‘Good Manager’ offers vicarious satisfaction, while ‘Defendent’ has viewers transfixed

A slew of entertaining shows have hit the small screen recently, featuring familiar themes and characters -- the hierarchy of the Korean office and wealthy, psychopathic villains -- but with new twists.

Several once much-hyped series, meanwhile, are proving to be less engaging despite their star-studded casts.

Also noteworthy is that the most popular shows at the moment do not center on romance, unlike recent hits such as “Descendants of the Sun” and “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God” that focused on whirlwind love stories.

The following is a list of recent shows, all also available to international viewers on streaming sites.

‘Good Manager,’ an exhilarating office comedy

Nam Goong-min stars in "Good Manager." (KBS)

The series offers a liberating fulfillment of office fantasies and a relatively moving, if familiar, portrayal of everyday life in the Korean workplace.

The show’s driving force is Nam Goong-min, who plays the cheeky accounting department head Kim Sung-ryong. Intelligent with a natural knack for numbers, Kim’s priority in life is to look out for himself: His initial goal is to make money from the company and move to Denmark to pursue a peaceful life.

Ironically, Kim’s self-serving nature and tendency to speak his mind allow him to lash out against conventions and customs of a typical, top-down Korean office environment -- and eventually become a defender of employees’ rights.

Kim is eccentric to the point of incredulous, a trait that turns a familiar office drama into a refreshing escapist comedy. He chastises the spoiled son of the company’s owner for unspecified personal expenditures, throwing questions like: “Is buying luxury goods part of work?” and “Is the accounting department your personal ATM?”

The show’s creators said they wanted to “pick at the fundamental moral rules of our society,” one that is so corrupt that we have become “desensitized to injustices.”

*Airs Wednesdays and Thursdays on KBS. Available on Viki. Directed by Lee Jae-hoon, written by Park Jae-beom.

*Highlights: “Good Manager” follows in the footsteps of quality Korean office shows such as “Queen of the Office.” Whether it will rise to the status of modern classics such as “Misaeng” remains to be seen. Junho of K-pop boy band 2PM offers a surprisingly competent turn as the arrogant director of finances.

‘Defendant,’ a tense chase into memory

Ji Sung stars in "Defendant." (SBS)

The thriller is led by Ji Sung. He plays prosecutor Park Jung-woo, who enjoys a reputation for never failing to convict. He wakes up one day horror-struck to find himself inside a prison cell after four months have slipped by and been erased from his memory. He is now on death row, convicted for his wife’s murder and abandonment of his daughter.

“Defendant” traces Park’s struggle to regain his memory and clear his name. His chief suspect is the psychopathic chaebol head Cha Min-ho, played by Um Ki-joon, who is shown killing a woman simply for rejecting his advances. Cha goes on to murder his twin brother, stages it as his own suicide, and begins to impersonate his well-reputed sibling.

The story of revenge might be far from novel, but “Defendant” offers a narrative charged with suspense and excellent acting.
*Airs Mondays and Tuesdays on SBS. Available on Viki. Directed by Jo Young-kwang, written by Choi Soo-jin.

*Highlights: Both Ji and Um deliver powerful and chilling performances as a determined but emotionally wrecked prosecutor and a deranged mogul.

‘Voice,’ tracing crime through sound

Jang Hyuk stars in "Voice." (OCN)

Halfway through the series on Feb. 15, “Voice” was submitted for a censorship board review for its graphic depiction of violence. Its rating has since been changed to being suitable for those over 19.

The intense show is ridden with more than just provocative scenes, however. It features the struggles of the emergency hotline police force, who are at the forefront of catching criminals and to whom every second is crucial.

Jang Hyuk plays Jin-hyuk, a guilt-ridden detective whose wife has been murdered and who channels all his frustration into work. Lee Ha-na plays Kwon-joo, a tough policewoman gifted with hearing supernatural powers. Together, the two trace crimes through the voices that travel through phones in urgent calls.

*Airs Saturdays and Sundays on OCN. Available on Viki and DramaFever. Directed by Kim Hong-sun, written by Ma Jin-won.

*Highlights: With its rating adjusted upward, “Voice” is taking full advantage of the freedom to portray crime scenes as realistically as possible, heightening the thrill.

Faring less well

Lee Young-ae stars in "Saimdang, Memoir of Colors." (SBS)

“Saimdang, Memoir of Colors” is an ambitious project starring Lee Young-ae as both a Joseon-era artist and a modern-day art historian, moving back and forth in time.

The show has sparked interest for its progressive interpretation of the famed artist Saimdang as more than just a “wise mother:” She is seen overcoming obstacles through talent and skill. Viewers, however, say she appears to be no more than a variation of Dae Jang-geum, the royal cook and physician character that brought Lee international fame 13 years ago. The show airs Mondays and Tuesdays on SBS.

Many wondered if the disaster drama “Missing 9” could become the Korean version of the famed American series “Lost.” In “Missing 9,” nine people are stranded after a plane crash. But none of the desperation and human drama of its US counterpart is present here -- only disparate and aimless scenes strung together. The show airs Wednesdays and Thursdays on MBC.

By Rumy Doo (doo@heraldcorp.com)