Eunjo is a cheerful woman who lives an honest but messy life, but is often too lazy to live up to her potential. Her coworker Wan Jo is in many ways her opposite. Polite, perfectly groomed, efficient... because he's bent on maintaining his public image at all costs, and can be judgmental of others who don't do the same.
The comic uses a lot of visual metaphors which often occupy one arc each. For instance, Eunjo and Wan Jo are shown arguing with their past and future selves to represent internal struggles over getting stuff done vs procrastinating, and when characters are trying to figure out Wan Jo, it’s presented as them trying to pass a high school test about him.
The official English translation can be read here.
Tropes:
- Applied Mathematics: "Cheat Sheet" sometimes involves formulas to calculate characters' thoughts. Joy's calculations of Wan's interest in her involve variables like "stupid mosquito" and "stupid meeting". Wan's relationship formula to figure out Eunjo's thoughts involves rabokki, the width of the blanket, and the number of mandarins.
- Artistic License – Geography: Team Leader Jean lives in New York, but she says her tomatoes blew into the Pacific Ocean, which is on the opposite coast. Whether that was intentional or a mistake, the mental image is a lot funnier.
- Black Comedy Burst:
- "Executioner" involves people wishing to execute each other as dramatic lighting highlights their grim expressions. The humor comes from the way such panels contrast the rest of the comic.
- "Acting Different" is a Lighter and Softer arc that shows A-yeong's perspective of the previous arc. Then she herself goes into executioner mode after she sees Josh with a woman.
- Bland-Name Product: One of Josh's sweaters is Gucchh (Gucci).
- Broken Ace:
- Wan Jo successfully projects an image of being perfect, and is admired by those around him. However, he's actually really hard on himself—denying small pleasures that he would like to enjoy if they have the smallest bit of potential to damage his carefully crafted image—and as a result, he's petty and judgmental towards those who don't fit his standards. He does mellow out later under Eunjo's influence.
- Josh similarly projects an image of wealth and perfection over a petty and judgemental interior, but deep down he's hurting from being demoted from the US branch. The hyenas remark that as upsetting as his situation is, he doesn't show it at all.
- Brutal Honesty: A-yeong Jo is blunt enough to call out Team Leader Josh on his needlessly expensive goods to his face. It turns out she was just trying to crack a joke the first time she did that.
- Call-Back: Sia has a flashback to the time Woong was about to go on a blind date with Yumi, showing that she regretted not confessing her feelings.
- Chick Magnet: Wan Jo is the handsome new employee at Ku Woong Games. He was summoned by Eunjo's luck manager so she could start an office romance, but Joy makes a move on him first. When Mijo joins the company, she also has a crush on him once she realizes he cleans up nicely.
- Color Failure: A-yeong goes completely pale when Josh tells her that he's quitting.
- Conspicuous Consumption: Josh gets a huge sign-in bonus when he transfers to Kuwoong Games. This causes him to take an interest in expensive brands, but it's obvious that he's new money.
- Continuity Cavalcade:
- In "Masks On", the mechanics of the previous arcs show up in quick succession: Eunjo and Wan take a horseback ride to a cookie store à la "Kings Apps", Wan forces his Tomorrow's Jo to let him eat the hotteok, and Wan's Luck Manager tries to spend his points to convince Eunjo not to leave.
- In "Return of Tomorrow's Jo", the messenger from "King's Apps" pushes a notification through Wan's silenced phone, Wan's Luck Manager uses points to get him to reach the open elevator, and Wan's classmates from "Cheat Sheet" congratulate him on getting the right answer on Eunjo's test.
- "Goodbye" also features the mechanics of the previous Season 2 arcs. The first episode is a straight-up "Executioner" episode, the generator from "Acting Different" appears throughout the arc, and the third episode features a Cover Drop of "Don't Make It Obvious" and the Cupid of Love from "The Adult World".
- Cover Drop: The last episode of "Acting Different" includes the cover panel as a normal panel, while the third episode of "Goodbye" has the cover panel of "Don't Make It Obvious".
- Didn't Think This Through: A-yeong says she has no need for an expensive watch strap and wouldn't even accept it as a gift. Josh plans to make her eat her words by buying her the Jullie strap as a late birthday present. A-yeong wears the strap and tells her coworkers that Josh gave it to her, and they tease him because they get the impression that he has a crush on her.
- Dressing Down: During the mask mandate, Wan realizes how painful it is to keep up his perfect appearance when nobody even notices. Thanks to Eunjo's encouragement, he starts dressing more comfortably and eventually is likened to a male Eunjo. He still dresses very well when the occasion calls for it.
- Everybody Knew Already: Downplayed. After Eunjo gets together with Wan, they try to keep a Secret Relationship, but apparently the entire Dev team already know that they're a couple and wish that the two would just come out with it already. The same cannot be said with the other team members though, as the Planning team mistakenly believes that Eunjo is in a relationship with Josh instead.
