The super intelligent, good-looking yet brusque CEOs of C-dramas have a brilliance that remains unmatched in the boardroom. And beyond the detached and shrewd exterior, they can sweep you off your feet with their wit and charm. But that aspect of their personality only comes to the surface when they meet their match. She could well be someone who pushes his buttons or someone he is forced to get into an arrangement with only to realize that the lady in question pulls his heartstrings like no other. Here are seven CEOs who won viewers’ hearts with their charisma and screen presence.
“Only for Love”
Shi Yan (Dylan Wang) is one of the most sought-after CEOs in the world of business. Known for his astute business acumen, he is also a maverick of sorts when it comes to his investment decisions, which is going against the grain and breaking new ground. Zheng Shu Yi (Bai Lu) is one of the most promising business reporters. She is super ambitious and has a nose for news, which makes her the best in the job. She is keen to interview the elusive Shi Yan and pulls all stops to get access to him. He agrees to an interview with her even though her scheming colleague tries to steal the pitch. In the meantime, Shu Yi’s boyfriend breaks up with her for a woman who has a rich uncle, and Shu Yi assumes it is Shi Yan’s niece who is the home-wrecker in her life.
Shu Yi tries to get close to him, with her two agendas in place, to get the biggest news scoop and teach his niece a lesson. As sparks fly, Shu Yi realizes that she has fallen hard for this aloof yet very caring man. When the truth is revealed of Shu Yi’s motives, Shi Yan is heartbroken, but what’s tearing him down is that beyond Shu Yi’s work, he meant very little to her.
“Only for Love” is a cute rom-com. Bai Lu’s vivacity is offset by Dylan Wang’s brooding charm. Dylan Wang as the reticent Shi Yan will win your heart. He’s a man of few words whose prime focus has been his work until his world is turned upside down by the arrival of the bubbly Shu Yi. As a lover, he is dreamy. He wears his heart on his sleeve and makes no effort to hide his jealousy when he sees anther wooing Shu Yi. The chemistry between Dylan Wang and Bai Lu is steamy, and they give some cute couple moments on screen.
Start watching “Only for Love”:
“The Love You Give Me”
Xin Qi (Wang Zi Qi) is shocked to see Min Hui (Wang Yu Wen) seducing a rich man at a party. He is horrified and convinced that she has always been a cheater and a liar. The two have had a history—they were in love, but it had all ended after Xin Qi accused her of deceiving him. In the current scenario, he is a successful business investor, and she is a single mom and a director of a technology firm. Xin Qi threatens to remove financial support to a project that Min Hui is working on, such is the intensity of his dislike toward her and what she had done to him. Min Hui makes it clear that her project is her priority and that she has no feelings for him whatsoever. When Xin Qi discovers that he could well be the father of Min Hui’s child, he tries to find his way back into her and their son’s life, but she does not want him around. Can these two get past their misunderstandings, or is it the end of the road for them?
“The Love You Give Me” is a romance drama that is engaging as much as it is entertaining. As the past and present collide to narrate the story of Xin Qi and Min Hui, it keeps you invested on how their story will pan out. Though at times the sub-plots get a bit stretchy, the chemistry between Wang Zi Qi and Wang Yu Wen sizzles things up, and the couple is totally in sync with each other. Wang Zi Qi articulates the confusion of Xin Qi well, and his onscreen camaraderie with the child actor is endearing.
Start watching “The Love You Give Me”:
“Exploration Methods of Love”
Mu Xiu Lun (Gao Han Yu) is the prickly CEO of Mu Enterprises and is constantly being badgered by his mother to get married. He is in a contractual dating partnership with a top actress named Su Jin Qing (Cecilia Boey). But the catch is that Su Jin Qing has disappeared, and her twin sister, a geologist, has been roped in to take her place. Su Ji Shi not only has the task to navigate the tricky world of showbiz, which she has no idea about, but she also needs to fulfill the contract with Xiu Lun. Though it is clear that the partnership is totally business and there is no room for any feelings to develop, sparks fly. Both Xiu Lun and Ji Shi feel their hearts beating erratically even when they are constantly bickering. Xiu Lun, who is also interested in geology, with his business being focused around the same, is amazed at Jin Qing/Ji Shi’s amazing knowledge and insights. So what happens when the truth is out, and it is obvious that both parties have breached the most important clause of the contract—falling in love with each other?
“Exploration Methods of Love” is a light, fun watch. A badass geologist posing as a ditzy actress and the sulky face CEO have several face-offs, and both try to one up the other in this game of wits. Gao Han Yu and Cecilia Boey vibe well and complement each other on screen. Gao Han Yu as the moody Xiu Lun grows on you. His confusion at not being in control of his emotions around Ji Shi and trying to overcome them are hilarious. The show takes time to build up, so be a tad patient.
