Hubbry Logo
Good ManagerGood ManagerMain
Open search
Good Manager
Community hub
Good Manager
logo
7 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Good Manager
Good Manager
Good Manager
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia
Good Manager
Promotional poster
Also known asManager Kim[1]
Hangul
김과장
Hanja
金科長
RRGimgwajang
MRKimgwajang
Genre
Created byKBS Drama Production
Written byPark Jae-beom
Directed by
  • Lee Jae-hoon
  • Choi Yoon-suk
Creative directors
  • Lee Seung-hoon
  • Choi Dong-sook
Starring
Composers
  • Hwang Dong-sub
  • Lee Sung-kyun
Country of originSouth Korea
Original languageKorean
No. of episodes20
Production
Executive producers
Producers
  • Lee Eun-jin
  • Choi Jun-ho
Production locationsSeoul & Gyeonggi Province, South Korea
Cinematography
  • Wi Chang-suk
  • Kim Pil-seung
Editors
  • Kim Mi-kyung
  • Lee Min-kyung
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time60 minutes
Production companyLogos Film
Original release
NetworkKBS2
ReleaseJanuary 25 (2017-01-25) –
March 30, 2017 (2017-03-30)

Good Manager (Korean: 김과장; RR: Gimgwajang; lit. 'Chief Kim') is a South Korean television drama starring Namkoong Min, Nam Sang-mi, Lee Jun-ho, and Jung Hye-sung. It aired on KBS2 from January 25 to March 30, 2017 on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 22:00 (KST) for 20 episodes.[2][3][4]

Synopsis

[edit]

Kim Sung-ryong, a certified public accountant who becomes a middle manager at TQ Group company in order to embezzle a large sum of money, ends up fighting for his employees' fundamental rights.[5]

Cast

[edit]

Main

[edit]
Kim Sung-ryong used to be a small-time accountant from Gunsan, a small city in North Jeolla Province, working for a mobster. He was investigated every year for accounting fraud and tax evasion but was proven innocent every time. Then, he got accepted to TQ as the chief of their accounting department.
A strong and ethical woman. She is the assistant manager of TQ's accounting department.
Seo Yul used to be an ace prosecutor until the chairman of the TQ group appointed him to be the Director for Finance.
A police officer working undercover as an intern of the Finance department, who was hired as a spy by a prosecutor.

Supporting

[edit]

TQ Group Business Operation Department

[edit]

People at TQ Group

[edit]

People at Seoul Central District Prosecutors

[edit]

People at Gunsan

[edit]

Extended

[edit]
  • Lee Sung-wook
  • Park Kwang-jae
  • Jeon Ye-seo
  • Nam Sang-baek
  • Choi Kyu-shik
  • Choi Jae-sub
  • Eom Ji-man
  • Jo Jae-won
  • Heo Sun-haeng
  • Lee Yoon-sang

Special appearances

[edit]
  • Kim Eung-soo as Bae Deok-po, gang leader (Ep. 1, 20)
  • Lee Sang-hoon
  • Song Yeong-gil
  • Jung Kyung-ho as man blackmailing Kim Sung-ryong
  • Lee Si-eon as Prosecutor Park Yong-tae (Ep. 20)
  • Kim Kang-hoon as Kim Sung-ryong (young)
  • Choi Jae-Hwan as Joong Gun, union leader (Ep. 5)
  • Park Ji-il as Head of department Choi Ik-joong (Ep. 17)

Production

[edit]
  • First script reading took place on December 15, 2016 at KBS Annex Broadcasting Station in Yeouido, Seoul, South Korea.[11]

Original soundtrack

[edit]
Good Manager
OST Album
Soundtrack album
GenreSoundtrack
LanguageKorean, English
LabelLOEN Entertainment, The Groove Company
ProducerHwang Dong-sub, Lee Sung-kyun (The Groove)

Part 1

[edit]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."Must Be The Money"
  • Kim Sung-tae
  • Choi Hye-sun
DinDin03:14
2."Must Be The Money" (Inst.) 
  • Kim Sung-tae
  • Choi Hye-sun
 03:14
Total length:06:28

Part 2

[edit]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."How It Happens"Drew Ryan Scott
  • Drew Ryan Scott
  • Ping
After Romeo03:37
2."How It Happens" (Inst.) 
  • Drew Ryan Scott
  • Ping
 03:37
Total length:07:14

Part 3

[edit]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."Starlight Falling Night" (별빛이 쏟아지는 밤)Hwang Yong-juHwang Yong-juSong Yuvin MYTEEN03:29
2."Starlight Falling Night" (Inst.) Hwang Yong-ju 03:29
Total length:06:58

Part 4

[edit]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."Will You Love Me"
  • Lee Shin-sung
  • ZigZag Note
  • ZigZag Note
  • Kim Young-sung
GB9, Kim So-hee04:14
2."Will You Love Me" (Inst.) 
  • ZigZag Note
  • Kim Young-sung
 04:16
Total length:08:30

Part 5

[edit]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."Roller Coaster" (롤러코스터)Kim Sung-tae
  • Kim Sung-tae
  • Lee Gun-woo
Seenroot03:14
2."Roller Coaster" (Inst.) 
  • Kim Sung-tae
  • Lee Gun-woo
 03:14
Total length:06:28

Part 6

[edit]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."Dream" (꿈을 꾼다)
  • B.O.K
  • E-QLO
  • Seo Yeong-eun
  • B.O.K
  • E-QLO
Seo Yeong-eun04:44
2."Dream" (Inst.) 
  • B.O.K
  • E-QLO
 04:44
Total length:09:28

Part 7

[edit]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."Unbelievable"Lee Seung-woo
  • Lee Seung-woo
  • In Young-hun
  • Edison
Soulstar03:41
2."Unbelievable" (Inst.) 
  • Lee Seung-woo
  • In Young-hun
  • Edison
 03:41
Total length:07:22

Part 8

[edit]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."That's Right" (그래)Kim Sung-tae
  • Lee Gun-woo
  • Kim Sung-tae
Dalda03:35
2."That's Right" (Inst.) 
  • Lee Gun-woo
  • Kim Sung-tae
 03:35
Total length:07:10

Reception

[edit]

Despite competing against big-budget drama Saimdang, Light's Diary in the same time slot and having no big-name stars, the drama managed to top ratings during its run and enjoyed explosive popularity.[12] It received positive reviews for its punchy and satirical lines on the corrupt corporate owners and the society, which resonated with the viewers; and the multifaceted performance of lead actor Namkoong Min, whose perfect amalgamation of character creation and acting saves "Good Manager" from what could have been an average office crime comedy.[13]The Korea Times said that the drama "has the ability to tell uncomfortable stories (story of embezzlement cases, mass layoffs and other societal issues regarding fierce competition) in a witty way".[14]

Ratings

[edit]

In this table, the blue numbers represent the lowest ratings and the red numbers represent the highest ratings.

