What a Boss Wants Teaser: Chaebol CEO Pursues Indie Band Vocalist

“What a Boss Wants” brings a web novel adaptation to television, centering on two people whose separate lives converge through a series of unlikely events. Sung Hoon stars as Kwon Do Hyuk, a chaebol heir managing a family entertainment company, and Oh Se Young portrays Lee Eun Chae, a woman whose dual identity becomes the catalyst for their connection. The drama’s first teaser reveals how their unconventional first meeting sets off a chain reaction neither could have predicted.

Corporate Crisis and Artificial Solutions

OYES Entertainment on the Brink

Kwon Do Hyuk faces mounting pressure from his father, Kwon Tae Woong (Park Jung Hak), to stabilize OYES Entertainment as the company teeters on the edge of collapse. The opening of the teaser shows funeral wreaths lined up outside the office, a visual emphasis on the company’s declining reputation and financial health. The entertainment industry has not treated the company kindly, and conventional approaches to recovery have apparently failed. Scandals, missteps, or failed talent decisions have eroded the business to a point where drastic measures are required.

An Unconventional Recovery Plan

Rather than pursuing traditional business restructuring, Kwon Do Hyuk turns to artificial intelligence as his solution. His vision is to create a synthetic celebrity, a performer entirely engineered and controlled through AI systems. Such a creation would theoretically eliminate the unpredictability that plagues the entertainment industry, removing the risk of public scandals or controversial behavior. Kwon Do Hyuk, surrounded by lines of code on his computer screens, articulates his ambitious plan: “I’ll have to create one myself. A celebrity who doesn’t cause trouble.” He believes that by manufacturing talent from code rather than recruiting an existing performer, he can guarantee a controllable, profitable product.

The Woman With Two Lives

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The Exhausting Day Job

Lee Eun Chae’s existence during business hours is grinding and unrewarding. She works as a telemarketer, a position that exposes her to constant criticism from angry customers and disapproval from her team leader. Her supervisor has made it clear that continued mistakes could cost her the job, adding financial pressure to an already stressful situation. The work offers no creative satisfaction, no room for self-expression, and no recognition of her talents. It is purely survival, a paycheck that enables her to exist but does not fulfill her.

The Passionate Evening Identity

Outside of working hours, Lee Eun Chae undergoes a complete transformation. She becomes Soo, the lead vocalist of indie rock band India Red. The physical change is striking: a red wig, bold stage makeup, and a distinctive red dress replace her workplace anonymity. As Soo, she commands the stage with confidence and passion, pouring emotional intensity into performances that contrast sharply with her suppressed daytime demeanor. This duality establishes the central conflict of her character, the tension between the person she must present herself as and the artist she actually is. India Red’s independent status means Soo exists outside the corporate entertainment system that Kwon Do Hyuk manages, making her success a matter of authentic talent rather than manufactured appeal.

A Deceptive Introduction

Their first encounter is shrouded in false identities. Kwon Do Hyuk meets Lee Eun Chae while she is impersonating a doctor, wearing a medical coat that belongs to his friend Seo Jin Woo (Lee Choong Joo). The pretense is circumstantial rather than malicious, but it establishes the underlying theme of hidden identities that defines their relationship. Neither person reveals their authentic self in this initial interaction, setting a pattern for the misunderstandings and revelations to follow.

The Shock of Recognition

When Kwon Do Hyuk encounters Soo’s face on an India Red album cover, the impact is immediate and disorienting. He has been searching for this specific artist, this specific voice that captured his attention. That the indie vocalist has already built her own career, identity, and following independently of any plan to create a synthetic celebrity completely contradicts his understanding of how the entertainment industry works. His shocked response, “What I created actually exists?” reflects his confusion at discovering that the universe has conspired to put reality in his path without his engineering. Compelled by this revelation, he seeks out one of India Red’s live performances.

Pursuit and Confrontation

As Soo departs hastily from the venue, Kwon Do Hyuk pursues her, only to find himself face-to-face with Lee Eun Chae in her everyday form. Lee Eun Chae, unaware that she has been followed, becomes defensive and directly accuses him: “Did you follow Soo here? Are you a stalker?” Her suspicion is justified by his behavior, which crosses the line from curiosity into pursuit. The moment he sees the red dress protruding from her bag, he comprehends the truth. The pieces align in his mind, and he understands that the telemarketer and the band vocalist are the same person. “Lee Eun Chae, who are you, really?” he demands, insisting on an explanation for this contradiction.

Contract and Chemistry

Rather than denying the connection or retreating, Kwon Do Hyuk seizes control by formalizing their relationship into a three-month contract. The specific terms of this agreement remain ambiguous in the teaser, but its existence signals his intention to bind her to his life. What develops from this contractual arrangement are glimpses of unexpected romantic tension. In one pivotal moment, Lee Eun Chae stands outside his door, listening from the hallway. When the door suddenly swings open, she loses her footing and stumbles directly into his arms. The physical contact is unplanned and intimate, triggering a response he cannot rationalize. Internally, Kwon Do Hyuk questions his own reaction: “Why is my heart racing?” This confusion, this inability to control his emotional response to her proximity, marks the beginning of feelings that complicate his orderly existence.

Premiere and Adaptation

The drama will debut on November 11 at 10:20 p.m. KST, bringing the web novel’s exploration of identity, class, and unexpected romance to broadcast television. The teaser suggests a story that balances corporate intrigue, musical passion, and the transformative power of connection between two people who initially misunderstand each other entirely.

Source: Soompi