There's a lot to enjoy about a drama like ‘Business Proposal’ that doesn't devote the most of its time to a love triangle and instead focuses on the two couples. The chemistry between both sets of performers is off the charts, and it aids that they're all quite appealing.
When you're a few episodes into this show, you get a comfortable sense of ease. This current rom-com series is not only determined to include as many cliches as possible but sports them boldly on its sleeve throughout its 12-episode span, which eventually proves to be its strongest suit.
Shin Ha Ri, a GO Food employee, takes her best friend's place for a blind date and, as always, attempts to disrupt the date. But the guy she was paired up with was none other than Kang Tae Moo, the new head of her firm.
Knowing she has to spoil the date; she puts on her best 'possessed girl' performance. She is aware that she has done more than enough, but she learns from her friend Young Seo that the boss wants to marry her.
And he has a narrative of his own. He reasoned that Jin Young Seo, the sole daughter of Marin Group, would be the best mate for him to stop his overbearing grandpa from marrying him off. The only issue is that the Jin Yeong Seo he met was not the ‘actual’ Jin Young Seo.
The viewers have a good idea of how the plot will progress from here. Despite the apparent narrative, the viewers are drawn to a Business Proposal because of the familiarity. The drama does not attempt to conceal its goal to fully exploit all of the stereotypical features of a rom-com. It expresses its aim clearly, yet, surprisingly, viewers perceive this openness as an advantage rather than a drawback.
Another huge bonus is the fast-paced narrative. Shin Ha Ri's identity is revealed in only four episodes, and the characters' backstories are given in the manner of a one-person play or profile, which allows viewers to focus on their relationship.
A Business Proposal is so easy to watch since it lacks the ‘dragging’ plot and the standard antagonists that sabotage the lovers' love. The fact that it stresses comedy above romance helps viewers focus more on the tale, and clever lines and cartooning exaggerated scenarios provide a good chuckle.
The second lead pair is just as delightful, if not more. They steal the show's spotlight in the first half and earn the most swoon-worthy sequences.
However, the way the incident of illegal recording in the series ended was a little underwhelming. The fact that it did not directly detail the crime, as well as how Jin-Young Seo, the victim, attempted to take the proof to the police herself, set it apart from previous initiatives and was respectable.
The same is true for demonstrating how the victim is affected by the trauma of such a crime. The Business Proposal is brief, yet it gets to the heart of the matter.
However, Kang Tae Moo's use of his power to fix the problem, as well as the tale of Jin Young Seo and Cha Sung Hoon's meeting as a result of it, are a bit problematic. The viewers would rather prefer Jin Young Seo and Shin Ha Ri to exact their vengeance on the perpetrator.
In a nutshell, the series serves as an immediate pick-me-up and strikes the spot as a fizzy, straightforward rom-com that stays loyal to the genre. If you're looking for some hearty, tropey love, look no further!
