Is the Business Proposal KDrama worth watching?

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What is Business Proposal about?

Its a compact 12 episode breezy romcom utilizing classic tropes like the CEO romance and fake dating scenarios with a fresh, modern spin.

If you are tired of kdrama’s exhausting love triangles, this drama wisely sidestepped that and gave us not one, but two adorable relationships with equally toe-curling chemistry. Now that’s how you do romance!

Business Proposal Cast

Kang Tae Moo

Actor: Ahn Hyo-Seop

Shin Ha-Ri

Actor: Kim Se-Jeong

Cha Sung-Hoon

Actor: Kim Min-Gyu

Jin Young-Seo

Actor: Seol In-Ah

Kang Da-Goo

Actor: Lee Deok-Hwa

Shin Ha-Min

Actor: Choi Byung-Chan

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Synopsis ( and your spoiler free kdrama review)

The 2022 kdrama is centered around ordinary office worker Shin Ha Ri (Kim Sejeong - Today’s Webtoon, Uncanny Counter) who frequently helps best friend Jin Yeong Seo (Seol In Ah - Twinkling Watermelon, School 2017) evade blind dates set by her wealthy parents by pretending to be her.

Hijinks ensue when Yeong Seo’s latest date turns out to be the CEO of Ha Ri’s company, Kang Tae Mu (Ahn Hyo Seop - Dr Romantic 3, A Time Called You).

Tae Mu takes a liking to Ha Ri-masquerading-as-Yeong Seo and offers a dating contract so his grandfather would stop sending him on more blind dates. Meanwhile, the real Yeong Seo is falling in love with her mysterious neighbor, Cha Sung Hoon (Kim Min Gyu - Backstreet Rookie, The Heavenly Idol), who is none other than Tae Mu’s private secretary.

With a case of mistaken identity, fake dating complication, and heart-thumping feelings abound, these four characters spend the next 12 episodes trying to reach their happy ever after (spoiler alert: they did!)

Business Proposal Review with some (spoilers a little)

One thing this drama gets right that many modern kdrama rom coms don’t is its willingness to embrace the maturer aspect of relationships. Dating in kdrama is often portrayed as a juvenile act, with people in their 20s and 30s behaving like teens in their first relationship. Business Proposal’s romance is done right: the sexy scenes are smoldering and the couples have healthy communications. It’s probably thanks to the short episode counts necessitating swift conflict resolutions so thank goodness for that!

The script itself is based on popular webtoon The Office Blind Date.

Admittedly, the basic plot is pretty cliched from beginning to end: you’ve got the aforementioned kdrama tropes but also cash-strapped female lead, a rich grandpa obsessed with marrying off his grandson, a jealousy-inducing first love, and nosy but supportive friend group. However, the writing keeps things energized with its infusion of slapstick humor and comedic situations.

Paying homage to its webtoon roots, the editing adds lots of comical devices like split screens, sound effects, and animation in its narrative to build the drama’s cheerful atmosphere. Of course, the drama can’t really avoid implausible plot holes here and there.

For example, it’s hilarious how in the beginning, Tae Mu fails to recognize Ha Ri who works at his company simply because she doesn’t wear thick makeup.

You also have to check your brain at the door regarding the absurd situations the characters get themselves into. Thankfully, the sincerity of the performances and its brisk pace don’t let you dwell too much on these details.

Despite mostly being set in autumn/winter time, the cinematography bursts with bright spring colors, all pastels and warm lighting that enhance the lovey-dovey mood of the story.

One of my most favorite things about kdramas is the way the cinematography captures Seoul with a hazy soft focus and shallow depth of field that paint everything in a lovely cinematic visual.

It just makes you wanna book a ticket to Korea ASAP. All the frikking time! The lovely mood is further enhanced by the peppy soundtrack featuring cheery jazz pop track "Love, Maybe" by musician duo MeloMance and the guitar-heavy "Sweet" by Lee Mu Jin.

Characters

The strength of this drama lies in its core foursome. Individually, the characters are likable, with quirks and flaws that endear them to you. The two pairs of lovebirds – Ha Ri and Tae Mu, Yeong Seo and Sung Hoon – have equally great romantic chemistry that make their relationship progressions so enjoyable to watch.

Let’s start with the characters.

Ha Ri is an honest-to-goodness working girl who loves her job and her friend so much that she often sacrifices her own comfort for the sake of others. Sejeong imbues the character with dorky sensibility and innate comic timing that work great with the character’s goofier side.

In the hand of a lesser actor, Tae Mu’s character can easily fall flat because he’s the typical stone-faced chaebol heir with a cold personality. However, Hyo Seop plays him with warmth and again, a goofier side that never betrays his elegant characteristic. Despite playing the perfect embodiment of everyone’s ideal fantasy boyfriend, he’s never boring thanks to the actor’s animated facial expressions.

At first glance, Yeong Seo may come across as annoying given all the things she puts Ha Ri through. However, the two girls have a genuine sisterly/friendship bond that the show portrays to be equally important to the romance.

This depiction of their relationship really salvages her character because we see how she’s able to really be herself with Ha Ri and her family, unlike at home. She’s also shown to be an independent woman who’s working so hard to escape her parents’ shadows. Later, Yeong Seo’s sassiness plays out really well against her love interest, Sung Hoon.

The last of the foursome, Sung Hoon, is a surprise favorite of the drama.

Typically, the secretary and/or best friend character is only meant to be a foil for the main character. So it is really pleasant to find Sung Hoon getting his own love line and his own existence aside from being Tae Mu’s sidekick. Min Gyu, with his dimpled smile and broad shoulders, truly can go toe to toe with Hyo Seop any day of the week.

His demure bespectacled character’s romance with fiery Yeong Seo pops with unexpected sexiness. No wonder many viewers of the drama enjoy the second pairing’s story more than the main couple (though I personally enjoy both equally!)

Sejeong and Hyo Seop make an adorable pair with their easy chemistry. Her bubbliness juxtaposed with his cool demeanor is something you’ve seen a million times in romance but there’s a reason this formula works every time: it’s just fun to watch opposites attract.

But, the chemistry doesn’t only stop at the romances. This drama’s platonic relationship is one of the best depictions of sis-mance in kdrama.

Their scenes together are hilarious and brims with girlish joy. Even after the girls get together with their respective man, their friendship never falls by the wayside. In fact, it is often depicted as their priorities over their dating lives.

Final Thoughts

Business Proposal is proof that old formulas can still bring new excitement with the right cast, fresh visuals, and attentive writing. It may not offer anything ground-breaking in kdrama storyline but sometimes, all you need is some sweet cotton candy in between all the heavy meals.

[Quick Info] Business Proposal 2022