To me, Radiant Office belongs to the slice-of-life and romance genre. After all, it was made to be an office romance kind of show. Comedy is almost non-existent here, although that does not mean that this show is dark. It is fun, but if you're here expecting slapstick humor kind of fun, you're in the wrong place.
On the outer level, Radiant Office is a bunch of Korean drama clichés packed together. There's a boss-employee relationship, office settings, fatal disease, and some chaebol family problems. However, on the inside, Radiant Office has a very warm and cozy tone – the complete opposite of those dramas that have the same cliché background.
This is built mainly on their warm and cozy characters. I know that the poster and the synopsis can make our lead female character look very extreme, but she's not, as well as the rest of the crew. They're rather very relatable human-beings. They go through problems (that can sometimes be too dramatic, but again, I can totally overlook that for the fact that this is a drama), but the way they tackle these problems and overcome these situations are so human-like.
You will definitely learn a thing or two at every twist and turn here. When you feel like you can relate to their problems, you'll surprisingly feel comforted by their words and actions. I also love how there's no true "evil" in this story. Whenever someone does something bad, the show progresses in the way you can finally understand that supposed "bad" intention and come to accept that flaw. There are times when good characters make bad decisions as well. This show never tries to perfect or sugar-coat things to make the ordinary viewers like me feel ugly or uncomfortable.
The characters here are all built on the same ground. There's no "rich and powerful" and "ugly duckling" kind of combination. Even if there is a rich and powerful person, they all still have good qualities *as much as* their bad ones. The part that makes this fun to watch is that most of their qualities don't overlap each other. Throughout the show, the best quality of one person will fulfill the bad part of another and so on. It makes everyone complete. This is very heartwarming to see. Trust me, you will fall in love even with the small roles that show up only once every 3-4 episodes (like the secretary or the convenience store worker or our main lead's younger brother). The characters in this show are really that lovely.
THE ROMANCE:
Like I said, subtleness is the key here. I swear I enjoyed the tiny reactions between our two main leads so much and found myself blushing at their chemistry way more than when main leads of other dramas hate each other too much before falling in love with each other. The satisfaction when he slightly takes care of her or acknowledges her talents is real. And, no matter how strong her character is, she's still the little girl who likes to be taken care of in front of him. Their love slowly grows on you.
THE CAST:
I started watching this show without ANY expectation because of the cast. I haven't seen some of these actors, but for the ones I've seen, I can say that this is their best drama so far. I've got nothing much to say. They're very well-suited for their roles.
THE MUSIC:
Honestly, they didn't use their OSTs in the way that they receive enough recognition although there are quite some quality ballads. However, I don't remember feeling awkward with the background music while watching. I can only give it a 7/10.
REWATCH VALUE:
I personally rarely rewatch shows. For people who do, I can picture you rewatch it for the life lessons and cozy love story. However, it's less likely to be rewatched and still enjoyable because business talks can be too long in some episodes.
OVERALL:
Still, despite the so-so music, the clichés, and the low rewatch value, I still give it an 8.5/10. I don't care about the low rewatch value; a drama is never made to be watched over and over again anyway. Comparing to very upbeat and sweet romcoms, I give high score to this one for its approach in telling the story. This was never made fancy for the ratings from the start. This was made for people who like to lean back and appreciate things.
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Honestly though, Radiant Office is not solely focused on the decisions that you make when you know you're going to die soon. In it's core, this drama is more of a corporate politics drama. But even that's not all it's limited to. It's a drama about friendship, about making it on your own, about telling yourself not to give up even when you've lost all hope, it's about second chances, and a lot other significant issues that people face in their life. However, instead of delving deeper into the emotional and not-so-emotional aspects of the drama, I'd just like to just point out the reasons why I enjoyed this show. So, here goes-
-First and foremost, it's because of the male lead. After watching the first two episodes, I was afraid the male lead was going to be a typical jerk one. Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong. Yes, he starts out as a jerk, but he changes so much. He actually turned out to be a really kind and caring person.
-Ha Won's character is very relatable. A job is not something that's handed to us as soon as we graduate, we have to work for it. But what if it doesn't matter how many times you try, you can't seem to reach your goal? Ha Won can't get a job even after trying 100 times. Her thoughts, her actions, her decisions- everything is portrayed so realistically, that it'll appeal to the audience.
-I loved the trio. They didn't exactly meet in the most preferable situation, but their friendship was one of the best things about the drama. The way they stuck with each other, it was so heartwarming. Even in the situations where they had to compete with each other, they never let it get in the way of their friendship.