Ep. Original broadcast date Average audience share
TNmS[15] AGB Nielsen[16]
Nationwide Seoul Nationwide Seoul
1 January 25, 2017 6.6% (19th) 7.1% (19th) 7.8% (17th) 7.7% (15th)
2 January 26, 2017 6.3% (20th) 6.5% (18th) 7.2% (18th) 7.2% (15th)
3 February 1, 2017 11.7% (7th) 13.3% (4th) 12.8% (5th) 12.8% (5th)
4 February 2, 2017 11.5% (7th) 13.3% (4th) 13.8% (4th) 14.1% (4th)
5 February 8, 2017 13.2% (4th) 15.5% (4th) 15.5% (4th) 15.8% (4th)
6 February 9, 2017 12.1% (6th) 12.9% (4th) 16.7% (4th) 17.6% (3rd)
7 February 15, 2017 13.1% (4th) 15.0% (4th) 16.1% (4th) 16.3% (4th)
8 February 16, 2017 13.7% (4th) 15.6% (4th) 17.6% (4th) 17.3% (4th)
9 February 22, 2017 15.5% (4th) 16.2% (4th) 17.8% (3rd) 18.0% (3rd)
10 February 23, 2017 15.2% (4th) 15.6% (4th) 17.2% (4th) 17.3% (3rd)
11 March 1, 2017 15.6% (4th) 17.0% (3rd) 18.4% (3rd) 19.2% (3rd)
12 March 2, 2017 16.3% (4th) 17.8% (3rd) 18.4% (3rd) 18.5% (3rd)
13 March 8, 2017 15.3% (4th) 16.2% (4th) 16.8% (4th) 16.8% (4th)
14 March 9, 2017 14.3% (4th) 14.9% (4th) 17.1% (4th) 16.9% (3rd)
15 March 15, 2017 14.6% (4th) 16.1% (3rd) 18.4% (4th) 19.1% (3rd)
16 March 16, 2017 16.2% (4th) 18.1% (3rd) 17.1% (4th) 17.6% (3rd)
17 March 22, 2017 17.4% (4th) 19.7% (4th) 17.4% (4th) 17.5% (4th)
18 March 23, 2017 16.0% (4th) 17.3% (3rd) 17.0% (4th) 17.5% (3rd)
19 March 29, 2017 17.0% (4th) 18.6% (3rd) 16.9% (4th) 16.8% (4th)
20 March 30, 2017 18.0% (4th) 18.7% (3rd) 17.2% (4th) 17.8% (3rd)
Average 14.0% 15.3% 15.9% 16.1%

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Year Award Category Recipient Result
2017
53rd Baeksang Arts Awards
 Best Actor Namkoong Min Nominated
44th Korean Broadcasting Awards
 Actor Award Won
10th Korea Drama Awards
 Best Drama Good Manager Nominated
Best Production Director Lee Jang-soo Won
Best Screenplay Lee Eun-jin Nominated
Top Excellence Award, Actor Namkoong Min Nominated
Excellence Award, Actress Lee Il-hwa Won
Best Original Soundtrack DinDin (Must Be The Money) Won
1st The Seoul Awards
 Best Actor Namkoong Min Nominated
31st KBS Drama Awards[17]
 Top Excellence Award, Actor Namkoong Min Won
Excellence Award, Actor in a Mid-length Drama Lee Jun-ho Won
Namkoong Min Nominated
Excellence Award, Actress in a Mid-length Drama Nam Sang-mi Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Dong Ha Nominated
Kim Won-hae Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Lee Il-hwa Won
Jung Hye-sung Won
Seo Jeong-yeon Nominated
Best New Actor Kim Seon-ho Nominated
Lee Jun-ho Nominated
Best New Actress Lim Hwa-young Nominated
Netizen Award – Male Namkoong Min Nominated
Lee Jun-ho Nominated
Best Couple Award Namkoong Min & Nam Sang-mi Nominated
Namkoong Min & Lee Jun-ho Won
2018
30th Korea Producer Awards
 Best Drama Good Manager Won

Adaptation

[edit]

It was announced on March 24, 2017 that KBS Media will publish a book titled "Chief Kim's Work Book" set to be released in April related to the drama that will contain great tips for work life. The book will feature the drama's best scenes, best lines, and all of the illustrated episode endings. The illustrations will be drawn by webtoon artist Yang Kyung-soo, who partnered with the drama to create the ending scenes for each episode. This project is the first collaboration between a drama and a webtoon.[18]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Good Manager

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Good Manager (Korean: 김과장), also known internationally as Chief Kim, is a South Korean workplace comedy-drama television series that aired on KBS2 from January 25 to March 29, 2017, consisting of 20 episodes. The series stars as Kim Sung-ryong, a skilled previously employed by gangsters who infiltrates the TQ Group conglomerate as a middle manager in the department with the initial intent to embezzle funds for his escape abroad. Instead, he becomes entangled in the company's internal corruption and rallies his underpaid, overworked colleagues to expose executive malfeasance and mismanagement, transforming from self-serving opportunist to unlikely corporate crusader. Directed by Choi Joon-bae and written by Park Jae-bum, the drama blends sharp satire of South Korean corporate hierarchies with humor derived from Kim's flamboyant personality and unorthodox tactics against authoritarian superiors. Key supporting roles include as the principled prosecutor Shin Ha-kyung, Lee Jun-ho as the idealistic corporate auditor Seo Yul, and as the determined labor union representative Kang Yoo-ju, whose alliances and rivalries drive the narrative's exploration of , , and power dynamics in a chaebol-dominated . The series highlights defining themes such as resistance to exploitative labor practices and the moral ambiguities of , without romanticizing corporate reform. Good Manager achieved notable commercial success, maintaining top ratings throughout its run and earning critical acclaim for its ensemble performances and incisive commentary on real-world office injustices. At the 2017 , received the Top Excellence Award for Best Actor in a Mid-length Drama, while won for Excellence in Acting and for Best Supporting Actress; the production also secured awards for Best Production Director and Best Drama at the . Its enduring popularity stems from relatable depictions of workplace absurdities and character-driven comedy, influencing subsequent K-dramas on similar themes.