- Exactly What It Says on the Tin: The main characters get into an MMORPG called "Dumpling World." It's not just a cutesy name — the monsters are all literally dumplings.
- Expository Hairstyle Change: Eunjo has a bob after the time skip, which makes her look more like her Tomorrow's Jo. It shows that she's putting more effort into her appearance.
- Face of a Thug: Josh runs into a giant, demonic shadow in "The Adult World" that introduces itself as the Cupid of Love. When Josh calls it a perverted demon, it feels hurt; it earnestly wants him to get it on with A-yeong.
- The Glasses Gotta Go: Eunjo doesn't really care about her appearance but switches to contacts due to her mask fogging up her glasses. As she walks around without glasses, many people remark how pretty she is.
- I Don't Want to Ruin Our Friendship: When Wan tries to kiss Eunjo, she rejects him, saying that it's better if they remain Just Friends. Later she admits to her Tomorrow's self that she does like him, but isn't sure that he's serious, and is afraid that trying to take things further will just ruin their friendship. She finally does take the plunge at the end of season 1.
- Impossibly Tacky Clothes:
- Josh wears a bright red Jullie sweater, which is expensive but conspicuously so.
- Since Yumi's Cells, Woong's wardrobe has shifted to more obviously expensive, but no less tacky.
- Internet Jerk: Inverted. Eunjo and Wan Jo bond over an online game. Wan Jo finds himself dropping his stuck-up persona and being warmer and more genuine with her.
- Interrupted Intimacy: Josh and A-yeong just can't get their way in "The Adult World". First, A-yeong's sister returns home. They have better luck in Josh's apartment, but Woong's phone call ultimately kills their time together.
- Ironic Echo:
- In the third episode of "Tomorrow's Jo", Eunjo gives Wan some cookies, but he recalls that she was picking her nose and touching her feet, so he tosses the cookies in the trash when she's gone. In the fourth episode of "Masks On", Wan has adopted Eunjo's relaxed mannerisms. When he offers the new worker, Mijo, a caramel, she recalls that he was just touching his feet and tosses the caramel in the trash when he isn't looking.
- "The Adult World" is about all the zany adult things Josh and A-yeong can do in their relationship. Alas, it also means that when the mood is killed and A-yeong heads out, Josh has to let her go.
- Manly Tears: After Hyeonsu tells Woong about his past romance, Woong tells his assistant to double the team workshop budget while tears stream down his cheeks.
- Mistaken for Flirting: Josh's attempts to shame A-yeong come off as flirtatious advances. On the flip side, A-yeong's jab at Josh's extravagant taste was actually a flirty joke, but Josh sees it as a personal attack, and this made him start to shame her in the first place.
- Moment Killer: In "The Adult World", A-yeong's sister kills the mood by returning to the apartment. A-yeong and Josh have better luck in Josh's apartment, but they're unable to proceed to third base because Josh is missing a critical item. Woong's call to Josh about having him head the US branch kills the mood for good.
- Nouveau Riche: Josh arrives at Ku Woong games with the second-highest salary in the company and a huge sign-in bonus, which gives him the urge to flaunt his wealth with expensive products.
- Oblivious to Love: When Wan goes to meet Eunjo after a year without contact, he drops several hints that he likes her, but she keeps brushing them off as friendly gestures. When Wan leans in to kiss Eunjo, she pushes him away, thinking he's acting on impulse. It's only after she reflects on the past that she realizes Wan could have feelings for her.
- Office Romance:
- Eunjo and Seonkyu get together for some time, but they break up after they leave Ku Woong Games. By the end of Season 1, Eunjo and Wan get together, and Eunjo returns to the company.
- Season 2 brings up an abundance of couples: Mijo and Macho, Lena and Paul, the lapsed relationship of Hyeonsu and Sujeong. It also sets up a romance between Josh and A-yeong and gives Hi and Anna romantic undertones.
- Offscreen Breakup: Eunjo broke up with Seonkyu during the timeskip.
- Offscreen Romance:
- After her attempts to date Wan doesn't work out, Joy decides to give up and move on. After the one year time-skip, she already has a new boyfriend.
- Mijo develops a crush on Wan after realizing that He Cleans Up Nicely, but her crush goes nowhere as Wan gets together with Eunjo shortly after Mijo is introduced. In the second season, which takes place sometime after Eunjo moves back to Kuwoong Games, she is shown to be dating a member of the Planning team named Macho.
- Positive Friend Influence: Eunjo and Wan start out with very different mannerisms, but they gradually pick up traits of each other. Eunjo doesn't care about her looks and Wan is obsessed with his image. Wan helps Eunjo clean up for an important presentation, and she goes to him for fashion advice every now and then. Once the mask mandate hits, Wan realizes that his appearance means nothing and switches to a more comfortable lifestyle, which Eunjo encourages.
