Workplace comedy ‘Good Manager’ busts real-life stress
SEOUL: Stressed out from work? Watch KBS show ‘Good Manager’ then.
‘Good Manager’ is a good antidote according to a viewer who was quoted as saying, “I’m stressed out from work these days and have few chances to laugh. Watching ‘Good Manager’ and laughing out loud really busts my work stress,” he said. “The drama is funnier than any other comedy programmes.”
Another drama fan said the drama is like a “digestive medicine” for people, whose stomachs are uncomfortable and bloated with the nation-plaguing corruption case involving Choi Soon-sil.
The drama has been receiving steady viewership ever since its premiere. The cool bromance, gripping story line and sizzling chemistry are said to have won the hearts of K-drama lovers. ‘Good Manager’ is a light-hearted comedy entertainer, which fans describe as a stress buster.
The satirical comedy series revolves around Kim Sungryong, (played by Namkoong Min) an accountant who becomes a middle manager at TQ Group company to embezzle a large sum of money, but ends up fighting for his employees’ fundamental rights.
The drama featuring ordinary office life in a witty way has started out with a 7.8 per cent viewership, but that figure has doubled in five episodes. It continues to renew its own record, nearing a 20 per cent nationwide viewership.
In a country where eight out of ten say they’ve felt depressed at work according to a 2016 survey by local job recruit agency Job Korea, the content that can kill workplace stress has emerged as a hot cultural trend.
“Previously office dramas mostly dealt with romances at work. tvN’s 2014 drama ‘Misaeng’ served as a turning point, proving that viewers can buy realistic office workers’ stories as well. Since then office dramas highlighting real office life have flourished,” culture critic Kim Hyun-sik said. “A big trend for office dramas now is that they deal with social issues up close like social class, people with power and growing wealth inequality.”