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From Wikipedia: “Misaeng: Incomplete Life” is a 2014 South Korean television series based on the webtoon series of the same title by Yoon Tae-ho. It aired on tvN from October 17 to December 20, 2014 for 20 episodes. The title translates to Go terminology meaning “an incomplete life.”
It was the first Korean drama to film on location in Jordan, where actors Im Si-wan and Lee Sung-min shot the series’s prologue in Amman, Petra, and Wadi Rum.
The series became a cultural phenomenon and recorded high viewership ratings for a cable network program in Korea. tvN is known for its record breaking dramas.
The drama won various awards such as Grand Prize (Daesang), 9th Cable TV Broadcasting Awards; Best Miniseries, 10th Seoul International Drama Awards; Best Drama, 8th Korea Drama Awards; and Best Content Award, Drama, tvn10 Awards.
How I wrote these episode summaries with no spoilers
1. I assumed that you will be reading these summaries and watching the videos chronologically.
2. I narrated some of the main actions in each episode or series of episodes without revealing the plot’s twists and turns.
3. I followed this structure all throughout, except for Ep. 20 (Finale) where I included spoilers. Reason - most people want to know if this drama has a good/happy ending or a sad ending before they invest the time in watching it.
I used this same structure in my synopses of “Empress Ki,” “Queen In-Hyun's Man,” “The Joseon Gunman,” “Gokusen” (2002, Japanese classroom drama-comedy), “IRIS,” and “Goblin.”
Episodes 1-4
Geu-rae is a 26-year old guy who’s frustrated with his life because of his failure to become a professional “baduk” (“go”) player. To provide for his sickly mother, he becomes an intern in the conglomerate One International, despite having only a high school graduation equivalency examination (GED).
The other interns who Geu-rae works with are the highly efficient Young-yi who can speak several languages; Baek-ki, the natural leader; and the bumbling, young father. The rest of the interns bully him because he became an intern despite his lack of academic qualifications and work experience.
Geu-rae is assigned to Sales Team 3, headed by the gruff Oh Sang-sik, who resents having him on the team. His immediate superior is Kim Dong-sik, who tries to mentor him.
Oh Sang-Sik is constantly harassed by the problems in his team and its relationships with the other teams and the different departments in One International. His conflict with the Executive Director becomes worse when Geu-rae fails to shred a sensitive document.
The interns are required to give presentations by pairs to show One International why they should be hired as employees. Despite his nerves, Geu-rae asks Young-yi to become his partner. But he also meets Han Seok-yul (a mechanical engineer) who, surprisingly, wants to partner with him. When the other interns learn about it, they laugh because they know that Seok-yul is a goofball who likes ogling women and drinking wine with his buddies.
Episode 5
Geu-rae, Young-yi, Seok-yul, and Baek-ki become two-year contract employees in One International. They’re assigned to various teams, and later on, they meet Deputy Director Sun Ji-young (a working mother) for the first of several training sessions.
Conflict arises between Sales Team 3 and Resource Team over a contract that lacks an important document. Oh Sang-sik says that he submitted the required document two months ago, but Resource Team claims that it never got the document.
The conflict becomes personal when both Oh Sang-Sik and Manager Ma bring up past events of sexual harassment and the suicide of a former employee.
While the conflict turns into a shouting and shoving match, Young-yi decides to take a sneak look into the Resource Team safe to check if the missing document is there.
Episode 6
The various sales teams eagerly await the result of Sales Team 3’s negotiation with Wilmart Ramen Company because the deal could benefit all of them. When the email from Wilmart comes in, to their surprise and joy, Oh Sang-Sik exclaims that the Wilmart executive is his old friend from school.
As Oh Sang-Sik and Gue-rae later leave for their meeting with the Wilmart executive, they pass by Young-yi, who continues to be relegated to menial duties in the Resource Team.
Park Young-gu, the IT sales department assistant manager, gets into trouble with his boss when their supplier again misses the deadline for delivery. The next day, he goes to the supplier’s office, with Geu-rae and Baek-ki tagging along as part of their training. As they’re about to go into the office, they hear the manager telling his staff that Park Young-gu is such a pushover that they can give more attention to their other clients instead of One International.
Episode 7
Oh Sang-Sik persists in trying to get his Sales Manager to approve his high-risk Iranian oil deal. But the Sales Manager prefers the low-risk China rare earth elements deal.
Meanwhile, after being bullied again, Young-yi is challenged by the Resource Team to work on the carbon-emissions proposal. Despite Baek-ki’s warning and because of Geu-rae and Seok-Yul’s assurance, she decides to directly talk to the Finance Manager and get the proposal approved. But the Finance Manager kicks her out of the office for being insubordinate to her Resource Team officers.
