[Funcurve Review] "Producers"
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Perhaps the most anticipated Korean drama of 2015, "Producers" drew huge attention from the media and the public thanks to its A-list cast and star-studded cameos. Besides the strong lead actors comprised of Kim Soo-hyun, Kong Hyo-jin, Cha Tae-hyun, and Lee Ji-eun, there's an incredible number of Kpop idol appearances like TaeTiSeo of Girls' Generation, Sandara Park of 2NE1, Ahn Hee-yeon of EXID, and other hallyu stars like Kim Jong-kook, Lee Seung-gi, and Jang Hyuk. But more than the star power, the topic of the drama itself piqued my interest. "Producers" talks about the lives of a group of variety show television producers (PDs) of a major broadcasting company (KBS), shedding light on how they work tirelessly to devise hit programs and handle various work related situations. As an avid fan of Korean variety shows, I'm naturally excited to get a "behind-the-scenes" look at this profession.
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"Producers" is filmed in a mockumentary style, which is rare in Korean dramas but common in western shows like 'The Office'. So the environment and situations in the workplace feel surprisingly realistic and the characters are particularly relatable. All four of the lead actors wonderfully convey the subtle nuances in their characters' personalities, which is the highlight of the drama for me. Of course, lighthearted parodies and never-ending celebrity cameos make the drama enjoyable to watch as well.
Though "Producers" slice of life approach does make things more realistic, I can't help but feel that it lacks a major conflict - something that builds up anticipation throughout the series. Instead, the drama feels lukewarm the whole way through, even at the height of its romantic scenes. In addition, a lot of time is spent on overly dramatized minor characters like the office supply lady and their random side stories that don't add much to the overall storyline. Unfortunately, with great hype comes higher expectations and thus more disappointment when those expectations are not met. I must admit "Producers" felt underwhelming compared to what I had hoped for. But with unconventional cinematography, top-notch acting, and endless star cameos, it's still a drama worth your time.
Episodes 1-3 Review 
"Producers" begins with a rather plain opening of a film crew documenting the first day of work for a group of new producers, including Baek Seung-chan (Kim Soo-hyun). Through their on-the-job training, our rookie PDs and the viewers quickly get up to speed on the ins and outs of the job, meet important colleagues, and learn about their complicated relationships. Unfortunately for me, the appeal of the drama doesn't go beyond a mild interest due to lack of plot direction.
Seung-chan is an introverted goody two-shoes who seems overly honest and a bit socially awkward. On his first day, he immediately gets picked on by sunbae Tak Ye-jin (Kong Hyo-jin) for being too apologetic. Ye-jin is the no nonsense, capable PD for Music Bank who eagerly demonstrates toughness towards arrogant yet popular Kpop idol Cindy (Lee Ji-eun), as a lesson to the newbies. Little does Ye-jin realize that Cindy is a spiteful brat who will not let Ye-jin have her way. At the same time, Seung-chan gets assigned to work under the struggling 2 Days & 1 Night PD Ra Joon-mo (Cha Tae-hyun) who is desperate to save his low-rating show from being canceled. As such, all four main characters are introduced with their individual flair. The leading actors do a great job of making their characters feel natural and real, as if they're people we meet in our daily lives.
The drama also subtly hints at new potential romantic relationships forming. It turns out that Ye-jin and Joon-mo have a long history of being best friends since childhood and are temporarily housing together. Although they bicker like siblings, it's apparent that Ye-jin sees Joon-mo in a different light. At the same time, Seung-chan is tasked with casting Cindy for his show. He quickly catches her attention for not treating her like a celebrity but a normal person. Although "Producers" evidently lacks an overarching story arc that immediately draws me in, curiosity around what's going to happen between the four characters keeps me interested enough.
Episodes 4-6 Review
While still missing the "wow" factor, a new highlight of this part of the drama lies in the exciting developments of the main characters. As pressure in the workplace builds up, "Producers" leverages different scenarios to offer a deeper look at their true colors. I quickly realize that there's more to their personalities than what appears on the surface - surprising dimensions that are nearly the polar opposite of what you'd expect.
