Review – Protect the Boss

Review – Protect the Boss

Protect the boss is about a young woman who’s struggling to enter the business world even though her resume is as spotty as her past. A teenage thug, a protestor in college and the daughter of a martial arts teacher – she’s a big ball of raw girl power but hardly the type most big businesses are looking to hire. By a humorous turn of events, she gets hired as a secretary for a goofy, floundering young CEO. Romantic shenanigans ensue.

MINOR IMPRESSIONISTIC SPOILERS & RATINGS FOLLOW

Overall Enjoyment: 8/10 (it starts out so charming, funny and fresh that even though it peters off towards the end, you can forgive it)

Pacing: 5/10 (hysterical and fast paced but gets sucked into a haze-hole midway, attempting to feel its way through the plotline in the fog)

Romance: 7/10 (very cute romance between the tough broad secretary and her neurotic spaz-cake boss… which gets mired down in melodrama and blah later.)

Comedy: 10/10 (this is a very funny show with lots of humorous characters with quirky personalities – tons of physical comedy)

Action: N/A (unless you count the crazy amount of times these characters hit each other… employees and bosses, cousins, roommates, rivals and family members)

Main Character Female 1, the Thug Secretary Eun-Sul: 10/10 (practically perfect in every way)

Main Character Female 2, the Rich X-Girlfriend Seo Na-Yoon: 10/10 (she’s ridiculous and silly and really funny… you can’t help but like her right away)

Main Character Male 1, the Neurotic CEO Cha Ji-Hun: 10/10 (adorable! The casting couldn’t have been better – he nailed every scene)

Main Character Male 2, the Rival Cousin Cha Moo-Won: 10/10 (also nicely cast – could mix maturity with childishness)

Side Characters: 10/10 (mainly family members and roommates, all embracing their wacky characters and their eccentricities with exaggerated facial expressions that still managed to come off as earnest)

Re-watch Factor: 7/10 (you’ll want to rewatch the beginning, but probably lose interest by episode 10)

X-Factor: The funny fight scenes and the perfect casting.

Did you ever see His Girl Friday? It’s only about 75 years old now. If you haven’t seen it, download it immediately and enjoy. Rosalind Russell and Cary Grant. Double MEEEEEEOW. Another great work-place romantic comedy. But back to the k-drama…

Though the plot to Protect the Boss isn’t remarkable by any stretch, it’s still tons of fun. The casting director should get an award. Not only were all the characters perfectly cast, but it was clear they all got along famously in real life. The level of comfort shared between them made the comedy, romance and drama very convincing. The Thug Secretary and her best friend? I believed they’d grown up together, that they’d kicked ass together, got drunk together, cried on each others shoulders and shared a genuine bond. The Neurotic CEO and his Rival Cousin? I had no doubt they used to play video games together, sneak liquor from their parent’s cabinets and have very deep pre-teen discussions about the pros and cons of a woman with large breasts. By the end of episode three I understood everyone’s family structures and past well enough to understand the behavior and personality of each cast member. These were people that liked each other, even when they hated each other.

These are people you like to watch.

And the whole bunch of them was a riot of flailing fists and shin kicks and bitch slaps and pinned arms and uncoordinated wrestling matches. It was playful fighting, mind you. Serious injury, in general, was not the goal. Maybe it’s because I’m American, maybe it’s because demure, well-mannered parents raised me, but this kind of physical comedy always leaves me in stitches. Moms repeatedly beating on their sons with their handbags, cousins rolling around pathetically on the floor attempting to get a kick in, ladies having their arms twisted and forced to their knees because they’re being rude, ice cream cones to the butt, shoes tossed, people using other people as human shields… it’s all high comedy to me. For me, all this rough-house interaction between memorable characters was the definite X-Factor that made the show so enjoyable.

Anyways, the rest is just bells and whistles. There are obstacles to overcome. Parental objections to deal with. A traumatizing incident in the past that requires the healing power of a warmed heart. An ex-girlfriend. Competition for business power. Misunderstandings. Some adorable “dates” and lots of outings… you know, bike rides, hikes, amusement parks, the usual. What’s not to like? Sure, there are better romances. Sure, it gets kinda lost in some ambiguous plotlines towards the end. Sure, it’s flawed. But it’s fun, people. It’s a fun, lighthearted show with lots of laughs and I highly recommend it.

Here’s a sneak peek at what you can expect (other than fighting):

Cuteness and closeness… even when passed out