Synopsis

Plot Overview

Kim Sung-ryong, a proficient accustomed to handling finances for criminal syndicates, is unexpectedly appointed as the chief of the accounting department at TQ Group, a major conglomerate riddled with executive , under the pretext of aiding in schemes orchestrated by top management. This recruitment stems from his reputation for financial manipulation, positioning him within a dysfunctional department fraught with inefficiencies and internal pressures. The central narrative revolves around the ensuing tensions in TQ Group's division, where Sung-ryong navigates rivalries between departments and confronts the exploitative practices of corporate targeting vulnerable employees. As auditing efforts intensify, the plot drives forward through Sung-ryong's strategic maneuvers to safeguard the underdog staff against systemic predation, highlighting the cutthroat dynamics of the conglomerate's operations.

Key Narrative Arcs

The narrative arcs of Good Manager chronicle the protagonist Kim Sung-ryong's infiltration of TQ Group, a conglomerate rife with and exploitation, and the ensuing chain of events propelled by his opportunistic decisions and the employees' collective resistance. Initially aired on KBS2 starting January 25, , the early episodes depict Kim, a former seeking quick riches to fund his escape abroad, assuming the role of accounting chief through fabricated credentials to siphon funds undetected. His flamboyant entry sparks immediate friction with upper echelons, particularly executives like the cunning Director Park, whose authoritarian tactics mask personal graft; these clashes, rooted in Kim's disregard for protocol, expose frontline workers' grievances over unpaid wages and manipulated ledgers, inadvertently forging tentative alliances as Kim diverts minor audits to shield subordinates. Mid-series progression, through episodes building to the 20th installment, intensifies as Kim's scheme unravels amid escalating corporate retaliation, prompting him to pivot toward of TQ's core frauds—such as inflated subsidiaries and slush funds—via leaked documents and improvised audits. This shift triggers drives among demoralized staff, legal probes by prosecutors into executive malfeasance, and internal purges, where causal repercussions manifest in retaliatory firings and ; Kim's tactical improvisations, like rallying the accounting team against fabricated deficits, amplify employee agency while drawing ire from the chairman's inner circle, culminating in heightened stakes by late February 2017 airings. The finale arcs, concluding on March 30, 2017, resolve through orchestrated exposures that dismantle the executive cabal's hold: Kim coordinates whistleblower testimonies and forensic reckonings of TQ's billions in concealed losses, empowering workers via successful labor negotiations and precipitating arrests or resignations among figures like , whose overreach in suppressing proves their undoing. This denouement underscores how individual cunning, amplified by group solidarity, disrupts entrenched , yielding partial reforms like equitable pay structures without fully redeeming the conglomerate's foundational flaws.

Cast and Characters

Protagonist and Main Leads

Kim Sung-ryong, the portrayed by , is a former for gangsters who inadvertently joins the department of the corrupt TQ Group as its chief. Leveraging his expertise in financial manipulation and unorthodox tactics, Sung-ryong shifts from self-preservation to actively dismantling schemes within the company, serving as the narrative's central driver of conflict and efforts. 's depiction emphasizes Sung-ryong's flamboyant charisma and strategic cunning, marking a pivotal role in the actor's career for its blend of and moral complexity. Yoon Ha-kyung, played by , functions as a key ally and main lead, embodying an ethical manager who uncovers and challenges TQ's exploitative practices. Her character's principled investigations into labor violations intersect with Sung-ryong's financial probes, fostering collaborative resistance against executive malfeasance and highlighting internal dynamics. Nam Sang-mi's performance conveys Ha-kyung's resilience and moral fortitude, contributing to the leads' joint progression toward corporate accountability. Seo Yul, portrayed by Lee Jun-ho, represents an ambitious young executive in TQ's management strategy team, ascending through competence amid pervasive institutional dysfunction. As a foil and eventual collaborator to Sung-ryong, Yul's arc illustrates merit-driven navigation of hierarchical , injecting tension through his initial to the company before aligning with anti-corruption initiatives. Lee Jun-ho's portrayal underscores Yul's intellectual prowess and evolving integrity, enhancing the narrative's exploration of individual ambition within flawed systems.

Antagonists and Executives

The primary antagonists in Good Manager are the senior executives of the TQ Group, portrayed as a tightly knit cadre focused on maintaining control through layered and . Chairman Park Hyun-do, enacted by Park Young-kyu, occupies the apex of this hierarchy as the 58-year-old head of the conglomerate, directing strategic decisions from the top floor. His immediate inner circle includes wife Jang Yoo-sun, played by (aged 49 in the role), who influences family-tied corporate affairs, and Baek Mi-kyung, portrayed by Seo Jung-yeon (43), responsible for oversight of key operational divisions. These positions reflect a realistic chaebol-style structure, where board-level decisions cascade down to enforce compliance across departments. Further down the executive ladder, figures like Ko Gwang-su, performed by Jung Suk-yong, manage specialized functions such as and , often clashing with mid-level teams over budgetary directives. Seo Yul, brought to life by Lee Jun-ho, functions as an external ally to TQ's leadership, leveraging legal mechanisms to shield executive actions from scrutiny, a role that underscores alliances between corporate and prosecutorial hierarchies. This portrayal draws on verifiable corporate dynamics, with executives operating in insulated suites while delegating enforcement to subordinates. Casting for these roles emphasized performers with established screen presences in ensemble dynamics, enhancing the authenticity of hierarchical interactions; for instance, Park Young-kyu had appeared in over 100 dramas by 2017, including authority figures in settings, while Lee Jun-ho brought prior experience from legal and corporate-adjacent narratives. Such selections contributed to depictions of executives as pragmatic operators within rigid command chains, without exaggeration of individual traits beyond positional demands.

