Protect the Boss (2011)

I know many people will not believe this drama is worth a ten, and to be honest there are many other dramas that are far more popular that I don't believe deserve a ten.

For me, this drama breaks the mould. Firstly, it is a real comedy, where the comedy really does seem to have more emphasis than the romance. The lead pair have great comedic as well as romantic chemistry, which is probably beaten only by the chemistry of the two secondary leads. Furthermore, the rapport between the female leads was heart-warming and fun, whilst the relationship between the two male leads was convincing and clever.

The cast of this drama is the highlight, as even the side characters such as the various parents and the grandmother are all played to perfection, aided by well-written comedic scripts. Furthermore, the drama gently parodies the things that we can both love and hate about dramas, with their crazy plot twists and stupid character motivations.

The core of this drama is that it does not revolve around pretty faces and angsty love, but rather, it is a family drama at heart. It is a celebration of platonic bonds of friendship, family and humanity in general and it has a sense of humour and fun that is contagious.

When I say this drama is about family, I know lot of people will turn away, but this drama is beautiful in its comedic simplicity. It strips away all of the ridiculous motives that are found in dramas and brings everything back to the idea that people are just people, filled with weaknesses yes, but also with real morals and real identities.

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Starts well

I really enjoyed the first few episodes of this, the always refreshing tough female lead had me rooting for her straight away. A couple of laugh out loud moments helped me to think I was on to a winner. I'm not fond of the pathetic man-child trope as it always makes it hard to respect the woman that ends up falling for him. Because, lets be honest, it means they are just after the money and a handsome face. Glory be! she very rapidly starts to give him short shrift, go No Eun Sol

Choi Kang Hee was an excellent choice for the role, able to convince as a rough, ordinary lass with an expressive face well suited to comedy but still attractive enough to be the love interest. I liked Na Yoon and Moo Won as well and could at least cope with the childish Ji Heon if only because he was at such harmless baby level.

Unfortunately by the time episode 5 came up things were starting to take a far more familiar turn. The refreshing twist was taken out of the cliches being served up and the same old same old crept in. All of a sudden Ji Heon is bullying Eun Sol in typical rich man-child fashion, unwelcome gifts, unwelcome contact, generally unromantic, in your face creepiness. And he pretty much remains unpunched!! The twat.

At this point the lack of chemistry between the leads starts to really take it away from the 'fun'. Not only is there no logical reason from the plot so far for Eun Sol to love the man-child, there isn't a great deal of evidence from her that she does love him. Fondness maybe? I get that from her, like for a naughty but entertaining child.
Ji Heon is more convincing but not in a nice way. If they'd left the romance out until after she'd beaten him into shape then maybe...

And really that's where it all ends for me.
Dropped!
Yet another interesting female lead that I can't respect because of the man she supposedly loves.

I revisited this and managed to get to episode 10 before giving up again. The comedy gold just couldn't make up for the chaebol man-child. SPOILER!! I sort of got my hopes up after Eun Sol told him he acted like a child making her see a future of mothering him, without being able to lean on him. Yet he just kept on with the childish harassment and competition with Moo Won so i dropped it again. What's adorable about a grown man acting like that ?

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