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| ▲ This image, provided by tvN, shows a poster of the broadcaster's romantic series "Graduation." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, June 12 (Yonhap) -- Lee Junho (played by Wi Ha-jun), with his good looks, easygoing personality, and a prestigious university degree, easily lands a coveted permanent position at a large corporation after graduation. However, his seemingly bright future takes an unexpected turn when he quits his job within three years to become an academy instructor.
To his disapproving father, he explains, "The world has changed long ago, Father. Unlike your time, now working a regular job only leads to getting pushed to the outskirts."
As of the 12th, TV dramas reflecting the disillusionment and cynicism of the young generation entering society, as well as their desire to turn their lives around, are capturing viewers' attention.
Characters, realizing that being a diligent 'salaryman' like their parents won't help them climb the social ladder, quit their stable corporate jobs to pursue new careers (tvN's "Graduation"), participate in life-threatening shows (Netflix's "The Eight Show"), or seek to reverse their fortunes by finding a 'prince charming' (TVING's "I Openly Dream of Cinderella").
In the ongoing tvN drama "Graduation," the protagonist Lee Junho, who once ranked in the bottom percentile during his first mock exam in high school, dramatically improves his grades after meeting his tutor, Seo Hye-jin (played by Jung Ryeo-won), and enters Korea University’s business school, becoming known as the "miracle of Daechi-dong."
Despite appearing to lead a successful life, Junho lives in constant fear of being sidelined. Watching friends who were born and raised in Gangnam end up moving to the outskirts to buy their first homes and seeing senior colleagues gradually pushed to the corners in his supposedly prestigious company intensifies his anxiety. Determined not to leave Gangnam and unwilling to rely on his parents, Junho decides to become a self-made man as an academy instructor, vowing to provide his parents with the luxuries they never had.
The Netflix original series "The Eight Show," released last month, follows Bae Jinsu (played by Ryu Jun-yeol), an average young man who isn't particularly handsome, smart, or wealthy. After being swayed by a friend's smooth talk, he makes a bad investment that balloons his debt. Despite working hard at a convenience store and subsisting on triangle kimbap, Jinsu's daily earnings are only 78,000 won.
Desperately seeking higher-paying work, he takes up high-rise window cleaning, but legal restrictions limit his daily earnings to 320,000 won. Realizing that even cleaning every building in Seoul won't clear his debt, he contemplates suicide on Yanghwa Bridge, only to receive an invitation to a show where time equals money. Arriving at a suspicious, dangerous location in a limousine sent by the show's mysterious organizers, Jinsu decides to stake his life on this gamble, thinking, "Fine, take my organs. There's no way I can go back to a minimum wage life."
In "I Openly Dream of Cinderella," released on TVING on May 31, protagonist Shin Jae-rim (played by Pyo Ye-jin) seeks to change her life through marriage. Her father's will advises, "My dear, don't go around in circles. Take the shortcut. Enter here and meet a rich husband to change your fate. You can't succeed on your own in this world," leaving a recruitment notice for the elite social club 'Cheongdam Heaven.'
Initially incredulous, Jae-rim soon faces reality and decides to attend the club's interview. There, she meets chaebol heir Moon Cha-min (played by Lee Jun-young) and sets out to win his love and wealth. Creator Baek Mi-kyung explained at a production
"Living as a Salaryman? No Thanks"…Cynical Youth Dreaming of Turning Life Around in Drama
Lee Junho (played by Wi Ha-jun), with his good looks, easygoing personality, and a prestigious university degree, easily lands a coveted permanent position at a large corporation after graduation. However, his seemingly bright future takes an unexpected turn when he quits his job within three years to become an academy instructor. To his disapproving father, he explains, "The world has changed long ago, Father. Unlike your time, now working a regular job only leads to getting pushed to the outskirts."
As of the 12th, TV dramas reflecting the disillusionment and cynicism of the young generation entering society, as well as their desire to turn their lives around, are capturing viewers' attention. Characters, realizing that being a diligent 'salaryman' like their parents won't help them climb the social ladder, quit their stable corporate jobs to pursue new careers (tvN's "Graduation"), participate in life-threatening shows (Netflix's "The Eight Show"), or seek to reverse their fortunes by finding a 'prince charming' (TVING's "I Openly Dream of Cinderella").
In the ongoing tvN drama "Graduation," the protagonist Lee Junho, who once ranked in the bottom percentile during his first mock exam in high school, dramatically improves his grades after meeting his tutor, Seo Hye-jin (played by Jung Ryeo-won), and enters Korea University’s business school, becoming known as the "miracle of Daechi-dong." Despite appearing to lead a successful life, Junho lives in constant fear of being sidelined.
Watching friends who were born and raised in Gangnam end up moving to the outskirts to buy their first homes and seeing senior colleagues gradually pushed to the corners in his supposedly prestigious company intensifies his anxiety. Determined not to leave Gangnam and unwilling to rely on his parents, Junho decides to become a self-made man as an academy instructor, vowing to provide his parents with the luxuries they never had.
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| ▲ A still photo of Netflix original series "The Eight Show," provided by the OTT streamer on May 22, 2024. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
The Netflix original series "The Eight Show," released last month, follows Bae Jinsu (played by Ryu Jun-yeol), an average young man who isn't particularly handsome, smart, or wealthy. After being swayed by a friend's smooth talk, he makes a bad investment that balloons his debt. Despite working hard at a convenience store and subsisting on triangle kimbap, Jinsu's daily earnings are only 78,000 won. Desperately seeking higher-paying work, he takes up high-rise window cleaning, but legal restrictions limit his daily earnings to 320,000 won.
Realizing that even cleaning every building in Seoul won't clear his debt, he contemplates suicide on Yanghwa Bridge, only to receive an invitation to a show where time equals money. Arriving at a suspicious, dangerous location in a limousine sent by the show's mysterious organizers, Jinsu decides to stake his life on this gamble, thinking, "Fine, take my organs. There's no way I can go back to a minimum wage life."
In "I Openly Dream of Cinderella," released on TVING on May 31, protagonist Shin Jae-rim (played by Pyo Ye-jin) seeks to change her life through marriage. Her father's will advises, "Daughter, don't go around in circles. Take the shortcut. Enter here and meet a rich husband to change your fate. You can't succeed on your own in this world," leaving a recruitment notice for the elite social club 'Cheongdam Heaven.' Initially incredulous,
Jae-rim soon faces reality and decides to attend the club's interview. There, she meets chaebol heir Moon Cha-min (played by Lee Jun-young) and sets out to win his love and wealth. Creator Baek Mi-kyung explained at a production press conference on May 29 that the 'prince on a white horse' Jae-rim dreams of symbolizes various opportunities to change her life course.
In the past, dramas like "Twenty-Five Twenty-One" and "Our Beloved Summer," which depicted the romantic and idealistic aspects of youth, were popular. However, the portrayal of youth in today's dramas is more cynical. For them, the notion of "work hard and you can succeed" is outdated. Instead, these protagonists seek life-changing opportunities, opting for challenges over stability.
Yoon Seok-jin, a Korean literature professor at Chungnam National University and drama critic, notes, "Modern dramas have started capturing the raw voices of the youth, breaking away from the idealized fantasies of past youth dramas. The harsh self-awareness of the younger generation, recognizing that upward social mobility is nearly impossible without inherent advantages, is being reflected in these dramas."
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