[Ishani's Picks] "Business Proposal" Shows How Webtoon Adaptations Should Be Made

March 2022 is filled with new releases and K-Drama fans simply can't get enough of them. Among all the stellar new dramas we have airing and lined up this month, there's one particular series that is stealing hearts left and right: "Business Proposal"!

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"Business Proposal" is the ultimate romantic comedy, filled to the brim with all the tropes we love, well-written characters, a relatable sense of humour and to top it all off: unbelievable visuals. Adapted from a webnovel and webtoon of the same name, it tells the story of an ordinary office worker who ends up going on a blind date with the President of her company as a substitute for her best friend. The comedy of errors that ensues leads to the most hilarious contract relationship and finally, blooms into love.

In recent years, webtoon adaptations have become more and more common and increasingly popular too, which is beneficial not just for the K-Drama industry but also for the webtoon industry as international viewers are introduced to the wondrous world of manhwa. Despite being common, not all adaptations live up to the hype of the original webtoons and fall short of the expectations set forth by fans of the same. "Business Proposal", however, is a cut above the rest: the perfect example of an ideal adaptation.

"Business Proposal" takes everything there is to love about the webtoon and incorporates it seamlessly into the live action medium. More importantly, it perfectly translates onto screen the unique sense of humour of the creators of the webtoon, Haehwa, Perilla (story) and Narak (illustration). Rather than doing away with the antics of the narrative that can only be expressed through drawings, "Business Proposal" imitates the same through some impeccable editing.

The special effects are subtle yet clear callbacks to specific scenes in the webtoon, which evoke the enjoyment one might have felt while reading them for the first time. This makes the drama a brand new experience for a fan of the webtoon even though they are fully aware of the plot. It is this ability to make something fresh and exciting out of a known story that makes "Business Proposal" so impressive.

On the other hand, for viewers who have not read the original webtoon, "Business Proposal" elicits curiosity and intrigue, making them want to check it out after watching the drama and as such, the novelty effect is reversed. Either way, "Business Proposal" does a great job of bringing us the best of both worlds: an experience that is unique to live action combined with the irreplaceable essence of the webtoon.

Huge props are due to the excellent cast: Ahn Hyo-seop, Kim Sejeong, Kim Min-kyu and Seol In-ah, who not only look like they walked straight out of the webtoon but also embody their characters with sheer perfection. "Business Proposal" wouldn't have been anything near such an amazing adaptation, if not for the brilliant cast who breathe life into the story.

If you haven't started watching "Business Proposal" yet, I'd sincerely recommend that you do because otherwise, you're missing out on one of the best K-Dramas this summer. "Business Proposal" airs every Monday and Tuesday, only on Netflix!

By Ishani Sarkar

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"Business Proposal" is directed by Park Seon-ho-I, written by Han Seol-hee, Hong Bo-hee, and features Ahn Hyo-seop, Kim Sejeong, Kim Min-kyu, Seol In-ah, Lee Deok-hwa, Kim Hyun-sook. Broadcasting information in Korea: 2022/02/28~Now airing, Mon, Tue 22:00 on SBS.