Supporting Ensemble

The supporting ensemble in TQ Group's department features secondary characters who bolster the protagonist's initiatives through their distinct personalities and evolving loyalties, creating layered amid corporate scrutiny. Choo Nam-ho, portrayed by , serves as the department director, characterized by initial timidity and bureaucratic deference that yields to reluctant solidarity, often providing via exaggerated reactions to embezzlement schemes and ethical dilemmas. This role underscores the team's transition from isolated drudgery to cohesive resistance, with Nam-ho's arc exemplifying how mid-level functionaries adapt to disruptive leadership. , active in Korean television since the mid-2000s, drew on his experience in ensemble comedies to infuse the character with relatable vulnerability, enhancing the realism of office hierarchies. Additional team members, such as staff assistants Won Ki-ok (Jo Hyun-sik) and others in the department, exhibit quirky traits like obsessive detail-orientation and improvised problem-solving, aiding in audits and cover-ups that expose institutional graft while fostering banter-driven chemistry. These portrayals contribute to the narrative's comedic realism by depicting mundane tasks—such as reconciling ledgers under deadline pressure—as opportunities for humorous solidarity, reflecting authentic workplace bonds tested by external probes from prosecutorial figures in and local Gunsan investigators tied to the protagonist's origins. The ensemble's interplay, marked by shared meals and petty rivalries, amplifies themes of collective agency, with actors' grounded performances—Jo Hyun-sik's prior comedic supporting turns in minor roles—lending credibility to the group's appeal against executive overreach.

Special and Guest Roles

The series includes cameo appearances by established actors in one-off roles that underscore elements of the protagonist's backstory and corporate intrigue. Jung Kyung-ho portrays a blackmailer who confronts Kim Sung-ryong in episode 6, serving to introduce tension from the lead's prior criminal associations. Veteran actor Lim Yong-soon appears as a representative in episode 19, facilitating a key scene amid the firm's internal conflicts. These brief roles, aired during the show's original 2017 run on KBS2 from January 25 to April 6, contribute targeted narrative propulsion without deeper character development.

Themes and Analysis

Depiction of Corporate Hierarchy and Ethics

The drama portrays the fictional TQ Group as embodying a chaebol-like hierarchy characterized by rigid top-down control, where executives prioritize personal enrichment through rent-seeking behaviors such as and political favoritism over sustainable operations. This structure mirrors empirical observations of South Korean conglomerates, where family-dominated concentrates power, fostering inefficiencies like over-diversification and suppressed due to demands over competence. In the series, upper engages in cover-ups and hypocritical invocations of "ethical management" to mask malfeasance, reflecting real-world patterns where chaebol leaders have historically extracted rents via government ties, as seen in documented cases of and persisting into the 2010s. Lower ranks in TQ's department, by contrast, demonstrate merit-based competence stifled by hierarchical pressures, with employees depicted as overworked and undervalued yet capable of operational insights that executives ignore. This underscores personal incentives driving participation: subordinates often comply with directives to avoid , while executives exploit positions for self-gain, highlighting individual agency amid institutional flaws rather than excusing systemic . The narrative deviates for dramatic effect by centering a rogue accountant's improbable heroism, but grounds inefficiencies in verifiable traits like internal rent competition among elites, which empirical studies link to failures reducing firm value. Ethical tensions revolve around practices, such as falsifying ledgers to conceal executive excesses, drawing parallels to Korean scandals involving fraudulent reporting in conglomerates to sustain appearances of . Protagonists navigate dilemmas like balancing against exposing , emphasizing through personal moral reckonings—e.g., reforming illicit skills for legitimate ends—without portraying evasion as viable or admirable. This approach aligns with causal realities where individual choices, incentivized by weak oversight, perpetuate cycles of , as evidenced by restructurings post-crises that targeted tunneling but often faltered due to entrenched family control.

Individual Agency vs. Institutional Corruption

In Chief Kim, the protagonist Kim Sung-ryong exemplifies individual agency as the primary mechanism for confronting entrenched corporate malfeasance, leveraging his expertise in financial manipulation—honed through prior illicit activities—to dismantle fraudulent schemes within TQ Group rather than appealing to labor unions or external oversight bodies. Initially motivated by to embezzle funds for personal escape, Sung-ryong's approach privileges pragmatic ingenuity, such as forging ad-hoc alliances among undervalued employees through shared incentives like and mutual gains, over ideological collectivism or regulatory intervention. This narrative arc underscores causal drivers rooted in personal incentives, where reform emerges from opportunistic navigation of rather than enforced . Sung-ryong's transformation from a detached opportunist to a catalyst for occurs incrementally through direct engagement with institutional rot, including exposure to executive exceeding billions of won, prompting him to redirect his cunning toward internal like falsified audits and leveraged confessions. Unlike conventional depictions favoring prosecutorial heroism, the series illustrates bureaucratic constraints, as Sung-ryong repeatedly evades and outmaneuvers investigators whose warrants fail against sophisticated accounting fraud, highlighting how entrenched power influences formal processes and renders them ineffective without insider disruption. This portrayal critiques an over-optimistic reliance on state apparatuses, prevalent in mainstream analyses of , by demonstrating that prosecutorial limits—stemming from evidentiary gaps and elite leverage—necessitate individual risk-taking for tangible progress. The drama's emphasis on character-driven reform mirrors empirical patterns in South Korean chaebol scandals, where lone whistleblowers have pierced veils of institutional complicity despite systemic barriers. For instance, Kim Yong-chul, a former executive, publicly detailed slush funds and networks totaling hundreds of billions of won in the early 2000s, catalyzing investigations that eluded routine audits due to internal suppression. Such cases, including exposés by lawmakers on 's market manipulations in 2013, reveal that individual disclosures—often at personal peril, including legal retaliation—have driven accountability where regulatory bodies, hampered by political-economic ties, falter, aligning with the series' causal realism that prioritizes human initiative over collective or bureaucratic remedies.

Realism in Accounting and Business Practices

The depiction of techniques in Good Manager, such as ledger manipulation and concealment, reflects practices scrutinized under South Korea's K-IFRS framework, which mandates full IFRS adoption for listed companies effective January 1, 2011, following a roadmap announcement. These standards emphasize transparent and asset valuation (e.g., IAS 18/ equivalents), where manipulations like entries or fictitious transactions have been detected in real audits via techniques including transaction tracing and ratio analysis. Similar methods align with Korean Standards on Auditing (KSA), which require auditors to assess risks through substantive testing of ledgers, as seen in investigations of historical cases like the Group's 1999 collapse involving 41 trillion won in inflated accounting. The series accurately portrays departmental silos in conglomerate structures—mirroring dynamics—as barriers to oversight, where finance, operations, and executive layers operate with limited cross-verification, enabling localized to evade detection until external probes. In practice, chaebol family control and hierarchical opacity have contributed to repeated scandals, as evidenced by the Financial Supervisory Service's (FSS) role in uncovering discrepancies without robust internal whistleblower integration. For instance, 2017-2019 probes into ' merger valuation involved allegations of ledger adjustments to inflate assets by over 3 trillion won, highlighting how siloed decision-making delayed regulatory flags despite K-IFRS compliance mandates. However, the narrative overstates the feasibility of unilateral resolutions by a single , contrasting real-world necessities for systemic reforms like FSS-mandated restatements, board restructurings, and enhanced external audits under the Act on External Audit. Actual fraud remediation, as in SK Group's 2003 accounting irregularities leading to a chairman's , typically involves multi-agency interventions and fines up to 15-20% of fraudulent amounts, rather than isolated departmental heroics. Recent 2025 regulatory hikes doubling penalties for sustained infractions underscore that individual fixes rarely suffice without institutional enforcement, including auditor sanctions by the Korean Institute of Certified Public Accountants (KICPA). This dramatization prioritizes plot momentum over the protracted, collaborative nature of compliance under K-IFRS, where forensic recoveries often span years amid legal appeals.

