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I didn’t realize until recently that over the many years of watching Korean dramas, I’ve actually learned a thing or two about many professions, including a few that have never even crossed my mind before. Some dramas do a great job of showcasing the ins and outs of the field of work, some go as far as making work challenges and conflicts a central piece of the plot line. Here are a few Kdramas that left an impression on me about the particular profession that they’ve portrayed, regardless if the dramas were good overall. If you’ve ever considered one of these as a future career path, you may want to check out the Kdrama to see the pros and cons for yourself.
Air City (2007)
Air City remains as one of the only dramas about well, how to operate an airport. When you think about the insane amount of foot traffic going through an airport and the increasing threats around security alone, it seems like a daunting job. The drama presented various aspects of airport management from the obvious ones like customs and ticketing, to the not so obvious ones like after hour cleaning of the entire airport. Either way, it certainly helped make our main characters’ jobs a lot more believable when the drama was able to use Incheon International Airport as its backdrop. I suppose Air City was also more memorable to me because I witnessed the filming of it first-hand upon landing in Korea in 2007. True story.
Beethoven Virus (2008)
Before Beethoven Virus, I never thought much about maestros and why they may be critical for a group of professional musicians to perform. But after watching the drama, my perspective changed. Even if every musician is talented in their own way, it takes a skilled conductor to have them all play harmoniously. More interestingly, the drama highlighted the unfair reality of comparing someone who had to work hard to achieve great musicality versus someone who was born a natural genius, and all the tension that came with it when they worked together.
Hotelier (2001)
Yes, Hotelier is a super old Kdrama from 15 years ago. But even till this day, I remember vividly how the professional hotel staff in the drama dealt with various scenarios they encounter every day around customer service, while trying to fend off an aggressive acquisition. They go through extensive training to master every aspect of their job and aim to provide the best customer experience. They need to smile 24/7 even if a rude customer throws water in their face, bow 90 degrees at every person that passes by, and pay special attention to their postures or even something as small as the placement of their hands. Let’s just say that after watching the drama, I decided that I never wanted to go into the service industry.
It’s Okay That’s Love (2014)
Doctor dramas are a dime a dozen in the Korean drama world, but one commenting on mental disorders and psychiatrists is rare as hell. No, I don’t mean the kind where you casually treat a DID patient by becoming friends with all of his multiple personalities. I mean, real schizophrenic patients who seem fine on the outside but are in fact leading themselves towards destruction without realizing it. Through It’s Okay That’s Love, I witnessed both the patience and the mental strength required to be a psychiatrist. Unlike most other doctors, they have to make peace with the fact that there’s no ultimate cure or even any guarantee of improvement for their patients.
New Heart (2007)
Of the dozens of doctor related dramas that come out every year, New Heart still remains as the most accurate depictions of what doctors, specifically heart surgeons, are like to me. Let me further caveat that I’m usually not inclined to watch a hospital based drama simply because it’s hard for me to sit through the gory operations. However, I couldn’t peel my eyes away from the detailed procedure planning, the scientific approach, and the logically sound surprises during the surgeries. Most other doctor dramas pale in comparison on the technicality of medical science. New Heart gave me new found appreciation for what doctors do and what they sacrifice to save lives.
Oh My Ghost (2015)
Sure, there are numerous Kdramas with a central theme of cooking or one of the characters as a renowned chef. But something about Oh My Ghost’s portrayal of the hip, modern, open-kitchen restaurant and its staff felt incredibly believable and relatable. The details were all there: the ranking of the kitchen staff, the chef’s delegation of tasks, the creation of daily specials, and the occasional hard-to-please customer. The drama does a great job of highlighting the importance of discipline and teamwork needed to create a masterful dish.
Pinocchio (2015)
Pinocchio does a fantastic job of digging deep into the reporter profession and even wraps its underlying theme around the importance of integrity in journalism. It’s mind blowing to see the power and influence media has on people’s lives and how it can make or break families with just a few words. In our world that’s plastered with overly sensationalized articles and speculative journalism, Pinocchio teaches us that reporting truthfully and objectively matter a lot more than you might think.
Producer (2015)
I watch a number of Korean variety shows religiously, so I was naturally interested to find out what it’s like to be the one producing such great entertainment. And what Producer showed me was eye-opening in terms of how difficult the job actually can be. From endless brainstorming meetings to scouting out celebrities, from the constant pressures of low ratings to dealing with censorship, the slice of life nature of the drama’s presentation made its depiction of a PD’s world seem especially authentic.
Punch (2015)
When it comes to articulating politics and describing the lives of a prosecutor in a world filled with greed and hunger for power, there’s none like Punch. Unlike other happy-go-lucky dramas with upright prosecutor characters fighting for the ultimate justice, Punch is filled with jaw-dropping backstabbing, ridiculous blackmailing, shameless fake allegiances, and morally ambiguous characters. The crazy part is, just when you think Punch is being overly dramatic about the ugliness of the political world, you pick up a newspaper and realize that it’s perhaps not too far from the truth.
Secret Garden (2011)
Besides the fact that Secret Garden was a hit drama all around, it was the first time I felt somewhat educated about stuntmen as a profession. I knew of their existence, but I knew not just how much they put themselves at risk over and over again to complete the cool action sequences that we all come to love. But more importantly, it made feel bummed after realizing how thankless of a job it is from watching our heroine getting no credit and appreciation, while the celebrity actress takes all the glory.
Are there other Korean dramas with a profession or line of work that left an impact on you? Tell us in the comments section below.
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