Ye-jin's feelings for Joon-mo grow stronger and she decides to crash 2 Days & 1 Night's team dinner. After getting drunk, the once tough and sassy Ye-jin turns into a little girl full of aegyo, whining for more alcohol and food. While inebriated, she ends up confessing her true feelings to Joon-mo. Thereafter, Ye-jin's confidence comes crushing down and she becomes an emotionally fragile woman in front of Joon-mo. Seung-chan sees this vulnerable side of Ye-jin and begins to develop feelings for her.
As Seung-chan helps Ye-jin figure out whether Joon-mo was too drunk to remember the confession, we unexpectedly see a subtly rebellious and devious side of him, in stark contrast with his usual good boy image. Suddenly, Seung-chan transforms from a dull, mopey character into a much more entertaining comedic prankster: sabotaging Joon-mo's coffee with an overdose of syrup and vandalizing Lee Seung-gi's name placard out of jealousy. Moments like these give Kim Soo-hyun room to put on a good acting show and keep up my dwindling enthusiasm for the drama.
Ye-jin and Seung-chan aren't the only ones to have range in their personality. Through the filming of 2 Days & 1 Night, "Producers" sheds light on Cindy's loneliness and yearning for friendship despite her arrogant outward postures. Likewise, the constantly naggy and halfhearted Joon-mo is actually quite compassionate and loyal. He tries to make what he deems are the best decisions to protect his team and his long-time friendship with Ye-jin.
One big pitfall of these episodes is the unnecessary focus on some of the minor characters, such as the office supply lady and Music Bank's maknae writer. Their personas feel forcefully exaggerated and their appearances in the drama often seem random with no direct relation to the main plot.
Episodes 7-10 Review 
"Producers" now advances the relationships between the four main characters, creating trustworthy friendships while tangling them in an awkward yet amusing four-way loveline. As they spend more time together, we're blessed with several misconceived confessions and humorous jealousy battles that significantly escalate my interest in the drama.
The first instance of this is when Seung-chan, Ye-jin, and Joon-mo take Cindy to an amusement park for her birthday. Cindy sheds tears while reminiscing about her past and regretting her decision in becoming a celebrity. Seeing her sadness, Seung-chan genuinely comforts her which spurs Cindy on to show her true feelings for him - though Seung-chan doesn't seem to fully comprehend her intentions. While slightly disappointed about Seung-chan's reactions, Cindy also experiences true friendship and sincere kindness for the first time.
Meanwhile, Seung-chan's not having better luck himself. His multiple attempts at telling Ye-jin that he likes her only resulted in Ye-jin brushing it off as admiration from a hoobae. The frustrated Seung-chan becomes even more petty as he competes with Joon-mo for Ye-jin's attention, resulting in hilarious scenes like a karaoke singing contest, soccer game rivalry, and competition over helping Ye-jin move.
Likewise, Seung-chan's attentiveness to Ye-jin prompts Joon-mo to realize what she really means to him. Unfortunately, Ye-jin also misinterprets Joon-mo's intentions in asking her not to move out, causing a further rift within their friendship. Will Ye-jin end up with Seung-chan or Joon-mo? "Producers" is a master at teasing its viewers by keeping the ultimate couple matchup an ongoing guessing game.
Episodes 11-12 Review 
Sadly, the ending of "Producers" is disappointing. With the exception of the very last scene of the last episode, the rest of it feels predictable and lackluster overall, especially how Cindy's fight with her CEO turns out. Though I appreciate that the drama doesn't make it obvious who's going to end up with who, the lovelines between the four characters remain unclear with little to no emotional build-up. Pacing of the drama also drastically slows down as Ye-jin continues to waver between Seung-chan and Joon-mo like a ping pong ball until the very end. Furthermore, non-consequential side stories of secondary characters are used to fill the episodes.
Perhaps because the drama never had an underlying motif other than showing a day in the life of a producer, the epilogue seemed particularly anticlimactic and empty. Nonetheless, the superb acting and parodies of "Producers" kept me entertained enough.
Written by: Angela from 'Funcurve'
Funcurve is a new kind of reviews site. Their reviews help readers visualize the ups and downs of a drama from start to finish with an impression graph. Read more Korean drama reviews at funcurve.com.