Class hierarchies and mismatched timing drive conflict in 'The Interest of Love'

Ahn Su-yeong rejects an ambiguous relationship with Ha Sang-su at the Yeongpo Branch as rigid organizational hierarchies and differing social backgrounds create insurmountable barriers between them.

Even when working in the same space, the sense of living in different worlds can create lines sharper than love. The early narrative of the JTBC drama 'The Interest of Love' highlights the invisible hierarchies existing within the closed organization of a bank and the precarious relationships of individuals standing on the boundaries of those classes.

"We Discriminate"... Invisible Class Hierarchies Within the Bank

The Yeongpo Branch, the setting of the drama, is a vibrant space visited by more than 300 customers daily, but the atmosphere flowing within is cold. Class here is divided not only by money but also by job categories. A clear distinction exists between the open recruitment staff wearing blue bands and the non-open recruitment staff wearing yellow bands.

Ahn Su-yeong, who started as a part-time bank worker, dreams of changing her job category but remains an outsider who has not yet been integrated into the mainstream of the organization. She applies for a job category change to receive recognition commensurate with her efforts, but the organization does not fully accept her abilities based on her background as a high school graduate versus a university graduate. The cynical view that "if high school and university graduates were the same, why would anyone go crazy and pay expensive tuition fees for four years of university" demonstrates the rigid lines maintained by this organization. Ultimately, to avoid being hurt, Su-yeong decides to stand outside those lines herself, choosing to conform to the rules of the organization.

Mismatched Timing and the Choice to Reject "Ambiguous Relationships"

The relationship between Su-yeong and Ha Sang-su becomes even more complicated as it intertwines with these class walls. Sang-su feels an attraction to Su-yeong and asks her on a date, expecting the relationship to progress, but their meetings repeatedly miss each other. Sang-su's work mistakes and sudden disappearances cause disappointment for Su-yeong, serving as a catalyst that breaks the trust in their relationship beyond simple personal dissatisfaction. In particular, Sang-su arriving an hour later than the promised time due to a closing cash error caused great disappointment to Su-yeong.

Su-yeong demands a definite relationship from Sang-su, stating, "I hate ambiguous relationships." However, after the day Sang-su failed to keep his promise, Su-yeong draws a colder line against him. Her pushing Sang-su away was not merely due to the appointment issue. She intuitively feels that Sang-su, like the other male employees, views her through the eyes of a "bystander." When colleagues held a witch-hunt style hearing regarding the relationship between Su-yeong and Jeong Cheon-gyeong, Sang-su failed to protect her and remained a bystander. To Su-yeong, Sang-su's attitude was not that of a special person who protects her, but merely another member who conforms to the logic of the organization and maintains an appropriate distance. Su-yeong points out that he acted no differently from others, telling Sang-su, "It is more annoying that you act like you are a different person."

A World Where Even Ordinariness is Discriminated Against, the Distance Between Them

The fundamental reason it is difficult for their relationship to progress lies in the fact that their life trajectories are different. While Sang-su describes himself as being from an ordinary family, "ordinariness" has a different standard within his social network. In a world where friends from Gangnam build buildings and discuss the scale of their assets, Sang-su's background can never be placed on the same level as theirs. While Sang-su only lives his own life, the environment he belongs to has already formed a solid class structure.

The same applies to Su-yeong. She studies and works hard for her future, but the wall of reality constantly pushes her "outside the line." The excitement and affection Sang-su feels for Su-yeong ultimately lose power in the face of the massive walls of organizational hierarchy and individual background. Even at the moment their feelings for each other are confirmed, the gap in the reality they stand upon acts as a device that makes the distance between them more distinct rather than narrowing it.

The Appearance of a New Character and the Shaking Axis of the Relationship

Amidst this tension, the relationship dynamic changes once again with the appearance of a new character, Jang Mi-gyeong, at the Yeongpo Branch. Jang Mi-gyeong performs PT duties at the headquarters, taking on the work of the open recruitment job category that Su-yeong so desperately wanted. This symbolizes the territory Su-yeong could not reach and shows that the lines within the organization are operating among the characters once again. While harboring feelings for Su-yeong, Sang-su forms a love triangle with Jeong Cheon-gyeong, and the conflicts arising from the entanglement of characters with different classes and backgrounds serve as the core driving force of the drama.

Source: DRAMA Voyage (YouTube)