Salaryman
(225 Comments)
Title: 샐러리맨 초한지 / Salaryman
Chinese Title: 工薪族楚汉志
Also Known as : History of the Salaryman / Salaryman Chohanji
Genre: melodrama, Comedy
Episodes: 22
Broadcast network: SBS
Broadcast period: 2012-Jan-02 to 2012-March-13
Air time: Monday & Tuesday 21:55
Synopsis
This drama is based of ‘The Romance of the Three Kingdoms‘ in set dark world of Salaryman workers.
This drama depicts the trial and tribulations of the average salaryman, from humble beginnings to success. This drama portray the salaryman’s loneliness and isolation, struggles, sorrows, hopes and successes in a realistic light.
One night Yoo Bang (Lee Bum Soo) enters a dark, mysterious villa with nothing but a flashlight, only to find an executive of the Chunha Medical Group, Ho Hae slouched in a chair, dead and Jin Ho Hae’s niece, Yeo Chi (Jung Ryu Won) hiding behind a curtain. At Ho Hae’s funeral, Yoo Bang and Yeo Chi are suddenly taken into custody for his murder. We’re taken three months into the past to reveal what led to this murder and exactly who was responsible. During this flashback we meet Choi Hang Woo (Jung Gyu Woon), a director from Ho Hae’s rival pharmaceutical company, who is undercover to steal the formula for their new drug and the Chief Researcher from Chunha Group, Cha Woo Hee (Hong Soo Hyun). The lives of these individuals will all be intertwined within these three months to reveal exactly just who murdered Ho Hae, and why. (Source)
Cast
Main cast
Lee Bum Soo as Oh Yoo Bang
Jung Ryu Won as Baek Yeo Chi
Jung Gyu Woon as Choi Hang Woo
Hong Soo Hyun as Cha Woo Hee
Supporting cast
Kim Suh Hyung as Mo Ga Bi
Lee Duk Hwa as Jin Shi Hwang
Kim Il Woo as Jang Ryang
Yoon Yong Hyun as Bun Kwae
Lee Ki Young as Park Beom Jeung
Yoo Hyung Kwan as So Ha
Yang Hyung Wook as Han Shin
Kim Eung Soo as Oh Ji Rak
Park Sang Myun as Jin Ho Hae
Jang Hyun Sung as Choi Hang Ryang
Lee Seung Yun (이승연) as Kim Ban Jang
Cameo
Lee Joon as Yeo Chi’s boyfriend
Lee Joo Shil as Yoo Bang’s mother
Im Hyun Shik as Yoo Bang’s father
Jung Bo Suk as Jo Pil Yun
Kang Kyung Joon
Jun Jae Hyung
Production Credits
Director: Yoo In Sik
Screenwriter: Jang Young Chul, Jung Kyung Soon (정경순)
Episode Ratings
| Date | Episode | Nationwide | Seoul |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-01-02 | 1 | 8.1 | 9.9 (19th) |
| 2012-01-03 | 2 | 10.2 (19th) | 11.9 (12th) |
| 2012-01-09 | 3 | 11.3 (13th) | 12.8 (9th) |
| 2012-01-10 | 4 | 10.2 (17th) | 12.1 (12th) |
| 2012-01-16 | 5 | 13.5 (7th) | 14.9 (3rd) |
| 2012-01-17 | 6 | 11.5 (14th) | 12.2 (10th) |
| 2012-01-23 | 7 | 9.2 (8th) | 9.4 (9th) |
| 2012-01-24 | 8 | 12.6 (3rd) | 14.5 (3rd) |
| 2012-01-30 | 9 | 14.5 (4th) | 16.1 (3rd) |
| 2012-01-31 | 10 | 15.9 (3rd) | 17.3 (3rd) |
| 2012-02-06 | 11 | 17.1 (3rd) | 19.1 (2nd) |
| 2012-02-07 | 12 | 19.4 (3rd) | 21.5 (2nd) |
| 2012-02-13 | 13 | 20.1 (3rd) | 23.8 (1st) |
| 2012-02-14 | 14 | 20.4 (3rd) | 22.9 (1st) |
| 2012-02-20 | 15 | 21.6 (2nd) | 25.2 (1st) |
| 2012-02-21 | 16 | 22.2 (2nd) | 24.3 (1st) |
| 2012-02-27 | 17 | 21.0 (3rd) | 22.8 (1st) |
| 2012-02-28 | 18 | 23.0 (2nd) | 25.2 (1st) |
| 2012-03-05 | 19 | 22.7 (3rd) | 24.7 (1st) |
| 2012-03-06 | 20 | 23.3 (1st) | 24.5 (1st) |
| 2012-03-12 | 21 | 22.1 (2nd) | 23.5 (1st) |
| 2012-03-13 | 22 | 24.2 (1st) | 24.7 (1st) |
Source: TNmS Media Korea
Note
- Because of conflict of fee payment between South Korea’s integrated cable operators and KBS (cable operators want KBS, SBS and MBC to lower the retransmission fee of their programs), the cable TV system operators stopped carrying the signal of KBS2 TV station on 16/January/2012, causing the ratings of KBS drama series Brain dropped significantly, falling from top ranking position to last ranking position. Because most of the audience cannot watch Brain, the ratings of MBC drama Lights and Shadows and SBS drama Salaryman surged on that day. (Source)
- On 21/Feb/2012, this drama decided to add 2 episodes extension to the total of 22 episode which will end on 13/March/2012.
