This review may contain spoilers
A rom-com in the style of classics, but overloaded with unnecessary clichés.
If you don't have time to read the whole thing, skip to the end where the conclusions are :)
My Bias, My Boss introduces us to Nam Da-reum, a devoted fan of pop star Lee Chan for thirteen years. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she is hired by the fashion company Appello and discovers that her idol is one of its founders. At the company, she decides to hide the fact that she is a fan of Lee Chan and strives to maintain a professional demeanor. However, she crosses paths with Director Kang Ha-gi, a workaholic and childhood friend of Chan. Ha-gi harbors unrequited love for Chan, while the star struggles to maintain his public image amidst a complicated personal life. Da-reum finds herself torn between her long-standing interest in Chan and an increasingly strong, unexpected bond with Ha-gi.
The drama got off to a great start and was very entertaining; the comedic situations were the highlight of those early episodes, and the plot was developed very well. The boss-employee dynamic was particularly well-executed, and the office setting felt comfortable and heartwarming. Surprisingly, what could have been a problem—the love triangle—didn't hinder the drama's development. However, like any drama, it had its flaws; these became glaring in the second half, where the show lost its originality by introducing a slew of overused clichés—especially the annoying ex-partner and the "moving abroad" trope. These situations repeat in every rom-com; it seems only the actors and minor plot details change. A nice touch was the portrayal of the artist-fan relationship, which really resonated. Regarding the romance, I feel they should have capitalized more on the leads' chemistry, as it felt quite superficial; still, despite its low points, it was fun to watch, so I wouldn't call it bad.
The drama employs the typical office character archetypes to set the scene, so there isn't much else to say on that front. Here is my analysis of the main characters:
Nam Da-reum (Kim Hye-jun): A new employee on Appello’s marketing team. A natural-born romantic who has always been drawn to someone. At age 17, she became a fan of Lee Chan—a member of the idol group DNX—after an unexpected encounter.
This was my first time seeing Kim Hye-jun; it appears to be her first romantic comedy, as she usually works on thrillers. I must say she nailed the role of the clumsy employee—especially in the early episodes—though in the final episodes, her energy seemed to vanish, and she appeared disheartened by everything. While I didn't care for that shift, she still performed well.
Kang Ha-gi (Kang Hoon): CEO of Appello Company. He took on the role at a young age and built the fashion platform Appello from scratch through titanic effort and innate talent. He is a perfectionist who attends to even the smallest details. He might come across as a cold, demanding perfectionist, but that is only half the story. He takes full responsibility for his team to the very end and—when the results justify it—rewards them without hesitation. If "warm ice" exists in this world, it certainly applies to this man.
This was my first time seeing Kang Hoon in a lead role—I had only seen him in a cameo in *Twenty-Five Twenty-One*—but he did a great job as the cold, perfectionist CEO who also reveals a kinder side. He pulled it off well, though at times I felt he lacked the expressiveness typical of a romantic comedy lead; however, he succeeded in the scenes where he was tender with her. He did a great job.
Lee Chan (Cha Woo-min): A member of the idol group DNX, an actor, Appello’s fashion director, and—above all—a superstar. He has never learned how to love or how to hold onto love. Despite frequent dating rumors, his relationships have been fleeting, and he often seems awkward when faced with others' sincerity. Then, Nam Da-reum enters Chan's life. At first, she was just a new employee who strangely caught his eye. However, once he realized she was a fan who had supported him for over a decade, he became intrigued.
This was my first time seeing Cha Woo-min (as is the case with everyone 😁); he did a great job portraying an idol. It was enjoyable to watch, even though there were toxic moments—especially when he let a friendship interfere with romance, which I didn't like and made me dislike him a little. He also stood Da-reum up quite a few times, yet he cared about her and wanted her close; ultimately, he understood and accepted the situation. A job well done.
The OST is catchy and refreshing; just because I don't have any specific favorite songs doesn't mean it's bad—it's a solid soundtrack.
Would I watch it again? I don't usually rewatch shows unless they left a huge impression or I absolutely loved them. That said, I might watch it again if I urgently need a romantic drama or want to watch something with someone else, but for now, I don't think so.
In short, My Bias My Boss is an office-set romantic comedy featuring a love triangle and a classic plot often seen in this genre, along with idol-fan dynamics. It’s perfect if you enjoy office dramas, though it does have some flaws, such as an excess of clichés. Overall, it’s a very lighthearted and easy-to-watch story.
