[Drama 2023] Agency, 대행사

[agenth]

EVENT: Soompi Forums Awards: The Best Daily/Weekend Dramas, C-Dramas and Best of the Rest of KDramas of 2022 - Poll #2

 

Vote for the Best Daily, CDramas and Rest of Kdramas of 2022 here. 2022 was again a year full of dramas, and here's your chance to show which ones you liked the best! 

 

Your Event Organizers,

@partyon @agenth @confusedheart @Sleepy Owl

[Tango27]

OK ..SO no one is subbing dramas anymore since they are bought by the streamers .. and if its not bought.. its never subbed ? like wth 

 

 

 

 

[confusedheart]

Soompi Forum Awards: Poll #3 - The Most Memorable Characters, The Worst Drama Endings, The Most 'Too Stupid to Live' (TSTL) Characters of 2022.

 

 

 

Dear Chingus, Vote for the Most Memorable Characters, The Worst Drama Endings, The Most 'Too Stupid to Live' (TSTL) Characters of 2022!

 

 

 

re: Your  friendly, neighbourhood EO Team: 

 

@confusedheart @partyon @agenth and @Sleepy Owl

 

 

[larus]

Agency: Episode 1 (First Impressions)

by quirkycase

Lee Bo-young is back in JTBC’s sleek office drama Agency, where scheming and backstabbing are an expected part of ad agency life. Our protagonist is a cold and efficient advertising creative director who has to fight for her right to exist in the male-dominated sphere, despite being more competent than everyone around her. With a promotion (and maybe her job) on the line, she gears up for a fierce competition to prove herself once again to the men who hold all the cards.

Editor’s note: Coverage will continue with weecaps.
 
EPISODE 1 FIRST IMPRESSIONS

 

The opening episode gives about what I expected – a glossy, modern workplace drama that hints at the faction wars and succession games to come. There aren’t many surprises, but it’s stylish and has Lee Bo-young at the center, so that’s in its favor.

This episode spends most of its time setting the scene, introducing us to the ad agency and its dynamics. You’d think the advertising business were life or death because the competition is intense. Creative Director GO AH-IN (Lee Bo-young) is the only woman of her rank at the conservative agency and has to work ten times as hard as her, sometimes incompetent, male counterparts just to ensure she’s not ousted.

The agency is most certainly a boys’ club, and they are hyper threatened by Ah-in. Her keen advertising sense and uber competence are legendary, which makes the men around her close ranks to try to keep her from one of the coveted executive spots they feel entitled to. Not that Ah-in lets that stop her.

 

Ah-in knows she’s the best and doesn’t mind being seen as cold and calculating so long as she wins. Her demeanor is often off-putting to men, but game company president JUNG JAE-HOON (Lee Ki-woo) finds her intriguing and tries (unsuccessfully) to recruit her – mostly to his company, but he doesn’t seem like he’d object to a more personal relationship if she were interested.

Despite the difficulties of her position, Ah-in seems to truly love advertising. While she may be great at her job, she’s not what you’d call a natural people manager. She’s constantly yelling at her subordinates for their — to her estimation — subpar work and seems almost impossible to please.

Newbie copywriter JO EUN-JUNG (Jeon Hye-jin) is barely five minutes into her first day when her predecessor marches up to Ah-in on her way out and yells that Ah-in is a hypocrite who uses people for her own gain. Ah-in barely bats an eye and bids her former employee adieu with a sense of disdain.

It’s safe to say that Ah-in is not the warm, fuzzy type or even someone who considers people’s feelings of any value. Thank goodness for kind manager HAN BYUNG-SOO (Lee Chang-hoon) to do the peopling for the team – I’m convinced there might not be a team without him holding everyone together.

 

Ah-in may not be liked, but no one can deny her instincts or skill. So when Director CHOI CHANG-SOO (Jo Sung-ha) announces that there will be a competition for the exec spot, KWON WOO-CHEOL (Kim Dae-gon) is worried because he’s pretty useless at his job. If it comes down to ability, there’s no contest.

However, as always, there’s politics at play. Woo-cheol may be incompetent, but he is on Chang-soo’s line. Chang-soo clearly respects Ah-in for her skill and efficiency, but she has too much of a mind of her own to be a safe bet. And Chang-soo is determined to snatch up the CEO position when the current CEO retires, so he reluctantly supports the incompetent Woo-cheol who at least will act as his puppet.

