tvN Scrambles to Salvage Introverted Boss as This Week’s Episodes 5-6 Majorly Rewritten

I’m not sure what went wrong but apparently the fallout, or feedback is lightning speed on this one. What could have been the first trendy buzzy K-drama to start off 2017 has turned out to be an early out of the gate potential flop, and there is swift response behind-the-scenes to salvage things. tvN‘s current Mon-Tues drama Introverted Boss (Sensitive Boss) has gotten middling reviews and even more importantly jettisoning viewers.

The premiere two episodes got around 3% ratings, solid for the cable network, but the following week’s second two episodes found ratings dropped by half to the mid 1% range. This week’s episodes 5 and 6 were reportedly completely rewritten last week as production scrambled to address viewer response, with the cast re-filming this week’s episodes. For those wondering why K-dramas do live-filming, what’s happening right now is the perfect example of this system which allows production to tweak and tailor dramas on the fly.

The last two weeks I’ve been busy with the conclusions of Goblin and Legend of the Blue Sea so I haven’t checked out Introverted Boss yet. It comes from the screenwriter of Marriage Not Dating, and the PD who directed that drama as well as Another Oh Hae Young, so there is a solid track record team helming the drama. Those who have watched Introverted Boss, what’s the big problem with it? Acting? Chemistry? Storyline? Share and maybe save others from wasting my time.


Comments

tvN Scrambles to Salvage Introverted Boss as This Week’s Episodes 5-6 Majorly Rewritten — 50 Comments

  1. I find it difficult to watch. Even with the little hearts the director drops every now and again.
    A lot of dense characters who don’t listen and insensitive.

  2. In my opinion, it’s the storyline. It just doesn’t flow well and it’s not very funny. The story is choppy and things just sort of don’t make sense. So, to me, it’s the writing that is failing in this drama. I mean, the acting and the chemistry seem fine but I find both main leads to be unlikeable and hard to watch and their extreme tendencies are more annoying than anything. I mean, I know that the writers did this so that they can show growth but, they just don’t seem relatable (especially the male lead) and it’s almost cringe worthy to watch him navigate is life. The side characters are also poorly written in my opinion and the story doesn’t use them well. I was honestly going to give it two more episodes before I dropped it so, hopefully these changes will be good for it.

  3. Full Disclosure: I’m not watching it. Going by what I’m reading from international fans it is that they were expecting a drama where the guy was shy and introverted but not to the level in this drama and the girl was outgoing and such but not totally obnoxious and without boundaries…then there is a whole revenge story. Also, it’s one thing to have one assertive character go up against another person like that but not so much when one character is so painfully introverted. It just seems mean. Now I see people wanting the guy to get together with the sweet secretary.

    There are a few people who think the lead actress wasn’t ready for this, but I’m not seeing a lot of people saying that the drama would be fine without problems if she wasn’t in it…just that the flaws are more obvious.

    Anyway, I feel for the cast and crew…it’s gonna be a brutal shooting schedule.

  4. Well , i think viewers were waiting for a good rom com but this drama has a darker side. The genre is not well definit. The lead actress was good in “Age of youth” but not ready for a lead role ( she doesn’t sell it and is too young) . No sparks between the leads and lack of interest for the others characters. And the précédents dramas have both chemistry overload and interesting second roles.

    • Totally agree with you folk. PHS is not ready yet to take on a lead role. The character is annoying and her acting portrayal is annoying too. The drama solely focus on the 3 people, the boss, the other boss and the annoying Newbie. Lol. Bring me GSY ?

      • First, the promos for the female character were wrong they made us expect an extroverted girl which doesn’t mean rude. Second, if they would have presented the character as obnoxious and rude, then the storyline is wrong. They should be showing us some character growth or at least teasing us that there’ll be.
        and Yeahh! where’s GSY?? I ff the 4 episodes just to see her and I barely watched like 5 min of her TT

  5. i don’t know…but i don’t feel like watching the next episode after the first 2 episodes.
    Well I agree that the female lead isn’t ready to be a lead yet. But that is a small matter.

  6. the leads are unlikeable, especially the female lead. she is unbearably annoying 99.9% of the time. kinda shocked that the actress was even able to secure a role as a female lead. gong seung yeon is by far a better actress and she has barely even been in the drama so far.

  7. The characters are too extreme in personality . Do not like the revenge part of the series. Highly illogical that PR work is done so haphazardly …

  8. The male lead was way way way too shy the first 2 episodes. Too painful and slow to watch. Ep 3-4 he started talking and it was better. The female lead is not as well acted. She seemed more of a bumbling insensitive girl, so hard to get behind her revenge story. She also couldn’t shift her tone well. One minute she’s happy go lucky and pushy an the next she’s saying “revenge will start soon.” The jump was jarring. Then there’s the writing. Seemingly illogical sometimes. Female lead goes to work first day, sees the CEO sign outside his penthouse office and yet still barges in without a care? Then thinks the guy she sees is NOT the CEO? Even though someon already told her downstairs that the CEO drove the car that crashed into her? Then she keeps running into some dude who is in a black hoodie and doesn’t think it’s the same guy hat she met in the CEOs office? Even if she can’t see his face? The CEO catches her snooping 2-3 times in his office and each time he just accepts her excuse? The male lead is great but so far story not working.