Production

Development and Writing Process

The project originated in 2016 when KBS greenlit the series, with screenwriter Park Jae-bum tasked to craft a narrative centered on workplace dynamics in a corrupt corporation. Park, known for prior works like The Good Doctor (2013), aimed to deliver a blend of humor and critique targeting corporate malfeasance, positioning the protagonist as an unlikely reformer within a hierarchical conglomerate environment. This intent aligned with Park's emerging style of satirical storytelling, later characterized as part of his "justice trilogy" emphasizing social criticism through exaggerated yet grounded depictions of institutional power imbalances. Script evolution focused on maintaining narrative momentum, culminating in a fixed 20-episode structure to prioritize character-driven conflicts over extended subplots common in the genre. The first script reading occurred on December 15, 2016, allowing for refinements ahead of the January 2017 premiere. Key creative decisions incorporated realistic elements of accounting and internal audits, drawing from South Korea's chaebol-dominated economy where subsidiaries often face exploitative pressures from parent conglomerates, reflecting broader tensions between large-scale corporate entities and vulnerable operational units. Park's approach avoided romanticized resolutions, instead highlighting incremental ethical shifts amid systemic incentives for , informed by documented cases of financial irregularities in Korean firms during the mid-2010s.

Casting Decisions

Namgoong Min was confirmed in the lead role of Kim Sung-ryong on December 12, 2016, selected for his established versatility in embodying anti-hero figures and comedic elements, building on successes like his romantic lead in earlier that year and prior intense portrayals in thrillers. His prior experience with morally ambiguous characters positioned him as a merit-based fit for the gangster-turned-accountant , emphasizing street-smart cunning over conventional heroism. Lee Jun-ho, transitioning from idol group to acting, was similarly confirmed on December 12, 2016, for the role of Seo Yul, the principled finance director and antagonist foil to the lead. His casting leveraged emerging dramatic chops from roles like Deadly Possession (2016), with early praise for his nuanced villainy in Chief Kim underscoring a selection process favoring proven adaptability over idol fame alone. The supporting ensemble, including as Yoon Ha-kyung and as Hong Ga-eun, was assembled concurrently to foster on-set chemistry, as evidenced by production photos highlighting collaborative rapport among leads. No major recasts occurred during or filming, reflecting stable commitments from confirmed talent. Actors underwent targeted preparation for the drama's and , with Namgoong Min noted for meticulous role immersion to authentically convey technical dialogue and behavioral tics.

Filming Locations and Techniques

The principal photography for Good Manager was conducted primarily in and , utilizing urban offices and streets to replicate authentic corporate settings for the drama's depiction of TQ Group's headquarters and daily business operations. Exteriors of the fictional conglomerate were shot at modern high-rises, including structures in Incheon's International City, to convey the scale of Korean chaebol environments. Filming spanned late 2016 to early 2017, aligning with the series' broadcast schedule on KBS2 starting January 25, 2017. Additional location shooting occurred in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, where outdoor scenes, including flashback sequences involving protagonist Kim Sung-ryong's family memories, were captured at sites like the Gyeongam-dong Rail Village (경암동 철길마을) and Jinpo Maritime Park. These rural-industrial areas provided contrasting backdrops to the urban corporate intrigue, with the abandoned rail tracks symbolizing personal history amid economic shifts. Other provincial spots, such as the Uri Kkot Botanical Garden in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, were used for transitional outdoor moments emphasizing character reflection. Production techniques emphasized practical efficiency due to the live-to-air common in 2017 KBS dramas, with partial allowing for but relying on rapid on-site adjustments to capture dynamic interactions. Interior boardroom and accounting department scenes were filmed on constructed sets mimicking real Korean firms, prioritizing natural and steady camera work to heighten tension in ethical confrontations without excessive stylization. limitations, typical for public broadcaster series, led to consolidated shooting blocks in to minimize travel and , as noted in contemporaneous production reports.

Soundtrack and Music

Original Score Composition

The original score for Good Manager (also known as Chief Kim) was composed by music director Lee Pil-ho, who delivered 12 instrumental tracks integrated into the drama's regular released in 2017. These pieces employ tense elements to underscore high-stakes sequences, building suspense amid the protagonist's schemes against corporate malfeasance, while shifting to upbeat rhythms during team triumphs to amplify the series' satirical humor. Recurring motifs signal escalating revelations of institutional , synchronizing with plot beats to heighten comedic irony without overpowering dialogue-driven tension. Lee Pil-ho's approach, drawing from his experience in Korean broadcasting, prioritizes dynamic shifts that mirror the narrative's oscillation between absurdity and realism in .

Released Soundtrack Tracks

The original soundtrack (OST) for Good Manager was issued in eight sequential parts from January to March 2017, aligning with the drama's weekly episodes on KBS2, each featuring a lead vocal track by Korean artists alongside an instrumental version. These releases primarily consisted of pop and ballad songs that underscored character emotional arcs, such as workplace perseverance in DinDin's upbeat rap "Must Be The Money" from Part 1 and romantic longing in s like "Will You Love Me" by Gilgubongu and Kim So Hee from Part 4. A compilation album aggregating the parts and additional tracks was released on April 7, 2017, by Loen Entertainment, totaling 20 songs without reported licensing disputes. The following table lists the released parts:
PartRelease DateArtist(s)Lead Track
1January 26, 2017DinDinMust Be The Money
2February 3, 2017After RomeoHow It Happens
3February 18, 2017Song Yoo BinStarlight Night
4March 3, 2017Gilgubongu, Kim So HeeWill You Love Me
5March 10, 2017SeenrootRoller Coaster
6March 15, 2017Seo Young EunDreaming
7March 17, 2017SoulstaRUnbelievable
8March 24, 2017DaldaThat's Right
"Must Be The Money" achieved notable viewer acclaim, including a live performance by at the , though specific Gaon digital download sales figures for individual tracks remain undocumented in public records. Other parts, such as the ballad-heavy Parts 3 and 4, supported narrative themes of aspiration and interpersonal bonds but did not register prominent chart positions on Gaon or international metrics.