 

With the competition in full swing, both Ah-in’s and Woo-cheol’s teams get to work. For Ah-in’s team, that means all-nighters and working themselves to the bone to come up with ad campaign ideas for the presentation. Of course, those ideas are not up to Ah-in’s high standards. Rather than expressing her disappointment in a constructive way, Ah-in simply rips the offending ideas off the wall where her hardworking subordinates stuck them.

Is it so hard to be both competent and not make your underlings cry or feel worthless? Being cold and cruel aren’t the same thing. The team worked late hours for this, and enthusiastic rookie Eun-jung even broke a promise to her little boy that she’d be home on time that night. Does Ah-in really have to yell at and belittle her team to be work superwoman?

Before Ah-in storms out, Eun-jung bravely suggests another idea she had that she hadn’t thought good enough. She’s surprised when Ah-in finds it worthy and selects it for their presentation. Ah-in tells her team to put their rejected ideas back on the wall, knowing that Woo-cheol will try to sneak a peek later.

 

more https://www.dramabeans.com/2023/01/agency-episode-1-first-impressions/

[Maui808]

On 1/10/2023 at 8:21 AM, Tango27 said:

OK ..SO no one is subbing dramas anymore since they are bought by the streamers .. and if its not bought.. its never subbed ? like wth 

 

So it looks like K+ ASIA is subbing this drama. It seems like I need to go back to school and take another speed reading course. These English subs fly off and on the screen. To bad some other group is not subbing this drama.

 

 

 

[backstreetboysfan]

On 1/10/2023 at 11:52 AM, Tango27 said:

how it possible no one is subbing this drama ? why cause its realistic

its the only show not being subbed ! 

It is getting subbed It is just later subs, it happens sometimes.

[backstreetboysfan]

Here are the ratings for Episode 3! .

 

 

“Crash Course In Romance” Premieres To No. 1 Ratings; “Agency” And “Payback” Hit New All-Time Highs

Meanwhile, JTBC’s “Agency” and SBS’s “Payback” both achieved their highest ratings yet last night. Lee Bo Young‘s new drama “Agency” rose to an average nationwide rating of 6.5 percent for its third episode.

 

https://www.soompi.com/article/1562929wpp/crash-course-in-romance-premieres-to-no-1-ratings-agency-and-payback-hit-new-all-time-highs

 

[backstreetboysfan]

Here are the ratings for Episode 4! .

 

 

“Agency,” “Red Balloon,” And “Crash Course In Romance” All Reach Their Highest Ratings Yet

Four dramas soared to new all-time highs in viewership last night!

 

On January 15, JTBC’s new drama “Agency” successfully continued its streak of seeing its ratings rise with every episode. According to Nielsen Korea, the fourth episode of the new series jumped to an average nationwide rating of 8.9 percent.

 

https://www.soompi.com/article/1563056wpp/agency-red-balloon-and-crash-course-in-romance-all-reach-their-highest-ratings-yet

[larus]

Agency: Episode 2

by quirkycase

Our heroine is elated to finally reach her goal, only to discover the fight isn’t over. There’s more at play than she realized, and she finds herself facing an unwelcome choice about her future. Unless she decides to play entirely by her own rules.

 

EPISODE 2 WEECAP

This hour gave me just what I’d hoped for and let us get to know Ah-in a whole lot better. The first episode showed us the cool, collected advertising professional; the second showed us the human underneath. She’s had a rough upbringing and has fought to get where she is while everyone told her she was unworthy. Thankfully, Ah-in doesn’t listen very well.

We see a softer side of Ah-in after she finds out that she’s been promoted to Chief Creative Officer. She’s uncharacteristically sociable and treats her whole department to dinner, chatting and getting happy drunk. She’s so happy when she gets home that, in a very unwise move, she tosses all her meds.

You know who isn’t happy? Whiny Woo-cheol, that’s who. He throws a tantrum to Chang-soo for not recommending him for the position. Chang-soo tells the man-child to shut up and wait his turn.

 

For now, it’s Ah-in’s turn to shine, and she is having the time of her life as VC Planning’s first female exec. She’s on the cover of magazines and giving interviews about how she fought her way to the top. SEO EUN-JA (Kim Mi-kyung), an ajumma working at a restaurant, catches Ah-in’s interview on TV and stares transfixed as Ah-in talks about growing up without parents and being raised by an aunt who didn’t want her. (I’m getting long-lost mom vibes from the mixture of longing, pain, and regret in her eyes.)

Meanwhile, corporate politics ramp up with a new player on the scene. VC Group (our ad agency’s parent company) brings back the heir apparent KANG HANNA (Sohn Na-eun), grooming her for an exec spot. The grand scheme is to use Ah-in to pave the way so no one will cause a fuss saying the chaebol family made one of their own the first female executive.

