CEO-dol Mart: Korean Drama Viki Original Series

“CEO-dol Mart” is a Viki Original series, released in 2023. It has 10 episodes and is categorized as a Comedy-Idol Drama. This story of a failed K-pop idol group is the story of a phoenix rising from the ashes. In this instance, five (5) phoenixes need to rise.

Wait! We Own What?

What is a CEO-dol Mart? A group of young men who were once members of a K-pop idol group disbanded and went their separate ways. One of the members died tragically and the group leader, Choi Ho Rang, was too discouraged and broken-hearted to carry on. Five years had passed since they were together. One day they discover that they are the owners of Boram Mart, a convenient grocery store. What a shock! They have no idea how to run a mart. The first thing they learn is that there are debts and taxes that need to be paid. They opt for the easiest solution. Sell the mart!

Choi Ho Rang fears another failure. What if he convinces his friends to keep the mart and this endeavor fails just like the K-pop idol group? Each group member has a reason for wanting to at least try to run the mart. For one thing, each one has an equal share in the grocery store and can be considered the boss, company president, or the CEO. They can honestly say “Nobody is the boss of me!” They meet as equal shareholders and decide on business matters.

Where We Are versus Where We Could Be

Could CEO-dol Mart be a good thing for their future?

• Choi Ho Rang wants to be a freelance contractor. He’s been saving his money for 5 years. Should he throw away his dreams of financial independence and invest his savings in Boram Mart?

• Shin Tae Ho works with his sister as a Taekwondo instructor to small children. It’s not what he wants but his sister has him thinking he can’t do any better than that.

• Jo Yi Joon has had a YouTube channel for 5 years. Despite all of the effort he puts into the channel, he has less than 500 subscribers. Everybody knows a YT channel has to have at least 1,000 subscribers.

• Eun Young Min left the countryside caring for cows and came to Seoul seeking fame and fortune. But when the idol group disbanded he had to return home, disappointed.

• Yoon Sang Woo is the youngest of the group. The tragic loss of his friend left him broken, and he escaped to Bali, never intending to return to Korea. The memories were too painful and he was … scared of snow. There is no snow in Bali.

Selling the mart immediately seemed like a good idea, at first. But then they had a change of heart. This might be an opportunity to change their present circumstances for the better. What have they got to lose?

Why Do Nice People Always Have Enemies?

Considering that they have not had much success in their lives since the group broke up, the CEO-dol Mart project might be exactly what they need to turn their lives around. Choi Ho Rang took the money he saved up for the past 5 years and went all in by paying the debts and taxes for Boram Mart. He is the only one in the group who brought money to the table. But he does not expect them to pay him back. He just wants to work together once again and build something profitable. He believes in himself and is willing to trust his friends will work hard. This time they won’t FAIL.

Initially, they made a few mistakes that resulted in financial losses. Live and learn. They fell down but they got back up. What they did not realize was they had an unseen enemy working against them. He was the landowner and had expected them to fail. Then he would swoop in like a vulture and take away everything from them. But Boram Mart was gaining loyal customers and the business started thrving. That meant he had to do something to MAKE THEM FAIL.

• Who was the landowner?
• Did he even know the owners of Boram Mart?
• Why was he so determined for them not to succeed?

Main Characters:

• Choi Ho Rang played by Lee Sin Young
• Shin Tae Ho played by Xiumin
• Jo Yi Joon played by Hyungwon
• Eun Young Min played by Choi Won Myeong
• Yoon Sang Woo played by Lee Sae On

Where to Watch

Viewership and Rating:

• My Drama List: 7.6 out of 10 stars
• Viki viewers rated this Original series, 9.1 out of 5 stars.

The Viki rating is reasonable for a PG-13 TV series. If you are in the mood for a story of triumph that is pure-hearted and light-hearted, CEO-dol Mart is perfect! It is very similar to The Heavenly Idol. Both series are cheesy, corny, and syrupy-sweet. But you can’t stop yourself from loving all of the guys in the group and rooting for them to be successful and happy.

Links of Interest:

• K-Drama “CEO-dol Mart” Combines K-Pop Fun And K-Drama Charms | Kpopmap
• Low Key K-Drama ‘CEO-Dol Mart’ Delivers Plenty Of Can-Do Spirit | Forbes
• CEO-dol Mart | Exclusive Interview with the Cast of “CEO-dol Mart” | Korean Drama – YouTube

TRAILER/TEASER:

KDramaforyou. “CEO DOL MART Trailer (September 2023 KDrama) | Lee Shin-Young and Xiumin Korean Drama.” YouTube, 23 Sept. 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wai-Kx9M0Go&t=29s.