Broadcast and Ratings

Airing Details

Good Manager premiered on KBS2 in on January 25, 2017, with episodes airing weekly on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 22:00 KST. The series maintained this schedule through its 20-episode run, concluding with the finale on March 30, 2017. Post-broadcast, the drama secured international licensing agreements, enabling availability on global streaming services. It became accessible on in various regions shortly after its domestic airing. Additional platforms, including Viki, offered subtitled versions to international audiences. The production adhered to its planned timeline without reported scheduling disruptions, airing consistently amid sustained domestic viewership.

Episode Viewership Data

The viewership ratings for Good Manager, measured by AGB Nielsen Korea on a national basis, began modestly with the premiere on January 25, , achieving 7.8%. The second aired the following day dipped slightly to 7.2%. Ratings then surged, hitting 12.8% for 3 on February 1 and 13.8% for 4 on February 2. By mid-season, the series reached its peak, with episodes 11 and 12—broadcast on March 1 and March 2, 2017—each recording 18.4%, the highest in the run. Subsequent episodes maintained strong performance above 15%, including 17.1% for episode 14 on March 9, 17.1% for episode 16 on March 16, and 17.4% for episode 17. The finale episodes 19 and 20 on March 29 and 30 concluded at 16.9%.
EpisodeAir DateNational Rating (%)
1Jan 25, 20177.8
3Feb 1, 201712.8
4Feb 2, 201713.8
5Feb 8, 201715.5
9Feb 22, 201717.8
11-12Mar 1-2, 201718.4
20Mar 30, 201716.9
These figures reflect a consistent upward trend after the initial episodes, with the series securing the top spot in its Wednesday-Thursday time slot for 15 consecutive weeks, outperforming competitors like SBS's Saimdang, Light's Diary (which fell to around 10% by mid-run) and MBC's Missing 9 (below 5%).

Reception

Critical Evaluations

Critics praised Chief Kim for its incisive dialogue that dissected ethical dilemmas within corporate hierarchies, often blending humor with pointed commentary on and . Reviewers at Dramabeans noted the series' efficient delivery of compelling ethical confrontations, particularly in early episodes where protagonist Kim Sung-ryong's schemes exposed systemic malfeasance at TQ Group. This approach was lauded for innovating within the office drama genre by prioritizing character-driven moral reckonings over rote . However, the narrative faced criticism for uneven pacing, especially in later arcs where repetitive business intrigue overshadowed character development and humor. One review highlighted a slow-moving plot bogged down by incessant corporate politics, which diluted the initial satirical bite despite intermittent triumphs against . Similarly, observations of redundancy in corruption-focused subplots suggested the series occasionally prioritized formulaic escalation over nuanced progression. The depiction of chaebol-style corruption, centered on embezzlement and executive malfeasance, drew mixed assessments; while commended for spotlighting employee resistance to top-down graft, some found its portrayal streamlined for comedic effect, sidestepping the multifaceted regulatory and economic layers of actual Korean conglomerates. This simplification, per critiques, rendered the ethical battles entertaining yet somewhat detached from the entrenched, institutionally protected dynamics observed in real scandals like those involving or Hyundai in the 2010s.

Audience and Commercial Success

The series garnered substantial fan engagement through its high rewatch value in the office comedy genre, with viewers citing its blend of humor, relatable workplace dynamics, and character-driven narratives as factors encouraging multiple viewings. Namgoong Min's charismatic portrayal of the protagonist Kim Sung-ryong not only anchored the show's appeal but also elevated his career trajectory, transitioning him from dramatic roles to leading comedic successes and solidifying his status as a top actor by 2017. Commercially, album, featuring tracks like "Must Be the Money" by and contributions from artists such as GB9 and Seenroot, was released on April 7, 2017, providing an additional revenue stream via physical and digital sales, though precise figures remain undisclosed in . Merchandise tied to the drama, including OST CDs, supported sales among dedicated fans, aligning with broader K-drama trends where ancillary products extend economic viability beyond broadcast. Internationally, "Good Manager" achieved notable streaming success on platforms offering subtitles, such as Viki—where it holds a 9.5/10 user rating from 19,396 reviews—and Netflix, fostering global viewership among audiences drawn to its accessible comedy without relying on heavy romantic tropes. This post-broadcast digital accessibility amplified its reach, contributing to sustained fan communities and indirect commercial benefits through platform algorithms and user recommendations.

Criticisms and Debates

Critics have debated whether "Good Manager" unduly glamorizes rule-bending and extra-legal tactics in combating corporate malfeasance, portraying the protagonist Kim Sung-ryong's shift from to internal reform as endorsing vigilante justice rather than reliance on formal legal or regulatory mechanisms. This perspective holds that the series' comedic emphasis on clever circumvention of company hierarchies and accounting manipulations risks undervaluing compliance with established laws, potentially influencing viewers toward viewing institutional processes as inherently ineffective. The drama's sharp anti-corporate , depicting the fictional TQ Group as emblematic of -style exploitation, intersected with South Korea's 2017 political landscape, where scandals involving Samsung's —arrested on December 18, 2016, for bribery tied to then-President —fueled public demands for reforms following Park's on March 10, 2017. Some observers contended this framing amplified against large conglomerates, portraying executives as uniformly villainous amid ongoing economic contributions from s, which accounted for approximately 80% of South Korea's GDP in 2017, without sufficiently acknowledging the need for balanced regulatory approaches under the incoming administration's fair economy policies. Counterarguments highlight the series' focus on individual and ethical evolution as a to collectivist corporate cultures, where personal initiative drives positive change without romanticizing , aligning with first-hand accounts of dynamics in Korean firms. Limited discussions also note reinforcement of stereotypes, depicting them as either comically inept rule-followers or sly manipulators, as analyzed in examinations of professional portrayals across Korean media. No significant scandals or widespread backlash emerged, reflecting the show's overall alignment with contemporaneous public sentiment on corporate .

