Office politics, career challenges, and teammate issues—everyone experiences them at one point, right? But there isn't always a swoon-worthy boss like Vice Chairman Lee (Park Seo Joon in What's Wrong With Secretary Kim) or a cute mentor like Han Ji Pyeong (Kim Seon Ho in Start-Up). Maybe that's why work IRL feels like such a drag a lot of times, LOL.
Want to escape your work problems IRL? These slice-of-life dramas about work and office life are bound to get you hooked in no time:
1. Misaeng (2014)
Who's in it: Im Si Wan, Lee Sung Min, Kang So Ra, Kang Ha Neul, Kim Dae Myung
Where you can watch it: Netflix, iQIYI
You'll love it if you're in: Sales or trade
The plot: Remember baduk master Choi Taek (Park Bo Gum in Reply 1988)? He would've crushed Misaeng's lead character, Jang Geu Rae, in the board game. He has always wanted to be a pro baduk player, but he couldn't get a break. With the help of a ~connection~, Geu Rae stops doing odd part-time jobs and gets pushed to enter a trading company. He knew nothing about sales and didn't have an outstanding educational background—so he navigates the corporate world with his board game strategy knowledge as his only edge.
2. Kkondae Intern (2020)
Who's in it: Park Hae Jin, Kim Eung Soo
Where you can watch it: Netflix
You'll love it if you're in: Food production, sales, marketing
The plot: As one of the most lucrative and competitive industries in the world, it takes much determination and wit to thrive in a ramyeon company in South Korea. Ka Yeol Chan (played by Park Hae Jin) broke barriers and quickly got promoted as the head of sales and marketing. One day, he gets assigned a senior-age intern (Kim Eung Soo), who was actually his boss at his first job. Now, Yeol Cha needs to mentor his former boss and keep the business profitable. The problem is, he has always been old-school. Can they both keep up?
3. Good Manager (2017)
Who's in it: Namgoong Min, Nam Sang Mi, Kim Won Hae, Kim Seon Ho
Where you can watch it: Netflix
You'll love it if you're an: Accountant, manager
The plot: A certified public accountant uses his skills to help gangsters commit fraud. He gets recruited to a managerial position in a company and tasked to embezzle a large sum of money. As he uncovers the extent of their corruption, he ends up growing fond of his employees and has a change of heart.
4. Hot Stove League (2019)
Who's in it: Namgoong Min, Park Eun Bin, Jo Byeong Gu, Oh Jung Se
Where you can watch it: Netflix, Viu
You'll love it if you're a: Manager
The plot: Dreams, a fictional pro baseball team, gets shaken up when a new general manager (GM) joins their staff. Despite his record of winning championships for underdog sports groups, the new GM was met with hostility. Will he win them over and ultimately bring them to victory?
5. Live (2018)
Who's in it: Jung Yu Mi, Lee Kwang Soo
Where you can watch it: Netflix, iQIYI
You'll love it if you're a: Career-shifter
The plot: Like many of us, the main characters of the show struggled in the job market, all thanks to sexist companies and pyramiding scams. One day, they stumbled upon an ad recruiting police officers, and they treat it as their last chance at a career that will pay the bills and keep their passion for life burning. Can they survive one of the most stressful and dangerous jobs in the world?
6. Search: WWW (2019)
Who's in it: Im Soo Jung, Lee Da Hee, Jeon Hye Jin, Jang Ki Yong, Lee Jae Wook
Where you can watch it: Netflix, Viu, iQIYI
You'll love it if you're in: Digital marketing, IT
The plot: Three strong, independent women work at the top web portals in the country. They're in different stages of their lives, but one thing they have in common is their career drive. It's far from the traditional expectations that women fall in love, get married, and have kids. See how they handle the cut-throat competition and ambition in their field.