You can only pick one, and boy the pressure is on. The DB team will answer a new prompt in each post, and you’re invited to do the same in the comments. Ready to play?
You can only pick one hidden chaebol
DaebakGrits: This one was easy for me: Kim Young-ho (a.k.a John Kim, the super mysterious personal trainer of the rich and famous) from Oh My Venus. He’s not perfect, but he wouldn’t be a K-drama chaebol without a little angst and family drama, amirite? I think the thing I like the most about him is that he fell for Kang Joo-eun before she lost weight and became “beautiful” (by K-drama standards), and even though there were, as I recall, some somewhat questionable dieting and nutrition going on, there was at least an emphasis on Joo-eun’s health being more important to him than her body size. I think it says a lot about Young-ho’s character (and his professionalism) that he wasn’t patronizing or excessively impatient when coaching Joo-eun — but to be fair, she was mostly jovial and enthusiastic during the process. Honestly, these two are one of my all time favorite K-drama couples, and I absolutely adore how fitness brought them together.
Unit: The only hidden chaebol that comes to mind right now, is Louis from Shopping King Louis. After falling victim to dramaland’s amnesia trope, Louis goes from luxury chaebol king to a homeless bum. Still, he proves that you can take the man from his credit cards, but you cannot take his innate love for shopping from him. I stan a consistent king. Louis’ grandmother was turning Seoul upside down looking for him, but my boy was holed up in the female lead’s rooftop apartment running away from bugs, and looking for new ways to satisfy his shopping cravings — most times, at the expense of his equally poor female lead. There were a number of times I found his antics cringe and frustrating, but overall, he was really cute and endearing (thanks for this, Seo In-gook). PS: I can rewatch a number of dramas, but Shopping King Louis is not one of them. Do with this information as you please.
Dramaddictally: I’m going with Love in Contract, which has not one, but two, hidden chaebols. And if I’m forced to decide between them, I’m going with Kim Jae-young’s character because… his face. But seriously, this reserved and rich-people-hating chaebol ended up being my favorite character in the drama by the end (character — not ship), and that was a long way from where he started. Sure, his wardrobe was a little too much, but he never had the arrogance of a second-gen chaebol and was always dedicated to earning his own keep (hence hiding his identity). Plus, his whole lonely soul vibe got to me. Not only is he having trouble getting the girl, his own cat is rooting for the other male lead! Poor thing. I’m not easily won over by chaebols but in this case, he’s welcome to use my house as a hideout anytime (he certainly won’t run into any rich family members or paparazzi there).