Awards
2012 SBS Drama Awards: Top Excellence Actress Awards (Mini Series), Jung Ryu Won (Salaryman, King of Dramas)
2012 SBS Drama Awards: Special Acting Awards (Mini Series), Lee Duk Hwa (Salaryman)
2012 SBS Drama Awards: Top 10 Stars Awards, Jung Ryu Won (Salaryman, King of Dramas)
Related Photo
Other Photo From Official Site
February 26th, 2012 at 7:23 pm
Oh n Mo’s laugh scene at the end of ep 12 seems pathological to me!
February 26th, 2012 at 8:39 pm
@KDaddict -125
You are catching up fast, already at ep 12! Did u watch the epilogue on meat grilling session between HW/ WC? HW was so funny.
I first saw the actress that played YC in My name is Kim Sam Soom. She played the female antagonist that your idol, Hyun Bin was in love with and went abroad when she had cancer. She also appeared as leading lady in Which Star Are You From with Kim Rae Won and last drama before Salaryman was Princess Ja Myung. After that, she only appeared in films and Salaryman is her first drama after 3 years, I think.
February 26th, 2012 at 9:52 pm
@tc-127,
Only 3-4 eps a day, brings me to ep 12 in a few Ds. No sweat! I’m deliberately going slow so as to savor it! Or else I’d do 6-7 a D!
Ya, I saw the meat grilling session. The beauty of this writing is that they can take sth common n make it so funny. The true mark of comedy!
But you r wrong, HB is Not my idol, but my BF. If he were my idol, I’d like him in every drama. I only like him as Kim Joo Won, so I take him as my bf for the time being. Hee hee.
So it was in Kim SS that I saw that actress! She’s not v pretty, but is a good comedienne. I didn’t watch Which Star R U fr or Ja Myung. Hey, I notice that you’ve watched a lot of dramas that I haven’t. I’ve watched abt 110-120 KDs (I have the list). How come you’ve seen all things things that I haven’t, huh?
February 26th, 2012 at 10:22 pm
Ep 13:
Oh shit! Mo Gabi is murdering Grandpa President! What a poisonous snake! I hope the guy who is bedding her (Park) gets his head bitten off, together w his dxxx. N what ending does she deserve?
Doesn’t Grandpa notice that he is taken ill each time after he injects himself w that insulin? He should stay in the hosp for a while rather than keep jabbing himself.
I like YChi a lot, a 180 degree turn fr the beginning. She is genuine, she is clueless, she is guileless. HangW said that as soon as she writes more than 1 sentence in Eng, her grammar is all wrong! She can’t get 1 person to complete her questionnaire! It makes her seem rather helpless.
But I don’t understand why HangWoo reacted like that after YC saved him fr his peanut attack. Why throw her out the door, just bc she gave him mouth to mouth to save his life?
February 26th, 2012 at 10:52 pm
This is one of the best show I have seen so far. Great plot and story. All fantastic actors and actress……my fav gal has got to be Yeo Chi.
