Misaeng: Incomplete Life

Misaeng: Incomplete Life[1] (Korean: 미생 - 아직 살아 있지 못한 자; RR: Misaeng - Ajik Sara Itji Mothan Ja) is a 2014 South Korean television series based on the webtoon series of the same title by Yoon Tae-ho. It aired on tvN from October 17 to December 20, 2014, on Fridays and Saturdays at 20:30 (KST) time slot for 20 episodes.[2][3][4][5][6]

Misaeng: Incomplete Life
Promotional poster
Also known asAn Incomplete Life
GenreWorkplace
Drama
Based onMisaeng
by Yoon Tae-ho
Developed byJinnie Choi and Park Ji-young for tvN
Written byJung Yoon-jung
Directed byKim Won-seok
StarringIm Si-wan
Lee Sung-min
Kang So-ra
Kang Ha-neul
Byun Yo-han
Kim Dae-myung
Shin Eun-jung
Park Hae-joon
ComposersKim Jun-seok
Park Seong-il
Country of originSouth Korea
Original languageKorean
No. of episodes20
Production
Executive producersKim Mi-na
Lee Chan-ho
ProducersLee Jae-moon
Ham Seung-hoon
Production locationsKorea, Jordan
CinematographyChoi Sang-mook
EditorKim Na-young
Running time65 minutes
Production companyNumber 3 Pictures
Release
Original networktvN
Original releaseOctober 17 (2014-10-17) –
December 20, 2014 (2014-12-20)

The title translates to Go terminology meaning "an incomplete life" (literally "not yet" (미) "birth" (생), meaning "not yet alive"). Misaeng: Incomplete Life was the first Korean drama to film on location in Jordan, where actors Im Si-wan and Lee Sung-min shot the series's prologue in Amman, Petra, and Wadi Rum.[7] Yim reprised his role as the protagonist, which he played in an earlier film adaptation, Incomplete Life: Prequel (2013).[8][9][10]

The series became a cultural phenomenon and recorded high viewership ratings for a cable network program in Korea. tvN is known for its record breaking dramas.[11][12][13][14][15][16] [17]

Synopsis

Since he was a child, the board game baduk has been everything to Jang Geu-rae (Im Si-wan).[18] 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 (Lee Sung-min), who's a workaholic and has a warm personality; fellow intern Ahn Young-yi (Kang So-ra), who attracts her colleagues' ire because of her impressive educational credentials and by being extremely competent at any task; and Jang Baek-gi (Kang Ha-neul), 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.[19]

Cast

Main
He formerly aspired to be a professional baduk player, to which he had devoted his life since childhood, but, unable to achieve this goal, he joins One International, although he has no formal skills or training. He joins Sales Team 3 as two-year contract employee at One International.
  • Lee Sung-min as Oh Sang-shik
  • Kang So-ra as Ahn Young-yi[23] She joins Resource Team as permanent employee at One International.
  • Kang Ha-neul as Jang Baek-gi[24] 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)
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
  • Shin Eun-jung as Sun Ji-young
  • 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

Original soundtrack

Part 1
Released on October 24, 2014 (2014-10-24)[26]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."Roman" (로망)TaibianVladimir VysotskyRose Motel4:05
2."Roman" (Inst.)   4:05
Total length:8:10

Part 2
Released on October 31, 2014 (2014-10-31)[27]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."Tomorrow" (내일)Seo Dong-sungPark Seong-ilHan Hee-jung3:34
2."Tomorrow" (Inst.)   3:34
Total length:7:08

Part 3
Released on November 21, 2014 (2014-11-21)[28]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."Fly" (날아)Park AsherPark AsherYi Sung-yol4:46
2."Fly" (Inst.)   4:46
Total length:9:32

Part 4
Released on December 5, 2014 (2014-12-05)[29]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."Hidden Road" (가리워진 길)Yoo Jae-haYoo Jae-haBolbbalgan44:22
2."Hidden Road" (Inst.)   4:22
Total length:8:44

Part 5
Released on December 12, 2014 (2014-12-12)[30]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."Be Alright" (그래도.. 그래서)
  • Im Si-wan
  • Park Seong-il
  • Cheongdam Super
Im Si-wan3:26
2."Be Alright" (Inst.)   3:26
Total length:6:52

Ratings
Ep. Original broadcast date Average audience share
Nielsen Korea
Average rating Peak rating
1 October 17, 2014 1.7% 2.8%
2 October 18, 2014 2.5% 3.1%
3 October 24, 2014 3.4% 4.6%
4 October 25, 2014 3.6% 4.9%
5 October 31, 2014 4.6% 6.0%
6 November 1, 2014 3.7% 5.4%
7 November 7, 2014 5.2% 6.4%
8 November 8, 2014 5.0% 6.6%
9 November 14, 2014 5.2% 6.7%
10 November 15, 2014 5.9% 7.0%
11 November 21, 2014 6.1% 7.1%
12 November 22, 2014 6.3% 7.8%
13 November 28, 2014 7.9%
14 November 29, 2014 5.8%
15 December 5, 2014 7.2% 9.4%
16 December 6, 2014 7.4% 8.6%
17 December 12, 2014 7.6% 9.7%
18 December 13, 2014 8.0% 9.5%
19 December 19, 2014 7.6% 9.3%
20 December 20, 2014 8.4% 10.3%
Average 5.6% 7.1%
  • In the table above, the blue numbers represent the lowest ratings and the red numbers represent the highest ratings.
  • This drama airs on a cable channel/pay TV which normally has a relatively smaller audience compared to free-to-air TV/public broadcasters (KBS, SBS, MBC and EBS).

