"New Employee" redirects here. For an episode, see The New Employee.
Super Rookie
Alt nameNew Employee
ProducerKim Sa-hyun
DirectorHan Hee
Writer
  • Kim Ki-ho
  • Lee Sun-mi
Starring
CountrySouth Korea
LanguageKorean
NetworkMunhwa Broadcasting Corporation
First airedMarch 23, 2005
Last airedMay 26, 2005
Num episodes20
Super Rookie
Hangul^신입사원
Hanja新入社員

Super Rookie () is a 2005 South Korean television series starring Eric Mun, Han Ga-in, Oh Ji-ho, and Lee So-yeon. It aired on MBC from March 23 to May 26, 2005 on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55 for 20 episodes. The workplace comedy is a satire on South Korea's corporate culture and unemployment among the country's younger generation. It scored solid viewership ratings in the 20% range.[1][2][3][4]

Plot

Kang Ho (Eric Mun) is just an average guy who got a college degree in physical education from a second-rate, provincial university. Disheveled, unskilled, and unemployed, Kang Ho has wasted most of his life kickboxing and reading comic books, much to the frustration of his family and friends who think he's just a freeloader. He sends his resumes to many companies, but nobody gives him a shot because he has no experience and no apparent prospects. One day, Kang Ho decides to apply to the same prestigious company that his handsome, successful classmate Bong-sam (Oh Ji-ho) works at. He completely bungles the interview process, but thanks to a computer error, he gets hired as the number one recruit. Struggling in a job he's totally unqualified for, Kang Ho gets by with his enthusiasm and street smarts. His co-workers include Bong-sam, an overachiever trapped by his own ambitions; Mi-ok, a mousy, bespectacled contract worker (or "temp") who was dumped by Bong-sam; and Hyun-ah, the privileged daughter of a company executive.

Cast

Main characters

Supporting characters

  • Jung Jin as Joo Sung-tae (Kang Ho's friend)
  • Park Chil-yong as Kang Chul (Kang Ho's father)
  • Park Hye-sook as Gong Hye-ja (Kang Ho's mother)
  • Seo Dong-won as Kang Min (Kang Ho's younger brother)
  • Kwon Ki-sun as Madam Kwon
  • Yang Hee-kyung as Madam Yang
  • Kim Se-joon as Chief Moon Young-ho
  • Lee Ki-young as Chief Goo Bon-chul
  • Kim Il-woo as Director Song
  • Lee Ki-yeol as Director Kim Ki-yeol
  • Lee Joo-hee as Na Ae-ri
  • Kim Sook as Sook-hee
  • Yoo Da-young as Oh Young-ran
  • Kim Young-min as Lee Il-man (Bong-sam's father)
  • Jung Joon-ha as Kochi (boxing promoter)
  • Lee Seung-chul as Chairman Maruyama
  • Seo Bum-shik as Miyazaki
  • Kim Hun-goo as yakuza

Ratings

EpisodeNationwideSeoul
Ep. 114.3%15.1%
Ep. 215.0%16.1%
Ep. 315.1%16.2%
Ep. 415.1%16.8%
Ep. 517.5%18.5%
Ep. 615.8%16.7%
Ep. 715.1%15.1%
Ep. 814.6%15.0%
Ep. 916.4%17.6%
Ep.1017.2%18.1%
Ep.1115.9%16.3%
Ep.1216.8%17.8%
Ep.1315.0%16.2%
Ep.1419.0%20.1%
Ep.1517.3%18.7%
Ep.1616.5%17.4%
Ep.1716.3%17.2%
Ep.1815.9%17.7%
Ep.1917.8%18.9%
Ep.2023.1%23.9%
Average16.4%17.47%

Source: TNSMK Media Korea

International broadcast

Fuji TV reportedly paid for the drama's broadcasting rights in Japan.[6] It was well received by Japanese viewers when it began airing on October 27, 2005, which contributed to Eric Mun's increased popularity in the country.[7][8][9] It re-aired on cable channel KNTV from January 19 to February 24, 2011.[10]

In Thailand first aired on Channel 7 from March 25 to May 7, 2006.[11]

In Indonesia first aired on antv from May 12 to August 19, 2007.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Rookie Employees Talk About the New Hit Show Super Rookie". The Dong-A Ilbo. May 11, 2005. Archived January 14, 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
  2. ^ Moon, Iris (March 28, 2005). "Job, household chores subject of real dramas". The Korea Herald via Hancinema. Archived October 17, 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
  3. ^ "A Year of Big Changes and Small Setbacks for Korean TV". The Chosun Ilbo. December 27, 2005. Archived September 28, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  4. ^ "KOREAN TV DRAMA REVIEWS: 신입사원 (Super Rookie)". Twitch Film. January 20, 2006. Archived from the original on February 26, 2007. Retrieved May 24, 2013.
  5. ^ "Eric". The Dong-A Ilbo. August 31, 2006. Archived November 13, 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  6. ^ Lee, Yong-sung (July 11, 2005). "Is it all over already? Gloomy signs overshadow rosy statistics of Hallyu". The Korea Herald via Hancinema. Archived March 27, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  7. ^ "Huge Crowds Greet Eric's Arrival in Tokyo". The Chosun Ilbo. December 19, 2005. Archived January 16, 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  8. ^ "Shinhwa's Eric draws Japanese media spotlight". KBS Global. December 20, 2005. Archived January 16, 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
  9. ^ "Eric to be the oncoming generation of Hallyu star" Archived January 16, 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Hancinema. December 18, 2005. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  10. ^ "Ｋｎｔｖ ドラマ 新入社員". Archived from the original on May 22, 2014. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  11. ^ "th:Super Rookie – น้องใหม่เบอร์ 1 (อึดสุดยอด)" (in Thai). blike. February 14, 2016. Archived April 26, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 14, 2016.