim Min Gyu in “Because this is My Life” and Sul In Ah in “Record of Youth”. They are both so good looking that you can’t help but remember them even in a supporting role. What’s great about their characters here is that even if they are supporting leads, their love story carried its own weight against the main one and too cute together not to enjoy their scenes together.

(3) What made this KDrama one of the best romcoms I’ve seen in a long time considering the story line has been done already in different ways in a lot of KDramas before is that though you’ve seen the plot before, this was carried out in such a natural and entertaining manner. The acting and situations were delivered that can make one laughs and not cringe. A lot of times, many romcoms even with hallyu stars in it, will make you want to cringe on how corny and passé it is, but, not this. It has successfully delivered a romcom that may not be unique in plot but truthfully delightful to watch that can make you temporarily forget any angst you may have in that moment.

(4) The supporting casts also did a wonderful job to make the story whole and funny. I love Lee Duk Hwa as President Kang Da Goo, as the grandfather of Kang Tae Moo. And, even though I don’t think it is in his personality to be a hindrance of the love between his grandson and Shin Ha Ri at the latter part and question why it was done, I still love his character and how the actor portrayed it. It made me think that rich people can also be ordinary people that can even love watching soap operas.

(5) I believe that despite the obvious plot, I found myself hooked on A Business Proposal because of the “familiarity” and not trying hard to be what it is not. It fully utilizes all the cliche elements of a romcom yet delivered them well. It openly shows its intention with no uncertain terms and strangely, this explicitness comes to me more as a strength rather than a weakness. The story is a fast-moving plot which never gave me a time to pause and be bored.

What I do Not Like About this K-Drama?
I found nothing I would like it to change. It is what it is, a chick flick that I thoroughly enjoyed and found entertaining.

Would I recommend this K-Drama? Definitely Yes, if you love romcoms.

My Rating to this Drama
( See My Rating System: ) 5/5 Stars

OST:

01. Love, Maybe – MeloMance
02. Sweet – Lee Moo Jin
03. You Are Mine – VICTON
04. Sun Shower – MOVNING
05. Melting – BamBam
06. Love, Maybe – SECRET NUMBER
07. Fall In Love – Ji Han & Park So Eun of Weekly
08. Close – Song Ha Ye
09. Whatever You Want – Han Seung Yoon
10. Spring Breeze – New of The Boyz
11. It’s Up To You – Moon Sujin
12. Love, Maybe – Kim Se Jung