Poster of "Awl" (JTBC)

Based on popular Web-based cartoon “Awl,” a new drama series of the same name revolves around the sorrows and struggles of today’s laborers, a profound insight into labor issues prevalent in Korean society over the last few decades.

Like a sharp-pointed awl in a pocket, the lead character, Lee Soo-in (Ji Hyun-woo) often sticks out in a crowd due to his anger at injustice. Before working at a large supermarket, he stood up to a mission to rig the ballot during his military service. Now as a senior manager at a supermarket, Lee fights a massive layoff with his colleagues. In the last episode, Lee refused to obey the order of his boss to fire all employees in his department, saying it is “illegal,” signaling the prelude for the fierce battle to come.

It is not a bloodthirsty nor palm-sweating thriller, yet it was brutal enough, surely because the story tells of a life that resembles reality for many. Despite existing laws that regulate layoffs, many irregular workers still suffer from injudicious dismissals and inhumane working conditions. The drama elaborately and cautiously depicts the distressing reality of local temporary workers who struggle against formidable odds on a daily basis.

Anticipation is high on how Lee Soo-in will defend justice with his fellow laborers. The TV drama starring Ji Hyun-woo and Ahn Nae-sang airs on Saturdays and Sundays at 9:40 p.m. on JTBC.

By Ko Ji-seon (jiseonko@heraldcorp.com)