Netflix Korea is full of glamorous actors, K-pop idols and expensive dramas.
So why are Korean viewers spending their time watching two grumpy middle-aged men running around doing errands for celebrities?
That is the strange charm of My Genie Secretary.
The show stars actors Lee Seo-jin and Kim Kwang-kyu, who spend a day working as personal secretaries for celebrities. They carry bags, manage schedules, find food, solve unexpected problems and sometimes deal with surprisingly personal requests.
On paper, it does not sound like a Netflix hit.
But it is.
The new season quickly climbed Netflix Korea’s rankings, and perhaps the reason is that the celebrities are not actually the funniest part of the show.
The secretaries are.
Lee Seo-jin rarely behaves like an enthusiastic variety-show host. He complains. He looks tired. Sometimes his expression seems to ask why he agreed to do any of this.
Kim Kwang-kyu is hardly the energetic young assistant you would imagine following K-pop stars around either.
Put them together, however, and ordinary work becomes comedy.
The age difference makes it even better.
In the first episode of the new season, BIBI takes the two men into the world of Waterbomb. Instead of effortlessly fitting into youth culture, they react like two older men who have accidentally entered another generation.
And viewers seem to love that honesty.
There is no need for them to pretend to be young or cool.
When they are exhausted, they look exhausted. When something annoys them, viewers can usually see it immediately.
But underneath all the complaining, something else happens.
They actually take care of their stars.
They follow exhausting schedules, handle small problems and listen when celebrities begin talking about their real lives.
Recent guest Ji Chang-wook even opened up about working for nearly 20 years and resting only around ten days a year.
That is when the show quietly changes from comedy into something warmer.
Perhaps that explains its appeal.
Viewers may click because they want to see a famous celebrity.
But somewhere along the way, they start watching the two tired men carrying the celebrity’s bags.
And suddenly, the stars are no longer the main attraction.