Agency ~ A Woman Breaks the Glass Ceiling in an Ad Agency

“Agency” was released in 2023, has 16 episodes, and is streaming on both Viki and Netflix. It can be categorized as corporate office drama and a lot of it!  ‘Swans do not rest under the water, they struggle.”

♦ A Success Story of the First Female Executive at an Advertising Agency

“Agency” begins with an advertisement to get people to download a video game. “Go beyond being the first and be the best. Maintain grace despite being desperate. Give up from time to time for self-preservation.” This was the advice given to a female warrior in an RPG video game.

It’s good advice. But does it apply to Go A-In in her job as the first female executive of VC Communications, a leading advertising agency? Before her promotion, her business card said that she was the Creative Director. People talk all the smack they want about her behind her back, like saying she’s a sociopath who focuses only on her success. But nobody can deny that her job performance is “on another level”.

Go A-In is cold-hearted. Although she prefers to say she’s cool, calm, level-headed, and used to winning. Hey! When you got it, you don’t even have to flaunt it because … you’re the best … and EVERYBODY KNOWS! You also don’t need to care what others say or think or “expect”.

Why should you let others put limits on you? That’s Go A-In’s philosophy and work ethic. She is driven! She must be a success! Becoming the “first” is just the beginning of her road to success. No surprise that she regularly visits a doctor and takes prescription medication to treat insomnia.

For her diligent hard work and lack of sleep, she was promoted to Chief Creative Officer (CCO). Another notch on her belt. The chairman called her directly to tell her that she was now “the face” of the company. The company needs to look “women-friendly”.

While she mulls over what the chairman had told her, the chairman’s proxy comes to deliver “the real news”. Her executive position was “temporary”. WHAT?? Where to next? Should she just accept that she’s been played and screwed?

Does she need a hero? Or can she save herself? One thing is certain in her mind. She won’t run away. She was told she had one year in her position. A lot can happen in a year.

One has to wonder. What is Go A-In’s definition of success?

Main Characters:

• Go A-In (played by Lee Bo-Young, “See You in My 19th Life”)
• Kang Han-Na (played by Son Na-Eun, “Ghost Doctor”)
• Choi Chang-Soo (played by Cho Seong-Ha, “Our Blooming Youth”, “Lovers of the Red Sky”)
• Park Young-Woo (played by Han Joon-Woo, “Happiness”)

Where to Watch

Viewership and Rating:

• IMDb: 7.8 out of 10 stars
• My Drama List: 8.2 out of 10 stars
• Dramabeans: 8.9 out of 10 stars
• Viki viewers rated this series 9.4 out of 10 stars

My personal rating aligns with the Viki viewers. The acting was top-notch and the storyline held my attention from start to finish. “Agency” gets added to the list of women-centric K-dramas that are becoming very popular.

In “Agency”, the main character is a woman designated as a “first”. Fiction mirrors the real world. When you’re a “first” in any field – you’re a “pioneer”. There is a lot of pressure on you to be better than the best that you can be.

Lee Bo-Young did a fantastic job of playing Go A-In and acting like the first female boss from hell! Not trying to defend her but, if you have ever worked in the corporate office then you probably know that quite often the corporate workplace is hell anyway! When you’re climbing the ladder of success – haters and backstabbers are all around you. She was surviving and gave back to others what they gave to her.

LINKS OF INTEREST:

• 33 Korean dramas with strong, inspiring women leads | Her World Singapore
• K-Drama Review: 3 Unusual Things That Thrill Viewers in ‘Agency’ | ZAPZEE – Premier Korean Entertainment Magazine
• ‘Agency’ (2023) Netflix Series Review – Welcome to the Harsh Reality | Midgard Times
• “Agency” Ends On Its Highest Rating Yet Becoming The 5th Highest Rated JTBC Drama Of All Time | JazmineMedia

FUN FACTS:

There is not a real video game named FIGHTER QUEEN, but there is a cartoon-style fighting an all-female fighting game available on Google Play named The Queen Of Fighters.

TRAILERS/TEASERS:

Netflix K-Content. “What to Do When Your Boss Is Super Scary | Agency Ep 1 [ENG SUB].” YouTube Video. YouTube, May 31, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3bHe1VgHiY.‌