Branding in Seongsu (2024)

Not great

I watched all 24 episodes. The first few episodes were horrible. The writing is just shit, I mean the acting was okay, and I've seen both main leads in different dramas with much better acting, so their acting is not the problem. There are too many filler episodes even if its just 30 minutes, there's nothing interesting and gets tiring and almost repetitive. Nothing happens for a while. Everything was all over the place in the beginning. Honestly, I only watched because the dramas I'm currently watching have yet to release a new episode. Waiting for each episode to come out its just not worth it for this drama. I guess you could use this as a filler drama to watch in one go when bored but don't expect much. I don't understand why there are so many reviews that were 7 stars and above. The comedic aspect was good especially the underdog team. The last episode was rushed. The "revenge" was not satisfactory at all and only lasted like 10 minutes if the last episode. The thing I probably only liked was the very very late character development of Kang Na Eon. I never like the character of So Eun Ho in the beginning either, he was too childlike. So his character development or "reveal" was good to. The soul switch just made everything a lot more complicated and just badly written. There could've been so many other ways to get the two main leads to meet without the soul switch. It was just unnecessary. I also didn't like the large time skip one one year, it makes sense why So Eun Ho wanted a break but one year is crazy. I also didn't like 2nd fml character development or how they became friends again so quickly. There was not much reconciliation or anything. Like she apologised once and then after the time skip they're best friends again. It just felt unnatural. I'm glad they're friends again but the way her character was written was mid. Overall, the story was mid and could've been much better.

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Enjoyable body swap story

After avoiding kdramas for a few months, finally broke my "fast" with this. Branding in Seongsu is a light romantic thriller
with bits of comedy.

What I like:
1. The mystery plot - was thrilling especially in the 1st part.
2. Acting - Kim Ji Eun & Lomon did well playing their roles (first
time watching their acting) although at times Lomon stole the show when he played Naeon.
3. Kissing - Wow Lomon can kiss. The first kissing scene was hot.
4. Song 'On my hill' - Love this song because the alluring beat is fitting for seductive moments.
5. Supporting characters - Team Underdogs out shined other side characters. Joo Rex reminds me of P1harmony's Keeho. Hehehe

What I dislike:
1. Villains - underdeveloped & tad predictable.
2. Supernatural element - wish they develop that element. It'd be interesting if the 'demon' is tied to Naeon's feeling of guilt.

Favourite scene:
As a non-drinkers, I enjoy the Mood project the most. I know there is non-alcoholic soju sold in Thailand because it is endorsed by Mark Tuan, a member of GOT7.

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great for tuning out the real world

i had so much fun watching this show! a romp of a genderbent-mystery-thriller workplace comedy. overall, it’s fast-paced and charming, with great chemistry between the leads and a couple surprisingly steamy kisses. it also covers some refreshingly progressive ground through the clients the agency takes on, among other elements. is the plot messy/rushed at times? yes. tonally uneven? sure. do i care? absolutely not! the show has a self-awareness of its more ridiculous aspects that makes even the pitfalls seem endearing. the leads have great chemistry and i came to adore many of the side characters. the songs at the end of each episode are all bangers. the perfect thing to watch when you just want to tune out the real world and be taken along for the ride.

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It may not make much sense, but it was a fun ride!

Sometimes when doing reviews it’s tough to decide how to rate something because there are times when enjoyment and objective quality don’t line up.
For example, I LOVE Devilish Joy, but I feel the need to put a disclaimer out if I recommend it to anyone, because objectively it’s not a very good drama. The plot is a mess of cliches and the villains are often cartoonish. Still I love it on the strength of the romance and main couple. I don’t care that it’s not some cinematic masterpiece— I thoroughly enjoyed it. On the flip side there are dramas that are well-made like The Red Sleeve (though honestly that drama had some very silly side plots), with masterful acting from the male lead, that I just don’t love. Yeah I guess I can recommend it, but very half-heartedly.

All that to say that Branding In Seongsu is kind of a mess. They throw so many things in there, and many of them make no sense. But it was charming and fun, and I genuinely looked forward to new episodes. The acting got better as it went along. Lomon in particular managed to make various twists land well, and Kim Ji Eun’s character at first seemed impossible to believe could ever be redeemable, but in the end she managed to gradually soften up in a believable way.

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Just give it a try !

I almost dropped at the first episode because I didn't read the synopsis well and thought that there was a...like HUGE age gap. Anyway, I still don't know how old are the characters, I forgot but it's not that bothersome. This is for the ones who are hesitating to watch this show... just watch it.
At first, you might think that it focuses too much on the jobs of the male leads, well it annoyed me at the beginning, but then I realized that it is interesting, and gives you an overview of what's going on behind products, advertisement, etc... This side of the show has an actual link with the plot which keeps it captivating.