February 26th, 2012 at 11:18 pm
What the heck is that at the end of ep 13, that epilogue on war n carnage? That business is war, that it too leaves casualties, n needs nurses n aid? That YeoChi is a bride whose man (men) has (have) gone to war? Hahaha. It sure is offbeat w dark humor.
I appreciate that the show goes to so much trouble to give us these epilogues, esp. one that needs as much staging as this one, when they don’t have to at all! It should win awards come that time of year! It’s only Feb, but I think I’ll probably vote this as best drama of 2012!
February 27th, 2012 at 12:12 am
@KDaddict- 129
Actually, I lost count of the no of KDs that I have watched over the last 4 years, a latecomer but used to be a serial watcher and can finish 1 20-eps drama over a weekend! Just like you, I decided to be selective and try to cut down on watching dramas this year. However, I think I will be throwing out this resolution out of the window with so many good dramas coming out – Rooftop Prince ( have to fight over Jenny for Micky), Kings w 2 hearts, Can Love Become Money, Equator Man, Dr Jin and Gentlemen Dignity with long awaited Jang Dong Gun!
Oops, I will be mindful of keeping away from your HB and let you ” hug” him first when he is out from military end of this year ( in our dreams I mean).
I think HW is confused with his own feelings regarding YChi. All this while, he always regarded YChi as his enemy due to what Grandpa did to his dad but now YChi actually turns out to be his saviour and I think he finds it hard to reconcile this fact now.
February 27th, 2012 at 1:34 am
Ep 14:
OK, I’m having a serious problem with the script at this pt, near the end of ep 14! With all that wealth n that serious a health problem, plus he is already suspicious of Mo GaBi, Grandpa should really have hired one or two private nurses to stay by his side, 24/7, n maybe add a doctor to it for good measure. He insulin is just lying around in his desk w no security at all. Does that make sense? He should have taken more measures to protect himself, if he is so smart, or if he is the strategist that built up that big corporation. With his declining health n eyesight, he really should have put a few more ppl around himself, rather then just being cloistered up w Mo Gabi alone!
February 27th, 2012 at 1:38 am
@tc-132,
Laneige was giving out calendars around Christmas. They have HB’s photos printed on them. So I went there for abt 7 Ds in a row, n bought sth every day, so that they’d give me the calendars. Now I have them up in my study, in front of me, behind me, in my BR, etc. Hee hee.
Good pt, abt HW being confused. He didn’t want to feel indebted or grateful to YC for having saved his life!
February 27th, 2012 at 4:03 am
Ep 15:
Grandpa died n left the corp in chaos? N his beloved grand-d on a lurch? Why do I think that he is much smarter than that? He should have taken some precautions, no? Where the hell is the law firm that is in charge of his real will? Surely an inheritance that is worth That much has more than one lawyer looking after it. Or else anyone can bribe that single lawyer n present their own fake will. Nonsense.
Ep 16:
If it were not for that prof at the hosp telling WH Grandpa’s cause of death, I almost believe that it is a ruse that he is pulling, to see who he can trust n who can’t.
Mo Gabi has got to be psycho. That actress is downrt scary.
YChi is proving that she is fr Grandpa’s bloodline after all–when the going gets tough, the tough gets going!
HangW also to get rid of Mo. He’s lost his side-kick, Park, who chooses to be loyal to Mo. Who does HW have on his side, WooH, who is aligned w YB. So the 2 alpha males will be on the same side, against Mo, for once. Interesting.
Love that epilogue. But why is YB seeing a hypnotist?
OK, I’m caught up. Waiting for eps 17, 18 this week!
February 27th, 2012 at 6:36 am
Someone knows where i could find that epic rocky instrumental tune we hear every time something big happens ? You can hear it loud and clear at the end of ep 15 when they vote for the new CEO. I just love that track !
February 27th, 2012 at 10:25 am
I need to re-watch this to pay attn to YChi’s clothes. They r supposed to be real expensive or designer wear. Why does she give the impression of a bag woman to me? I know that when she goes to the hosp to see her grandpa, she is wearing a pink Hermes Birkin bag, or one that looks like it. But why doesn’t she have that rich girl feel, like other heiresses in KDs? Is it becos of that hair? This make-up artist confuses me!
Agree w Mysti: that tune is epic. Would love to have it on my iPod for running on my treadmill!