 

Hanna is the daughter of CHAIRMAN KANG, the man Chang-soo has been kissing up to for a higher position. Hanna has been in the States earning her MBA. Well, that’s a little misleading considering she delegates her coursework to her secretary PARK YOUNG-WOO (Han Joon-woo). Despite her excessive delegation, they seem to have a pretty good relationship. He’s blunt with her and certainly not deferential.

Hanna is a bit of a wild card. She likes to cause trouble, and it’s hard to tell where her allegiances lie or what her goals are. She’s entitled and sometimes lazy, but she’s also quick witted and potentially a lot more competent than she lets on. Hanna may be like a spoiled child, but she doesn’t seem unkind or callous. At least, not so far.

 

morehttps://www.dramabeans.com/2023/01/agency-episode-2/

[Nomorelisa]

After episode 4, I wonder what Ah-In's game plan is in regards to her first meeting with Hanna.  Is she provoking her or setting her up to get her help in her fight to oust Choi?

[africandramalover]

The office politics in this drama is too much!! I'd hate to work in such a setting!! 

 

 

Otherwise, I'm enjoying this drama more than I expected.

 

The scene in episode 4 where Ah In and the psychiatrist are going at it was beautiful!! The psychiatrist provokes, and Lee Bo Young ate that scene up, showing the anger and fear in the character so realistically. I'll rewatch it a million times.

[backstreetboysfan]

Here are the ratings for Episode 5! .

 

 

“The Forbidden Marriage” Ends On Its Highest Saturday Ratings Yet

while JTBC’s “Agency” dropped to a nationwide average of 5.9 percent.

 

https://www.soompi.com/article/1563876wpp/the-forbidden-marriage-ends-on-its-highest-saturday-ratings-yet

 

[backstreetboysfan]

Here are the ratings for Episode 6! .

 

 

“Crash Course In Romance” Ratings Soar To New All-Time High

 

Meanwhile, JTBC’s “Agency” enjoyed a significant rise in viewership from the night before, climbing to an average nationwide rating of 7.7 percent for its sixth episode.

 

https://www.soompi.com/article/1563987wpp/crash-course-in-romance-ratings-soar-to-new-all-time-high

[Sleepy Owl]

Quick Poll: Upcoming Kdramas 2023

 

 

Vote for the upcoming kdrama you are eagerly waiting for!!! 

 

 

 

Your Event Organizers,

@Sleepy Owl @partyon @agenth @confusedheart 

[larus]

Agency: Episodes 5-6

by quirkycase

Our unconventional executive continues making waves and testing the limits in her fight for power, while our office newbie chaebol struggles to learn the ropes and play on the same level as her executive peers. It’s nonstop strategic power plays, but if there’s one thing that can make our rivals call a time-out, it’s profit. So when a mysterious lucrative opportunity comes their way, they might just be willing to play nice.

 

EPISODES 5-6 WEECAP

 

Hanna’s arrival brings a whole new dynamic, and it puts the strengths and weaknesses of our rival executives on display. Chang-soo has the status quo on his side but struggles to adjust when people don’t color inside the lines. Ah-in, on the other hand, is much more creative – she’s already outside of the traditional structure, so she doesn’t have the luxury of following the rules. It’s a battle between innovation and tradition. They’re both clever and skilled, but their power lies in opposing forces.

Some of Ah-in’s bold moves, like dissing the chairman’s daughter in front of the whole company, might seem reckless, but as always, she has a plan. Byung-soo is beside himself with anxiety over this latest play, but Ah-in is cool as a cucumber. If she wants Hanna to see her value and align with her, she needs to bare her teeth.

 

Hanna is very underprepared for office politics and barely manages to hold back before unleashing her tantrum on Young-woo in the privacy of her office. She’s caught between wanting to prove her independence and wanting quick solves to all her problems. Hanna is used to being coddled, so the first thing she does is run to her grandfather for advice about Ah-in’s insubordination. He’s impressed by Ah-in and encourages Hanna not to lose out on recruiting the best as your people – don’t be jealous of your “servants” (yikes), but utilize their skills.

So when Ah-in comes to Hanna with a proposition, Hanna listens. Ah-in suggests they spin the anti-corruption move she made as something Hanna suggested. They can use it as an indication of Hanna’s future leadership ability as a changemaker, pitting her against her brother. Judging by Hanna’s intense lean-in, she is very into this idea. As always, Hanna looks to Young-woo before deciding, and when he can’t deny the plan’s merits, Hanna forms a tenuous alliance with Ah-in.

