"Entourage" Episode 2

With episode one of"Entourage"being "no way but up" levels of unsatisfying, what we get from episode two qualifies as improvement. The series still plays like a work for teen-minded men of the "dudebro" variety, which is odd to see in an industry mostly aimed at women. Warming up to the characters in episode one is a challenge, since everyone is so juvenile and obnoxious. Thankfully, episode two somewhat begins to address this.

Joon (Lee Gwang-soo) and Turtle (Lee Dong-hwi) are still walking erect penises with minimum brain function during most scenes, of course and I do not imagine this will change anytime soon, if ever. On the other hand, in episode one we got a little glimpse into Ho-jin's (Park Jeong-min-I) life and troubles as someone stuck between two stubborn divas in a dead-end job. Episode two attempts to inject some of that humanity into Yeong-bin (Seo Kang-joon) and Eun-gap (Jo Jin-woong).

As much as I like Ho-jin, this series seems to revolve around Yeong-bin's stardom and life against a pushy agent with his friends caught in the middle. This means that the two headbutting divas need development, even in a show as keen on superficiality as this one. Showing Yeong-bin as a friend, a man with a crush and someone who is not so lost in their glamor as to become ungrateful generates sympathy for him. It also teases his back story with Eun-gap.

Eun-gap gets a character makeover as well and while not a huge one, his current presentation is a lot better than threatening subordinates with bodily harm. He is not exactly a sweetheart, as we see through his latest employee victim called Jay (Amber), but there is improvement. Eun-gap is the lesser of evils in an industry where loyalty and even common decency are the exception rather than the rule. This is where the subplot of CEO Im's betrayal comes in handy.

That is not the only function of this episode's story within a story, however. It also serves as a means to show some of the dirtier sides of entertainment such as backstabbing among peers and the sexual exploitation of actresses. I actually found the casting ofClarain this role a brilliant idea given her past legal battle and it is this caustic edge which makes the drama's premise so full of potential and which can balance its more shallow parts.

The meatier topics go by a bit too fast, but this is still better than an hour of penis jokes and the objectification of attractive people. Those who like this type of material will not look for it in a conservative industry such as Korean drama anyway. Now that the music and editing have calmed down a bit, I hope the content can become more mature as well.

"Entourage"is directed byJang Yeong-woo, written byKwon So-raandSeo Jae-wonand featuresJo Jin-woong,Seo Kang-joon,Lee Gwang-soo,Park Jeong-min-IandLee Dong-hwi.

Written by:Orionfrom 'Orion's Ramblings'