[HanCinema's Drama Review] "Radiant Office" Episode 4

A new episode heralds in a new company problem, and this time on "Radiant Office" the drama takes a look at nepotistic tendencies of higher management. Ho-won continues to show more spunk than ever before, fighting for her rights despite her low rank. Around her others continue to suffer due to the hierarchy, giving in or fighting in their own way.

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Kang-ho is a light presence in this episode, suffering from the expectations of his mother and the belittling treatment of the superiors. Although selfish, he suffers because of his situation and from the guilt of his betrayal of Ho-won. It is telling of his friendly with Ho-won and Gi-taek that they eventually reconcile their friendship. A single kindness from Ho-won mends their relationship, which is so beautiful in a landscape of brutal selfishness and oneupmanship.

While the friends work out their issues, the general managers and higher ups struggle through an intricate power game, especially regarding "nakasan", or "parachutes", who are people who fly in on the backs of family members or friends. They are the people who come into companies because of connections. Woo-jin seems to despise these types, having lost opportunities to nakasan before and having worked his way to the top despite being shoved to the side. Initially amused and impressed by Ho-won's newfound gumption for work and excelling in the office, he later is appalled by the fact that she and her friends were hired as "nakasan". It'll be interesting to see how that works out because the trio has no idea that the handsome doctor who treated them on the day of their suicide attempts hired them.

Speaking of the doctor, Ho-won has a monster crush on him and he's still quite the mystery. What little is known about him really amounts to nothing. He's a doctor; he's connected to the company where this drama takes place; and he has enough power to bring in three suicidal job seekers as temp workers. Oh yes, he's good looking. But in a Korean drama, that's a given.

Split into two factions, the workplace is now a place of extreme tension that makes those who suck up to management and those who refuse to do so at odds with each other. Based upon the first three episodes, the rest of the drama may cycle through the different stereotypical workplace woes and issues, tackling each with a different situation. Along the way I'm sure romance will blossom and workplace dynamics will change. Gi-taek and Kang-ho need to find the spine that Ho-won has found. Hopefully they will.

Written by: Lisa Espinosa AKA Raine from 'Raine's Dichotomy'

"Radiant Office" is directed by Jeong Ji-in and Park Sang-hoon-III, written by Jeong Hee-hyeon, and features Go Ah-seong, Ha Seok-jin, Lee Dong-hwi, and Hoya.