A Virtuous Business

I so wanted to like this show, but after 4 episodes the whole thing imploded. The 'naughty' business of selling sex toys is nowhere naughty, nor are the characters. Which are not well-developed and sometimes just dropped halfway through the show (like the unfaithful husband and his lover).

Whereas I loved Kim So-yeon in Sky Castle, she is acting like a robot in this series. Her facial features are frozen (too much Botox, my dear?) and she plays such a demure and subservient character that she ends up being as interesting as an empty sheet of paper.

Whereas the story is supposedly about the growth and characters of the 4 leading female actors, it feels like domestic bliss and traditional role division is more important. It could have been written in 1992 as well!

This is an easy to watch kdrama about 4 women in a small town seeking ways to survive but more importantly how to be themselves and be free of the typical stereotypes that society wants them to be. This is nothing new but the serie does it really well in my opinion.

The characters in the serie are to me really interesting. You see how they grow and bloom. Also the combination of the different characters of the 4 women works really well.

I have literally both laughed and cried in sometimes even the same episode.

I do think it could have been more risqué, that would have made it more unique now it was still really decent.

I have a weakness for Japanese TV shows and quirky k-dramas and I really wanted to like this new Netflix series. I expected a risque comedy, but it's neither risque nor a comedy. It's a weird soapy mish-mosh with a clogged kitchen sink thrown in. Yet somehow, the lingerie business theme becomes more of a tangent, which is a shame because that stuff is cute and hilarious. Anyway, the first 4 episodes are slow paced but amusing and I anticipated some crazyfun was about to break loose. But nope, we're at episode 8 and the last 4 episodes were stretched all over the map. And never legitimately funny. Scenes were edited and thrown together in a forced, plodding and disconnected way. I still can't make any sense of the female lead because her acting keeps vacillating from deep frozen damsel-in-distress to disruptive emotional volcano. Sometimes she even reminds me of a mask wearing Kabuki character. The one character I do like is Detective KIm. Kim is slowly becoming the super-glue that holds the hapless Kabuki style heroine, her backwater town, its puerile police force, and the entire series together. So I plan to keep watching. At least to see how things turn out for all the lingerie ladies.

I thoroughly enjoyed the show, and I love how it spoke of a story of resilience and female empowerment. It was also hilarious and a really light watch.

All the women in the show had their own story that was very interesting to watch, and looking at how all of them overcame adversity was also something that really inspired me on my own journey. I think there really needs to be more of this type of shows!

I would recommend this to anyone who's just looking for a light drama to watch, or someone who's really down and in need of encouragement!

Way to go, production team of the virtuous business!

It has been a while since there has been a heart warming show about friendship and love in a small town. Those who enjoyed insights into human relationships in Our Blues will enjoy this well made series that confronts some prejudices and deals with adultery divorce and single motherhood. Not familiar with the original series on which it is based, but it is quite unusual for a Korean series to talk explicitly about sexual issues and body parts although it is handled gingerly here.

The premise is when a woman has to sell adult toys and clothes to make ends meet she forges some friendships with a bunch of diverse ladies. There is also a detective looking for his birth parents. Who doesn't love a birth secret? The central romance evolves quite thoughtfully and is convincing. It's not just about the central couple, the other characters all have their stories. The early 90s look is well recreated. Must praise the ensemble cast who aren't afraid to look unglamorous here. The versatile Kim So Yeon plays the total opposite of her Penthouse character. Similarly Lee Se Hee of Young Lady and Gentlemen plays a totally different character a bubbly hairdresser. A 180 difference from her nanny role in YLAG and she is almost unrecognizable. Great support from the excellent Kim Sun Young of CLOY who is such a brilliant actress. The larger than life Jun Young Joo adds theatrical presence. But really enjoyed the lovely Kim Sung Ryung who is familiar as the beautiful mother of the leading men in many a series from Inheritors on. She is actually a great actress. Yeon Woo Jin as the leading man is quite suited to the role. Actually liked him in this show more than some of his previous roles because his understated manner is right for the character.

One of the good shows to include in your must watch list for 2024.