You know that feeling you get when you finish a kdrama and you can’t seem to think about anything else other than IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER? Yeah, that’s me right now. I just finished Business Proposal and I loved every second! (I’ve even got back to rewatch some of my favorite scenes). 

I started this drama after hearing everyone rave about it and I hadn’t watched a good lighthearted comedy in a while so I said why not? And honestly, from the first moment I turned it on, I was hooked. SPOILERS AHEAD, READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!

SYNOPSIS 

This heartwarming story revolves around Shin Ha-ri (Kim Se-Jeong), a young woman who goes on a blind date in place of her best friend, Jin Young-Seo (Seol In-A). When she arrives, she’s shocked to see her mystery date is Kang Tae-Moo (Ahn Hyo-Seop), the president of the company she works for and her boss. She tries to make a disaster of the whole ordeal, but turns out her handsome boss wants to continue to date her. With marriage in mind. He’s not aware Ha-ri is pretending to be Young-Seo, but when he does find out, he coerces her to enter into a contract with him to pretend to be his girlfriend so he can fool his grandfather, whose intensely pushing for Tae-Moo to get married. Things get interesting when Tae-Moo actually begins to develop feelings for Ha-ri. 

WHAT I LIKED:

Loveable Characters 

What I truly appreciated about this drama is every character is likable and relatable (except for the second male lead who gets another girlfriend but then gets mad when Ha-ri finds herself a boyfriend. Crazy, right?)  From regular employees who work hard to reach career goals to rich chaebols who aren’t obsessed with money and fame, I found myself loving everyone's unique personality and the close look we got into some of their personal lives. Not to mention the male lead Tae-Moo didn’t start off as an arrogant jerk or someone obsessed with himself. He was a mystery, yes, but he never treated anyone badly. Once he got a chance to get close to Ha-ri, you see that he’s actually very thoughtful and kind. Ha-ri’s friends and colleagues were the funniest and most lovable people ever as well as her crazy family. Tae-Moo’s grandfather was one of the most down-to-earth characters in the whole show (he did have his moments though) and you will have a time watching Yeong-Seo’s cousin Jo Yoo-Jung (Seo Hye-Won) switch from Korean to English mid-sentence effortlessly. 

An Adorable Love Story For The Side Characters 

After throwing her bestie to the wolves, Young-Seo found herself pining after a mysterious man she met by chance at the convenience store. The kicker? He’s Cha Sung-Hoon (Kim Min-Kyu), Tae-Moo’s secretary and best friend. He’s in love with Young-Seo too but unfortunately, he doesn’t want to get involved because of how she purposely skipped out on her blind date with Tae-Moo. But the two’s connection proves to be too strong as they end up finally giving their love a chance.

I seriously loved, loved, loved this couple so much! They definitely had their ups and downs (they had the cutest and funniest little arguments) but they had a sweet love for each other that had me swooning! Young-Seo’s fiery and courageous spirit surprisingly matched well with Sung-Hoon’s chill but sweet demeanor. While they did get off to a bumpy (and quite hilarious) start, they were very genuine with each other and that was refreshing to see. I couldn’t help but root for these two! 

The Show Is Straight-Up HILLARIOUS

Going in, I didn’t know what to expect, but the scenes in this drama had me rolling. Every episode had some ridiculous scene full of foolish shenanigans and it wasn’t over the top.  Personally, I had such an enjoyable time watching some of these characters act a plum fool. From awkward moments to realistic scenarios that had you dying from second-hand embarrassment, there is never a dull moment. It's been a while since I’ve seen a Korean drama that had me laughing so much–I still chuckle at some of these crazy scenes. 

(I mean the iconic line “You know I have no Chingu!! will never not be funny.)

The Tender Relationship Between The Main Characters

Shin Ha-ri and Kang Tae-Moo had a sweet connection that melted my heart. I really appreciated how Tae-Moo was the first to confess his feelings instead of waiting around for the girl to like him while giving ridiculously subtle hints. He showed initiative, interest, and made it clear that he was serious about dating her. His feelings were never insincere. Ha-ri had a more difficult time reciprocating that affection at first, but once Ha-ri accepted his feelings, their relationship had a very natural feel to it. I loved how Ha-ri brought out the best of Tae-Moo and helped him heal from his childhood trauma of losing his parents at a young age. She was a rock for him. On the flip side, Tae-Moo showed immense respect for Ha-ri, her expertise, and her passions. He defended her and constantly showed her how much he cared. Can you say aww?

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE 

Too Short

I hated that this drama was only 12 episodes. I was sad when it came to an end, I seriously wanted more! 

The Ending Felt A Bit Rushed

While the ending was super sweet (Tae-Moo proposed and Ha-ri accepted) it seemed like the last episode didn’t have the proper build-up for a really satisfying ending. But maybe that’s just me. 

OVERALL

Business Proposal is an excellently produced, casted, and written drama. If you want to laugh and enjoy a sweet romance, I highly recommend this one! Also if you’re not too keen on super long dramas, this one is a great place to start. Happy watching friends! 

MORE DETAILS

Platform: Netflix

Episodes: 12

Episode length: About an hour each 

Genre: Romance/Comedy

Personal rating: 5 out 5 stars! Loved it!