The hit Korean drama series "The Dream Life of Mr. Kim" on JTBC has struck a chord with audiences by exploring a universal question: who are you when your professional identity disappears? Based on author Song Hee-koo's bestselling novel, the show examines the profound identity crisis that comes with retirement in a society where job titles define social status.
In Korean society, individual identity is rarely separate from professional belonging. From childhood, people are placed into organized systems - assigned class numbers in school and later given departments and titles in companies. These titles become crucial social proof of identity, teaching people to exist as someone who belongs somewhere specific. This framework provides stability and defines one's place in society.
Author Song Hee-koo, 42, explained that his story began with a simple but powerful realization: everyone retires eventually. Whether by choice or circumstance, retirement is an unavoidable part of life. After writing the three-volume bestseller in 2021, Song himself retired from a major conglomerate to become a full-time author and runs a YouTube channel focused on real estate. The book has sold more than 400,000 copies.
"As long as we are inside the frame, our identity feels clear. We have a business card. We belong to an organization that calls us to our role every day," Song said on his YouTube channel. "But the moment that belonging disappears, we are bound to shake. That is when we finally begin to ask: Who was I? What did I live by? Who was I living as? This novel began from those questions."
The office comedy-drama follows Mr. Kim, played by actor Ryu Seung-ryong, and has earned widespread praise for its realistic portrayal of a middle-aged manager navigating corporate life in Korea. The Korean title translates roughly as "The Tale of Department Head Kim at a Conglomerate Who Owns a House in Seoul." At first glance, Kim appears to have achieved the complete Korean success story - a prestigious job title, corporate position, and property ownership in the capital city.
However, this outward stability masks deep inner instability. The central question "Who am I when the title disappears?" serves as the emotional driving force of both the novel and its television adaptation. Song emphasizes that this isn't simply a story about a man's downfall, but rather a narrative of reconstruction and self-discovery.
"Kim, stripped of status, is forced to meet himself at last," Song explained. "Along the way, he begins to see the people who had quietly stood beside him for years: his family, his colleagues, his friends." In this sense, the series functions as a coming-of-age story - delayed but no less important. Retirement is presented not as an ending, but as a new beginning and a return to one's authentic self before the desk nameplate.
The drama series adapts only the first volume of Song's original three-volume work. The remaining books continue within the same corporate universe but shift perspective to different characters: a junior employee obsessed with conspicuous consumption, another who dreams of financial independence, and finally a middle manager whom the author identifies as closest to his own personal experience.
Significant differences exist between the novel and drama series in terms of direction and character development. Compressing the story into 12 episodes, the television show intensifies workplace cruelty and renders the characters more stereotypical. In the original novel, Kim is portrayed as a skilled sales professional whose weakness lies not in ability but in communication and leadership skills.
When junior employees submit reports, Kim rewrites them entirely - not to steal credit, but because his corrections genuinely improve the work quality. However, his disregard for subordinates eventually catches up with him, and he loses his position due to poor team leadership. His demotion isn't framed as betrayal; rather, his competitor's promotion feels justified, highlighting the type of leadership that truly sustains organizations: listening, mediating, and valuing team members.
The television series leans more heavily into the existential fear of being replaced in the workplace. It amplifies corporate life's cruelty and reframes Kim as a victim of generational change. He faces betrayal by a longtime colleague, gets outpaced by younger talent, and struggles against institutional indifference. This approach creates a more visceral narrative that's immediately accessible to broader audiences.
Family dynamics also shift between versions. In the novel, Kim's son is portrayed as independent and entrepreneurial, rather than uncertain and infatuated with first love. His wife, quietly formidable in the book, demonstrates better practical navigation of the world than Kim himself.
Through the novel, Song offers a thoughtful response to modern success pressures: people don't need to solve others' equations for success, own what others own, or climb ladders built by someone else. A meaningful life is built one honest step at a time with the people we love.
At the heart of both versions lies Kim's personal transformation, anchored by Ryu Seung-ryong's acclaimed performance. Both the original author and the drama's director have praised Ryu's acting as the television adaptation's greatest strength. The 12-part series originally aired on JTBC and is now available for streaming on Netflix, making this exploration of modern identity and workplace culture accessible to international audiences.
