..and mine has just went a notch higher for them.

I do think that I’m being too addicted to this drama. Basically, I will try to watch it from the moment I downloaded it. First without subs, then with not-that-proper-subs, after that with proper subs, and continuously replaying it when I feel like I need a good laugh. Awww..While I’m still feeling guilty because I have too much doubt when I first started watching it, now I am so grateful to have the chance to enjoy this drama. And on top of that, I don’t have to endure that much anger on the supposed-to-be-meanie Na-Yoon as she is just another crybaby who gets left out every single time. I enjoy her presence-just-to-be-ignored very much.

I’m still wondering why people around me are still in the dark about Protect the Boss. Then I remembered about the core theme: it’s all about business-companies, heirs and heiresses, and to put some addition to it, secretaries. Sounds pretty like a normal Kdrama story, right? That is why I myself put this into my “to be watched later” list before this, before realizing that it is not a normal business world drama. It is nicely presented, in its very own way.

As for this moment, everything is well-written, well-paced, and I hope it continues to be like this. Okay, right now, Ji-Heon totally rips my heart away with his aegyo and childishness, but the other characters are as noticeable as him in the drama. Each of them has their own personalities that are reflected mainly through their actions and interactions with others. It’s still in the early stage, with only four episodes have aired, but I think I got pretty big picture about each of the characters’ basic characteristics, although their actions or the characteristics might change very soon. For the better or for the worse, I’ll just have to wait patiently for the next episode to air.

But the thing that fascinates me the most is the relationship between the characters. Most of the time, in other Kdramas, family members are not given much emphasis, except for family dramas. But now, even the father gets as much screen time as his son. And from those relationships presented, we get to know the characters deeper based on their interactions with their loved ones or those they resent.

Chairman Cha & Ji-Heon

Who doesn’t love this father-son pairing?  From the outside, Chairman Cha looks like the ordinary successful businessman, but he is actually as childish as Ji-Heon is, maybe a bit less. Now I don’t have to wonder where Ji-Heon’s behavior originated from. He is still as normal as every fathers in the world would be: wishing for the best for his son. Just that his way of ‘teaching’ is different and he thinks giving him a strike or two would make him tougher.

Although Chairman Cha is one with the temper, he is willing to apologize for his mistake, and moreover, he’s apologizing to his own son, which I find it very cool for a father to do that to his children. After giving him a good lecture and slap, he decides to treat his son with calmness and not giving him a hard time. Plus, he tries his best not to break his promise to treat Ji-Heon well. Instead, he lashes out his anger towards Eun-Sul cardboard figure, which makes Ji-Heon cries in agony.

Ji-Heon, who is always running away from his duties, is not as ignorant as he seems to be. He grows up being pushed to be the heir but he doesn’t like that idea very much, so he gets constant beating from Chairman Cha. Hence, he is always in get-ready-to-be-attacked mode when he faces his father. Although he has some fear towards him, Ji-Heon still stands up for his father in his own way. He may not be able to talk back to the people that mocks his own father (and himself practically) but he is willing to protect his father’s job by putting some effort into work. He may not express his love towards his father verbally, but his action is something worth admired.

Luckily Ji-Heon isn’t someone with heart problem because he is one little fellow who gets scared easily while Chairman Cha is one who likes to creep inside his son’s bedroom.

Shin Suk-Hee & Mu-Won

The complete opposite of team father and son of Cha family, Mu-Won and his mother is another branch of Cha family that looks like they’re being isolated. Mu-Won inherits his mother’s capability and charisma that enables him to be one of the recognized potential heirs in business world. Suk-Hee is a single mother but that doesn’t limit her dreams of grooming her only son to be the rightful heir to DN Group. She is a confident career woman and she is bold to be able to express her views in front of others. Behind their serious

Their mother-son relationship is not that obvious when they are in the meeting room as both of them are very serious in their work, but once their enter their lovely mother-son moments, they can be very adorable. Suk-Hee may be bold in the meetings and in front of the board, but she is still a mother who loves her son very much, although the way she shows her love towards Mu-Won is a little special. Mu-Won, on the other hand, acts like his mother is his friend. It may be due to the fact that they grow up having to depend only on each other and thus, they become so close until they can understand each other very well.

