Han Ji-eun pins her hopes on the stock market in Stock Struck

16 July 30, 2022October 1, 2022

Han Ji-eun pins her hopes on the stock market in Stock Struck

by solstices

Stock Struck

In the rat race that characterizes today’s society, even just staying afloat can be a struggle. TVING’s upcoming drama Stock Struck centers around a ragtag group of five eclectic individuals, comparing them to diligent worker ants — they may work hard, but they don’t necessarily reap much reward in return. Tired of their bleak prospects and eager to earn big bucks, they turn to the volatile but promising stock market.

The drama’s first teaser begins with a narration by our spirited protagonist Yoo Mi-seo, played by Han Ji-eun (Bad and Crazy). Faced with the increasingly competitive job market, ever-rising housing prices, and dwindling bank interest rates, she turns to the stock market as her last hope. But it has her cursing before long — the stocks she invested in plunge drastically, and her money evaporates into thin air. It’s as devastating as her dud lottery tickets.

Through a montage, we’re introduced to the rest of our main cast. First up is convenience store worker Choi Sun-woo — played by Hong Jong-hyun (My Absolute Boyfriend) — whose home is akin to a pigsty. Next is the free-spirited hippie Kang San — played by Jung Moon-sung (The Good Detective 2) — who spends his days partying. Then we have our sharply-dressed restaurant owner Jung Haeng-ja — played by Kim Sun-young (The Silent Sea) — and affable retiree Kim Jin-bae — played by Jang Kwang (Remarriage & Desires). A little kid joins the quintet, bemusedly asking why they invest in stocks. Their answer: through stocks, they can end their days of toiling away. Onward to happiness!

In a befuddling bonus scene, Mi-seo has one leg over a bridge’s railing when a stranger yanks her back from the brink. She screams at him in a panic that she almost died, prompting him to point out that he literally just saved her life, LOL. I have no idea what’s going on, but it’s kinda hilarious.

In the drama’s second teaser, our quintet celebrates as their stocks rise. We’re introduced to our main cast one by one — Mi-seo’s the ant that’s often down on her luck, but bounces back with renewed determination each time. Having had a bad experience with stocks before, Sun-woo is the traumatized ant; a flashback shows him standing forlornly on a bridge with scruffy stubble on his chin.

Long-haired party animal San is the YOLO ant, but it seems like he may have more depth to him. A relative of his is in the hospital, and he’s working as an extra on a historical film set to make ends meet. (He’s not doing a very good job at it though, given he knocks himself out with his own slingshot.)

Haeng-ja relies on her gut feeling to make her stock market decisions, earning her the nickname of the intuition ant. And finally, Jin-bae’s the ant that’s old in age, but young at heart — he rides a scooter fearlessly, tests out lipstick colors, and even tries his hand at illustrating.

Of course, the key trait of the stock market is that it’s unpredictable, and it has our characters screaming both in despair and then in elation. Still, they’re determined to find success with their investments, and Mi-seo even watches an online lecture to learn some tips.

Written by Im Yeon-soo (SNL Korea, Birthcare Center) and directed by Choi Ji-young (who worked on What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim and Beyond Evil), the TVING original comedy premieres August 12, airing Friday nights for a total of 12 episodes.

Stock Struck

via Sports Chosun, Xports News

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1 Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️

July 30, 2022 at 10:09 AM

Initially I was not sure whether this was the kind of drama I would enjoy but the more I hear about the more I think this sounds like it could be a easy watch with a character led story with the main drama being the highs and lows of every day life.

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2 ar_arguably romantic

July 30, 2022 at 11:48 AM

This looks like a lot of fun! I feel like I need to watch it so I can find out the context of the dozens of red bean and orange mascots running together hand in hand.

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3 Kafiyah Bello

July 30, 2022 at 2:08 PM

This looks fun!!!

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4 mindy

July 30, 2022 at 2:22 PM

I love Han Ji-eun!! Super excited for this one!

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5 DancingEmma

July 30, 2022 at 2:34 PM

I have to get on my soapbox for a sec about how dubious the entire concept and existence of a stock market is. A construct which allows for powerful investors to manipulate ‘the market’ and engage in illegal trades with impunity. Just bonkers that the prosperity and wellbeing of untold number of people is depended on a system which is as fragile and non-transparent as a thin and opaque layer of glass.
And, I really wish attempted suicides or misunderstandings to that effect are not treated as comedic devices in KDramas given the reality of such desperate individuals who are at the end of their tethers. I understand that shame and to a lesser extent, guilt, leading to suicide have had a strong cultural dimension in SK but given the urgency of suicide prevention, it puzzles me that such plot points and depictions or misunderstandings continue to be included in such cavalier manners. This article is deeply heartbreaking: https://asiatimes.com/2020/07/why-south-koreans-kill-themselves: https://asiatimes.com/2020/07/why-south-koreans-kill-themselves/

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Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️

July 30, 2022 at 8:26 PM

Thank you for pointing this out and including a reality check on the suicide rate. I think that Tomorrow was the first drama I have heard of that tried to address this. Last minute romance had the female main lead working on the telephone crisis lines they have positioned on the bridges.

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DancingEmma

July 30, 2022 at 8:38 PM

@reply1988: Thank you for letting me know about LMR.
I wish I understood better why this issue is raised and handled without much follow through and care in many dramas. There seem to be preventative policies and practices in place in SK but the way that many dramas deal with the issue is worrisome as it seems even to a lay person such as me that it could create suicidal ideations.

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Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️

July 30, 2022 at 8:52 PM

The first few K dramas/films I ever watched had suicide matter of factly in them and I wondered how high the rate must be for it to be featured so casually. It was people of all ages too.

I am just as concerned about the amount of alcohol consumed in standard dramas as if that doesn’t have a huge impact on the brain and body short and long term. It’s like drink the medication that’s readily available, have hangover soup and all will be well. Alcoholism would be so easy to hide as drinking is so normalised.

Suicide and alcohol misuse are obviously present in all cultures but it is the normalisation I think that stands out when watching from another culture.

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6 panshel

July 30, 2022 at 2:46 PM

I, too, pin my hopes on the stock market as I'm too lazy to invest in real estate.

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Doppelganger

July 30, 2022 at 4:25 PM

Gonna YOLO my way to 0.0001% wealth by betting on meme stocks.

J/k. Given the way the stock market is playing out this year, I'm more likely to end up a pauper.

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DancingEmma

July 30, 2022 at 5:03 PM

@songxrising: Good luck. I know what you mean though. We are all vulnerable unless independently wealthy (which I’m not).

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DancingEmma

July 30, 2022 at 5:01 PM

@panshel: Good luck! Actually to all of us as all of our pension plans are tied to the infernal stock markets.

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panshel

July 30, 2022 at 8:03 PM

People still have pension plans?

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DancingEmma

July 30, 2022 at 8:40 PM

@panshel: For the time being at least but who knows what horrors lay in wait.

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Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️

July 30, 2022 at 8:32 PM

I know it’s scary that pensions crash due to that reliance on the volatility of the stock market. It makes the headlines then people move on not knowing the awful reality of those living with the after effects of such a devastating situation.