Awards and Nominations

Major Wins

At the 2017 KBS Drama Awards, held on December 31, 2017, Good Manager secured key victories that underscored its widespread appeal, bolstered by nationwide viewership ratings averaging approximately 8.2% per AGB Nielsen Korea measurements across its 20-episode run, with peaks reaching 10.9% for the finale. Namkoong Min earned the Top Excellence Award (Actor category) for his portrayal of Kim Sung-ryong, the unconventional accountant-turned-corporate reformer central to the series' satirical take on office dynamics. Lee Jun-ho received the Excellence Award (Medium-length Drama, Actor category) for his role as the idealistic prosecutor Seo Yul, whose contributed to the drama's blend of comedy and moral intrigue. Namkoong Min and Lee Jun-ho also clinched the Best Couple Award, a fan-voted honor recognizing their bromantic , which became a highlight amid the show's consistent double-digit positioning in weekly top-20 ratings charts.

Recognition for Performances

received a for at the for his portrayal of the titular character Kim Sung-ryong, an eccentric accountant turned corporate whistleblower, highlighting the performance's impact in a competitive field that included for . This recognition underscored the dramatic's blend of and , though the award ultimately went to on May 3, 2017. Lee Jun-ho earned a for Best New at the 2017 for his role as Seo Yul, the ambitious and initially antagonistic finance director whose contributed to the ensemble's dynamic interplay. This nod marked an early highlight in his acting transition from idol singer, signaling rising recognition for his ability to embody complex antagonists within the . Additionally, he was nominated for Best Idol at the 2018 Soompi Awards, reflecting fan and industry appreciation for his breakout villainous turn. The cast's collective performances, noted for their chemistry in portraying office rivalries and moral dilemmas, received further nods at genre-specific honors, though specific ensemble categories were limited; individual recognitions like those for Min and Jun-ho emphasized the strength of key roles in elevating the series' satirical edge.

Legacy

Cultural and Industry Impact

The series "Chief Kim," aired in 2017, influenced post-broadcast analyses of South Korean corporate culture by depicting the internal struggles of employees against chaebol-style , contributing to academic examinations of hustle culture and its effects on workers. A 2024 study utilized the drama as a to illustrate pervasive long-hour work norms and hierarchical pressures in Korean offices, underscoring how such portrayals reflect and potentially normalize exploitative practices while highlighting resistance strategies. Similarly, a 2025 of stereotypes in Korean dramas referenced "Chief Kim" for portraying the through a lens of ethical dilemmas and clever maneuvering, influencing perceptions of financial roles in media beyond traditional villainy or tedium. In the industry, the drama's blend of and critique elevated workplace satires, with its high viewership—peaking at 12.5% nationwide ratings—demonstrating demand for narratives addressing real economic inequities without overt politicization, as noted in end-of-year media roundups. This resonated in subsequent discussions, including a 2025 social media post linking K-dramas like "Chief Kim" to debates on and anti-corruption stands, fostering broader media conversations on employee agency in rigid hierarchies. However, empirical data on direct societal shifts, such as increased enrollments or formalized reforms attributable to the series, remains undocumented in peer-reviewed or statistical sources.

Influence on Korean Drama Tropes

Chief Kim's portrayal of Kim Sung-ryong, a corrupt who infiltrates a conglomerate's auditing department to expose , established a template for the anti-hero in corporate thrillers, blending financial acumen with to challenge institutional . This archetype, where a flawed expert leverages specialized knowledge against unethical executives, echoed in subsequent series like Special Labor Joe (2019), featuring a labor dismantling corporate malfeasance through insider tactics akin to Kim's auditing schemes. Similarly, (2021), penned by the same writer Park Jae-bum, adapted the anti-hero mold to a dismantling a conglomerate, retaining the motif of a cunning outsider weaponizing professional skills for amid of excesses. The series advanced ensemble-driven office comedies by emphasizing interpersonal alliances among mid-level employees against hierarchical abuse, influencing post-2017 workplace satires that prioritize over individual romance. Dramas such as (2019) mirrored this through a of vendors resisting corporate , fostering camaraderie in absurd professional battles much like the TQ Group's ragtag auditors. This shift favored realistic depictions of bureaucratic absurdities and team-based triumphs, evident in the genre's expansion into feel-good ensemble narratives critiquing labor inequities without relying on melodramatic tropes. No direct adaptations of Chief Kim emerged, distinguishing its tropes as organically disseminated rather than franchised. A 2026 drama titled Chief Kim, starring and adapted from an unrelated , centers on an inter-Korean operative posing as an ordinary , bearing no narrative connection to the 2017 series despite the shared title.