Eun-Sul’s Dad & Eun-Sul

Eun-Sul’s dad is still alive while her mother has died a long time ago. He is the one who made her a martial art expertise as he himself an ex-master before his martial arts business goes bankrupt. Both of them has a strong survival instinct in their own life: him in the rural life while her in the city. Being separated does not make them less attached with each other. Eun-Sul’s dad gladly offers himself as a place for his daughter to vent her accumulated anger. Eun-Sul, on the other hand, doesn’t whine about her father’s way of living and just accept it, acknowledging that he knows what is the best for himself.

Eun-Sul isn’t ashamed of what her father do and she proudly tells people about her father. Also, the memories that Ji-Heon thinks an unpleasant one is actually the most precious one for her. As every father would do, her father tries to make her happy although it doesn’t fulfill what she wishes for. Eun-Sul also shows one important thing in everyone’s life: home is the best place to go if life is pressuring you because family is the best companion you’ll ever had.

Na-Yoon & Her Mother

The pair of mother and daughter with almost equal level of etiquette, or maybe the mother is a level higher than the daughter. Compared to Mu-Won’s mother who is more laid back, Na-Yoon’s mother isn’t the same. She is more on the strict side but she’s not that stern. Na-Yoon tries her best to live up to her mother’s expectation but she has her own crazy times as well. Na-Yoon’s mother  treats her warmly but sometimes, she looks like she’s too business-oriented. She even treats her daughter’s love life like some sort of business and saying that she’ll take care of the woman who makes his daughter being treated like air is just..so business-like. I think she is the character that puts the characters somehow balanced as she is the only one who looks quite reserved and less fun. At least for now.

Chairman Cha & His Mother

The most senior parent-child pairing but the most fun to look at. Chairman Cha is totally a child when he is with his mom. When he goes around saying “Mom!Mom!”, one will never guess that he himself is already a father. Due to the fact that he no longer has his wife, he shares his problems with his mother. She sometimes treat him like a child, for example when they are eating together and he refuses to finish his food like a small kid. Their interactions are often like a mother with a boy.

Their dialogues are something worth waiting for. Although it is so brief, it holds so much significance to the family ties and love.

Chairman Cha: *talking about Ji-Heon whereabout’s report to his secretary*

Mom: You can’t even trust your own son!

Chairman Cha: Oh! Mom!

Mom: I’m right here! Why are you calling me?

Chairman Cha: Mom, why are dressing like a ninja, with that sunglasses? What are you doing behind the tree?

Mom: What is happening right now? You can’t even believe your own son! If you don’t believe him, who will believe in him?

Chairman Cha: Mom, do you believe in me?

Mom: Of course I do!

Adorable. Both of them.

Eun-Sul and Myung-Ran

Myung-Ran, who is willing to do anything for Eun-Sul, although it involves throwing down her boss on the floor. She is probably the strongest supporter of Eun-Sul and she sure knows how to protect her best friend well with all the skills that she have. Ji-Heon would be scared to meet Myung-Ran again because of the incident and I think he won’t be that brave to actually hurt Eun-Sul. Myung-Ran, the protective, sister-like friend will find him to give him a good lesson, then.

Chairman Cha and Shin Suk-Hee

I am truly liking them: an old friend who become in-laws but ends up fighting for the power. Chairman Cha is persistent and the same goes with Suk-Hee at first. Both of them are trying really hard to get their own son to be the heir. He is hot tempered but he tries to talk with Suk-Hee, as she is his friend and he even negotiates with her about Mu-Won. Suk-Hee’s face softens a bit when he compliments her ability to revive her husband’s company. I’m hoping that they are going to reconcile because they are, after all, family and friends and do crazy things together with their sons.

Ji-Heon, Eun-Sul, Mu-Won & Na-Yoon

The main quartet may looks like an ordinary one on the surface but it’s more that actually. They are just like kids from the same neighborhood. Ji–Heon, Mu-Won, and Na-Yoon grow together but one day, a new kid, Eun-Sul, comes into the area and quickly steals the limelight from Na-Yoon. Everyone is paying attention to her and tries to impress her while Na-Yoon is left out. Although she tries to buy back everyone’s attention by throwing tantrums, Ji-Heon and Mu-Won ignores her because they are used to her behavior. It doesn’t help at all when all of them are behaving like a 10-year old kids, except with a little dignity.

