If someone asked me to recommend a Korean drama that realistically shows office life in Korea, I would choose Misaeng.
The drama aired in 2014, but there are still many scenes that viewers can relate to today.
I especially remember the first episode.
About Misaeng
- Korean Title: 미생
- English Title: Misaeng: Incomplete Life
- Year: 2014, tvN
- Episodes: 20
- Genre: Workplace Drama, Personal Growth
- Main Cast: Im Si-wan (Jang Geu-rae), Lee Sung-min (Oh Sang-sik), Kang So-ra (Ahn Young-yi), Kang Ha-neul (Jang Baek-gi), Kim Dae-myung (Kim Dong-sik), Byun Yo-han (Han Seok-yul)
A Young Man Who Only Knew Baduk Enters the Office World
The main character of Misaeng, Jang Geu-rae, spent his childhood dreaming of becoming a professional baduk (Go) player.
But after failing to become a professional player, he takes a new path and joins a company as an intern.
Other new employees have strong educational backgrounds and various experiences, but Geu-rae doesn’t have those qualifications. Even the words people use at work are unfamiliar to him.
He doesn’t know what to do, while everyone around him is busy with their own work.
And that is how Geu-rae begins his unfamiliar office life.
The First Episode I Still Remember
I still remember watching Geu-rae enter the office for the first time and realize how little he knows about this new world.
Imagine being in a place where no one is necessarily trying to make your life difficult. Everyone is simply busy doing their jobs, but you’re the only one who doesn’t know what to do.
You can’t just sit there doing nothing, either.
You feel like you should be doing something, but you have no idea where to begin.
Wouldn’t that make you nervous?
Geu-rae doesn’t need to explain his feelings in a long speech. I felt like I understood exactly how he felt.
There have been times in my life when I wanted to say something like this, too.
“If I don’t know how to do something, why can’t someone just teach me?”
But in real life, it’s not always easy to say that.
Maybe that’s why I found myself caring even more as I watched Geu-rae slowly learn how to work in an office.
What Geu-rae Learned from Baduk
Geu-rae knows very little about office work, but he has learned something important from his many years of playing baduk.
He has learned how to think carefully and be patient.
In baduk, you have to consider your opponent’s next move. And even when you make a mistake, you can’t simply give up the game.
Geu-rae uses what he learned from baduk as he gradually finds his way at work.
I liked this part of the drama, too.
Sometimes, when we enter a completely new environment, it can feel like everything we’ve done before is useless.
But watching Geu-rae reminded me that the experiences we’ve built over the years can still help us, even in a completely different situation.
A Lesson from His Baduk Teacher That I Still Remember
One of the lessons I remember most from Misaeng is about physical stamina.
“If there’s something you want to achieve, build your physical strength first.”
Geu-rae’s baduk teacher explains that if you want to keep doing something for a long time, you need to build your stamina first.
When your body is exhausted, you become irritated more easily and lose patience. It also takes longer to recover after making a mistake.
That’s why he teaches Geu-rae to build a body that can endure the challenges ahead.
Those words have stayed with me.
We often talk about willpower and mental strength when we want to achieve something.
But our physical strength is what helps support that mental strength.
This scene made me think that working hard is important, but taking care of our bodies is just as important if we want to keep going.
The Webtoon Came First: The Story of Creator Yoon Tae-ho
Before Misaeng became a television drama, it was originally published as a webtoon by Korean cartoonist Yoon Tae-ho.
I remember hearing Yoon Tae-ho talk about his younger days in an interview.
He wanted to become a cartoonist, so he moved to Seoul. But even finding the cartoonist he hoped to learn from was difficult.
According to the story he shared, he and his friends spent about three months sleeping outdoors while trying to find that cartoonist.
I found his story very memorable.
After such a difficult beginning, Yoon Tae-ho continued working as a cartoonist for many years.
In 2012, he received the Presidential Award in the comics category at the Korea Content Awards for Misaeng.
Hearing about his early struggles reminded me of Geu-rae, who was also trying to find his way in an unfamiliar world.
I also felt that the worries and struggles Yoon Tae-ho experienced as a young man may have helped him create a more realistic and well-developed character in Jang Geu-rae.
For those who want to dive deeper into his story, check out this recent interview with the creator.
Why Did So Many Korean Office Workers Relate to Misaeng?
The drama shows relationships between managers and employees, the difficulties new workers face, competition, and unfair situations in the workplace.
But as we watch Geu-rae, who starts out knowing almost nothing, learn one thing at a time and slowly grow, we naturally begin to root for him.
And perhaps we begin to feel a little hopeful about our own lives, too.
Maybe I can improve, even if I’m not very good at something right now.
Of course, this drama doesn’t represent every workplace in Korea. Every company has its own culture, and everyone’s experience is different.
Still, if you’re curious about Korean office culture, I think Misaeng is one of the more realistic Korean dramas you can watch.
Where to Watch Misaeng
Streaming availability for Misaeng may vary depending on your country and can change over time. Please check the streaming services available in your region.
The Next Drama I’d Like to Introduce
Another Korean drama about the realities of office life came out in 2025.
It also received a lot of attention and connected with many viewers.
I’ll introduce that drama in my next post!