  9. It’s a good premise, but really poorly executed. Things just don’t make sense, mostly when it comes to the female lead. She’s written to seem moronic, which I think results in negative reactions to viewers. It’s hard to connect and like characters when they’re as stale as wallpaper.

    Honestly, the male lead is holding this drama together for me thus far in the first three episodes, but I can already tell he’s being lead in circles by the writer, BECAUSE NOTHINGS HAPPENING!!!!!!

  10. It’s the storyline.
    The female lead character was just straight up annoying and insensitive that I feel like dunking her head in water just to make her understand that you’re not always right. She keeps on forcing her opinion on others and could care less about other people’s condition whether they are viable to make that option or not.I was expecting her to be understanding but man she’s just too pushy.
    I love yeon woo jin but his character is just too shy and too painful to watch.His so called introvert character has caused a lot of useless misunderstandings that could’ve been prevented.I guess that was sort of the point of the whole series but would it kill you to actually say “I made lunch so will you have it with me?”.His character is practically mute to all side characters except the devious second male lead which we can figure out what he’s really made of in just within 2 episode – devious and wait for it…pushy as hell.

  11. In my opinion,the story line is quite interesting,main actor is good in doing his job, but i think the main actress isn’t good enough in potraying the character,i find she is too annoying (in playing the character) so the story becomes unenjoyable..

  12. I have nothing against the actors, I think the scenes are a little bit messy. It’s not clear what it is happening and it’s confusing for the viewers.

    I think the lack of empathy from the coworkers for their boss it’s frustrating. No need to be a genius to understand that he’s really shy and doens’t dare to speak with people.

  13. I don’t get it. Why are characters in kdramas expected to be “relatable” or “likeable”? If not, they’re freaking annoying and you refuse to watch? For me, at least, as long as they’re fleshed out, well-acted and believable, I can deal with not completely identifying with a character on a personal level. It helps to have good storytelling at the forefront as well.

    That aside, I do agree that the actress is not ready to carry the show on her own. I’ve seen her in Age of Youth on Netflix where she was clearly over-shadowed by her fellow actresses, even the supposedly plain and dowdy Jin-Myung. (I hardly watch kdramas so I don’t know their real names.) But it’s not as bad as everyone is making it out to be and the poor girl deserves a chance to prove her acting chops. Anyway if it’s not that bad now, I’m sure it will be after they screw up the rewrite. I can smell failure already.

    Rewriting crap just to appease angry netizens is cringe-worthy. You can’t very well please everyone. There’s always gonna be someone unhappy. Wish the staff would just flip everyone the bird and go on doing what they want. But of course I know it means their bread and butter, so go figure…

  14. I was expecting for this drama to represent introverts. It did in some expects such as overthinking and afraid of public speaking, but other aspects are overly exaggerated. And the revenge story was unnecessary. If the girl could see through him and showed understanding, the drama could’ve showed warmth and healing.

  15. female lead is very annoying to the point that disgusting to watch. do you guys think they can re-cast the female lead?
    male lead is good.

  16. The biggest problem is the lead actress..I can’t stand watching her,she’s so annoying
    I’m sorry,i tried,if for no other reason than Yeon Woo-Jin, but I’m not gonna watch the next episodes..

  17. Yes, the big problem is the heroine. The lead actress is too young and she doesn’t have the talent to be the lead in a drama yet. Plus the writing of the heroine role is all wrong. She’s too brute, too insensitive.

    I feel bad for the lead actor. He’s too good for this.

  18. Bad writing meets mediocre and not ready for lead role actress = potential disaster. I think TVN doesn’t want any more of the same potential disaster and mess after what happened to Entourage. It proved once and for all that hype and looks doesn’t mean the guy can act aka Seo Kang Joon and Karma is a b**** for TVN.

  19. This drama is terrible (an abomination). They should stop airing it altogether.
    The writer doesn’t even seem to know what the term introvert actually means (she/he made the main character mentally ill in this drama).
    I doubt the writer even studied anything about introverted people since he/she makes some grave mistakes: being shy is not necessarily a particular trait of an introvert (there are many shy people who are extroverts); and being an introvert does not make one seem insane; it’s just that introverts and extroverts perceive the world differently (the way they think makes the difference, not necessarily the way they behave).
    It’s such a stupid drama!
    If anyone has an interest in the introverted personality, there is a great book about it: “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking” by Susan Cain.

