K-Drama ‘Kkondae Intern’ Asks Whether Age Always Deserves Respect

Viewers expecting a lighthearted comedy in the spirit of, say, the Robert DeNiro film The Intern, may need at least an episode to warm up to the wry satire of the Korean drama Kkondae Intern. To get to the funny part of the plot, the main character, Ka Yeol-chan, played by Park Hae-jin, has to suffer harshly at the hands of his tyrannical boss, played by Kim Eung-soo.

In the DeNiro film, an older experienced former executive gets a chance to prove his worth in an office full of younger employees, who see him as possibly having outdated ideas, due to his age. Although it’s a learning curve, the character succeeds and the office staff learns that an older adult may have something relevant to say. 

Conversely, the Korean take on the older intern story poses the idea that being old does not necessarily make someone a font of wisdom. Respect for age and status are an essential part of Korean culture, with hierarchy playing a part in most social interactions. However, the Korean word kkondae refers to an older adult who is perhaps less deserving of respect, one who is rigid, old school, and condescending. That describes Kim’s character Lee Man-sik.

When the drama starts, he is the kkondae boss of the marketing department at a major food company, and, while he may know the ropes, he knows nothing about treating his employees with respect. Yeol-chan is an intern at his company and Man-sik makes his life miserable. He puts Yeol-chan down at every opportunity and sends him on errands that have nothing to do with his job. The good-hearted Yeol-chan does what he’s told, hoping that one day he will prove his worth and cease to be treated like a newbie. However, he encounters a life and death situation, in which he gets no support from his superiors, and he resigns.

Fast forward five years and Yeol-chan is now the head of a marketing team at another food company. He’s happy and successful, even if he does have a new enemy, Namgoong Joon-soo, a not-too-bright corporate heir hilariously played by Park Ki-woong.

Man-sik is now out of work, having become somewhat obsolete. As part of a plot to discredit Yeol-chan, Man-sik winds up working at that office as an intern. While it might be tempting to assume that Yeol-chan will cruelly and deservedly turn the tables on his terrible former boss, that hardly seems to be his style. 

Man-sik may learn something from working in the friendly new office that Yeol-chan runs, and may one day even deserve some respect for his contributions. Before that, the new intern and his new boss may face an uncomfortable showdown.

Park was last seen in the drama Forest and the film Cheese in the Trap. Kim, who has appeared in close to 100 films and dramas, was last seen in the drama Chief of Staff and the film By Quantum Physics.