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The Tables Have Turned, Viewers Are Venting Through Dramas

In "Kkondae Intern", department head Man-sik (Kim Eung-soo) treated intern Yeol-chan (Park Hae-jin) as a counselor and even humiliated his character back in Onggol Foods. Later, they reunite as a senior intern and head of department, with Ga Yeol-chan having made a speedy promotion in Joonsoo Foods.

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In "Mystic Pop-Up Bar", Wol-joo (Hwang Jung-eum) revealed all the employment irregularities to the world when Byeong-joo (Oh Kyung-joo) failed to get a job at a high class hotel for several years due to the solicitation of high-ranking government officials. Thanks to her, Byeong-joo gets a job at the hotel with flying colors, just as he deserves it.

These days, 'venting dramas' are in full swing after the popularity of investigative and immorality dramas. Of course, the reality is that it is not easy to 'vent' about something in our daily lives. So in dramas, we borrow the power of fantasy that doesn't really exist.

The image of Yeol-chan during his time in Onggol Foods in "Kkondae Intern" is highly relatable to anyone that's been a rookie before. Some may think the bully can be reported, but if an organization has clear hierarchy, reporting someone is itself difficult.

Yeol-chan was presented with two fantasies: a high-speed promotion to manager and a reunion with Man-sik, who joined the company as a senior intern. In reality, either is a gift that is hard to get. While Yeol-chan contemplates on how to utilize this golden opportunity to turn the tables, the Yeol-chans in real life will swallow tears every day amid the daily life with a vicious boss.

"Mystic Pop-Up Bar" is a work based on a webtoon and the unrealistic elements of 'the other world' and 'Wol-joo' are inserted. For those who have come to visit Mystic Pop-Up Bar, Wol-joo, along with Chief Gwi (Choi Won-young) and Kang Bae (Yook Sung-jae), provide a feast for customers in 'the other world' every night. From non-regular workers who suffer from sexual harassment at work to women who suffer from infertility, the anxiety is solved by visiting "Mystic Pop-Up Bar".

Wol-joo's greatest ability is not a superpower, but the power of empathy. Listening to her guests' complaints, she adds heartfelt comfort to her stories from hundreds of years ago. Even when judging evil people through the space of 'the other world', she changes the situation, forcing them to realize their mistakes or succumb to justice. Likewise, it's not a method possible in our world.

There are things to vent about at work or at home, but it is hard to do so without superhuman intervention, so it has become a favorite subject of dramas. This is because it is the best story to be immersed in and gives a feeling of catharsis.

Gong Hee-jung, a drama critic, said in a telephone interview on the 9th, "In the case of "Kkondae Intern", the labor market is currently unstable, so there is a wide consensus on the issue of the relationship between the two parties, and it is a good topic to attract viewers in the drama. We can also see the change in the workplace culture in which 'the weak' acquires something as the form of employment changes".

Critic Gong continued, ""Mystic Pop-Up Bar" also shows a rebellion. The two works show the potential of a new genre that shows meaning by pointing out social problems and at the same time gives a sense of exhilaration while also securing the element of fun", she added.

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"Kkondae Intern" is directed by Nam Sung-woo, written by Shin So-ra, and features Park Hae-jin, Kim Eung-soo, Han Ji-eun, Park Ki-woong, Ro Jong-hyun, Park Ah-in. Broadcasting information in Korea: 2020/05/20~Now airing, Wed, Thu 20:55 on MBC.

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"Mystic Pop-Up Bar" is directed by Jeon Chang-geun, written by Ha Yoon-ah, and features Hwang Jung-eum, Yook Sung-jae, Choi Won-young, Yeom Hye-ran, Lee Joon-hyuk-I, Jung Daeun. Broadcasting information in Korea: 2020/05/20~Now airing, Wed, Thu 21:30 on jTBC.

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