    • He has social anxiety, it is a serious psychological disorder. I am sorry, tge way you’re talking about mental disability and calling the show an abomination because of that is extremely rude and uncalled for. I have my issues with the show but if anything I’ve decided to be empathetic to the shy people around me after this show.

      • Yes, extreme social anxiety that needs therapy. Which has nothing to do with being an introvert (since an introvert does NOT need therapy). Which is also why I called it an abomination (the show actually mocks introverted people; having an introverted personality has nothing to do with psychological disorders).

      • Your comment is still comes across as completely prejudiced against those having mental health issues. Yes, all introverts don’t perhaps need therapy or medical help but if there is someone who does, portraying it on TV foes not mean it means introverts are being mocked. Be kind to those who are not blessed with sound mental health like us.

      • I feel like we’re going in circles.
        You are going on and on about positive discrimination (which is important, of course), while I’m talking about the show creating a wrong stereotype of an introvert.
        Just so that you know, I definitely respect people with psychological disorders and try my best to understand them (but you are free to see me rude and/or prejudiced).

    • I really think this is the main issue in the drama is people expected shy, introverted guy blended with an outgoing, perhaps sassy girl. That is NOT what happened. They could have put a great actress in this role and it might have made it a little easier to watch, but I don’t personally think it would have saved this drama. Viewers would have just felt bad that a talented actress was in such a mess, like they are mad the talented actor is in such a mess.

  20. My heart aches for Yeon Woo-jin and his character. I must admit that the initial marketing for the drama is a poor reflection of what it really is. While I did hope for a cute rom com between an introvert and extrovert, the issues that the lead is dealing with aren’t simply a personality trait but instead deeply rooted problems that require therapist. The whole sister revenge plot was a bit extra but could have worked within the story if the lead actress wasn’t so green. I understand that she’s currently saddled with a difficult character but the lack of chemistry and the cringiness of her character and acting is unfortunately offputting. I loved Marriage, Not Dating despite its flaws and the lead actress there was also saddled with a bit of an unlikable character at first but she managed to have me care about the character. I’m hoping that the rewrite can at least work out some issues with her character but more importantly, I just really hope that the main actress can step up her game and the two leads can actually have some chemistry. A good OTP is enough for me to overlook a lot in a drama and there’s quite a bit I want to overlook in this drama. Best of luck to the Introverted Boss team! HWAITING! Even if this drama becomes a flop, I will eagerly wait for their next work.

  21. I see that a lot of the comments are about the lead actress’s age, and it really isn’t just about that. In Marriage, Not Dating, Han Groo was the same age at 22 and Han was able to to carry that show. Park Hye Soo is just simply wayyyy too green and should have built up her career more before taking a leading role. I just feel sorry for the casting team and while I usually love that tvN’s more likely to cast lesser known but nevertheless usually great (let’s ignore Entourage) actors, they really slipped up here.

  22. So I have watched the first 4 episodes though at the end of each episode I would feel frustrated. It mainly boils down to a poorly written female lead that is being acted by an actress that is not strong enough to give her some much needed depth. We need to like her and we dont. She is rude, pushy, vengeful and lacks any tact or social skills. The story is darker than the PR led people to believe and I dont have a problem with that. In fact I like that they are tackling the subject of social anxiety and he is doing a wonderful job in his portrayal. She is the problem and they tried throwing out a few flashbacks and a painful to watch crying scene in the bathroom (her acting inexperience was very evident) to make us care for her but her bad behavior is so horrific that it is impossible to sympathize with her and hence the hatred that many have for the show. It is also one of the most poorly edited shows I have seen in years. the first episode was so badly done I found myself confused on a number of occasions as to whether I was watching a flashback or not. This does not help the shows case. And a last minute re-write and lack of a strong editor does not make me hopeful for next weeks shows. But out of loyalty to the PD and the Wrtier whose work I have loved before I will keep giving it the old college try. I guess I am a glutton for punishment.

  23. I try to watch this drama all due to Yeon Woo Jin. I loved his and Han Groo’s character in Marriage, Not Dating. However Park Hye Soo is just too terrible in this drama. It is not because of her age, she is just bad in here. Her character doesn’t make sense, it’s like she is playing a controlling dumb blond…excuse my language but I was so hoping to like this drama. I might tune in just to see if the writers/producers can save this train wreck. 🙁

  24. I really don’t put on the actors the story is too extreme for it to be funny. I mean how are supposed to think it’s funny about someone with that many issues!? Definitely not me

  25. Marriage,Not Dating is one of my favorite drama of all time.But this drama does
    not pique my interest at all.The heroine can’t connect with the viewer.She acts very immature,let alone the chemistry towards the hero! It sucks since I’m very excited about both the writer and PD duet 🙁

  26. To me its the story. I love the actors and LOVE the male lead. He is the reason I keep watching.

    I got turned off in the very first second of the drama which showed a suicide complete with the person hitting a car and grasping for air with blood all around them. What? Isn’t this supposed to be a light and fun romantic comedy? At first I thought I had turned on the wrong drama and had to double check that I was watching Introverted Boss.

