Niche, cosy and heartfelt; this show is archetypal and not for everyone.
Today's Webtoon is a slice-of-life drama with a hint of comedy. This genre is a dime a dozen, but the drama sets itself apart from other office-oriented shows through the specificity of the content. It revolves around the nature of webtoons, which I think made me enjoy this show a lot more given how I read lots of webtoons and are therefore familiar with this content and environment. This doesn't mean that if you don't know what webtoons are you can't watch this drama—rather the show helps familiarise the setting well in the first episode. In fact, the visual FX for this drama is wonderful. It reminds me greatly of what made A Business Proposal loveable (because of the webtoon-esque drawings and visualisations of the characters).The first few episodes set up a cosy blend of drama and comedy. It's a considerable contrast to other shows of the same genre and creates a very real and watch-worthy atmosphere where we have a former judo champion struggling with office life. It doesn't appear that this show is well-known despite the release of roughly 8 episodes so far. However, I feel that after watching so far, it is enjoyable and definitely worth a watch. Admittedly, there isn't anything particularly outstanding given that this is a cliche lots of shows work with, but there are no flaws with it's execution so far. It's quaint and that is what makes it so lovable. We watch the dynamics of the characters shift with every new problem to solve and every interaction. It feels very fulfilling, especially given how it doesn't feel flat most of the time (a problem a lot of office dramas face because of the pressure to keep things "eventful".) A rare gem.
I would like to quickly preface that this drama differs from many others due to the lack of a progressive plot. If you enjoy sweet, slice of life shows that are generic, archetypal and don't make you question much, then you will like this. I explain this type of show later on.
Story:
The show's main character, the FL, maintains an amicable demeanour with a hint of depth to create a good impression on us—the audience. Her character is clearly not surface-level nor too "perfect". She's feisty, smiley and a superfan of webtoons, but also has a sports-focused background that has helped build her into the confident and hard-working person she is today. I wouldn't go as far to say she is rooted in complexes or appears dimensional, but if you enjoy a main character who you can cherish on screen and admire, rather than question their decisions—looking at Do Bong Soon from SWDBS and the leads of L:ELK—then this show is for you. Her growth on the show is the main focus and it truly encompasses her as a character.
As far as office dramas go, this is pretty on par. There's drama, comedy and a hint of a subplot that will probably erupt in later episodes once the smaller arcs are completed. I think it definitely stands out compared to the likes of pretty famous office dramas like What's Wrong With Secretary Kim—which mind you had a lot of questionable antics that parried into some surface-level cashgrabs.
There are two male leads who become at the forefront of the drama alongside the ML. I really both of them! Of course, like many love triangles, the two love rivals seems to have opposite energies. It's a little unclear, in my opinion, who is the main lead, but both appear to have developed comprehensibly different relationships with the FL which I think extend their characters beyond being a love interest (something that Extraordinary Attorney Woo didn't with the male lead).
This is one of those dramas where there's a complicated past etc. and a hint of sadness that is meant to considerably underwhelm positive situations and create a backdrop of sympathy. I think the show so far, is maintaining good balance between cycling through these different emotions and tropes, not weighting anything too far into one end. It is also, like one of those zero to hero sports comedies etc. I think the FL's past in judo is unconventional and not cheap. Though it is done to flesh out the character, it does feel a little tropey. The typical "injury recovery" etc.
What also needs to be taken into account if you are thinking of watching this is that romance is not the highlight, rather the central focus is on the FL's growth as a character which I admire entirely. There are lot of romantics scenes but it isn't construed in a way that makes it the focus of the story. I think Today's Webtoon is alleviating for the damage a lot of kdramas do by "fixing" the problem with love and misunderstandings that last several episodes. It seems to have romance as less of a focus but more of a side thing, not central or plotheavy.
Another thing to note is that this story does not follow a specific plot. It appears very much as "you get what you see". For those who enjoy dramas where there is a strong plot, you might not enjoy this as much. This is one of those dramas where you kind of just enjoy whatever is on the screen, even if there is no apparent progression.
Acting/Cast:
The success of A Business Proposal has spotlighted Kim Se Jeong's acting skills. As someone who has seen both dramas, I think she performs well in both despite playing different characters. Se Jeong plays the female lead and carries a range of facial expressions and emotions that make her character beyond surface level. She stifles laughs quaintly and excitedly punches the air. Her actions don't feel very stiff, but I wish the writers sustain the FL's character a little more beyond her actions.