Awards and nominations
YearAwardCategoryRecipientResult
2015 9th Cable TV Broadcasting Awards[31]Grand Prize (Daesang)Misaeng: Incomplete LifeWon
Star Award - Best ActorYim Si-wanWon
Kang Ha-neulWon
51st Baeksang Arts Awards[32]Best DramaMisaeng: Incomplete LifeNominated
Best Director (TV)Kim Won-seokWon
Best Actor (TV)Lee Sung-minWon
Best New Actor (TV)Yim Si-wanWon
Kim Dae-myungNominated
10th Seoul International Drama Awards Best MiniseriesMisaeng: Incomplete LifeWon
Best DirectorKim Won-seokNominated
8th Korea Drama Awards Best DramaMisaeng: Incomplete LifeWon
Best Production DirectorKim Won-seokNominated
Best ScreenplayJung Yoon-jungNominated
Top Excellence Award, ActorYim Si-wanNominated
Excellence Award, ActorKim Dae-myungWon
Special Jury PrizeYim Si-wanWon
4th APAN Star Awards Top Excellence Award, Actor in a MiniseriesLee Sung-minWon
Excellence Award, Actor in a MiniseriesYim Si-wanWon
Excellence Award, Actress in a MiniseriesKang So-raNominated
Best Supporting ActorKim Dae-myungNominated
Lee Geung-youngWon
Best New ActorByun Yo-hanWon
Kang Ha-neulNominated
2016 tvN10 AwardsBest ActorLee Sung-minWon
Best Content Award, DramaMisaeng: Incomplete LifeWon
Made in tvN, Actor in DramaYim Si-wanNominated
Made in tvN, Actress in DramaKang So-raNominated
Scene-Stealer Award, ActorByun Yo-hanNominated
Kang Ha-neulNominated

Source material
Main article: Misaeng (manhwa)

With his webtoon, author Yoon Tae-ho drew an analogy between life in modern society and the game of baduk, a chess-like strategy board game. He also wrote vivid descriptions of the everyday life and struggles of Korean corporate culture as his flawed characters deal with the fierce competition for survival, interpersonal work relationships and office politics. Misaeng: Incomplete Life gained immense popularity among Korean white-collar workers in their twenties and thirties largely because its realism resonated with their experiences. It drew 1 billion hits when it was published on online portal Daum from September 2012 to October 2013, and the nine-volume paperback version sold 900,000 copies. It is now considered a must-read comic in the country.[33][34]

Remake

References
  1. "Misaeng: Incomplete Life (2014)". CJ ENM. CJ ENM. Archived from the original on July 20, 2019. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  2. An, So-hyoun (September 1, 2014). "ZE:A's Im Si Wan, Kang Ha Neul, Kang Sora and More Gather for Misaeng Scripts Reading". enewsWorld. Archived from the original on October 12, 2014. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
  3. Lee, Sun-young; Chung, Joo-won; Ahn, Sung-mi (September 16, 2014). "New TV dramas to look out for". The Korea Herald. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
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  8. Chung, Ah-young (June 5, 2013). "Webtoon give inspiration to films". The Korea Times. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
  9. "Incomplete life: Prequel". PiFan. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
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  15. "Im Si-wan, Kang So-ra to Promote Trade". The Chosun Ilbo. December 12, 2014. Retrieved December 15, 2014.
  16. Ahn, Sung-mi (January 16, 2015). "Weekender: Office theme prevails on TV". The Korea Herald. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  17. "Who Won the Grand Prize at the Korea Drama Awards?". October 9, 2015.
  18. Geu-rae could either mean 그렇다 ("yes"), or 그래 of 그래도 ("nevertheless" or "however").
  19. Hwang, Hye-jin (August 7, 2014). "ZE:A's Im Si Wan, Kang Ha Neul, Kang Sora and More Confirmed for Misaeng". enewsWorld. Archived from the original on October 13, 2014. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
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  22. "'아스달 연대기' 김지원, 송중기 아역 김예준 향한 '다정한 말'…"은섬이 돼줘서 고마워"". Top Star News (in Korean). June 19, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
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  30. "미생 OST Part 5 (tvN 드라마)". Genie (in Korean). Retrieved June 12, 2023.
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  35. 《平凡的荣耀》曝海报 赵又廷白敬亭联手进阶职场. Sina (in Chinese). June 12, 2018.
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