The "fantasy" side of the show: the fact that they swapped their bodies, was an idea that involved a big risk: that the acting wouldn't be on point. That's why I left 9 stars for the acting because it was very nice but Na eun character in Eun Ho's body could've been more pronounced. Like... He was cold but not as cold as the original ... Anyway who am I to judge? I'm not an actor and I think that the role is very challenging but overall they are doing such a great job! Don't worry the show is still good
And about the plot, it is very satisfying.
I won't say more, otherwise, I would spoil something so I'll just let you watch it, don't drop it too soon(like, the first 6 episodes, btw they are 30 minutes long) I guarantee that it will get interesting!

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ITS A HIDDEN GEM!

Its a great K - Drama and needs more exposure. I honestly loved the cast's acting. Lomon has played the character very nicely, or should I say AMAZINGLY! I am loving his acting so much, that my appreciation for him is filled up to the brim and its overflowing. This drama should be seen at all cost. I am 100% recommending it . I absolutely do not have any idea why it isn't popular ? I guess people tend to like watching similar stories like My demon ( don't come at me, you know its true ) rather than this, which has a very different concept and it keep you interested. I finished the episodes in one go and I'm still waiting for more . Also , the reason why I gave 9 /10 in cast is because I think the 2nd Male lead's acting can be a little better, like only a true person whose been watching K-dramas for a lot of time can see what I'm trying to talk about. Come to think of it, you might wonder why I gave 10/10 in music when it contains like very small amount of music? The reason is because the tune in the beginning of the show and when it continues on scenes - I LOVE that tune , like its the vibe it gives and a tune that I am feeling very satisfied to. All in all , its a very nice show, after watching some shows, it has given me that zest that I was trying to find. So , from my side its a 100% ? . Go and watch it as soon as possible.

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Love this drama, entertaining, great chemistry, good actors

I love this drama, entertaining, great chemistry, good cast
- Na Eon and Eun Ho has great chemistry
- I love the Branding Marketing topics nila nakaka relate ako?
- Ang cute at handsome ni Eun Ho as in haha, Bagay sya mapa Romantic Comedy or Action Triller, hope to see him more in this type of drama?
- The best yung Underdog team Rex, Jenny, Young Ae, eun ho
- I like how Lomon(Eun Ho) is great in portraying his character here well done mapa childish man or as Na Eon soul.
- Pero kapag nakay Eun Ho yung soul ni Na Eon which is mataray naiinis ako sa ugali minsan ni Na Eon kahit nasa katawan sya ni Eun Ho. I like pano mag act c Lomon as Na Eon.
- I really like Eun Ho personality kahit nong nasa original katawan or kahit nasa katawan sya ni Na Eon maganda personality nya and I like pano mag act c (Kim Ji Eun) as EUn Ho which is hindi nakakainis pag soul ni Eun Ho nasa katawan nya while nakakainis nmn kapag c Na Eon soul?.
- They both nail it. I like their actings Eun Ho and Na Eon. ?
- Eun Ho was so enthusiastic pero tinatago nya yung pain at puot for 5 years dala dala nya ?.
- I like how yung mga nakakainis na character eh nakakainis rin talga?.

what I don't much like is:
- sayang revenge plot ni Eun Ho sorry na word lang yung need pala? Sayang kase kung nagawa ng tama ang nice sana
- ang ikli kase ng revenge plot na dala ng character nya siguru dahil konti lang din episodes ng drama or dapat episode 15 palang inintroduce na yung revenge
- halos walang character development c Na Eon or medyo weak lng pagka introduce...
- ang konti ng episodes huhu I want more

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mehhh

in the first like 6 episodes i just kept watching (idk why) even tho it was like the worst kdrama airing at that time but then it got better, then it got worse again and then better again lol, idk how i managed to watch this until the end, i feel like the plot was all over the place and the pacing was bad cuz the last 4 episodes were soo rushed when they had 20 more episodes to create a better pace also the fl was mean and all that for 22 straight episodes and then she just becomes so smiley and kind all of a sudden?? and also tbh idk how they started to like each other but ig they did and i think they have great chemistry so ill let that slide. if i could go back id definitely not watch it????

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a average thriller drama which is ruined by romance

The first few episodes was very hard to watch as the writing and acting both seemed sloppy and forced.i almost dropped the drama but because i was curious about the culprit behind the bunny mask i finished the drama. The revelation of the mastermind was actually pretty predictable. However the thriller aspect of the drama was good but omg the romance? why? i want to ask the kdrama writers if it's really necessary to have romance in their drama.Romance actually ruined it for me . The progression of the relationship between the leads didn't make much sense to me.
The side characters and villains are two dimensional.Also the character growth of the fl lead and ml's confession both was done so poorly and in a lackluster way.
The drama could have been a good thriller but the writers ruined it with bad writing.