Daniel Choi plays one of the male leads and I must say, it is a fresh breath of air to see a love interest that isn't young, arrogant and wishywashy. Too many times in office dramas do we see the position of seniority go to some traumatised, egotistical (perhaps even prosopagnosia-ridden—face blindness) CEO. Choi plays a charming but firm senior whose words clearly carry weight. He isn't afraid to lecture the FL and recognises the burdens of being in this working position. At other times, he has a certain charm that reminds me of the Extraordinary Attorney Woo male lead. I am pleased that they allowed him to be in glasses as well. It gives him a more mature and adult look. His acting has been on par with this, as his relationship with the FL is full of bants and wryness but also a fickle kind of silliness you might see in youth. When problems arise, the issue of seniority rises and he acts as someone who appears to care for the FL, who is a rookie and a little on the naïve side. This contrasting dynamic is used to push the two together.
The other male lead is Nam Yoon Su who I only know from Beyond Evil but most will know him for his main role in Extracurricular. Yoon Su's character is archetypal, as is Choi's and Se Jeong's, but it fills in our knowledge for us and gives us the setting generally rather than forcing us to pick up the pieces. Yoon Su has so far done this character well with the tired eye expressions after pulling an all-nighter, keeping his suit without creases and maintaining this almost posh attitude but balancing it well. You can sort of get a feel what kind of character he is a couple episodes in. The actor does a great job in creating this very fragile yet persevering and binary mindset that slowly crumbles, as well as having scenes of pent-up frustration that you can applaud for. When Yoon Su's character is going through a rough patch, you can clearly see it. The beads of sweat, the damp, disheveled hair and the disheartened expression. Truly captivating.
Minor characters are each given their own agendas and personality, fleshing them out depending on how long they are on screen for. Like the main characters, it's pretty archetypal but it doesn't fail to evoke our sympathy for them. Especially since some of the lines are rather hard-hitting and not flat at all.
Music:
One word—catchy. In the first episode, there's a song playing as Choi and Se Jeong flip a coin at a bus stop. It's melodic and fades well into the background, never overtaking the weight of the scene. They even have Weeekly play in the first episode! (Not a spoiler.) The music in this show depicts the attitude of the characters as well as slots into whatever the context of the scene playing out is. The OST playlist on Spotify is only 3 songs but the music reflects the quaint, soft and romantic setting. It's a slice of life drama, revolving around themes like business and self-reflection and the music shows this. It reminds me of the Too My Star OST. Here's my favourite song from the show! https://open.spotify.com/track/3YW9BZAvwIvXF6C7D3cN6r?si=10b914a012ab47a8
This song too! https://open.spotify.com/track/7nZyX7r9YsEXzFvGdHndYk?si=7c80c5fca0ba4e79
Rewatch Value:
Undecided. Generally, given the longevity of most korean dramas, very rarely is a rewatch on the table. I think this show so far sets up to be one of those shows you can probably rewatch every year without the hassle of remembering the fine details etc. It doesn't require a lot of brainpower and it imposes a beautiful trifecta of being heartwarming, developed and comedic.
Overall:
Visually, this show creates the same atmosphere as A Business Proposal did. I wouldn't go as far to say this show is mindblowing etc. since it seems very generic if you are well-versed with the genre, but it is admirably soft and enjoyable. It feels like the kind of drama that might make you smile on a bad day or scream giddily at the budding romance. Just like What's Wrong With Secretary Kim, this show is one of those where you don't have to fine pick the quality too much. It's enjoyable as it is. Most of the time, a show doesn't need to be perfect to be good. Today's Webtoon feels like one of those shows you can sit through without having to think about it too much, even if it falls flat in some areas.
If you're looking for a binge-worthy drama to give you the feels, the laughs and more, I think you'll like this!
Hope this review helps :)
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I really like the character that Kim Sejeong plays here, a feisty girl who is very motivated and always has positive energy.
I haven't watched the original version/japan original yet, but if you are a manga/webtoon/comic lover and have an interest in becoming a writer in the publishing industry(?), I think it will be very easy to enjoy this.
the conflict is not so forced to complex but very fun and fresh to follow. it's like ASADORE or morning routine morning drama in japan. everything is so natural and not too made up.
this is one of the cool coming of age! I hope the story development in the next episodes will be better.
NOTES : if you expect a lot of romantic scenes that's fine, but I think this drama will be more beautiful, fresh and thick with life when the romantic scenes are not highlighted too much.
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