Business As Usual Review: Strong ‘Kemi’, Weak Returns
“I always feel insecure around him. He makes me feel smaller.”
“Isn’t that indication that you like him too much?”
What? No! What kind of twisted logic is that?! If you’re going to bring in a random friend to give the main character some romantic advice to push them toward pursuing love, at least make the conversation make sense. Feeling insecure in a relationship is awful, and no good friend would suggest seeing someone who makes you feel that way. The Korean series ‘Business as Usual’ serves up a disappointing, clichéd climactic episode after starting on a hot, steamy note, and then going cold.
Directed by Min Chae Yeon, ‘Business as Usual’ is two episodes shorter than her last drama ‘Happy Merry Ending’, and maybe marginally better. Debut actor Chae Jong Hyeok plays primary protagonist Kim Min Jun, a 30-year-old stuck in a boring 9-to-5 job with no personal life. However, new drama enters his life when his college ex-boyfriend Chae Jin Hwan (Seong Seung Ha) joins the same office and starts to test the waters. Flashbacks reveal how a misunderstanding tore them apart, but can they put their bitter estrangement behind them?
Flashbacks show how Min Jun overhears a few things, misunderstands boyfriend Jin Hwan and ghosts him completely. Jin Hwan has no clue why he was dumped, which is weird, because they are probably mid-semester, so how hard can it be to get in touch with someone studying at the same college? Also, why is it so hard for writers to give couples real-life problems instead of imaginary ones? Most of Min Jun’s issues with Jin Hwan are in his head, and they refuse to talk things out for eight years. But at least, once they reunite, Jin Hwan confronts Min Jun head-on and gets the truth out. So, a few extra points to the creators for not dragging the drama out after they meet as working adults.
Actors Chae Jong Hyeok and Seong Seung Ha have good onscreen chemistry, or like the Koreans say ‘kemi’; however, the romantic plot is too stale, despite the characters being refreshingly forthright about their sexuality. When the leads meet as colleagues eight years later, their company is working on a dating manual of sorts, which will remind viewers of the Korean series ‘Our Dating Sim’, which had pretty much the same plot: a misunderstanding leads to the protagonist ghosting his crush, and they reunite years later. At least the insecurities were milder in ‘Our Dating Sim’, and it also had a pleasant, peachy palette. Business As Usual, on the other hand, features some annoying cinematography, with shiny light effects and filters that scuttle romantic moments.
Overall, ‘Business As Usual’ is an okay-ish romance, with a familiar tale and good-looking leads, and a super predictable (also rushed) climax. If that’s enough to get you to hit “watch” on something, give it a go.
Rating: 5.5 stars on 10. Watch ‘Business As Usual’ on Viki or iQIYI.
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