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Typical But Quirky Body Swap Mystery Thriller

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CURRENT SITUATION
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At the time of writing this review, only a handful of people have watched this as it was released on a fairly new platform "U+ Mobile TV" despite having popular actors like Kim Ji Eun and Lomon. Therefore, the current rating of 7.6 is actually skewed and its lower than what this drama deserves (which in my opinion should be around 8.5)

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DISCLAIMER
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Before going into the details of the drama, wanted to give a fair warning that currently I am obsessed with Kim Ji Eun and totally enamoured by her beauty and personality. I think she is drop dead gorgeous and am crushing so hard right now that any scene with her is a straight 10 for me. So, basically I am unable to think objectively without any bias when it comes to her. Apologies in advance.

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GENRE : BODY SWAP
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Now lets talk about the mixture of genres the show tackles. As per the synopsis, we know that there is body swap and as a seasoned K-Drama watcher, I know that its nothing extra ordinary and not the first time in K-Drama history. But the way Kim Ji Eun and Lomon has acted when they were in each other bodies is basically whats the USP of this drama as both of them were freaking amazing as well as convincing with their incredible acting of the opposite gender. Special shout out to Kim Ji Eun, she totally slayed her role here.

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GENRE: CRIME SUSPENSE THRILLER
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Apart from body swap, the whodunit kind of mystery is intriguing and binds the plot together and keeps us at the edge of our seats guessing who might be behind the crime as there are several suspects. Though sometimes its difficult to follow as who is in whose body and which side is scheming what making the drama little disjointed and all over the place. So the crime mystery is not the strong part of the drama. The premise is interesting but the execution is messy.

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GENRE: WORKPLACE COMEDY
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There is fair amount of workplace comedy which lands most of the times involving a gay character, a young Gen Z girl and an old lady played incredibly by Jeon Jun Ho, Chae Soo Ah & Jung Yi Rang respectively. Their interactions with the main leads are hilarious and made the drama very entertaining. And when I am talking about the gay character, I should mention that the drama overall, is very liberal in its approach in depicting various things, though the politics of certain scenes does not make the drama cringe or woke in any sense as thats not the focal point of the series.

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GENRE: DRAMA AROUND BRANDING
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There is great amount of drama and emotions involved as well when it comes to showcasing how branding works as the name of the show is "Branding in Seongsu". The main leads would take on certain branding assignments through which we, the audience also understands how the process of marketing strategy actually works along with the creativity and nitty gritty of behind the scenes as well. All of this is presented in such a palatable manner that it can be easily understood and consumed by everyone even those who do not know the "B" of "Branding". Every case is so heartwarming that if the show has showed more of these assignments rather then indulging too much into the whodunit mystery, this would have been a way better show in execution.

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GENRE: ROMANCE
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Now this is the part where the drama shines the most as there is explosive chemistry between Kim Ji Eun and Lomon. As a heterosexual male, I have to confess that Lomon actually looks very handsome and is sometimes the star of the show. Kim Ji Eun looks sassy and sexy as the bossy "Kang Na Eon" which is a character who is very ferocious and have "boss bitch" attitude to climb her way to the top with her creativity and competence. Both of them shines when they play themselves as well as their body swapped versions. There are many romantic scenes and especially 2 kissing scenes that will make the viewers swoon and they won't believe what they actually saw on family friendly Korean Television. Lomon is one lucky MF that he got the chance to kiss Kim Ji Eun so passionately. The supporting leads are forgettable as their roles have been poorly written. Neither their acting nor their actions are interesting in any manner and are pretty bland in my opinion. They are definitely the weakest aspect of the drama apart from the convoluted plot about the whodunit mystery.

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OVERALL REVIEW
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Overall in a nutshell, its a decent body swap mystery thriller whose whodunit mystery plot is very mediocre but the chemistry between the leads along with their great acting performances makes this a fun watch. And the comedy by supporting characters along with "branding" assignments are a highlight of the show.

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A Refreshing Binge Watch Story For All The People Who Got Tired Of Clichés

Note: This review DOES NOT include any major spoilers (probably dont even include any of them) but i decided to flag it nevertheless.

First of all, the leads. FL has a strong personality traits and ML has almost the opposite personality compared to her. They do get involved w each other in an interesting way in my opinion. At the very beginning FL’s character irked me a lot (bc of the issues in the drama that i wouldnt like to mention so i wont be giving any big spoilers ahead)

Second, how the story flows. For the first half? of the drama they do the marketing for different lines of business which might bore some ppl but it was entertaining to watch for me. The marketing part still goes on on the second half of the drama as well but it lightens up a bit due to other things going on with both of the leads. I must mention again, you might not get immersed in it straight up from the beginning but it gets better i promise!

Then lets get to the pros and cons from my perspective.

Pros:
— an interesting story
— might pull you out of the drama slump (although it took me months to finish due some issues)
— plot twists

Cons:
— some character traits of the leads
— acting in some parts (its not a big issue imo but still would like to mention it just in case)
— there were some characters that i really couldnt get their intentions

Things aside, if you are interested in gender swap genre and looking for something different i think you should definitely give this a go!

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