    So to me that was a big turn off straight out the gate. On top of that, they had a scene where the new female lead employee goes into the CEOs office and starts manhandling him. I mean what? I know we’re suspending belief but that just seemed way to far in left field.

    I love the main cast and was going to keep watching it regardless. I do hope they fix it somehow though.

  27. Things that went wrong:
    1. Writing – jumpy, inconsistent, no narrative purpose
    2. characters – shallow and 2 dimensional mostly
    3. Lead actress character – unbelievably obnoxious, rude, aggravating, knows no social boundaries, leaps to conclusions based on unmerited prejudices – late on first day of work, barges into CEO’s abode, snoops and rifles through things – how does sitting on his bed justify you looking for clues? Who keeps incriminating evidence lying around for 3 years?
    Manhandles the CEO and basically assaults him in his own home with no apologies, mouths off to the boss, falsely accuses CEO based on misguided unverified assumptions and then makes it public!

    4. Male character – I love Yeon Woo Jin and his Hwan Ki is well played – only issue – did they have to make it so debilitating?

  28. I thought from the first episode it will be a drama like Heart to Heart… the lead actress can act but he doesnt fit yet in this kind of role…

  29. I don´t like the female main caracter either, but I think the main problem is the storyline.
    From the teasers, the impression was of a “fun fun fun office rom-con”, with a bubbly female lead and a introverted male lead.
    But the stoy goes to a totally different direction: a revange story with no sense at all, just boring, no fun…the female lead caracter is a consequence of that.

  30. I would say give them a chance!! This show will not be a waste of time, there will be some message conveyed as it goes by. To me, it has given us an insight to how an introvert thinks and why they react differently, it stirred up more awareness on social anxiety patient.

    On the bright side, I truly appreciate the hard work and effort of both main lead character, especially the ‘Eagle’ and ‘Popcorn’ part in episode 6. For the female lead, I LOVE the ENERGY, POSITIVITY, always on the go character. She has been so encouraging to the Boss.

    I look forward to episode 7 and will continue supporting this drama! Hwaiting!!!!

  31. I would say give them a chance!! This show will not be a waste of time, there will be some message conveyed as it goes by. To me, it has given us an insight to how an introvert thinks and why they react differently, it stirred up more awareness on social anxiety patient.
    On the bright side, I truly appreciate the hard work and effort of both main lead character, especially the ‘Eagle’ and ‘Popcorn’ part in episode 6. For the female lead, I LOVE the ENERGY, POSITIVITY, always on the go character. She has been so encouraging to the Boss.
    I look forward to episode 7 and will continue supporting this drama! Hwaiting!!!!

  32. I held on because i was such a big fan of YWJ. I loved all his romcom esp marriage not dating. I coudlnt disagree more regarding how bad the storyline was written and how annoying the female was but watching from ep 5 i think them halting, postponing, rewriting the story paid off. Most of the time romcom’s doesnt make much sense (from my 12 yrs of watching Kdramas) but since theyve inserted suicide, depression, introversion and all that serious psychological stuff plus revenge people felt burdened instead of entertained as suppose to what romcom’s are.
    But im happy and stayed. For those who havent started watching good for you. If you wont let bad reviews & give change a chance then better for you as the story is starting pck up. For those who were disappointed & stopped midway without intention of goin back, i respect that. Hopefully ull still consider watching this when disappointments dissipitates.

    • Totally agreed with you! I also have no problem watching the series as I always enjoy the positivity and good vibes it gives than the overreaction of the people who thought negative reviews. If you have watched the first episodes and disliked it, can you please just keep it to yourself have a sensitivity in your skin????

  33. Why are there so many negative insights of this series, when for me, the story is a good one.. And I can’t wait for next week episodes: 9 and 10. Comments here are overly reacting as if they already know the flow.. Can you just please shut your negative thoughts — so disgusting and so rude!!!!

  34. I’ve watched until the End. New Flavor for me. Like other Kdramas, it has its weak and strong points. I still love both of the characters. I don’t know but the actress is so refreshing and adorable…can’t wait for upcoming her lead roles:-). I still feel like watching more of their kdramas:-D. ThumbsUP!

  35. I’ve watched until the End. New Flavor for me. Like other Kdramas, it has its weak and strong points. I Love the characters. I don’t know but the actress for me is so refreshing and adorable.. can’t wait for her upcoming lead roles:-). The actor inspired me to make kimchi:-D (Finished). I would still want to watch more of their Kdramas. ThumbsUP!

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