Kkondae Intern Review

Drama name: Kkondae Intern/ Old school intern
Country: South Korea

Year: May- July 2020

Stumbled across this drama on my local cable TV channel. It was airing a re-run of She Was Pretty and I was watching it, when it ended they started this show. I did see it airing earlier this year but I was not interested at that time as the episodes were already quite advanced and I don't like jumping into a drama mid-way. Glad they had a repeat airing and I could watch it properly again. 

So, what's this drama about?

Ga Yeol Chan is a recent graduate who managed to get an intern job at a ramyeon company. He started off full of enthusiasm but was shot down by the manager, Lee Man Sik. Mr Lee is a kkondae, meaning an old man with dead old school mindset and values. Yeol Chan was a constant target of hate from Mr Lee who made his life a living hell. One day, Mr Lee asked Yeol Chan to visit an old man who had a lawsuit against their ramyeon company. 

That old man had threatened suicide many times as he had lost the lawsuit. So that night when Yeol Chan arrived, he managed to stop the man from hanging himself. However, after that night's meeting, the old man tried to kill himself again. 

Yeol Chan was accused of killing that old man and Mr Lee pushed all the blame unto him. Yeol Chan had no choice but to resign. He wanted to jump off the bridge at the Han river that night but didn't. His life changed that very night when he saw a neon signboard of spicy chicken from the bridge. 

Fast forward five years, Yeol Chan is now a successful manager at another ramyeon company. He seemed to be the coolest manager and a very sporting boss until Mr Lee arrives at his department as a senior intern. It was payback time! Yasss... 

The rest of the story goes on with Yeol Chan dealing with Mr Lee as well as keeping his job at the ramyeon company. 

Overall thoughts

It was quite an uneasy watch especially the first two episodes. Mr Lee was really mean in the beginning and throughout the rest of the show the writer didn't show much transformation of his kkondae character. Instead, they focused more on Yeol Chan making it a negative for him most of the drama until the end. 

Best parts of the drama

Yeol Chan's penthouse given by the current ramyeon company he's working for: 

The CEO son's mustang and Yeol Chan's company car... 

As with a ramyeon company drama, you will definitely expect a lot of ramyeon eating! And a lot of yummy food scenes... 

As this is a comedy genre drama, it does have some funny scenes although some may find it offensive... 

Let's not forget the cute doggie in this show! 

Notable scenes

There isn't much romance in this show, which is good in my opinion... but I know some viewers were disappointed. However, I felt that the male lead and female lead was not compatible. She suited the CEO's son more with the age gap and level of mindset... 

The scene where Tae-Ri rejects Yeol Chan and calls him a kkondae... 

My favourite scene would be the rescue... Haha!! For once I actually like the CEO's son... He looked so badass there... 

Conclusion

Yeol Chan was finally promoted to be the Managing Director of the company. However, it had been the plan by the Chairman/ CEO all along to use Yeol Chan to get rid of the enemy and place his son as co-Managing Director. Yes, this is reality. Bosses only will do things for their own family and not care about the employees who worked their butts off for the company. 

Yeol Chan decides to quit and start his own business but went bankrupt within a two years. I didn't like this part but again it is reality, it's not easy to start your own business. The drama ends with an open ending where Yeol Chan meets Mr Lee again at another ramyeon company. One position is an experienced general manager and the other is a senior intern post. 

The writer left the audience guessing who is applying for which role. Most commenters wrote that their roles have reversed. Meaning that Yeol Chan is now the senior intern and Mr Lee is the experienced general manager. 

This show is just alright for me. I didn't enjoy it much because of the negative feeling most of the drama. Even though in the end Yeol Chan became a "better" man... I felt that this script was solely written for Mr Lee. (Kim Eung-Soo) He is a good actor no doubt. I wouldn't recommend this drama unless you have some spare time to waste and want some laughs in between. You could watch it for the bromance between the two male leads rather than the romance. 

Okay, that's about a wrap. Thanks for reading and stopping by! Until the next drama review, which I don't know when... haha! Stay safe. Take care

Seven First Kisses Episode 3 review

Episode 3: Park Hae Jin-"Dangerous boss"

In this second story, Soo Jin finds herself in some trouble with her boss Park Hae Jin. She was caught playing with her mobile during working hours and he confiscated her phone. (What?! It's just like school times haha!) He told her to collect it from him after her shift. 

Still very much in disbelief, Soo Jin kept asking her colleagues if Park Hae Jin was really their boss and not an actor. 

So, she went to his office to collect her phone after her shift. Soo Jin was still pondering on how Park Hae Jin was her boss and not a famous actor. Haha! Poor girl, she's so blur... Hae Jin sees her and asks her if she was busy or not. He makes her stay overtime and eat dinner with him. (Argh! Every employee's nightmare! But it's Park Hae Jin, ohhh why not?! ;P) 

Some sweet moments of them having dinner together and Hae Jin offers to send Soo Jin home. 

