2019 | Korean | Romance

I believe there’s a right time to read a book and until the time has arrived, you will either not enjoy reading the book or will set it aside for later. I’ve noticed the same is applicable to movies and series. There have been times I’ve started a series and stopped it after an episode or two because it didn’t appeal to me. Romance is a Bonus Book is one such drama. RIABB was recommended by the friend who introduced me to Korean dramas in 2019. Back then, I’d given up on the series after episode 4/5, for reasons I don’t really remember. But my 2022 viewing of RIABB has been a smooth sailing. Here’s the good and the bad of this series…

The plot of Romance is a Bonus Book

Kang Dan-i (Lee Na-young), a 37-year-old is scrambling to upgrade her life. The former advertising copywriter has separated from her husband who cheated on her and is now an unemployed single mother. Adding to the struggle of finding suitable employment after the long career gap is the fact that her house is being razed. So, to make ends meet, she is working as a housekeeper… at her best friend Cha Eun-ho’s (Lee Jong-suk) home and he doesn’t know it!

Eun-ho, 32, is a successful author, chief editor and one of the founding members of Gyeoroo publishing. He has been in love with Dan-i since he was a teenager but obviously, the latter is clueless. In the present (of the show) Eun-ho is unaware about Dan-i’s struggles. Eventually, Dan-i finds a job at Eun-ho’s publishing house, the latter finds out about her state of affairs and drags her to live with him until she finds her footing.

The story progresses in tandem with Dan-i’s professional and personal growth. She impresses her colleagues with her hard work and creative flair, makes new chingus and love comes knocking. Of course, the journey isn’t smooth as the duo navigate through personal and professional highs and lows but then, what’s a series without some drama, right? 

The Good…

A very generic and mundane description of this series would be that it is a mature friends-to-lovers romance, the story of a divorced woman fighting against the odds and winning. But just as life isn’t as simple, the series isn’t as generic.

Although branded a romantic comedy, Romance is a Bonus Book may not be a series that viewers in their 20s may relate with because honestly, most of the issues that the protagonist faces are the 30s problem – especially the ‘age discrimination’ and the various societal pressures that ‘aging’ women have to face. And when I say ‘age’ here, I mean women in their late 30s and 40s. It’s subtle but evident in the way Dan-i has to fudge her resume to land a menial job, the way she is berated for trying to take a job that ‘belongs’ to someone younger and her thoughts about exploring a romantic relationship with someone younger.

The highlight of this series is Lee Na-young and Lee Jong-suk’s acting. The former slays as Dan-i, effortlessly showing the character’s inner struggles and determination to survive, her presence of mind and her self-belief. She adds to the existing layers of the character and in doing so, she becomes a heroine viewers will relate to and empathise with – because trust me when I say, we’ve all been there at least once in life.

And please, I simple cannot not mention Lee Jong-suk. The man with the cute face can make your heart flutter and how! Jong-suk’s broad shoulders carry the role of Eun-ho with as much ease as they carry off those amazing long coats and sweaters (a little swoon here please). His admiration, love and support for his noona is evident in every single frame and is like that warm comforter that you want to snuggle into after a hard day. There are several emotional moments and the duo do a brilliant job with these without going overboard.

A key point of attraction here is the setting – Gyeoroo publishing. It makes me want to apply for a job there right away because that’s what a dream job would be, right? Your work is an extension of a genuine love, you get to live in the world of books day in and day out, your bestie works at the office and your love interest does too! And not to forget the colleagues that range from scary and tyrannical to weird and adorable. All the supporting characters – including the potential love interests Ji Seo-joon (Wi Ha-joon) and Song Hae-rin (Jung Yoo-jin) – are well etched, each with backstories that justify their behaviour and add to the storyline.

One of the best moments of the series are in the last episode, when a letter drawing comparison between life-relationships-books is read out. Its poignant, its heartwarming and the reason why the title of the series makes absolute sense.

… and The Bad

If you are the kind that needs drama and speed and a cliffhanging end to every episode then Romance Is A Bonus Book isn’t something you want to want. The series, albeit interesting, is a bit scattered and for non-Koreans, the references to books and authors can be a little confusing since we aren’t aware of them.

There is no shock value in the series, not even the unravelling of the mystery creates conflict. Moreover, with a lot of the information dropped in the first half of the series, the remaining episodes are more to tie up the knots and feel dragged out. I’d say chop off an episode and a half!

Its soothing, but sometimes, soothing can put you to sleep too.

Japanese Reality Show | 2012-2020

A Japanese reality show with a global following and a cult-like status, Terrace House’s focus on a select group of youth is endearing, addictive and complicated. 

A reality show following the seemingly mundane lives of a group of six Japanese youth living together in one house, the Terrace House series is at once serene and unsettling. Serene in the way it focuses on the regular lives of these young individuals who juggle their daily routine (including work, chores, and looking for ‘the one’) without being abrasive or rude. In fact, even their arguments and discussions feel tame, especially compared to the Big Boss-esque screaming we’re all used to! Terrace House is unsettling, too, as it gives viewers an insight into the socio-cultural patterns that shape the thoughts of Japanese youth, their perceptions and the idea of the ‘perfect man’ and ‘perfect woman’.

