Misaeng: Incomplete Life
Misaeng: Incomplete Life is a 2014 South Korean television series based on the eponymous webtoon series by Yoon Tae-ho. It aired on tvN from October 17 to December 20, 2014, on Fridays and Saturdays at 20:30 for 20 episodes.
The title translates to Go terminology meaning "an incomplete life" "living/birth", meaning "not yet alive"). Misaeng: Incomplete Life was the first Korean drama to film on location in Jordan, where actors Yim Si-wan and Lee Sung-min shot the series's prologue in Amman, Petra, and Wadi Rum. Yim reprised his role as the protagonist, which he played in an earlier film adaptation, Incomplete Life: Prequel.
The series became a cultural phenomenon and recorded high viewership ratings for a cable network program in Korea.
Synopsis
Since he was a child, the board game baduk has been everything to Jang Geu-rae. But when he fails at achieving his dream of becoming a professional baduk player, Geu-rae must leave his isolated existence and enter the real world armed with nothing but a GED high school equivalency diploma on his resume. Through an acquaintance's recommendation, he gets hired as an intern at One International, a large trading company.There, Geu-rae meets his boss, manager Oh Sang-shik, who's a workaholic and has a warm personality; fellow intern Ahn Young-yi, who attracts her colleagues' ire because of her impressive educational credentials and by being extremely competent at any task; and Jang Baek-gi, a geeky co-worker whose anxious nature masks his inner ambition. Geu-rae learns to navigate and adapt to corporate culture, with baduk as his guide.
Cast
Main
- Yim Si-wan as Jang Geu-rae
- * Kim Ye-jun as young Jang Geu-rae
- Lee Sung-min as Oh Sang-shik
- Kang So-ra as Ahn Young-yi She joins Resource Team as permanent employee at One International.
- Kang Ha-neul as Jang Baek-gi He joins Steel Team as permanent employee at One International.
- Byun Yo-han as Han Seok-yool. He joins Textile Team as permanent employee at One International.
Supporting
One International Sales Teams
Team 3 (to which Geu-rae is assigned)
- Kim Dae-myung as Kim Dong-shik
- Park Hae-joon as Chun Kwan-woong
- Kim Hee-won as Park Jong-shik
- Seo Yoon-ah as Lee Eun-ji
- Kim Won-hae as Park Young-ho
Team 1
- Shin Eun-jung as Sun Ji-young
- Kim Sang-won as Mr. Um
- Shin Dong-hoon as Cha Soo-jin
Team 2
- Ryu Tae-ho as Go Dong-ho
- Park Jin-soo as Assistant Manager Hwang
- Kim Ga-young as Jang Mi-ra
Others
- Yoon Jong-hoon as Lee Sang-hyun
- Yeo Eui-joo as Jang Ki-seok
- Kim Jong-soo as Kim Boo-ryun
- Kim Kyung-ryong as Lee Shin-tae
- Nam Kyung-eup as CEO of One International
- Lee Geung-young as Choi Young-hoo
- Son Jong-hak as Ma Bok-ryul
- Jung Hee-tae as Jung Hee-seok
- -- as Cha Jung-ho
- Jang Hyuk-jin as Moon Sang-pil
- Choi Gwi-hwa as Park Yong-gu
- Shin Jae-hoon as Yoo Hyung-ki
- Jeon Seok-ho as Ha Sung-joon
- Oh Min-suk as Kang Hae-joon
- Tae In-ho as Song Jeon-shik
- Park Jin-seo as Shin Da-in
- Hwang Seok-jeong as Kim Sun-joo
- Jo Hyun-sik as Kim Seok-ho
- Kim Jung-hak as Lee Seok-joong
- Kwak In-joon as Audit team leader
- Han Kap-soo as One International Jordan branch manager
- Choi Jae-woong as One International Jordan branch employee
- Sung Byung-sook as Geu-rae's mother
- Nam Myung-ryul as Geu-rae's baduk teacher
- Lee Si-won as Ha Jung-yeon
- -- as Senior colleague Kim
- Oh Yoon-hong as Oh Sang-shik's wife
- Lee Seung-joon as Shin Woo-hyun
Cameo appearances
- Cho Hun-hyun
- Yoo Chang-hyuk
- Oh Jung-se as Husband of Chungsol's CEO
- Yoo Jae-myung as Factory worker
Original soundtrack
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Ratings
Awards and nominations
Remake
- Hope: Kitai Zero no Shinnyu Shain
- Ordinary Glory; starring Bai Jingting, Mark Chao and Qiao Xin.