[REVIEW] MBC's "Stand-by" - 1st Episode

Ryu Jin in new sitcom "Stand-by" [MBC]

Five-line summary
He is tall, handsome and his name is Jin-haeng (meaning 'emceeing' in Korean). But the anchor, Jin-haeng (played by Ryu Jin), does not seem to have the talent to be one. He is on the verge of being fired from the program after he makes a big mistake during a live show, producer Soo-hyun (Kim Soo-hyun) secretly works hard to stop that from happening. Just like the show's difficult situation, his love life is facing some barriers as well. His father (played by actor Choi Jung-woo) sets him up with women from good backgrounds. Meanwhile, Jin-haeng has his own lover, whose son (ZE:A's Siwan) is hostile towards Jin-haeng. For Jin-haeng, who is at the brink of a cliff in his work and love life, finally confesses his love at a live show titled, "The Queen of Current Events" (translated title).

Best & Worst
Best: Sitcoms are definitely different from character shows. What need to be focused are the people in the drama, but instead, "Stand By" kicked off the show while focusing on Jin-haeng's misfortunes in life, instead of trying to introduce the various characters. Most of the characters have yet to show who they are but with just one episode, it revealed many things: the atmosphere of the studio where Jin-haeng works at, his relationship with Soo-hyun and how timid and sensitive his family members are. One can say that the first episode, in which Jin-haeng makes a bombshell declaration because of the pressure from his peers, is an overall summary of what "Stand-by" is about. Therefore, even if his problem gets solved, it is unlikely that there will be a huge personality change for Jin-haeng. Also, the show will put elements in the storyline through the characters' ways of dealing with their stress. Therefore, it was a smart move, when seen in a long-term, for Ryu Jin to express his character's emotions than trying to emphasize Jin-haeng's comic side.

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