THANKS FOR READING
My Bias, My Boss introduces us to Nam Da-reum, a devoted fan of pop star Lee Chan for thirteen years. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she is hired by the fashion company Appello and discovers that her idol is one of its founders. At the company, she decides to hide the fact that she is a fan of Lee Chan and strives to maintain a professional demeanor. However, she crosses paths with Director Kang Ha-gi, a workaholic and childhood friend of Chan. Ha-gi harbors unrequited love for Chan, while the star struggles to maintain his public image amidst a complicated personal life. Da-reum finds herself torn between her long-standing interest in Chan and an increasingly strong, unexpected bond with Ha-gi.
The drama got off to a great start and was very entertaining; the comedic situations were the highlight of those early episodes, and the plot was developed very well. The boss-employee dynamic was particularly well-executed, and the office setting felt comfortable and heartwarming. Surprisingly, what could have been a problem—the love triangle—didn't hinder the drama's development. However, like any drama, it had its flaws; these became glaring in the second half, where the show lost its originality by introducing a slew of overused clichés—especially the annoying ex-partner and the "moving abroad" trope. These situations repeat in every rom-com; it seems only the actors and minor plot details change. A nice touch was the portrayal of the artist-fan relationship, which really resonated. Regarding the romance, I feel they should have capitalized more on the leads' chemistry, as it felt quite superficial; still, despite its low points, it was fun to watch, so I wouldn't call it bad.
The drama employs the typical office character archetypes to set the scene, so there isn't much else to say on that front. Here is my analysis of the main characters:
Nam Da-reum (Kim Hye-jun): A new employee on Appello’s marketing team. A natural-born romantic who has always been drawn to someone. At age 17, she became a fan of Lee Chan—a member of the idol group DNX—after an unexpected encounter.
This was my first time seeing Kim Hye-jun; it appears to be her first romantic comedy, as she usually works on thrillers. I must say she nailed the role of the clumsy employee—especially in the early episodes—though in the final episodes, her energy seemed to vanish, and she appeared disheartened by everything. While I didn't care for that shift, she still performed well.
Kang Ha-gi (Kang Hoon): CEO of Appello Company. He took on the role at a young age and built the fashion platform Appello from scratch through titanic effort and innate talent. He is a perfectionist who attends to even the smallest details. He might come across as a cold, demanding perfectionist, but that is only half the story. He takes full responsibility for his team to the very end and—when the results justify it—rewards them without hesitation. If "warm ice" exists in this world, it certainly applies to this man.
This was my first time seeing Kang Hoon in a lead role—I had only seen him in a cameo in *Twenty-Five Twenty-One*—but he did a great job as the cold, perfectionist CEO who also reveals a kinder side. He pulled it off well, though at times I felt he lacked the expressiveness typical of a romantic comedy lead; however, he succeeded in the scenes where he was tender with her. He did a great job.
Lee Chan (Cha Woo-min): A member of the idol group DNX, an actor, Appello’s fashion director, and—above all—a superstar. He has never learned how to love or how to hold onto love. Despite frequent dating rumors, his relationships have been fleeting, and he often seems awkward when faced with others' sincerity. Then, Nam Da-reum enters Chan's life. At first, she was just a new employee who strangely caught his eye. However, once he realized she was a fan who had supported him for over a decade, he became intrigued.
This was my first time seeing Cha Woo-min (as is the case with everyone 😁); he did a great job portraying an idol. It was enjoyable to watch, even though there were toxic moments—especially when he let a friendship interfere with romance, which I didn't like and made me dislike him a little. He also stood Da-reum up quite a few times, yet he cared about her and wanted her close; ultimately, he understood and accepted the situation. A job well done.
The OST is catchy and refreshing; just because I don't have any specific favorite songs doesn't mean it's bad—it's a solid soundtrack.
Would I watch it again? I don't usually rewatch shows unless they left a huge impression or I absolutely loved them. That said, I might watch it again if I urgently need a romantic drama or want to watch something with someone else, but for now, I don't think so.
In short, My Bias My Boss is an office-set romantic comedy featuring a love triangle and a classic plot often seen in this genre, along with idol-fan dynamics. It’s perfect if you enjoy office dramas, though it does have some flaws, such as an excess of clichés. Overall, it’s a very lighthearted and easy-to-watch story.
THANKS FOR READING
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