The Ordinary Jackpot is several shades removed from the usual Kdrama fare. It is an exploration of the corporate world and a man’s journey as he gets a life changing news one day. But the show differs from the expectations one might have from its one line synopsis, in a good way.

ABOUT

Gong Eun Tae (Lee Joon Hyuk) is a hard working and efficient corporate employee whose personal and professional life has become stale with every day being the same. His team doesn’t give him deserved respect, and he doesn’t get deserved acknowledgement from seniors as well. His gets a newfound sense of psychological security and boldness after winning a lottery.

REVIEW

The drama has a realistic approach to its execution of corporate life. It does have some Kdrama-esque dramatic moments but they are few and far between. You would think that Eun Tae winning a huge some of money would lead to some grand twists and reveals but aside from the initial big change, things take place in an understated manner. It is a welcome change. The way he goes from someone who simply goes with the flow of life to someone filled with new sense of enthusiasm and confidence — it’s a satisfying journey to watch. We also see how it is not just the corporate system’s flaws but also his own shortcomings at certain times, which added to his earlier challenging life. Lee Joon Hyuk puts in a solid performance, showing the understated strength and struggles of Eun Tae effectively.

I love the fact that there are so many characters whose first impressions might give you some idea about them but they turned out to be different from the initial thoughts. There is not a very clear villain here, which is in the same vein as the overall drama’s modus operandi. I really liked Yang Jun Ho, played perfectly by Seo Hyeon Woo, Eun Tae’s team member who is his senior in experience but Eun Tae got promoted before him. He is someone who is talented, has a goos sense of humour and is street smart. I loved the scene where they have an honest conversation — just tells you how an open conversation and communication can lead to such amazing results. I loved the team camaraderie they had along with other teammates who played varied significant roles for the team and the show.

Another plus point is the episode length which is around 45 minutes. So there is no room for filler scenes. The corporate world is well defined and the stakes seem high enough for us to anticipate what will come next. We also get glimpse of Eun Tae’s family briefly. I really liked his friendship with Jin Hae Ju (Ok Ja Yeon) who is in legal department, as she is one person he seems truly carefree and candid with. Oh Dae Hwan plays Eun Tae’s senior who quits the company and tries to start his own firm in order to compete with his old company. This is another character that’s not completely black and white.

The show has a proper ending but can also have a second season as many threads can be explored further. The drama is a webtoon adaptation.

I do feel that the drama never touches my heart or makes me feel deeply. It is not very emotional but that’s not always a bad thing. It does seem to care for its characters and gives us enough warmth from different dynamics we see here.

IN A NUTSHELL

A refreshing workplace drama that favours realistic character development, situations and understated storytelling over exaggerated twists and turns.

MY RATING: 8 out of 10.