72세 회장의 위험한 인턴 생활: 드라마 '신입사원 강회장'이 쏘아 올린 시청률 돌풍의 비밀 > K-wave Trends

The core driving force of the drama is the ironic situational comedy that comes from the ‘discord of the soul’. Kang Yong-ho, chairman of Choi Sung Group, the 10th largest business in Korea, has been a person who has been consistent with the logic of money and ruthless efficiency throughout his life, but due to an unexpected accident, he is trapped in the body of Hwang Jun-hyun, a soccer player and former K League 2 MVP. Lee Jun-young excels at playing a dual character with the soul of a 72-year-old seasoned businessman hidden behind the youthful and healthy appearance of a 20-year-old, increasing the level of immersion in the play. In particular, Son Hyun-joo reinterprets Kang Yong-ho's unique overbearing attitude and tone of voice in his own way, creating explosive comedy at every moment when the freshness of a new employee and the authority of the chairman clash. This is not just a simple imitation, but shows a sense of balance in acting that deals seriously with the tragic situation the character finds itself in, while not losing the cheerfulness of office drama.

Another axis that supports the narrative of the work is the fierce secret struggle within the Choi Sung Group and the ruthless network of relationships called ‘family’. Kang Yong-ho's eldest son, Kang Jae-seong, and his second daughter, Kang Jae-kyung, do not save their father while he is on the verge of death due to an accident, but instead focus on conspiring to collect slush funds and usurp the chairmanship. This setting inherits the genre grammar of the past 'youngest son of a chaebol family', but goes further to complete a narrative of retribution in which the CEO, who witnessed the betrayal of his children, looks back on his own life. The power struggle between twin siblings shown by Jeon Hye-jin and Jin-gu adds a tense tension to the play and makes viewers pay keen attention to how Chairman Kang will overcome this crisis and provide 'true education' to his children.

The production team's clever strategy is also the hidden driving force behind this success. The reunion of creator Soon-ok Kim and a local writer ensures the drama's sense of speed and provocative development, and the solid narrative structure of writer San-kyung's original web novel shines even brighter during the film adaptation process. In particular, the fact that writer Kim Soon-ok was deeply involved in script meetings and character development beyond the simple title explains the drama's unique 'dopamine-filled' development method. The conflict between classes that arises as the story that started in the chairman's office reaches the desk of an intern, and unconventional lines such as "If you don't give me the data, it's missing" that is thrown without hesitation towards the sales team, provide viewers with a thrilling catharsis. These elements form an exquisite tone and manner that goes back and forth between traditional drama and comedy, enhancing the perfection of the work.

‘New Employee Chairman Kang’ goes beyond a simple revenge story and metaphorically depicts true leadership and communication between generations. The process of Kang Yong-ho hiding his identity and starting from the bottom of Choi Sung Group can be read as a growth narrative in which he realizes the 'value of people' that he had missed all his life. The scene where he looks back on his life while confirming his earnest wish and the blank check left behind by Hwang Jun-hyeon becomes an important turning point in which Chairman Kang, once a cold-blooded man, recovers his human emotions. Additionally, when the image of an intern struggling not even to use Excel is cross-edited with the image of a CEO who overwhelms executives with sharp criticism in the conference room, viewers sense that this drama is not simply a light office drama. These three-dimensional character portrayals are the reason why dramas go beyond simple success and remain in viewers' memories for a long time.