Occasionally, you just want a drama that will get you giggling like an adolescent and forget all your cares, and "Business Proposal" delivered that sort of unadulterated, raw joy. This 2022 gem took all the rom-com cliches in the book and made them somehow feel fresh again, proof that sometimes even the most predictable stories are what the heart precisely requires.
The tale is scrumptiously absurd: Shin Ha-ri, a employee who agrees to go on a blind date in place of her friend, but finds herself with the unwanted surprise that her date is actually her boss. What starts off as Ha-ri trying to scare away her friend's potential suitor by putting on an act of being completely crazy blows completely out of proportion when the guy happens to be Kang Tae-mu, the CEO of her firm. And instead of running screaming, he's intrigued enough to provide a fabricated relationship.
Kim Se-jeong is absolutely luminous as Ha-ri, providing flawless comedic timing to every single cringe-y moment and making her character irreparably lovable despite all the lies. Ahn Hyo-seop as Tae-mu is both credibly intimidating CEO and the awkward guy who's never been in love before and therefore lands on his feet playing a character that's swoon-worthy but not unbelievable. Fans were left gobsmacked by Ahn Hyo-seop and Kim Se-jeong's on-screen chemistry in 'Business Proposal' and are now speculated to be secretly dating - and honestly, when you've seen them together, you'd believe so.
The reason why people are addicted to this drama is because it takes all the rom-com tropes and somehow still makes all of them gel perfectly like a glove. Well done, cringeworthy rom-com regarding a CEO (Ahn Hyo Seop, Father is Strange) who becomes smitten with an impersonator (Kim Se Jeong) who is impersonating his blind date. All the cheesiness you can handle without angst, no love triangle and an interesting second lead couple who has the nerve to defy the trope-ical family obligation. The fake dating, the identity mix-up, the grumpy boss for the perky worker - it's all present here, and all so adorably done that you don't even resent how predictable.
The show's true genius is its self-awareness. Netflix's K-Drama Business Proposal makes the mistaken identity and fake dating tropes work stunningly, making only the core romance all the more lovable. Instead of trying to subvert expectations, it plays along with them completely, creating comfort food TV that hits all the right emotional buttons.
Korean Workplace Culture on Display
"Business Proposal" gives us an intriguing glimpse into Korean business culture, namely the strict hierarchies that render Ha-ri's con plausible. The drama shows us just how formal are working relationships, making the contrast between Ha-ri's professional self and her chaotic off-work life even funnier.
The show also depicts Korean dating culture and beauty ideals, where blind dates set up by friends and family members are nothing to speak of. That the friend would resort to sabotaging a blind date, as Ha-ri does, indicates the level of loyalty demanded in Korean friendships, while the fake relationship contract symbolizes modern Korean thinking about utilitarian approaches to romance.
The depiction of chaebol culture - rich business clans with vast social clout - illustrates the fact that class distinctions remain relevant in South Korean society, even as the show finally proposes that love can conquer them.
How This Resonates Differently in Bangladesh
To watch Ha-ri get away with deceiving all of them about everything only made me understand how this sort of scene would never be feasible in Bangladesh. For one, blind dates are not our thing - we tend to meet through the family where everyone knows each other's business from day one. Impersonating someone else entirely? Forgive that being kept secret within a Bengali family where your aunties know you ate breakfast.
The whole bogus dating contract enterprise would also raise eyebrows. In Bangladeshi culture, community is more important, so this type of secret agreement would be a huge red flag. And the casual physical affection among unmarried couples that's been normalized on the show would be much more taboo.
Why Korea Perfected the Office Romance
Korean authors perform workplace romances so perfectly because they understand how to blend professional relationships with personal relationships. The workplace comes with inherent drama - can they keep it professional and fall in love? - that keeps audiences engaged.
These dramas also depict Korea's work culture wherein through most of their time, people spend at the workplace, making workplace romance highly complex and plausible. Chaebol storylines provide space for fantasy elements so that viewers can escape into a world of extravagance yet remain connected to the emotional core.
"Business Proposal" works because it is comfort television in the best sense. It doesn't aim to be visionary or deep - it just wants to make you feel good and believe that love can happen anywhere, even in the most ridiculous circumstance. Sometimes that's all we need.
The play shows the best rom-coms are not ones that avoid cliches, but ones that execute them so well, you don't even care how many times you've seen the story. When the chemistry is this good and the laughter flows this easily, who cares if it's predictable? Some stories are enjoyed simply because they do succeed, and "Business Proposal" is living proof of that notion.