 

It’s telling that both Ah-in and Hanna have extremely loyal subordinates who have worked under them for years. Byung-soo and Young-woo are always honest with their bosses and don’t hold back due to fear. Just goes to show the importance of surrounding yourself with people who aren’t afraid to tell you what you need to hear, rather than what you want to hear. In the end, I have a feeling this is where Chang-soo will falter because he is sorely lacking in the loyal followers department.

 

He and Ah-in both try to woo others to their side, but only Ah-in is successful. While Chang-soo’s attempts to sway Byung-soo are, of course, a bust, Ah-in swipes Won-hee who’s excellent at her job but hasn’t been promoted because she doesn’t look the part of a trendy executive. Won-hee cries when Ah-in promotes her to Creative Director based on her skills alone, and she agrees to the caveat that she’ll need to continue working with Woo-cheol to keep tabs on him.

It almost immediately pays off because Won-hee catches him prepping some inflammatory posters to put in the lobby on Chang-soo’s orders. The plan is to bring in subsidiary marketing execs and make it look like employees are against Ah-in’s anti-corruption move with the advertising clients. Unfortunately for team Chang-soo, they’re a step behind and don’t realize Ah-in has gotten Hanna onboard her anti-corruption train.

 

morehttps://www.dramabeans.com/2023/01/agency-episodes-5-6/

 

 

 

 

[hush puppy]

Hi everyone!  I am late.    Just as well.  I do not have to suffer the Agony of waiting for the next ep.

 

Not knowing what to watch, I simply "click" at "Agency".  I nearly gave up at Ep 1 when the New Copywriter promised her son she'll be home early.  I stopped there.

 

I tried a 2nd time.  Completed Ep 1 and love it.  Lee Bo Young looks different here.  I cannot recognise her.

 

The Office Politics is terrible.  As @larus has mentioned, it is a "Boys' Club".  Or is it a "Men's Club" ?

 

The ending of Ep 1 does not bode well.   I wonder how this Story will end for the Female Lead - Ah In.  She has already sacrificed her Health for this job:

 

- Working 24/7 for the Presentation

- The endless Cigarettes she was smoking on

- The Medicines she is taking

- Being played around by those Male Chauvinists.

- Being Misunderstood by her staffs

(These are based on my Understanding of Ep 1.   Let me know if I am wrong) 

 

[hush puppy]

I just finished Ep 2.   I had thought that Go Ah In is smart enough to realise that this Promotion is a Trap.  Even the Chairman's goofy daughter is able to figure it all out.

 

But I'm glad that she is able to pull herself together and starts to fight back.

 

Our World Is A Crazy One.  Everyone is fighting hard to climb the Ladder.  To paraphrase a proverb :  "We spend half our lives to get rich.  And when we get there, we find that we are already too old to enjoy it".  (Something like that.  Perhaps someone can help me with the right statement.  I have forgotten)

 

But what I am trying to say is it is not Worth to live like that.   Just do our best and balance our lives with the things and people who matters to us most.

 

I will stop at Ep 2 today.

 

@africandramalover   Great to see you here.

 

[larus]

4 hours ago, hush puppy said:

 I wonder how this Story will end for the Female Lead - Ah In.  She has already sacrificed her Health for this job:

 

From the synopsis, I get the vibe that she will win the 'battle'. She will succeed in what she will want to achieve.

[hush puppy]

I just finished Eps 3 & 4.

 

Ep 3:  Ends with Go Ah In planning to Divide & Rule.  But unfortunately her Opponent, Dir Choi Chang Soo knows her ploy.

 

Ep 4: 

On 1/18/2023 at 12:14 PM, Nomorelisa said:

After episode 4, I wonder what Ah-In's game plan is in regards to her first meeting with Hanna.  Is she provoking her or setting her up to get her help in her fight to oust Choi?

 

I get what you mean.  For that, I look forward to Ep 5.  But I get the Vibes that these 2 ladies will Get-Along like Fire.  Because both are pretty Independent and unconventional Ladies themselves.

 

The Management of this company stinks.  As with all Family-Orientated/ Dynastic Styled companies.  It is best to leave the management of a company to the Specialists.

 

P/S:  I don't enjoy watching Go Ah In's female Copywriter, Jo Eun Jung.  I FF most of her Scenes. 

Can someone pls tell me which days of the week are the Episodes Updated? Thanks

 

[larus]

니브(NIve) - Alarm (대행사 OST) Agency OST Part 3

 

 

Johnny Stimson - Don't Say- Agency OST part 1

 

Spoiler

 

SUNWOOJUNGA - Talk To Me (Agency OST Part.2)