ECQ Week 5: Immersing Over Romance is a Bonus Book


Source: tvN Drama Instagram page
Today is Day 31 of the ECQ. It was supposed to have ended two days ago but given the current situation, the government decided to extend it to two more weeks. While it is starting to feel odd to be in idle mode for more than a month, I'm just looking at this stay-at-home period as an opportunity to catch up with several things -- which includes binge-watching the Korean dramas that I have always wanted to see but never had the time.

I just finished watching Romance is a Bonus Book last night. I've been meaning to watch it for months because I was primarily intrigued with the title -- more so, the story includes one of my favorite things: books. However, there was actually more to it than just the librarian and bibliophile life.

Romance is a Bonus Book revolves around the characters of Kang Dan-i (played by Lee Na Young), a single mother who hopes to return to the professional world after taking a seven-year career break, and Cha Eun-ho (played by Lee Jong-suk), a successful author, professor and chief editor for the fictional Gyeoroo Publishing. Despite being a successful advertising copywriter years before taking a career break, Dan-i decides to apply as a member of the publishing company's task support team. Eun-ho lends her a helping hand in many ways despite knowing that she could do much more than the just menial jobs.

I must admit, I had hesitations about whether to finish the series in the first few episodes because the story also includes the concept of noona romance (romantic relationship between an older woman and a younger man) in its premise. I find such topic to be a bit awkward. However, as the story progressed, this was portrayed interestingly (read: it could also be a good material for a kilig-filled love story). It was worth the late night puyat.
Another thing that I loved about Romance is a Bonus Book is that it gave viewers a glimpse of life in the publishing industry. The drama gave its audience a peek of the process involved in creating books as well as what happens to the copies that are not sold and why people should not open tear sealed copies of books in bookstore shelves more so fold its pages. I can't help but smile and sometimes nod at the same time because this made me travel back to my younger years because my first job after graduating was spent in the confines of a publishing house as an editorial assistant (though my boss was not as dashing as Cha Eun-ho). Writers, editors and booklovers will like this drama because it reflects a part of themselves.

I'd like to think that watching this drama while on a career hiatus was really something for me to do because aside from satisfying my inner bibliophile (the interiors and the library of Gyeoroo Publishing is on my bucket list!), Romance is a Bonus Book also teaches its audience about courage in facing personal and professional challenges -- that a person can be who they want to be no matter what their age is. That you're never "too young" or "too old" to start again in life -- may it be in career or love. 

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