-The lead couple was very cute. They went from hate to respect to tentative friendship to finally, something more. I loved it every-time they would have these little moments. One of my most memorable one is where he gives her the secret thumbs-up. It was beyond cute!
-The second couple- Ji Na and Ki Taek, had their charms too. Ji Na, for one, was a character that evolved the most, in the drama. Their relationship grew so much throughout the series.
-Chief Park's innermost thoughts were one of the most hilarious moments of the drama. It sounds so random, but I don't know, I found it really funny.
The could've-been-better(s):
-I wish the romance was a bit more pronounced. I understand that this is not primarily a romance drama, but well, the heart wants what it wants, right?
-I feel like Kang Ho's contribution towards the story wasn't as much as the other characters. To me, it felt like, his character wasn't as fleshed out.
-The last episode seemed a bit rushed. While the major issues were resolved, a lot of other things weren't.
So, that's it for the review. I hope you give this drama a chance.
Happy Watching!
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But don't get me wrong - this was an enjoyable drama (especially the first half of it) that spoke a lot about office politics, unemployment, and the struggle of everyday life. The acting was great, especially that of Ki Taek and Ho Won, and the chemistry between the actors was superb. I believe that if this drama had been pre-produced, it would have been a better final product but, alas, Korea still continues to follow its live-shooting method with a standardized number of episodes, which sometimes causes for a lot of fluff and extra material that is unneeded.
Do I recommend it? Yes, especially to my fellow university students who will soon be looking for employment. This drama reminded me that getting rejected is not the end of the world, and that you will find your place in the world one way or another. Despite its flaws, I would recommend it over other dramas, for it is a more realistic and hard-hitting drama, showing that not everything in life is accidental-kisses and evil mothers-in-law.
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It's an office drama, but the drama focuses more on the character's relationships inside the workspace than any task they might have to do. I liked that the drama almost-not-subtly criticizes how women still have difficulty achieving high level inside business companies, and my favorite character in this drama was Chief Jo. She's a strong ambitious woman who is fighting for advancing her career while being a single mom and still mainteining her honesty.
There is a little romance with two couple in this series. One is between Chief Seo and Eun Ho Won and the other is between Do Ki Taek and Ha Ji Na. Chief Seo and Eun Ho Won's relationship is very slow building but very sweet and realistic, but it's not the focus of the drama. Like I said, the drama is about all the characters and how they relate to each other inside the work space.
The music in this drama isn't anything special and the acting was very standard. Some were kind of bad, specially in the crying scenes... some just made pained faces while shedding no tears at all, others hid their faces and made crying sounds... it was just bad.
The ending felt really rushed. Like this series could have gotten 20 episodes and everything would haven wrapped up better than it did with only 16 episodes. I think the writers forgot they had to end with 16 episodes or something.
Conclusion, it's a good easy drama to watch and pass the time but don't give up on a better drama for this. Also not worth rewatching because of the same reason: why go back to it when there are other dramas that can be better out there that I haven't yet seen.
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The characters and the actors are really making the drama. The story itself is overall simple and linear, but it unfolds at an enjoyable pace.
I didn't really like the first episode, and after completing the drama, it really doesn't reflect the rest of the show, so hang on until the second episode no matter what!
The romance aspect takes the back seat in the drama, the main couple has their cute moments, but it's a really small part, and don't expect much cuddling and kissing. However it really fits the story and the characters well, more romance and the drama wouldn't have the same taste. Just don't get in hoping for any big romantic gesture at any moment.
The friendship between Eun Ho Won, Do Ki Taek and Jang Kang Ho) seems really genuine and is used very well. I loved how they linked every character, the side characters aren't just here to serve the main character's story, they are well developed and have their own growth through the drama.
I'm very conflicted about the last episode, while I liked the ending (very open), the whole episode felt rushed. It seemed whole parts that could/should have been developed where condensed in one short scene or just happened off camera. You almost see the writer rushing around to tie up all the loose ends!
I also felt like a few plot lines weren't fully exploited, mostly in the first half of the drama, as if they were trying something but weren't sure what to do with it in the end.
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My main complaints about the show were that I felt that the show didn't leave enough time to adequately answer all the questions it raised (I feel like this show could have been extended by 2 episodes easily), and that I wished there had been a tad bit more romance. The romance in this show is VERY minimal, but also very sweet and just beginning to blossom. The sweetness of it is why I was disappointed that we only got the tiniest taste of it before the ending. The show's main focus was the office relationships and politics, and they did those parts well.
The music was not standout, but must have been serviceable. I didn't really notice it much.
This was a good office drama, with both funny and touching moments. There are lessons to be learned about how to live in the moment, that we need to do what's right even when it's hard, and not to give up when life gets tough. Even with some flaws, it's still a good choice and you won't be mad you watched it.
