Dramas and cartoons that deal with office politics

The most successful office drama in Korea was “Sun Tzu’s Tactics on TV,” which aired for six years from 1987. Set at trading company Jinsan Group, workers’ daily routines and the challenges they faced are depicted in a lighthearted, humorous way. In the 1980s, Korea experienced rapid economic growth, so the drama appealed to many people back then.

In the 1990s, the cartoon “Incredible Daeri Hong” and another called “Dexterous Daeri Mu” portrayed the mundane lives of workers in a warm and comical way. Many related to the Average Joes in the cartoons and how they got by one day after another in an office setting.

In contrast, there are office dramas and cartoons in which dramatic success stories take place. Park Bong-seong’s “20-Something Jaebeol” and “Those That Usher in Dawn” are classic examples. Famous cartoonist Huh Young-man also made several office cartoons, such as “Asphalt Man” and “Mister Q.”