[In-Depth Review] The Power of the Office Drama 'Jojjoso' That Changes Reality

Drama 'Jojoso' still cut

It is difficult to say that office dramas are a mainstream genre in the domestic drama industry. This contrasts with professional dramas featuring medical professionals or legal experts, which are considered surefire hits. One reason is that it is challenging to incorporate dramatic elements like the crime mysteries of legal dramas or the life-and-death situations of medical dramas into stories about ordinary office workers. Office dramas are based on the everyday lives of regular people rather than the glamorous and dramatic settings of professional dramas. In other words, the challenge lies in creating interest through ordinary reality in dramas where conflict is central.

Workplace dramas popular in the 1990s tried to overcome this challenge through love stories. The protagonists’ jobs were concentrated in trend-sensitive fields such as fashion companies, advertising agencies, and magazines. The workplace was often just a backdrop for their romantic encounters. After the 1997 financial crisis, dramas reflecting changes in labor conditions such as layoffs and early retirement, as well as the hardships of office workers, also appeared. However, romance remained an essential element.

In 2014, a work that overturned existing trends and made a mark in the history of office dramas appeared. tvN’s Misaeng (Incomplete Life), along with KBS’s God of Work, was among the first office dramas to seriously address the issue of discrimination against non-regular workers. Furthermore, it comprehensively portrayed various labor issues such as workplace bullying, factions, sexual harassment, and career-interrupted women. Its realistic depiction without a romantic subplot sparked social resonance. Misaeng was a turning point that made viewers realize that the true appeal of office dramas lies in evoking empathy through realistic portrayals of occupations.

Drama 'Misaeng' still cut

Since Misaeng, many dramas closely reflecting workers’ realities have emerged, and among them, the web drama Jojjoso is particularly noteworthy. The title is an abbreviation of “Joso Joso Joso Corporation,” a sarcastic reference to the harsh realities of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It tells the story of 29-year-old Jo Chung-beom (played by Nam Hyun-woo), who repeatedly fails to find a job before finally joining an SME. The drama faces several entry barriers, including a simple storyline, unfamiliar actors, and a production team with no prior drama directing experience. However, it received enthusiastic responses as soon as it was released on YouTube.

The Jojjoso syndrome resembles Misaeng in many ways. While Misaeng focused on the issues of non-regular workers that previous office dramas overlooked, Jojjoso puts the poor working conditions of SMEs front and center. Its main setting is workplaces with fewer than five employees, which are excluded from the protections of the Labor Standards Act due to their small size. The drama humorously yet sharply critiques problems such as excessive workloads and human rights violations experienced by workers in these environments.

Drama 'Jojoso' still cut

Hyperrealism is also a key factor in its success. Even Misaeng, praised for its realism, seems like fantasy in comparison. The hyperrealism of Jojjoso, infused with the experiences of the production team and those around them, has garnered broad empathy from SME workers, who make up 83% of all employees. The channel where Jojjoso is released has become a public forum for sharing and exposing harsh realities. Just as Misaeng sparked discourse on comprehensive measures for non-regular workers, Jojjoso raises awareness of an even bleaker labor blind spot.

Again, office dramas are not a dominant genre. However, since they are based on the lives of the majority of ordinary people, they have strong potential to change reality. This has been proven by Misaeng and now by Jojjoso.

Kim Sun-young, Popular Culture Critic