Oh Sang-Sik begins working on the China rare earth elements deal. But the Sales Manager finds out about the slipping business conditions in China, and so, he tells Oh Sang-Sik to remove his name from the proposal and to make it appear that it is completely Sales 3 Team’s deal.
Episode 8
The Sales Manager orders Oh Sang-Sik and Sales Team 3 to work on the Mecca Phone deal; he even gives Oh Sang-Sik his credit card to use for anything that can get the CEO of Mecca Phone to sign the contract. Gue-rae later finds out that Oh Sang-Sik’s moral principles run contrary to the CEO’s practice of asking for sexual favors to complete a deal.
When Seok-Yul finds out about Oh Sang-Sik’s dilemma, he offers his expertise and devises a plan to get the CEO to sign the contract while he’s drinking and partying.
The head of the Resource Team assigns Young-yi to work on the carbon-emissions proposal, but the assistant team manager orders her to find any excuse not to work on the proposal. Meanwhile, Baek-ki gets totally fed up with being ignored and treated poorly in the Steel Team.
Episode 9
Despite Oh Sang-Sik’s protest, Park Jong-Sik becomes part of Sales Team 3 because of his expertise with Middle East deals.
Park Jong-Sik immediately tries to intimidate Geu-rae by questioning his lack of qualifications and asking him to do menial things. Meanwhile, Seok-yul is suddenly loaded with work assigned by his assistant team manager, who then goes on a business trip.
Young-yi continues to do menial things for the Resource Team, including throwing out the trash. Baek-ki, meanwhile, schedules an appointment with the head hunter, but his assistant team manager asks him to deal with an urgent contract.
When Kim Dong-sik questions him why he doesn’t stand up to Park Jong-sik’s outrageous demands, Geu-rae invites him to his house.
Baek-Ki finds renewed confidence in working on the contract, but later on, the contract is rejected by the Finance Manager.
Episode 10
Oh Sang-Sik confronts Park Jong-Sik about his verbal abuse towards Geu-rae (who’s still working on the “halal” project) and his sexual harassment of the female employees. Later on, he finds Park Jong-Sik’s used-car project in Jordan to be suspicious, despite its approval by the legal and finance departments. He reports it to the Sales Manager, who says if his suspicion is correct, higher officials of One International could be implicated.
Young-yi is ordered to go to the chemical factory to check on the expected deliveries; Seok-yul tags along with her to escape from his own boss. But at the factory, she finds out that the employees have gone on strike. A Resource Team officer orders her to come back to the office, saying that a woman cannot possibly deal with this urgent situation.
Oh Sang-Sik orders Kim Dong-sik and Geu-rae to inform the subcontractor for the Jordan used-car project about the impending audit. But when they arrive in the office, Park Jong-Sik is already there, enjoying himself with the subcontractor’s manager. Later on, the audit team finds nothing wrong with the project.
Episodes 11-13
Because of the corruption involved in the Jordan used-car project, some senior officials in One International are forced to resign, while others are demoted or reassigned.
The CEO of One International promotes Oh Sang-Sik and commends Kim Dong-sik and Geu-Rae. But Sales Team 3 soon becomes the target of gossip, suspicion, and intrigues among their co-employees.
Sales Team 3 gets a new team member, Chun Kwan-Woong, as replacement for Park Jong-Sik. He has worked with the team before, and so he’s gladly welcomed into the team by Oh Sang-Sik and Kim Dong-sik.
Young-yi finally gets to show what she’s capable of by being assigned to work on a Russian deal. On the other hand, Seok-yul continues to be tormented by his assistant team manager, while Baek-Ki is ordered to study making his written communications more concise.
During the planning sessions for the next year, Geu-rae stuns everyone in Sales Team 3 by saying that they should begin working again on the Jordan used-car project.
Despite the advice of his fellow officers and his own team, Oh Sang-Sik disregards office politics and decides to revive the Jordan project. But the Resource Team becomes outraged, and its chief charges into the Sales Team 3 office. Chun Kwan-Woong, meanwhile, secretly reports to the Executive Director about Oh Sang-Sik’s plan for the Jordan project.
The Resource Team and the Steel Team arrange a meeting with the Samjung Corporation to discuss mining rights in Mexico. But Young-yi flinches when she sees that the Sanjung team will be led by someone from her past.
Oh Sang-Sik and Sales Team 3 are ordered to present the details of the Jordan project before the Executive Director and the whole executive team of One International. But at the start of the presentation, with the CEO watching, Oh Sang-Sik outrages the executive team by recounting the previous incidents of corruption in One International.
Episodes 14-15
New Year, 2013 ...
Baek-Ki is given more duties in the Steel Team, but his resentment grows because of the praise that Geu-rae gets from all the team managers.
Young-yi starts working on a Norwegian minerals project for the Resource Team. But she loses her focus when Manager Ma continues to harass her and when her parents begin pestering her for money.