February 27th, 2012 at 10:58 am
One of my fav MVs on YT : How it feels to be with you. Hilarious.
http://youtu.be/qPV4cuk9i3k
February 27th, 2012 at 12:49 pm
Jang Ryang seems entirely too relaxed just being an investment consultant. Would he really be so non-chalant abt not being back at Chun Ha? Grandpa did tell him to “come back to CH when u have enough rest”. I’d like to believe that Grams has tasked him to do more than just give money to YB to invest. I hold out hope that the old man is too clever for Snake Sec to lop off n cheat his beloved GrandD out of her inheritance!
February 27th, 2012 at 5:08 pm
Ep 16 is a v interesting ep:
At the meeting, when the lawyer comes in w the old man who owns lots of stocks, to announce that the President has a will, YB says to JRyang, “The President has a will?”. Come on, it’d be a hugh surprise if he didn’t, rt?
“Mo Gabi”, her name means “UN-comparable”. She’s that all rt!
The media portrays these women as being extremely desirable. Whether it be Mo Gabi or WooH, I just find them all boney. Where is the sexiness in that?
Ah, I’ve finally found a look on JungGW that I like: it is w his hair just washed n dried, w no mousse, no styling, as in ep 16. He looks kinda cute w it. Usually I find him suspicious looking.
YChi calls sb in her skid-row hotel room, to say “I got your report”. Who does she call? I think it is JRyang.
Later, JRyang tells YB that he received a call today. It is time for them to act. Who did he get a call fr? YC?
YB buys her apt, furnishings n car back for YC. She gets to see once n for all who cares for her when she is down n out. Wouldn’t u want to marry YB n only YB if you were her?
At ep’s end, 2 pictures r put up side by side, YB on L, MoGB on R. MoGB finally has got herself a worthwhile nemesis!
I know why YB is being hypnotized: he is getting treated for alcoholism!
February 27th, 2012 at 7:20 pm
It has taken this excellent show 12-13 eps to climb to the low 20′s in ratings. I’ve always thought the synopsis put out by the tv station does this KD a disservice. So I’ll put my money where my mouth is n try to come up w one that reflects more closely the contents of this show.
“This show tells the story of a humble man w exceptional entrepreneurial spirit, n his competition w someone returning to Korea w a Stanford trained MBA n Wall Street experience. Their paths inter-twine at Chun Ha Group, where the President’s secretary attempts to cheat the heiress out of her inheritance. When the going gets tough, the tough gets going.”
But I’m still scratching my head for a better title than “Salaryman”!
February 27th, 2012 at 10:06 pm
@KDaddict- 133
On why Grandpa did not have nurses around him when he was so sick, I think it is due to the fact that he was trying to conceal his illness from his management and public and buy some time to set up YChi as his successor before he step down officially. That’s also the reason why he concealed his “blindness” and put on an artificial leg cast so that he can move around in a wheelchair.
He was testing Mo’s loyalty when he went through the will recording to see whether Mo will write the will as instructed by him. What I still fail to comprehend is that since he knows that there is a risk of Mo’s betrayal , he will definitely have a fallback plan to disclose his real will and that will should have been revealed by whoever that he entrusted to at the shareholders’ meeting. Maybe the writer just want to prolong our agony and build up the climax by letting Mo take over the company first and keep us in suspense for a while longer before revealing Grandpa’s trump card.
February 27th, 2012 at 10:21 pm
@tc-142,
Hi, I agree w you on all 3 pts. I guess he never figured that she’d go as far as murder! But what is at stake is humongous, so the temptation is irresistible to the pathologically greedy!
YChi enters the company to get sth, some proof, she needs in order to bring down MoGB. This is baptism by fire, a way to make her grow up fast. Good to see that she doesn’t crumble. More power to her.
Have u seen Deep R Tree? I mean to start it again. I quit twice, after Song Joong Ki left. U interested in watching it together?
February 27th, 2012 at 11:34 pm
@KDaddict-143
I like YChi’s character, strong yet vulnerable at times and best of all, funny! Nice to see the growth in her character as well as the other leads. That’s why I don’t hate JGW’s character although he is playing the bad guy as I am still holding out that he will turn over to YBang’s side at the end.
I had managed to watch TwDR till the end. Good story plot, serious stuff and romance is definitely out of equation in this drama. Just that I have some reservations on the ending. Let’s exchange views after you have finished watching it, ok?