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This review may contain spoilers
This drama is relatable and fresh; it surprised me by how much I waited to watch it every week and the scenes themselves didn't make me skip anything, so it's a good length for the watch value.The story itself is centered around office work and interpersonal relationships of the workers rather than romance, although there are very dramatic elements to it all the way to the last episode which were a bit predictable but still kept it going.
I loved the cast; even though it was a pretty tame genre, the conflicts and overall relationships between the employees reminded me of some more action-driven teams in other dramas that are in detective or court setting.
The main OST is very nice to listen to and embodies the MC well, while the musical backgrounds in scenes were not intrusive or awkward.
In my opinion, I wouldn't rewatch this drama because the conflicts have been resolved and it's not the type to be rewatched as it is a one-watch experience.
I have tried to keep the review as spoiler-free as possible, however, this is a well-made drama that is nowhere near light-hearted as you may think, and whereas a lot of viewers have a problem with it not being overly romantic, I don't think the romance itself was the point here. The soul of this drama is in its people, fleshing them out as they are and how far are they willing to go for themselves or others. There is no chance of excusing a character for who they are and that in its essence is what a lot of dramas have done badly in the end. The friendships and secondary romance couples have enough screentime and are not forgotten, so you do care about all of them throughout the series. The real antagonist is dispersed in little aspects of each of their personalities, as it should be, which makes this drama as realistic as all the everyday situations that happen in an office.
I don't find MDL scores that truthful at all (in fact lately, it feels like opening imdb), so don't overlook this drama because of that, it is much better than plenty of things that are currently airing and have aired just before it.
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So the story was quite good, it sort of started off far more interesting than how it finished. The first half was amazing and had me sympathising with the characters and the twist of fates. The second half though was nothing like that, it was sort of like they played it safe and not much happened. I definitely would recommend this one to watch but it should be treated as a slice-of-life drama (the second half anyway).
There were a few promising plot points that I was disappointed the director/writer didn't use fully. The main one being that Doctor Seo seemed to be shown as a love interest and had a lot of screen time in the first half, but we never really learnt more about him, just how he portrayed himself. I really thought having him as a fully developed deep character in Eun Ho Won's life would have been good. Really the story towards the end was very rushed and left a few loose ends.
Despite this, I definitely enjoyed this drama and recommend you watch this one :)
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A giving tree
This is a very complete drama, I loved every minute of it.The drama is so interesting that I didn’t even notice the lack of romance until the very end.
Everyone acted their part well and the women in this drama are all so beautiful and good actors.
I like that there was no unnecessary love triangle, just a drama about life, office politics and the struggles young people go through.
Everyone and their story was so relatable and it makes us understand that life isn’t always black and white and the gray areas sometimes matter more in our decision making.
My only complaint is that it should have been 18 or 20 episodes or each of the 16 episodes should have been longer than 1hr.
I’m happy I followed my instinct and watched this drama.
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It took 4 episodes to hook me.
Honestly, I considered dropping it, but as I was watching it with others I went past my usual three episode cut off and it grew on me. They cut out the imagination scenes around here (which added little to the drama other than showing how bad Ho Won's reality is) and the story kicks in. I'm so glad I kept watching.
Story:
If you try anything 100 times you should be able to do it right?
Eun Ho Won thinks so. After 100 unsuccessful attempts at full time employment, enraged and exhausted she gives up on it all. But she can't even do that right. She ends up in the emergency room where she meets Do Ki Taek and Jang Kang Ho who are in a similar situation, before running out on their bills they overhear that one of them has a terminal illness. They end up meeting again and again and become a mini support group for each other. They end up scoring short term contract work with the chance of permanency but will they do anything to get that?
The story is nothing out of the ordinary, but it works so well. This series was written by a rookie screen writer, Jeong Ho Hyun and I am super excited to see their next project when the time comes.
The characters are realistic and likeable, they are well developed throughout the series. The relationships and the interactions between them are what makes the show so enjoyable.
The two main love lines are well done.
The comedy ranges from subtle to slapstick and will have you in fits of laughter.
The plot moves along at a reasonable pace and the story line is enjoyable.
Acting/Cast:
Casting for this was on point.
The characters were well played by their prospective actors.
Ha Suk Jin is so typecast as the tsundere man it's not funny, but he is so great at it I don't ever want to see him in any other role. His character Seo Woo Jin is a hard man with a soft gooey centre that is hilariously afraid of cats among other things. Meow!