Seok-yul reaches his boiling point over his team’s assistant manager, and despite being warned, he posts a flame message on the company’s online forum.
In Sales Team 3, Geu-rae becomes depressed to learn that he might not become a regular employee because of the company’s strict hiring policies with regards educational qualifications.Remembering what happened to the female employee who took her own life, Oh Sang-Sik refuses to give Geu-rae any false hope.
Oh Sang-Sik gives Geu-rae a test that he has given to others before — buy anything with 100,000 won and sell it to anyone (who’s not a family member) before 7 PM. When the Steel Team’s assistant manager learns about the test, he orders Baek-ki to join Geu-rae.
Geu-rae uses the 100,000 won to buy socks and underpants. After some failed attempts to sell the items, he tells Baek-Ki to wait for him; he then goes to the building used by his baduk coach and teammates.
Episodes 16-17
October 2013 ...
Geu-rae’s project is approved by the executives, but a manager orders Oh Sang-Sik to transfer the project to another team member since Geu-rae only has a few more months left in the company.
Young-yi’s project is also approved, but Manager Ma orders her to tell the executives that she can’t continue working on the project.
Seok-yul’s fears come true — the textile factory fails to complete the production order. But his team’s assistant manager refuses to accept the blame. He’s thus ordered by the Textile Team Manager to talk to the factory workers who are threatening to go on strike.
The Executive Director orders Sales Team 3 to work on several contracts in China that could bring in US $ 500 million in revenues. But Oh Sang-Sik tells his team about his reservations — the ethical problems of using connections and reciprocal favors (“guanxi”) to get the deals approved in China and the interlocking deals. He also tells his team that the Executive Director, who’s aiming to be promoted to Vice-president, could use them as a scapegoat if the deals fail.
Deputy Director Sun collapses after a business trip and has to be hospitalized. Oh Sang-Sik tells her team that he will help them in the meanwhile with their Pakistan blanket project. But the team members beg him to persuade Deputy Director Sun to abandon the project.
Episodes 18-19
When his assistant team manager insists on continuing to use the unreliable supplier, Seok-yul begins thinking that he is accepting bribes from the supplier. Later on, he takes a camera with a long lens and records the manager’s meeting with the supplier.
Oh Sang-Sik finds out that the Chinese company is asking for a high commission, making him and Sales Team 3 think that the Executive Director is getting kickbacks from the deals. He orders his team members to start recording all telephone conversations with officers of the Chinese company.
The Executive Director assures Oh Sang-Sik that he will take the responsibility for the Chinese deals by signing the contracts himself. But later on, the Chinese company backs out of the deals; as word spreads out, One International faces a major crisis when other Chinese companies it does business with also back out of their transactions.
Episode 20, Finale (with spoilers)
Oh Sang-sik establishes his own trading company and reunites with Kim Dong-sik and Geu-rae. On their first assignment together, he and Geu-rae travel to Jordan to track down the middleman who stole their company’s mobile-phone case prototype.
Historical backgrounders and other information
[K-Terminology] Koreans being overworked to death in ‘kwarosa'’ (The Korea Times) ‘Gwarosa’: why Koreans are working themselves to death (The Week UK) |
South Korea’s work culture is notorious for its rigid hierarchy, demand for obedience and loyalty, and work hours which sometimes lead employees to gwarosa — death by overworking.
Many firms in the country’s thriving startup sector promise a more open, horizontal culture with a better work-life balance. But there is evidence that old habits die hard, and the harsh, old ways of organizing workplaces are prevalent at startups too.
2. Corporate culture in South Korea: Loosening their ties (The Economist, 2015)
Meetings to last no more than 30 minutes; junior staff allowed to speak freely with superiors; a cut in bonuses for bosses whose teams do not take enough holidays. Since 2012 “Pride”, a handbook, has set a new tone for the internal culture of Hyundai Capital. Departments whose staff work latest into the evening are listed on the firm’s intranet: not to hold them up as models of hard work, but to tell them off for not working efficiently enough.
3. ‘Sexual Harassment,’ An Abuse of Power in Korean Society: A Misaeng Investigation (Michelle Nicole Whiteley, University of British Columbia)
Though Misaeng is a work of fiction, often its plot paid tribute to real events or issues faced in Korea at the time. Most notably, in episode 14 of Misaeng, two conversations between Ahn Young-yi and Department Head Ma Bok-ryul seem to be alluding to an actual case of sexual harassment that occurred in South Korea. The case in question took place on Thursday, September 11, 2014 between seventy-six year old National Assembly Speaker, Park Hee-tae and a twenty three year old female caddie, while playing a round of golf.
