Season 1
12 episodes Feb 28, 2022 8.0
In disguise as her friend, Ha-ri shows up to a blind date to scare him away. But plans go awry when he turns out to be her CEO — and makes a proposal.
Business Proposal
“If you come any closer, I'm not going to let you go again.”
2022
Ended • 1 Season • 12 Episodes
Overview
In disguise as her friend, Ha-ri shows up to a blind date to scare him away. But plans go awry when he turns out to be her CEO — and makes a proposal.
Seasons
2 listed- Status
- Ended
- Seasons
- 1 season
- Episodes
- 12 episodes
- First aired
- Feb 28, 2022
- Last aired
- Apr 5, 2022
- Episode length
- 61m
- Network
- SBS
Latest episode: S1 E12 We're getting married (Apr 5, 2022)
Specials
1 episode Mar 19, 2022
Cast
12 people
Reviews
6 min readThe Pleasure of a Pretend Life
There’s a neat little cruelty at the center of Business Proposal: a woman goes to a blind date pretending to be somebody else, hoping to make a disaster of it, and ends up walking straight into the kind of romance that knows exactly how to weaponize timing. I don’t mean that cynically. I mean that the series understands something very old and very tender about romantic comedy: love often arrives not when we’re most sincere, but when we’re most improvisational.
In disguise, trying to be rude on purpose, Ha-ri stumbles into a world where everyone is performing some version of themselves anyway. That’s the joke. That’s also the point.
What surprised me, watching all 12 episodes, is how disciplined the series is beneath its frothy surface. Business Proposal is adapted from the web novel and webtoon The Office Blind Date (which matters, because the show often behaves like a story that already knows its panel layout: entrances timed for maximum reaction, glances held just long enough to become punchlines). Director Park Seon-ho and the credited creators Han Sul-hee and Hong Bo-hee don’t try to reinvent the rom-com wheel.
They polish it until the spokes glint. The show is very much part of the recent wave of glossy K-dramas that treat workplace romance as a battlefield of etiquette, inheritance, and emotional withholding. But unlike series that get lost in their own cuteness, this one keeps a firm grip on its own machinery.
The central conversation around the series, at least in the reviews and audience chatter I’ve seen, has been about its speed and lightness. People talk about it as a comfort watch, and that’s accurate — though “comfort” can be a slippery word. Comfort here isn’t softness.
It’s precision. The show knows when to cut early, when to hold on a reaction shot, when to let a ridiculous line land without overexplaining the joke. There’s a confidence to that rhythm.
You can feel the adaptation asking a simple question: what if a romantic comedy trusted itself to be funny for more than one episode at a time? A lot of shows don’t.
The best scenes are built around embarrassment, which is one of the most democratic emotions in fiction. Everyone looks ridiculous when they’re trying not to. Kim Se-jeong, as Shin Ha-ri, gives the series its main line of voltage.
She has a face that can snap from panic to calculation in a fraction of a second, and she uses it well. I’ve mostly known her from earlier roles that leaned into bright energy and comic timing, but here she adds a sharper register: Ha-ri isn’t just flustered, she’s always estimating the damage. Watch her shoulders.
They rise before the lie leaves her mouth. That small physical tic tells you more than dialogue ever could about how much work it is to keep up a false identity, especially in a society where professional competence and romantic legibility seem to be judged by the same unforgiving standards.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsBehind the Scenes of Business Proposal (2022): The Rom-Com That Stole Hearts
The 2022 K-drama Business Proposal became an instant hit, blending workplace antics with swoon-worthy romance. But what went on behind the cameras? latestnetflix.com's take is that here’s what we know about the making of this fan-favorite series.
From Web Novel to Screen
Business Proposal is based on the web novel Sanae Matsun by HaeHwa, which first gained popularity for its witty premise: a woman goes on a blind date in her friend’s place, only to discover her date is her company’s CEO. The drama adaptation, directed by Park Seon-ho and written by Han Sul-hee and Hong Bo-hee, stayed true to the source material while adding its own comedic flair 
. The series premiered on February 28, 2022, as an SBS and Netflix original, quickly becoming a global sensation .
Casting Chemistry
The lead roles were pivotal to the show’s success. Ahn Hyo-seop (Dr. Romantic 2) played Kang Tae-moo, the CEO with a hidden soft side, while Kim Se-jeong (The Uncanny Counter) starred as Shin Ha-ri, the food researcher caught in a fake-dating scheme. Fans praised their on-screen chemistry, which translated into real-life camaraderie. Rumors suggest the cast bonded over shared meals and rehearsals, though no official behind-the-scenes footage has confirmed this .
Supporting actors like Kim Min-kyu (Jin Young-seok) and Seol In-ah (Jang Na-ra) added depth to the romantic subplots, with their characters’ arcs becoming fan favorites. The ensemble cast also included veteran actors like Kim Kwang-kyu and Lee Duck-hwa, who brought comedic timing to the workplace setting 
.
Production Secrets and Challenges
While details about filming challenges are scarce, the series’ tight 12-episode run suggests a streamlined production. The show’s runtime—60 minutes per episode—allowed for brisk pacing, a hallmark of its appeal . Some fans speculated about reshoots or script changes, particularly around the fake-dating trope’s execution, but no official sources have confirmed this .
The drama’s success also sparked interest in its soundtrack, though no behind-the-scenes details about the music production have surfaced. The opening theme, Love, Maybe by MeloMance, became a viral hit, further boosting the show’s popularity .
Fan Theories and Spoiler Culture
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pD2_IdwszdQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5UKSFfk4Ww
As the series aired, fan theories exploded online. YouTube channels like Netflix Korea capitalized on the hype, releasing episode predictions and spoiler discussions . Some viewers speculated about alternate endings or deeper character backstories, though the show’s straightforward narrative left little room for ambiguity.
Legacy and Impact
Business Proposal’s blend of romance, comedy, and workplace dynamics resonated with audiences worldwide. Its IMDb rating of 8.1/10 and MyDramaList score of 8.3/10 reflect its critical and commercial success . While no direct spin-offs or sequels have been announced, the drama’s popularity has kept it in conversations about modern K-rom-coms.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.
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