Occasionally, you just want a drama that will get you giggling like an adolescent and forget all your cares, and "Business Proposal" delivered that sort of unadulterated, raw joy. This 2022 gem took all the rom-com cliches in the book and made them somehow feel fresh again, proof that sometimes even the most predictable stories are what the heart precisely requires.
The tale is scrumptiously absurd: Shin Ha-ri, a employee who agrees to go on a blind date in place of her friend, but finds herself with the unwanted surprise that her date is actually her boss. What starts off as Ha-ri trying to scare away her friend's potential suitor by putting on an act of being completely crazy blows completely out of proportion when the guy happens to be Kang Tae-mu, the CEO of her firm. And instead of running screaming, he's intrigued enough to provide a fabricated relationship.
Kim Se-jeong is absolutely luminous as Ha-ri, providing flawless comedic timing to every single cringe-y moment and making her character irreparably lovable despite all the lies. Ahn Hyo-seop as Tae-mu is both credibly intimidating CEO and the awkward guy who's never been in love before and therefore lands on his feet playing a character that's swoon-worthy but not unbelievable. Fans were left gobsmacked by Ahn Hyo-seop and Kim Se-jeong's on-screen chemistry in 'Business Proposal' and are now speculated to be secretly dating - and honestly, when you've seen them together, you'd believe so.
The reason why people are addicted to this drama is because it takes all the rom-com tropes and somehow still makes all of them gel perfectly like a glove. Well done, cringeworthy rom-com regarding a CEO (Ahn Hyo Seop, Father is Strange) who becomes smitten with an impersonator (Kim Se Jeong) who is impersonating his blind date. All the cheesiness you can handle without angst, no love triangle and an interesting second lead couple who has the nerve to defy the trope-ical family obligation. The fake dating, the identity mix-up, the grumpy boss for the perky worker - it's all present here, and all so adorably done that you don't even resent how predictable.
The show's true genius is its self-awareness. Netflix's K-Drama Business Proposal makes the mistaken identity and fake dating tropes work stunningly, making only the core romance all the more lovable. Instead of trying to subvert expectations, it plays along with them completely, creating comfort food TV that hits all the right emotional buttons.
Korean Workplace Culture on Display
"Business Proposal" gives us an intriguing glimpse into Korean business culture, namely the strict hierarchies that render Ha-ri's con plausible. The drama shows us just how formal are working relationships, making the contrast between Ha-ri's professional self and her chaotic off-work life even funnier.
The show also depicts Korean dating culture and beauty ideals, where blind dates set up by friends and family members are nothing to speak of. That the friend would resort to sabotaging a blind date, as Ha-ri does, indicates the level of loyalty demanded in Korean friendships, while the fake relationship contract symbolizes modern Korean thinking about utilitarian approaches to romance.
The depiction of chaebol culture - rich business clans with vast social clout - illustrates the fact that class distinctions remain relevant in South Korean society, even as the show finally proposes that love can conquer them.
How This Resonates Differently in Bangladesh
To watch Ha-ri get away with deceiving all of them about everything only made me understand how this sort of scene would never be feasible in Bangladesh. For one, blind dates are not our thing - we tend to meet through the family where everyone knows each other's business from day one. Impersonating someone else entirely? Forgive that being kept secret within a Bengali family where your aunties know you ate breakfast.
The whole bogus dating contract enterprise would also raise eyebrows. In Bangladeshi culture, community is more important, so this type of secret agreement would be a huge red flag. And the casual physical affection among unmarried couples that's been normalized on the show would be much more taboo.
Why Korea Perfected the Office Romance
Korean authors perform workplace romances so perfectly because they understand how to blend professional relationships with personal relationships. The workplace comes with inherent drama - can they keep it professional and fall in love? - that keeps audiences engaged.
These dramas also depict Korea's work culture wherein through most of their time, people spend at the workplace, making workplace romance highly complex and plausible. Chaebol storylines provide space for fantasy elements so that viewers can escape into a world of extravagance yet remain connected to the emotional core.
"Business Proposal" works because it is comfort television in the best sense. It doesn't aim to be visionary or deep - it just wants to make you feel good and believe that love can happen anywhere, even in the most ridiculous circumstance. Sometimes that's all we need.
The play shows the best rom-coms are not ones that avoid cliches, but ones that execute them so well, you don't even care how many times you've seen the story. When the chemistry is this good and the laughter flows this easily, who cares if it's predictable? Some stories are enjoyed simply because they do succeed, and "Business Proposal" is living proof of that notion.