The way they treat each other is very different. Mu-Won and Na-Yoon both have their own pride and they are like best friends who can turn into enemies if the situation calls for it. Both are very serious and diligent in whatever they are doing because they are groomed to be so driven into the goals made by their parents. The way Mu-Won treats No-Yoon is completely opposite of what he will do when he’s with Eun-Sul. People with pride tend to be firmer with the person who is as proud as he is but he is more laid back when he’s with a person different from him. They are cool-headed but they have some cold blood running inside them, which is so obvious when they discuss about their past relationship. Both Mu-Won and Na-Yoon can quickly move on due to their good rational thinking and they don’t let the emotions control them, except for a moment or two for Na-Yoon.
These two has endless words that can describe their relations. Ji-Heon is slowly being attached to Eun-Sul.  Ji-Heon likes to run away but every time she persuades him to stay, he will do so. He treats her like a complete stranger at times but due to her gum-like closeness with him, he looks so comfortable when he’s around her. Eun-Sul herself admits that she is almost a mother to him. Ji-Heon views her as his protector and he is confident when she is around him. On top of that, both of them have trust in the other: Eun-Sul believes that Ji-Heon can do better despite his panic attack and continuously pushing him while Ji-Heon is starting to accept Eun-Sul’s shortcomings as he knows that he isn’t perfect either. It’s not too much to say that Eun-Sul is Ji-Heon’s source of strength right now.

A rivalry between two cousins is inevitable and it become more severe if they are of the same age and gender. Mu-Won and Ji-Heon both have their own strength and weaknesses. Mu-Won has the capability and skills and Ji-Heon is no less talented than him but his panic attack hinders him from performing more than his cousin. They are basically very different from each other: Mu-Won has all the serious trait whereas Ji-Heon is more palyful in nature. Although others view Ji-Heon as the incapable heir and prefer Mu-Won, Mu-Won does feel insecure as he knows his own cousin. He realises that Ji-Heon can surpass him in anything if he is not held behind by his panic. They might be close cousins once from the way they keep fighting and teasing each other, but when their family are separated, they might have developed some bad feelings towards each other.

Eun-Sul and Na-Yoon, on the other hand, are arch enemies in making. They currently don’t have any coomon point for them to even smile to each other after giving off a bad first impressions (and I mean both of them). Luckily Na-Yoon isn’t up to anything yet as she is  still holding tight to her power of ‘good education’. Her tantrums are only thrown when she is alone and not to anyone. Eun-Sul, as usual, doesn’t give much thought about her. As what she says, Na-Yoon is just a friend of her boss and she doesn’t have to show too much respect to her. Sometimes, ignorance can be good, especially when we are dealing with someone as attentive-seeking as Na-Yoon.

I’m glad that Secretary Yang doesn’t give Na-Yoon any chance to show her power in their office and step on Eun-Sul. Or maybe it’s because she isn’t that fond of the fact that Na-Yoon keeps hovering around Mu-Won, whom she is in love with.

And that’s the call for..

The Secretaries

The secretaries who are still not that fond of Eun-Sul’s easy admission into the company. Thank God Eun-Sul has guts to go and face those secretaries (Secretary Joo and Secretary Han I think) who are always saying bad things behind her back. She gets their respect, or rather fear after chiding them about the indifferent levels of people. At least she won’t be bullied easily after this.

Wednesday’s finally coming! I totally can’t wait for the next episode 😀 What surprises me most is I have been thinking that Mu-Won and Ji-Heon don’t drive their own cars and I was hoping that there should be a scene where they are racing with each other while showing off their cars. And my wish has been materialized, at least with this. Looking forward for tomorrow!

And for those who are craving for more Choi Kang-Hee and Ji Sung, go and watch Running Man #54 with the theme “Protect the Boss”. They are appearing on the show as guests and their roles are reversed: Kang-Hee gets to be the boss while Ji Sung is the driver. I can’t stop giggling watching them on the show. Kang-Hee is so cute and Ji Sung is so funny.

Both of them are driving..

but Ji Sung, when did you get your license?

She does have a baby face >.< so cute!

He looks so good in black ^o^