Drama Side Story

Not like West Side Story.

What I mean is that I want to discuss side stories in drama. Most shows with try to juggle a side story with a main story and that doesn't really work out. Some side stories end up being better than the main story and that makes me wonder if maybe the main story was just a cover for the side story. Some side stories end up becoming the main stories down the line and they become awful messes. What are your observations for side stories?

I just rewatched The Secret Lovers, so I'll start with that.

The Secret Lovers - The main story is about Seo Yeongji, who wants to become a famous children's author while working odd jobs and Gim Junu, who is a yes man from a rich family. The side story is about Jeong Ami, who is a high-profile plastic surgeon who also has problems overcompensating due to her past and Choe Dogyeong, who wants to become rich at almost any cost. As the series progresses, we see that Junu is a very weak character and Yeongji also falters a lot. Choe Dogyeong is the most dynamic character and he gradually becomes a better person.

It makes me wonder if Dogyeong's story was the preferred story while the series was picked up because of the light-hearted Yeongji pitch. Junu just keeps going back and forth the entire series, even to the very end. Dogyeong becomes a selfless person and his story is the one that comes closer to a real resolution.


Pasta - The main story is about Seo Yugyeong, an aspiring chef and Choe Hyeonuk, a master chef who takes out his frustration of being betrayed on women working in his kitchen. There are multiple side stories, but they are handled as part of the main story and they do not include major conflict or complications. There is a side story that involves the establishment of a second restaurant that is left alone for the most part until the end. The side story is not important because it does not have a major effect on the main story.

I like how this one was handled. We see that the individuals in the series are people; the chefs Choe Hyeonuk brings in are maybe less than others, but they are still people. It doesn't try too hard to put secondary characters against the main two characters. It seems like these exchanges just happen. It's realistic.


History of the Salaryman - The main story is about Yu Bang, who is attempting to become a respectable salaryman by first completing a mission given to him by his company and Baek Yeochi, who is an heiress discontent with her grandfather. The side story mainly involves Choe Hangu, who is a high ranking officer at his company that tries to steal a secret product for unknown reasons and Cha Uhui, who is a team manager for for the company that creates the medicine.

I didn't like how the side story was handled. It doesn't really have any place in the series when it comes to Hangu and Uhui getting together. He almost kills her in order to steal the medicine and escape. I always use this as an example of "he's too pretty, so he can't be a bad guy." The main story was also gimped because of this. Without this awful side story, this would have made an excellent series.



I'm really tired now so I'll add more later. Please feel free to add your own and comment on what I have laid out.