Occasionally, you just want a drama that will get you giggling like an adolescent and forget all your cares, and "Business Proposal" delivered that sort of unadulterated, raw joy. This 2022 gem took all the rom-com cliches in the book and made them somehow feel fresh again, proof that sometimes even the most predictable stories are what the heart precisely requires.
The tale is scrumptiously absurd: Shin Ha-ri, a employee who agrees to go on a blind date in place of her friend, but finds herself with the unwanted surprise that her date is actually her boss. What starts off as Ha-ri trying to scare away her friend's potential suitor by putting on an act of being completely crazy blows completely out of proportion when the guy happens to be Kang Tae-mu, the CEO of her firm. And instead of running screaming, he's intrigued enough to provide a fabricated relationship.
Kim Se-jeong is absolutely luminous as Ha-ri, providing flawless comedic timing to every single cringe-y moment and making her character irreparably lovable despite all the lies. Ahn Hyo-seop as Tae-mu is both credibly intimidating CEO and the awkward guy who's never been in love before and therefore lands on his feet playing a character that's swoon-worthy but not unbelievable. Fans were left gobsmacked by Ahn Hyo-seop and Kim Se-jeong's on-screen chemistry in 'Business Proposal' and are now speculated to be secretly dating - and honestly, when you've seen them together, you'd believe so.
The reason why people are addicted to this drama is because it takes all the rom-com tropes and somehow still makes all of them gel perfectly like a glove. Well done, cringeworthy rom-com regarding a CEO (Ahn Hyo Seop, Father is Strange) who becomes smitten with an impersonator (Kim Se Jeong) who is impersonating his blind date. All the cheesiness you can handle without angst, no love triangle and an interesting second lead couple who has the nerve to defy the trope-ical family obligation. The fake dating, the identity mix-up, the grumpy boss for the perky worker - it's all present here, and all so adorably done that you don't even resent how predictable.
The show's true genius is its self-awareness. Netflix's K-Drama Business Proposal makes the mistaken identity and fake dating tropes work stunningly, making only the core romance all the more lovable. Instead of trying to subvert expectations, it plays along with them completely, creating comfort food TV that hits all the right emotional buttons.
Korean Workplace Culture on Display
"Business Proposal" gives us an intriguing glimpse into Korean business culture, namely the strict hierarchies that render Ha-ri's con plausible. The drama shows us just how formal are working relationships, making the contrast between Ha-ri's professional self and her chaotic off-work life even funnier.
The show also depicts Korean dating culture and beauty ideals, where blind dates set up by friends and family members are nothing to speak of. That the friend would resort to sabotaging a blind date, as Ha-ri does, indicates the level of loyalty demanded in Korean friendships, while the fake relationship contract symbolizes modern Korean thinking about utilitarian approaches to romance.
The depiction of chaebol culture - rich business clans with vast social clout - illustrates the fact that class distinctions remain relevant in South Korean society, even as the show finally proposes that love can conquer them.
How This Resonates Differently in Bangladesh
To watch Ha-ri get away with deceiving all of them about everything only made me understand how this sort of scene would never be feasible in Bangladesh. For one, blind dates are not our thing - we tend to meet through the family where everyone knows each other's business from day one. Impersonating someone else entirely? Forgive that being kept secret within a Bengali family where your aunties know you ate breakfast.
The whole bogus dating contract enterprise would also raise eyebrows. In Bangladeshi culture, community is more important, so this type of secret agreement would be a huge red flag. And the casual physical affection among unmarried couples that's been normalized on the show would be much more taboo.
Why Korea Perfected the Office Romance
Korean authors perform workplace romances so perfectly because they understand how to blend professional relationships with personal relationships. The workplace comes with inherent drama - can they keep it professional and fall in love? - that keeps audiences engaged.
These dramas also depict Korea's work culture wherein through most of their time, people spend at the workplace, making workplace romance highly complex and plausible. Chaebol storylines provide space for fantasy elements so that viewers can escape into a world of extravagance yet remain connected to the emotional core.
"Business Proposal" works because it is comfort television in the best sense. It doesn't aim to be visionary or deep - it just wants to make you feel good and believe that love can happen anywhere, even in the most ridiculous circumstance. Sometimes that's all we need.
The play shows the best rom-coms are not ones that avoid cliches, but ones that execute them so well, you don't even care how many times you've seen the story. When the chemistry is this good and the laughter flows this easily, who cares if it's predictable? Some stories are enjoyed simply because they do succeed, and "Business Proposal" is living proof of that notion.
