‘Business Proposal’ Finale: K-Drama Doesn’t Follow the Webtoon Version Exactly – Here’s How
Netflix’s Korean drama Business Proposal has reached its finale. Starring Ahn Hyo-seop and Kim Se-jeong, the K-drama told an unconventional and accidental love story between a CEO and his employee. Business Proposal is based on an original webtoon, and fans might find the finale does not follow the illustrated story exactly. Do not worry. There is a happily-ever-after, but with a few tweaked details.
[Warning: This article contains spoilers for the Business Proposal finale and webtoon. ]
Tae-mu and Ha-ri face a life blunder but make it through in the ‘Business Proposal’ finale
Before the finale, Tae-mu and Ha-ri have a hard time in their relationship. The company discovers they are dating and start to develop rumors about Ha-ri. In return, Tae-mu’s grandfather also learns and has difficulty accepting that their love is real. Meanwhile, Young-seo and Sung-hoon get permission to date from her father, and Sung-hoon pops the question.
In the Business Proposal finale, things take a drastic turn. Young-seo’s father was only putting on a facade and urged Sung-hoon to break off his relationship. Enraged, Young-seo stands up for herself and hands her resignation from her father’s company. Trusting the person he loves, Sung-hoon hands over his savings to invest in her company plans.
Meanwhile, Tae-mu is accepted by Ha-ri’s family. But Tae-mu’s grandfather still has a hard time and pretends to be ill in the hospital to entice a breakup. Tae-moo is aware of the ruse, and Ha-ri goes instead to soften him up. But the hospital visit reveals Tae-mu’s grandfather is ill. There is an issue with the tubing from his heart surgery.
As Korea does not have an adequate medical procedure, Tae-mu takes his grandfather to America. He asks Ha-ri to join, but she declines. Despite being away from each other, Ha-ri refuses to break up. A year later, Tae-mu helps manage the American branch of the company and surprises Ha-ri with his return. Having his grandfather’s approval, he asks Ha-ri to marry him.
The ‘Business Proposal’ webtoon has a different finale compared to the K-drama
The 2022 K-drama is one of many based on a webtoon. It was created by author HaeHwa. Fans of the webtoon will notice a few askew details compared to the finale in Business Proposal. Tae-mu’s grandfather is more accepting of the relationship early on. The company indeed discovers their relationship due to a scandal.
Unlike the K-drama finale, Ha-ri is the one who proposes to Tae-mu. She does so to prove her relationship is real to the company’s board of directors with the help of Tae-mu’s grandfather. Meeting Ha-ri’s parents come after. While both her parents accept Tae-mu in the drama, the webtoon has Ha-ri’s father reject their marriage.
To show his worth to Ha-ri’s father, Tae-mu helps run the restaurant and protects them from a disgruntled customer. The first finale of the webtoon has Tae-mu, and Ha-ri get married and go on a tropical honeymoon. The steamy sex scene in Business Proposal actually occurs during the webtoon honeymoon.
Compared to the K-drama, fans see a full-fledged wedding in the webtoon. While the webtoon does tease Tae-mu going to America, it never happens. The K-drama used the going to America detail to develop a stronger bond between Ha-ri and Tae-mu in the drama.
Young-seo and Sung-hoon have a webtoon surprise not explored in the K-drama
Young-seo and Sung-hoon’s ending storyline in the Business Proposal differs drastically from the webtoon. Young-seo’s father does disapprove of her relationship and does ask Sung-hoon to break it off. In the webtoon, he does, but as he tries to reconcile with Young-seo, he gets into a car accident.
After the accident, Young-seo confronts her father after learning why he disapproved because Sung-hoon was an orphan. Tae-mu’s grandfather comes to the rescue and lies that he is his illegitimate grandson and has always been his family.
Young-seo’s father realizes his stupidity, accepts the relationship and talks about marriage. Like the K-drama, Young-seo and Sung-hoon get engaged first. But in the webtoon, there is a specific storyline detail. At Ha-ri’s wedding, Young-seo reveals she put off having a joint wedding because she is pregnant.
In Business Proposal, the pregnancy storyline is not used and instead opts for Young-seo following her own dream of opening a company. The webtoon also has extended chapters of Young-seo and Sung-hoon planning their wedding.
Business Proposal is available to stream on Netflix.