Start watching “Exploration Methods of Love”:
“Hello Mr. Gu”
Gu Nan Zhou (Chen Jing Ke) may be a CEO of a successful company, but the man has a debilitating fear of crowds. Zhou Jian Qing (Yan Zhi Chao) is an impoverished heiress, whose life has crashed around her after her wealthy family goes bankrupt. But, Cupid plays truant, entangling her with the awkwardly aloof Nan Zhou. A case of opposites attract, the two start 0ff by butting heads and find themselves in a precarious position, where Gu Nan Zhou is compelled to help Jian Qing for the sake of his own business interests. The two get into a contract marriage, and though it gets pretty predictable, these two fall in love. But they also discover secrets on the way and help each other heal.
“Hello Mr. Gu” is a breezy rom-com, and though there are cliches aplenty, it entertains you enough to overlook them. Chen Jing Ke as the sensitive and anti-social CEO who tries hard to hide his many weaknesses is charming. He has an endearing quality which makes you warm up to him. The drama is a no-fuss affair, and though there are conflicts, it is all very uncomplicated, making the show a good watch.
Start watching “Hello Mr. Gu”:
“Love in Time”
This drama is yet another contractual relationship between a CEO and a young woman caught in the middle of a family inheritance. An adaptation of the novel “Lu Shao’s New Wife in Warm Marriage,” the drama tells the story of Su Jia Nan (Serena Cheng), who is a bit of an oddball. She was never popular in school, but now as an upcoming writer, she feels her sad past is behind her. Or is it? When she is caught in a weird situation related to her family affairs, the only way out is to cohabitate with her chief tormentor Lu Bo Yan (Ren Yan Kai). The successful CEO of an investment company, he is willing to go along with her—but for a price. The two sign a fake marriage contract, little realizing that more than the issues, it is their feelings for each other that are uncontrollable. The famous “enemies-to-lovers” trope is served well as they find themselves in one fiery situation after the other.
The chemistry between the two leads is scorching as they resolve their past and find love, only to find one crisis after the other staring them in the face. Though Jia Nan’s character comes across as selfish and only invested in herself as she keeps making trouble for her husband, Ren Yan Kai as the dishy Lu Bo Yan wins you over with his flamboyant appeal. The debonair boss-turn-dream lover will make your heart skip several beats..
Start watching “Love in Time”:
“Well Dominated Love”
Nie Xing Chen (Xuan Lu) is the new assistant to the supremely bright yet arrogant CEO Yan Jing Zhi (Zhao Zhi Wei). Jing Zhi is a perfectionist and also has obsessive-compulsive disorder. As women vie for his attention, he has neither the time nor the inclination to indulge them. Xing Chen is hardworking and capable and well aware of her boss and his picky nature. The two are polar opposites, but Jing Zhi admires Xing Chen’s abilities and her sunny disposition, and he also feels she holds the key to an issue he is dealing with. Sparks fly but are threatened to be extinguished by the many misunderstandings they encounter on the way.
“Well Dominated Love” is an office romance, liberally sprinkled with humor and the usual drama tropes. It at times may even remind you of the Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore rom-com film “Fifty First Dates.”
The easygoing chemistry between the two leads and the camaraderie they share make it an amusing and light watch, and Zhao Zhi Wei as the difficult Jing Zhi works his way into your heart with his charm and quirky nature.
“Here to Heart”
Zhan Nan Xian (Zhang Han) is the most promising entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of a high tech firm. It has been a rags-to-riches story, but behind the success and fortune, he is still hurting from his first and only love. The woman in question is Wen Nuan (Janine Chang), who had no option but to break up with him in the past. Years later, after a successful career abroad, she finds herself working with him in his company. But it seems the sensitive boy of the past has turned into a cold businessman who has no time for love or anything. Though the two keep a professional distance, Nan Xian wants to know the truth, and it seems Wen Nuan is hell bent on keeping some secrets from him.
“Here to Heart” is your typical romance of estranged lovers who get another chance at love. A slow-burn romance and emotional rollercoaster, the show does get stretched at times. Though it is Wen Nuan you root for, Nan Xian wins you over despite being a bit of a stuff jacket. The main leads have arresting chemistry and screen presence, and their moments together are heart-warming.
Start watching “Here to Heart”:
Hey Soompiers, which one of these is your favorite C-drama CEO? Let us know in the comments below!
Puja Talwar is a Soompi writer with a strong Yang Yang and Lee Junho bias. A long time K-drama fan, she loves devising alternate scenarios to the narratives. She has interviewed Lee Min Ho, Gong Yoo, Cha Eun Woo, and Ji Chang Wook to name a few. You can follow her on @puja_talwar7 on Instagram.
Currently watching: “Doctor Slump”