- Perspective Flip: "Acting Different" starts at the same point as "Executioner", but from A-yeong's point of view.
- Production Throwback: The coaster Wan Jo gifts to Eunjo has a picture of Yumi's Hunger Cell. Her former boyfriend Woong and coworker Ruby later show up, confirming that it's the same universe.
- Professional Butt-Kisser: Wan has a professional image to maintain and will suck up to his coworkers when given the opportunity to look good.
- Race for Your Love: In a flashback of what could have been, Sia runs to catch up to Woong and confess her feelings so he won't go on a blind date with Yumi.
- Random Number God: The Lucky Points arc shows that people rack up "lucky points" whenever they suffer misfortune, and each of them is assigned a "luck manager" whose job is to make use of these points by trading them with good fortune.
- Rewatch Bonus: Since "Executioner" and "Acting Different" cover much of the same time period from different perspectives, it helps to go back and forth between them to see how differently the characters think.
- Ridiculous Procrastinator: Eunjo's biggest flaw. She tends to keep foisting things she knows she should do off to her Tomorrow's Jo.
- Romantic False Lead: Eunjo briefly has a romance with Seonkyu. They break up during the Time Skip and she moves on to Wan jo.
- Running Gag: Eunjo comes into work looking like she pulled an all-nighter whenever she doesn't put effort into her appearance.
- Shared Universe: With Yumi's Cells. The main characters are employees in Woong's company, and Eunjo and Ruby apparently frequent the same dating advice forum. Sia is a producer at Julli Software, where Joy and Eunjo eventually start working.
- Sharp-Dressed Man: Wan carefully styles himself every day in order to make a picture-perfect impression on everyone in the office. However, all his efforts are in vain as nobody really notices how well he dresses. Once he realizes this, he permanently downgrades his daily attire to something more comfortable.
- She Cleans Up Nicely:
- Eunjo is attractive enough normally, but when she lets Wan Jo pick out some clothes and style her hair, she becomes radiant. She's not willing to go to the effort required every day, though.
- After Wan starts Dressing Down in "Masks On", Mijo joins the team. She thinks he's a slob at first, but she's surprised about how well he cleans up, unaware that he used to always dress well.
- Slobs Versus Snobs: Downplayed with Eunjo and Wan. One ad calls them "office slob and office snob". Eunjo doesn't care about her appearance or her workspace and tends to look like she pulled an all-nighter, but she gets along well with everyone in the office. Wan is obsessed with his perfect appearance and puts on a sociable front, but he looks down on his coworkers. Wan eventually warms up to Eunjo, and they pick up traits from each other.
- Story Arc: Each visual metaphor has a dedicated arc. At the end of the arc, the featured mechanic takes a back seat but makes occasional appearances.
- Symbolic Blood:
- At the end of "Executioner", Woong and Josh drink cherry juice. Josh does a Spit Take after being passed up for promotion, causing the juice to drip from his mouth to his shirt and make him look like he really was executed. Then Woong spills juice on his own shirt, and Josh leaves after thinking Woong should die, making it look like Josh executed Woong.
- As A-yeong compliments Josh while they're having lunch, "blood" starts to soak through his shirt. The original Korean caption says that he loves it so much that he's dying. It turns out that he spilled grape juice on himself.
- Theme Naming: All of the important characters introduced so far have "Jo" in their names. Season 1 has Eunjo Lee, Wan Jo, Joy Kim, Seonkyu "Jonathan" Kim, and Mijo Meng. Season 2 has Josh and A-yeong Jo.
- Time Skip: "Cheat Sheet" takes place a year after Eunjo switches companies.
- Tuckerization: A lot of brands and stores in the series is called Jullie, after Donggeon Lee's wife.
- Twice Shy: Eunjo likes Seonkyu but has to initiate a lot of the friendly gestures (pulling) because she isn't sure he likes her back. Seonkyu refuses to accept the streak of luck until Eunjo gets up and leaves (pushing), at which point he finally confesses to her. Eunjo is still a bit shy about admitting that she likes him too.
- Unluckily Lucky: "Lucky Points" is about the balance of luck. Eunjo suffers several mishaps throughout the day but has coworkers who look out for her. Wan used to be incredibly lucky when he was in school, but he lost everything that he lucked into when Lucky Finance came to collect his debt. Joy is so careful that nothing surprising ever happens to her until she tries to date Wan, at which point everything goes terribly for her until she gives up and gets a new job opportunity for her troubles.
- Unrequited Love Switcheroo: Joy goes through a lot of trouble to date Wan, but after she racks up a huge amount of Lucky Points from her plans being ruined, she gives up and moves on with her life. Wan tries to see her after that, but she keeps canceling on him and eventually leaves for a new job.
- You Must Be Cold: When it starts raining during Eunjo and Wan's meet-up, Wan gives Eunjo his cashmere coat to shelter her from the rain and prevent her silk blouse from getting ruined.