References

  1. https://asianwiki.com/Good_Manager
  2. https://mydramalist.com/20340-good-manager
  3. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6352982/
  4. https://dramabeans.com/2017/01/chief-kim-episode-1/
  5. https://asianwiki.com/2017_KBS_Drama_Awards
  6. https://kdramakisses.com/2017/04/24/chief-kim-korean-drama-review/
  7. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6352982/plotsummary/
  8. https://dramabeans.com/2017/01/chief-kim-episode-2/
  9. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6352982/episodes/
  10. https://dramabeans.com/tag/chief-kim/
  11. https://thekdramaroo.wordpress.com/2020/05/12/review-good-manager-2017/
  12. https://nekosdrama.wordpress.com/2017/05/04/drama-review-chief-kim-kbs-2017/
  13. https://my2dheart.wordpress.com/2020/04/30/review-chief-kim/
  14. https://dramaforlife.fandom.com/wiki/Chief_Kim
  15. https://mydramalist.com/20340-good-manager/cast
  16. https://en.namu.wiki/w/%25EA%25B9%2580%25EA%25B3%25BC%25EC%259E%25A5/%25EB%2593%25B1%25EC%259E%25A5%25EC%259D%25B8%25EB%25AC%25BC
  17. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6352982/fullcredits/
  18. https://www.soompi.com/article/958637wpp/kim-won-hae-steals
  19. https://dramabeans.com/2017/03/chief-kim-episode-17/
  20. https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/south-koreas-chaebol-challenge
  21. https://www.funcurve.com/drama/chief-kim-korean-drama-review/
  22. https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1286&context=scjilb
  23. https://monthlyreview.org/articles/crisis-management-in-south-korea-and-the-hegemonic-strategy-of-the-chaebols/
  24. https://dramabeans.com/2017/03/chief-kim-episode-11/
  25. https://dramabeans.com/2017/04/chief-kim-episode-20-final/
  26. https://breakingdownthehype.wordpress.com/2017/05/06/kdrama-review-chief-kim/
  27. http://kahoidong.com/corruption/whistleblower.html
  28. https://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/18kqiy/korean_lawmaker_who_exposed_samsung_corruption/
  29. https://www.ifrs.org/content/dam/ifrs/meetings/2013/june/ifrs-advisory-council/ap2b-adoption-and-implementation-in-korea.pdf
  30. https://www.iflr.com/article/2a63733ixysbvclirjx41/adoption-of-korean-ifrs
  31. https://www.ifrs.org/use-around-the-world/use-of-ifrs-standards-by-jurisdiction/view-jurisdiction.html/south-korea/
  32. https://www.ifac.org/about-ifac/membership/profile/korea
  33. https://www.reuters.com/article/world/chronology-south-koreas-major-financial-scandals-idUSSP250014/
  34. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/05/business/samsung-lee-south-korea.html
  35. https://www.reuters.com/business/samsung-chief-faces-ruling-controversial-merger-2025-02-02/
  36. https://www.ifrs.org/content/dam/ifrs/publications/jurisdictions/pdf-profiles/south-korea-ifrs-profile.pdf
  37. https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-08-27/business/industry/Korea-doubles-fines-for-accounting-fraud-threatens-to-sanction-involved-executives/2385565
  38. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1061951820300070
  39. https://dramabeans.com/2016/11/namgoong-min-courted-to-become-quirky-boss-chief-kim/
  40. https://www.scribd.com/document/722019180/Good-Manager
  41. https://www.allkpop.com/article/2016/12/nam-goong-min-nam-sang-mi-and-junho-confirmed-for-chief-kim
  42. https://www.soompi.com/article/922531wpp/namgoong-min-nam-sang-mi-talks-new-kbs-drama
  43. https://dramabeans.com/2022/10/you-can-only-pick-one-namgoong-min-performance/
  44. https://www.soompi.com/article/942881wpp/2pms-junho-praised-villainous-acting-chief-kim
  45. https://www.soompi.com/article/951557wpp/namgoong-min-displays-team-chemistry-cast-chief-kim
  46. https://theaccidentaldramaqween.wordpress.com/2021/09/25/oppa-of-the-month-nam-goong-min/
  47. https://blog.naver.com/vertexblog/220934260512
  48. https://www.jjan.kr/article/20170216604014
  49. https://variety.com/2017/tv/asia/korean-dramas-descendants-of-the-sun-pre-produced-format-1202019925/
  50. https://blog.naver.com/kiej38/220956179815
  51. https://locationmarket.co.kr/bbs/board.php?bo_table=sub0202&wr_id=88
  52. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XopjHsZjb1s
  53. https://www.kpopalbums.com/products/mr-chief-kim-good-manager-2017-kbs-korean-tv-drama-ost-mr-chief-kim-good-manager-ost
  54. https://wiki.d-addicts.com/Chief_Kim_OST
  55. http://www.maniadb.com/album/746600
  56. https://music.bugs.co.kr/album/20091430
  57. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydnFT_nlW8g
  58. https://popgasa.com/2017/01/25/dindin-must-be-the-money-chief-kim-ost/
  59. https://www.viki.com/tv/32747c-good-manager
  60. https://dramabeans.com/2017/01/drama-viewership-ratings-for-the-week-of-jan-23-29-2017/
  61. https://www.yahoo.com/news/chief-kim-k-drama-ratings-191937147.html
  62. https://www.soompi.com/article/945373wpp/office-comedy-chief-kim-wins-hearts-wednesday-thursday-drama-viewers
  63. https://sports.khan.co.kr/article/201703062225003
  64. https://news.nate.com/view/20170310n03640
  65. https://v.daum.net/v/20170317064922549
  66. https://kdramakisses.com/2017/03/26/chief-kim-keeps-the-lead-in-korean-drama-ratings-radiant-office-sees-small-increase/
  67. http://www.kookje.co.kr/news2011/asp/newsbody.asp?code=0500&key=20170330.99002072706
  68. https://enews.imbc.com/News/RetrieveNewsInfo/202120
  69. https://www.soompi.com/article/944887wpp/chief-kim-jumps-ratings-nearly-overtakes-saimdang-lights-diary
  70. https://www.soompi.com/article/950867wpp/chief-kim-continues-conquer-time-slot-hits-new-ratings-peak
  71. https://redwatchestv.wordpress.com/2018/06/23/chief-kim-review/
  72. https://www.soompi.com/article/949179wpp/namgoong-min-explains-chief-kim-popular
  73. https://www.soompi.com/article/959601wpp/namgoong-min-discusses-love-acting-makes-chief-kim-charming
  74. https://www.ebay.com/itm/174755812173
  75. https://www.tatlerasia.com/lifestyle/entertainment/k-dramas-cult-status-low-viewers
  76. https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Series/ChiefKim
  77. https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/1196443
  78. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/383417887_Accountant_Stereotypes_in_Korean_Dramas
  79. https://www.soompi.com/article/1100979wpp/winners-2017-kbs-drama-awards
  80. https://sports.donga.com/ent/article/all/20180101/87973294/1
  81. https://www.sedaily.com/NewsView/1RU9AD97L5
  82. https://www.soompi.com/article/970317wpp/gong-yoo-park-bo-gum-namgoong-min-han-suk-kyu-nominated-best-actor-baeksang-art-awards-nominations
  83. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6352982/awards/
  84. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5675066/awards/
  85. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/385948981_Examining_The_Impact_of_Hustle_Culture_on_South_Korean_Workers
  86. https://www.hellokpop.com/review/2017-best-korean-dramas/
  87. https://www.instagram.com/p/DITu9CSOTkX/
  88. https://bestsimilar.com/movies/72331-chief-kim
  89. https://www.reddit.com/r/KDRAMA/comments/okbcxi/vincenzo_chief_kim_storytelling_by_the_same_writer/
  90. https://www.reddit.com/r/kdramarecommends/comments/xnt9ze/similar_dramas_to_good_manager_chief_kim/
  91. https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-best-Korean-drama-with-an-ensemble-cast
  92. https://www.allkpop.com/article/2025/06/so-ji-sub-in-talks-to-star-as-secret-agent-in-webtoon-based-drama-manager-kim
  93. https://www.hancinema.net/korean_drama_Chief_Kim.php
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.