Occasionally, you just want a drama that will get you giggling like an adolescent and forget all your cares, and "Business Proposal" delivered that sort of unadulterated, raw joy. This 2022 gem took all the rom-com cliches in the book and made them somehow feel fresh again, proof that sometimes even the most predictable stories are what the heart precisely requires.
The tale is scrumptiously absurd: Shin Ha-ri, a employee who agrees to go on a blind date in place of her friend, but finds herself with the unwanted surprise that her date is actually her boss. What starts off as Ha-ri trying to scare away her friend's potential suitor by putting on an act of being completely crazy blows completely out of proportion when the guy happens to be Kang Tae-mu, the CEO of her firm. And instead of running screaming, he's intrigued enough to provide a fabricated relationship.
Kim Se-jeong is absolutely luminous as Ha-ri, providing flawless comedic timing to every single cringe-y moment and making her character irreparably lovable despite all the lies. Ahn Hyo-seop as Tae-mu is both credibly intimidating CEO and the awkward guy who's never been in love before and therefore lands on his feet playing a character that's swoon-worthy but not unbelievable. Fans were left gobsmacked by Ahn Hyo-seop and Kim Se-jeong's on-screen chemistry in 'Business Proposal' and are now speculated to be secretly dating - and honestly, when you've seen them together, you'd believe so.
The reason why people are addicted to this drama is because it takes all the rom-com tropes and somehow still makes all of them gel perfectly like a glove. Well done, cringeworthy rom-com regarding a CEO (Ahn Hyo Seop, Father is Strange) who becomes smitten with an impersonator (Kim Se Jeong) who is impersonating his blind date. All the cheesiness you can handle without angst, no love triangle and an interesting second lead couple who has the nerve to defy the trope-ical family obligation. The fake dating, the identity mix-up, the grumpy boss for the perky worker - it's all present here, and all so adorably done that you don't even resent how predictable.
The show's true genius is its self-awareness. Netflix's K-Drama Business Proposal makes the mistaken identity and fake dating tropes work stunningly, making only the core romance all the more lovable. Instead of trying to subvert expectations, it plays along with them completely, creating comfort food TV that hits all the right emotional buttons.
Korean Workplace Culture on Display
"Business Proposal" gives us an intriguing glimpse into Korean business culture, namely the strict hierarchies that render Ha-ri's con plausible. The drama shows us just how formal are working relationships, making the contrast between Ha-ri's professional self and her chaotic off-work life even funnier.
The show also depicts Korean dating culture and beauty ideals, where blind dates set up by friends and family members are nothing to speak of. That the friend would resort to sabotaging a blind date, as Ha-ri does, indicates the level of loyalty demanded in Korean friendships, while the fake relationship contract symbolizes modern Korean thinking about utilitarian approaches to romance.
The depiction of chaebol culture - rich business clans with vast social clout - illustrates the fact that class distinctions remain relevant in South Korean society, even as the show finally proposes that love can conquer them.
How This Resonates Differently in Bangladesh
To watch Ha-ri get away with deceiving all of them about everything only made me understand how this sort of scene would never be feasible in Bangladesh. For one, blind dates are not our thing - we tend to meet through the family where everyone knows each other's business from day one. Impersonating someone else entirely? Forgive that being kept secret within a Bengali family where your aunties know you ate breakfast.
The whole bogus dating contract enterprise would also raise eyebrows. In Bangladeshi culture, community is more important, so this type of secret agreement would be a huge red flag. And the casual physical affection among unmarried couples that's been normalized on the show would be much more taboo.
Why Korea Perfected the Office Romance
Korean authors perform workplace romances so perfectly because they understand how to blend professional relationships with personal relationships. The workplace comes with inherent drama - can they keep it professional and fall in love? - that keeps audiences engaged.
These dramas also depict Korea's work culture wherein through most of their time, people spend at the workplace, making workplace romance highly complex and plausible. Chaebol storylines provide space for fantasy elements so that viewers can escape into a world of extravagance yet remain connected to the emotional core.
"Business Proposal" works because it is comfort television in the best sense. It doesn't aim to be visionary or deep - it just wants to make you feel good and believe that love can happen anywhere, even in the most ridiculous circumstance. Sometimes that's all we need.
The play shows the best rom-coms are not ones that avoid cliches, but ones that execute them so well, you don't even care how many times you've seen the story. When the chemistry is this good and the laughter flows this easily, who cares if it's predictable? Some stories are enjoyed simply because they do succeed, and "Business Proposal" is living proof of that notion.