4. Misaeng- Episode 14, 15: The Struggles of Balancing Work and Personal Issues (University of British Columbia)
In South Korea, unless you experience tragedy such as a death in the family, it is believed that you should not let your personal life affect your performance in the workplace. When you show weakness by letting your work slack, it can be seen as affecting the efficiency of work and affect your coworker’s performance as well.
The responsibility of honouring one’s parents weighs heavy on many Korean’s hearts and minds. Filial Piety is a deep-rooted Confucian tradition that carries on in Korea that three quarters of Koreans still agree with and follow. All grown children in Korea are expected to have the responsibility and obligation for their aged parents’ well-being because of the reciprocal dependence of successive generations (Lee 2015).
5. Misaeng episodes 16 and 17: “Overworking Korea” (Michelle Nicole Whiteley, University of British Columbia)
Women in Korea are traditionally in charge of housework and childcare. Even today women are expected to perform these duties, even if they have a job of their own. This causes great stress for working mothers. Which when added with the long working hours from their job can make women vulnerable to health risks like ‘kwarosa’ and suicide.
6. Misaeng – Episode 18 and 19: Finding Job Security in Korea (University of British Columbia)
Analyzing the relationship between Manager Oh and Jang Geu-rae in both episode 18 and 19 proves to show an example of job security, especially for temporary workers and permanent workers as well. The OECD shows that the trend report for temporary employment is 20. 6% in Korea for 2017, which is ranked fairly high compared to other countries.
7. Korean business culture and etiquette - Asialink Business
Respect for age and status are very important in Korean culture, with hierarchy affecting all aspects of social interactions. Everyone has a role in society as a result of hierarchy - therefore it is vital to respect it. Koreans are most comfortable interacting with someone they consider their equal. Status is largely determined by someone’s role in an organisation, which organisation they work for, which university they went to and their marital status.
Although gender equality is increasing, men still dominate the Korean workplace. It is expected businesswomen act in a manner that is considered refined and ‘feminine’.
The exchange of business cards is an essential part of initial meetings. It allows Koreans to quickly determine their counterpart’s all-important position, title and rank. While still standing, you should politely hand a business card over with two hands, and receive one in return.
8. Guanxi - Chinese way of doing business
From Understanding the concept of ‘guanxi’:
Guanxi is often translated as “connections”, “relationships” or “networks”. However, none of these terms do justice to the fundamental and complex concept of guanxi and its central role in Chinese culture. Guanxi can also be used to describe a network of contacts, which an individual can call upon when something needs to be done, and through which they can exert influence on behalf of another. These networks can have a direct impact on conducting business in China, including market expansion and sales growth.
From How A Better Understanding Of Guanxi Can Improve Your Business In China:
Guanxi loosely translates as personal connections, relationships or social networks. It implies trust and mutual obligations between parties, and it operates on personal, familial, social, business and political levels. Having good, bad or no guanxi impacts one’s influence and ability to get things done.
9. Corporate culture is still a drag (Korean JoongAng Daily, 2018)
According to the 2016 survey, 43 percent of respondents worked late at least three days a week, while 39 percent said their meeting hours were inefficient. Nearly one-third of those surveyed said the process of reporting to seniors was too formal and excessive.
Only 53 percent of respondents in the recent survey said they saw fundamental improvements to their companies’ cultures in the last two years. The rest of the 47 percent felt the situation either didn’t change or worsened.
Between the two surveys, major conglomerates introduced several policies to promote better work-life balance for their employees.
Samsung and SK introduced changes that simplified their corporate hierarchy. Lotte introduced forced measures, like shutting down company computers after working hours and requiring male workers to go on paternal leave if they have a child. Companies also adopted corporate campaigns to liberalize their dress codes and shorten company meetings.
10. Reforms of Korean corporate culture prove only superficial (2018)
“When they had the mandatory ‘lights out’ at the office [at the end of working hours], I worked under a desk light, and a ‘one-page’ report drafting campaign ended up with 30 to 40 pages of attached documents. The reforms are just cosmetic – nothing has changed.” (Deputy general manager at an affiliate with a chaebol boasting over 5 trillion won [US$4.7 billion] in assets)
“They allowed casual dress to ‘promote communication’ and abolished the use of titles to address people, but they don’t actually listen to opinions. It’s the same overbearing old men; they’re just wearing blue jeans.” (Assistant manager at a mid-sized company)
Lessons in photography from “Misaeng”
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| Background blur, juxtaposition |
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| Shallow depth of field |
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| Converging lines, balance and symmetry |
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| Diagonal lines |
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| Line of direction, conveying depth through overlapping forms |
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| Bokeh (aesthetic quality of blurred areas of a photograph) |
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| Lines of direction, conveying depth through overlapping forms |
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| Foreground and background blur |
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| Out of focus foreground element as partial frame, background blur |
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| Low angle shot, shooting against the light |
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