Go Ah Sung was just fabulous as Eun Ho Won. Her eyes are amazingly expressive, her stare is deadly. Her comedic timing is spot on. Her chemistry with Ha Suk Jin is killer.
Oh Dae Hwan is wonderful in everything he does, he is such a great supporting actor. His character was so annoying yet so funny.
Another stand out performance is that of Lee Dong Hwi as Do Ki Taek, he played the fierce friend so well I was moved.
Music:
The music is well suited to the drama, it's modern and fits the scenes. The title track 101 is really catchy and uplifting. Actually the whole sound track is well worth a listen on its own.
Rewatchability:
I have rewatched the first four episodes and found them much better with a second viewing I didn't even hate the imagination scenes so much as they made more sense with added context.
Summary:
This was a very enjoyable and heart warming series, I laughed a lot more than I cried. It works well as a comedy and a romance, although some people may find this type of slow burn romance frustrating I found it delightful. If you try this series give it a little bit of time to grow on you as it comes into its own around episode 4-5. I hope you love it too.
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This review may contain spoilers
Radiant Office is an office drama involving three strangers who unexpectedly end up on the same rather depressing path in life, and shows how they evolve and grow due to the struggles they are thrown. It is a story of friendship, office shenanigans and romance. I enjoyed this drama quite a bit and looked forward to it every week. Is it perfect.... well, no, and we'll start there....Cons:
The First Episode: The first 40 minutes of episode 1 were tough going for me. I dump dramas early, and I don't know why I stuck with it but the minute the friends found each other, my level of enjoyment went way way up. So if you are like me, stick with it a bit longer because I was totally hooked by the end of episode 2.
Big Meanie: Either the writer or the director had Ha Suk Jin play his character a bit over-the-top verbally aggressive ( I really don't want to use the word abusive), in several scenes. I think it needed to be toned down a bit.
Left Hanging: There are a few misunderstanding/unexplained things that really needed a conclusion that I didn't get to my satisfaction, but this is relatively minor.
Dr. Seo: Not to be confused with the lead, but there is a character who is a doc with the same name (Seo), and I think the writer did twist and turn him around to suit the needs of the story a bit too much for my taste.
Terminal Illness: This drama is not really about terminal illness. I think the writer should have found a better way to get her characters where they needed to be without this trope, but I will stay away from spoiler territory.
Pros:
Story: Well isn't this the most important thing? Not everyone is into office dramas and this is NOT Misaeng, but for me this is a story of the people just set in an office. That is its strength. It could have been a law firm or hospital or wherever because where they work doesn't matter so much as the people involved.
Characters: Which brings us to how well all the characters are fleshed out....all of them. And sometimes they surprise you. Someone you think you will really dislike, you end up learning more about or seeing things from their perspective. This to me is a success of the writing (from a newbie writer no less) that there is no over the top villain or caricature going on here. Office politics, for sure but as anyone who has worked in one knows, that actually is often reality.
Actors: No weak links at all. They were all solid. I saw a lot of comments kind of getting onto Ha Suk Jin for taking another such "arrogant man" role, but way more so here than in 1% or Let's Drink, we get to see him outside the office and become a more realized character. Was this a huge challenging role for him; probably not but we see that he has some good comedic timing when need be in what has to be one of the funniest scenes I've seen in a drama recently. It has to do with a Swiffer mop and I'll leave it at that.
Eun Ho Won: I'm just gonna say it. Sometimes I didn't like her, and sometimes I was frustrated by her, and sometimes I was embarrassed about her. So why is this on the "Pro" side? Because all too often K-drama leads are either martyrs, candies, over-the-top sassy girls that are not always well rounded as characters. She is a 'glass half empty' type person as are her friends, and it can be tough to root for someone like that, but I liked her and her friends, and I was rooting and cheering them on flaws and all.
Problems Others Had But I Didn't:
- Many didn't share my acceptance of Eun Ho Won, yet I noticed many completed the drama due to their liking of the side characters.
-Romance is definitely on the back burner for a chunk of this drama, but I actually think this is realistic to most office romances. No instalove, but if you have to have a lot of romance, this is not for you.
-Some people didn't like the unrealistic office scenarios, but - well - isn't this the reality of medical/legal/cop dramas? They are not realistic, but I actually thought Radiant Office brought out the difficulty of contract workers, women getting ahead, expectations put on men to be super successful before starting a family, difficult job search etc in a pretty sane way.
Final Word:
I found this to be an enjoyable drama, but definitely people had different thoughts on it with some finding it on the boring side and others frustrated by EHW. I have a soft spot for these type dramas and grew to enjoy Eun Ho Won on her quest for acceptance and success in the business world and in life.
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