She rushes to clean up and suddenly finds something sinister on Hae Jin's table. (Also Lotte product placement! :P)  She found a stack of photographs of herself and she remembered getting some earlier in her locker downstairs. 

Soo Jin starts to panic and thinks that Hae Jin could be a dangerous stalker so she tries to escape by using the staircase. But to her horror she bumps into the real stalker at the service lift. (Omg! I was so scared watching this part :O) He started to take off his clothes and holding the camera. Soo Jin was so shocked she just couldn't do anything. (Seriously, if this was real life she would be dead meat. She should have like, tried to kick the guy's ding dongs or something?!) 

Then, as true to any K-drama style the hero comes to rescue the female lead. :D Hae Jin tackles the crazy stalker and saves Soo Jin. He still insists on sending her home safely. Wah! So romantic... Hahah! 

The couple sat on a bench outside later while watching the police cart the stalker away. Hae Jin explains why the photos were on his table and he was just trying to protect her. Aww! 

He went on and asked Soo Jin to be his girlfriend. Oh wow! That was so fast... I liked the conversation between them here. His logic of voting for him means that Soo Jin also likes him hahah!!

And finally, yes.... the kiss! Soo Jin and Hae Jin were about to kiss and as with the first story, at that very moment Soo Jin gets transported back to reality. Time rewinds itself and she's left day-dreaming again about the whole story. Poor girl! 

The second card reveals Park Hae Jin's face and as she turned the card around, she saw some wordings on it. She has to be careful of who she kisses. Soo Jin was wondering about the wordings when her real boss (Haha! Not Park Hae Jin boo...) passes her a sealed envelope. What could that be? 

Meanwhile, happening at the basement car park of the building... a mysterious individual is seen running being pursued by a bunch of masked men. Omo! Who could that be? Why yasss, it's Ji Chang Wook! ;D 

Park Hae Jin ending

So, did Soo Jin manage to kiss Park Hae Jin?! Alas, no! The police officer interrupted them asking for their statements. What the?! Hahahh!! The police officer realised that he came at the wrong time but Hae Jin said it was okay. The story ends with Hae Jin and Soo Jin laughing together. It was funny and sweet. Aww!

I enjoyed this story as well. Park Hae Jin has the handsome debonair feel and him protecting Soo Jin was really sweet.

We've reached the third card already! Ji Chang Wook... Are you ready to handle him?! ;D

Seven First Kisses Episode 2 review

Episode 2: Lee Joon Gi-"First Kiss?"

Soo Jin meets her first handsome guy, Lee Joon Gi. In real life, we all know (and to Soo Jin's understanding as well) that Lee Joon Gi is a famous actor and model. :D But in this scenario, he is a tech billionaire and the most eligible bachelor in South Korea. 

She hardly believes it when he asks her out and he will be waiting for her outside after she finishes her shift. Thinking it was just a mix-up, Soo Jin was surprised that Joon Gi was really waiting for her outside. (Yes, it's the same red Lotus that Lee Jong Suk was driving in W!)

Joon Gi takes Soo Jin back to his really cool house for a romantic dinner... 

And then he shows Soo Jin how he fell in love with her way back when they were still kids. Okay, I know right? I read some commenters mentioning that it is rather creepy he's been stalking her since young! Haha!! But hey, it's Lee Joon Gi and he's a chaebol! So it's really sweet and romantic... A different set of rules apply here... :D 

Joon Gi confesses his love and Soo Jin thought this was it, her first kiss! At last! :D

But right before her kiss, Soo Jin is transported back to reality...(? Or is it still fantasy... :P) One of the 6 cards Choi Ji Woo gave her alights with Lee Joon Gi's face. 

Before Soo Jin could regain composure she finds herself thrown into yet another fantasy, this time with Park Hae Jin; another handsome guy! Hahah!! I really love her cute expressions, her shocked and surprised face combined with some blurness... I do think this actress is pretty adorable. :D 

Lee Joon Ki ending

Now, I shall save you all from the suspense of the hanging kiss moment with Lee Joon Gi... Soo Jin didn't have her first kiss with him because she sneezed. Yes, she sneezed. Ahhh-chooo! XD I laughed out loud at that scene, it was rather unexpected. But still, the overall sweetness overload of this romance with Joon Gi continues when he covers her with a blanket and some chit chat after that. 

I did enjoy this first story with Lee Joon Gi, it was really sweet. The usual South Korean first love kind of romance. As I'm doing this review today on Valentine's Day it's extra sweet! Not to mention that he's a tech billionaire too... ;P

Now we are onto the next card, Park Hae Jin! Let's see what his story has in store for us... ;D