Tough Love [Miseng]

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A Warm Iron Fist

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An analysis of Miseng wouldn’t be complete without looking into Team Leader Oh. Oh is a veteran corporate trader and the supervisor of Geure. He takes on a very cynical, critical, and masochistic approach to his work and his results are a cut above the other team leaders. He yells a lot, screams a lot, and never lets up with any sign of empathy. But it’s clear that this isn’t done for any malicious reason. In fact, it is done in the pursuit of the best outcome.

This is a sentiment that feels almost old-fashioned today.

Today, it’s all about empathy and coddling, making sure everyone feels cuddled and content. The idea of ‘stress’ is something no-one wants to go near with a 10-foot pole. Of course, mental balance and overall well-being are paramount concerns. But we’ve accustomed to an aversion of stress, as if it provides absolutely nothing essential.

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For the beginning scenes of Miseng, it seems that is the case. Leader Oh barrages Geure with almost unsurmountable tasks. Her crumbles, again and again, to the point where most viewers wouldn’t be surprised from him leaving the company altogether. But slowly, the massive weight put on Geure becomes a bit more bearable, and he proceeds to take steps forward. Oh never acknowledges any significant success, but the nuances of his actions show that he entrusts Geure with more and more responsibility. Geure becomes stronger, eventually becoming a valued and even essential member of the team.

This is the type of outcome I don’t believe is possible without a strong dose of structured conflict. Asking someone for their best and demanding it implicitly produce very different results. A bit of well-injected stress is a good motivator for anyone to access a part of their primal instinct and perform at a higher level. Oh, despite his similarities with all the other middle-aged management on the show, has a different flair to him, a kind of “I don’t give a damn” vibe and only in search of the results. No fame, no wealth, just results.

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There isn’t much else to say, and I’m curious on everyone’s thoughts on this type of personality. For me, it’s refreshing to see Koreans with such professional drive, not just ones doing what they do for the paycheck.