What’s Terrace House about?

Six individuals (and strangers) – three men + three women – are sent to live together in one house and interact with each other with the hope of finding love. Terrace House is like a boarding house or a temporary living quarter; the six continue to go about their daily lives while completing group activities and dating each other. If any individual decides to leave Terrace House for good, whether for personal or professional reasons or because they’re done, they can leave. A replacement walks in soon after to ensure the number stands at six.

The Good & Bad of Terrace House

Let’s start with the house itself. The living accommodations shown across the series are worthy of dedicated Pinterest boards with streamlined and aesthetically appealing interiors.

Whether the show is scripted continues to be a topic of debate across the internet. Irrespective of this, the appeal of this show lies in the fact that it is not as loud, crass or intense as other reality shows like The Bachelor, Big Boss or The Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives.

Since most of the individuals come from different walks of life, the viewer gets a chance to understand the different kinds of work profiles prevalent and accepted in Japanese culture. There is a daycare centre caretaker, a hair stylist, a hat designer, a model who part-times, a tap dancer, a teacher and someone who does nothing.

Terrace House moves at a turtle pace, which gets it brownie points. There is tension but not of the nailbiting variety; there are cliffhangers but not the kind you’d lose sleep over. It’s delightful and charming as the youngsters discuss the potential of someone they are interested in, share their dreams and sometimes even pitch in to help each other out of tough spots. 

Terrace House includes a group of commentators who watch the series and share their thoughts on the proceedings and the various individuals (some of them should simply be called ‘characters’). These commentators make you feel you are watching the show with friends, not alone.

But the show is not without its issues, the most disturbing being the undertones of patriarchy, the emphasis on physical beauty and the revelation that all was not right in the Terrace House world. And as you watch the series, you’ll realise there is a ‘pattern’ to the process; every shot is a bit too aesthetic and appealing, and the mundaneness seems forced. The male participants’ efforts and discussions around being emphatic about their ‘maleness’, the unacceptance and commentary on the female participants who do not fit the ‘demure’ and ‘good looking’ norms set by the Japanese society are cringeworthy. They will make you question the series unless you are in a Terrace House coma.

The death by suicide of a former participant due to cyberbullying resulting from her non-conforming reaction on the show opened the proverbial can of worms that has led to the series being pulled off for the time being. You can check out these interesting articles, which, even if you aren’t going to watch the show, are great reads – The tragic lie behind the beautiful dream of Terrace House & The Fall of ‘Terrace House’.

Controversies and the scripting debate set aside, Terrace House is a pleasantly relatable and calming watch. Watching the participants interact with each other, explore their interpersonal dynamics, weigh in on each other’s attractions along with theirs and trying to find romance is something that you’d definitely want to watch at the end of a hectic, stressful day. The series offers an insight into a different, experimental genre of reality shows contrived to entertain. But at whose cost is the question.

If2022 | South Korea | Rom Com

A series that’s been trending since its release, and for the right reasons. The Business Proposal is a wholesome entertainer, a rom-com that celebrates all the tropes we crib about but secretly love!

What’s it about?

Shin Ha-ri (Kim Se-jeong) goes on a blind date in place of her bestie Jin Young-seo (Seol In-ah). Their aim is to get Young-seo rejected because she’d prefer to find her own life partner rather than marry someone her father picked out. But things go downhill for Ha-ri when she realizes that the suitor is Kang Tae-moo (Ahn Hyo-seop), the CEO of her company! Stuck helping her friend, Ha-ri continues the charade. But only until Young-seo bumps into Cha Sung-hoon (Kim Min-kyu), Tae-moo’s secretary and best friend.

A disgruntled and cornered Ha-ri claims to be someone she’s not (yes!) to save her job and is then bullied by Tae-moo to be his fake date. While the lead bungle along these lines, trust-fund baby Young-seo moves out of her father’s home to make her own life. Her neighbour is Sung-hoon – her heart flutters, he is reluctant. The two couples sort through various differences like class, monetary status, misunderstandings, family and more to come together (but obviously!).

The Good & Bad

It’s apparent things will work out for both the couples by the last episode. But as with every drama, it’s the journey that matters. And the Business Proposal gets that journey right!

The makers don’t waste time justifying the use of tropes, nor do they waste time dragging out angles (no triangle here) to stretch the series. It’s evident in the first episode that this series will be a fun ride, and the makers do not disappoint, nor do they allow the series to become a weep fest. However, the makers do not rush through the story; it progresses naturally and the individual struggles seem viable and relatable. Business Proposal is focused on the two couples who’ve all got off-the-charts chemistry – as romantic couples and friends! The chemistry and comic timing are the highlights of this ‘tropefest’ and of course, the ‘good looks’ that K-dramas are famous for and one of the main reasons we love them.

Is it a unique K-drama? Not at all. As I’ve mentioned repeatedly, Business Proposal is a romantic comedy that celebrates tropes and has certain portions that’ll make you want to eye-roll. But the eye-roll will be with an indulgent smile because blame the actors; they’re that good at their job.

A must-watch if you love romcoms and need to give your grey cells a break. Strictly avoid it if you are looking for a ‘story’.

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