February 28th, 2012 at 1:04 am
@tc,
Hang Woo is a decent fella. At her grandF’s funeral, HW told Manager Park that he no longer wished to exact revenge as it is not YChi’s fault what happened to his father. And when YChi is being expelled fr the office, HW voluntarily told her to look into the company that lost all her money, who owns it, what investments were made, etc. He genuinely can’t stand seeing her in such dire straits. I believe that he will cross over to the good side, esp. since he has WooH at his side. WH can act as a bridge between the 2 guys.
I tried starting TwDR for the 3rd time just now, but gave up after half an hour. Don’t know what’s wrong but everything happening in the dark of night in that ep (ep 4) just gave me a headache! So we’ll see abt that!
February 28th, 2012 at 1:14 pm
Salaryman Chohanji:
This title in both Korean n Chinese is more meaningful than just Salaryman. Chohanji, “초한지”, “楚漢誌”, is a classical Chinese novel. Its time period is the end of the Jin Dynasty, after the death of Jin Shi Hwang, its establishing emperor, who unified China for the first time. Its key personages are Yoo Bang and Hang Woo, who were vying for power to establish their own kingdom.
In the novel, Yoo Bang (fr Han Kingdom) came from humble roots, n his approach was to befriend those he needed, to get their loyalty. Hang Woo (fr Choo Kingdom) by contrast had an overbearing personality, n looked down on everything n everyone. He was defeated at the end becos he underestimated Yoo Bang.
Yoo Bang went on to establish the Han Dynasty! His queen’s name? Yeo Chi! Of course in history, Yeo Chi was not Jin Shi Hwang’s grandD. The KD has taken considerable liberty at borrowing fr the historical novel.
Hang Woo had many concubines. His favorite was? Woo Hee! Hee means a concubine of the king.
Therefore the title: Salaryman Chohanji in the original language is much more revealing than Salaryman. Too bad the meaning of Chohanji is lost in translation by romanization.
What would be a better title than Salaryman? Anything, anything at all. I thought of sth along the lines of “Clash of the Titans”, but then its reference is entirely western. Basically, it is the story of 2 alpha males fighting for domination thru diff approaches.
February 28th, 2012 at 3:46 pm
I hope that HW is just playing along with Mo GB. I’d hate it pretty much if it’s for real! Love the pairings very much!
February 28th, 2012 at 5:33 pm
Ep 17:
Mo GB is ready to jettison her old alliance, bf, Park Bum Jeung, who is no longer useful to her. Her new target is HangW, much more resourceful n useful. She is v good in finding the rt button to push on HangW. Play the Choi Hang Ryang card, HangW automatically kowtows to her wishes. Only she doesn’t know that Park BJ has JinSH’s real will. The guy who gives (sells) it to Park was Jin SH’s chauffeur? I don’t believe a document as impt as that would be just given to one perso of low pay n position to handle, for they r cheap to bribe. MoGB thoroughly pisses off ParkBJ, n he’ll one day produce that will to spite her.
When will HangW find out that MoGB was NEVER his Hyung’s lover?
Epilogue:
YB looks thoroughly wickedly funny as a newly minted middle aged playboy! Hahaha! Let’s see how YChi will deal w him tmr!
February 28th, 2012 at 10:16 pm
@KDaddict -146/148
So the names of the characters are actually adapted from Chinese novel. No wonder YBang’s name is weird and sounds like ” breast” . Quite impressed with the writer’s ability to convert the storyline of dynasty saga into corporate shenanigans and ind espionage with a humor undertone.
Wow, you are now ahead of me as I have to wait for the subbed version which will only come out tomorrow. So I will be watching Fermentation Family in the meantime.
@Jenny – 147
Hi Jenny, just realize you are also watching this drama. I also hope that HW’s partnership with Mo is not real as I am still holding out hope that he will cross over to YBang’s camp eventually.
February 29th, 2012 at 12:02 am
@tc,
This is now my favorite KD among those airing! 2nd is SUFFB! METS has lost its allure for me. 8 eps (EP 7-14) of “Are you Yeon Woo?” really killed my appetite for it! 4eps of that would have been the max. The network ruined what would have been a gt production.
I can watch 8 eps of KD in one seating. Don’t know why TwDR is giving me a headache in half an hour! Will try again when I’m in the rt mood!