Bodyguard

Bodyguard (2021) Dassy Bernhard (The Bodyguards)

An orphan. With secret superpowers. Who works as a bodyguard.

Tang Jun-young had hoped that saving the K-Pop boy band he was guarding flew under the radar, with people paying attention to the musicians rather than the nameless man who saved them. But no such luck, as the chairman of the powerful Kyo group.

Kyo Seung-hyun spent the past several years in the US working on a start-up, but after his father’s death, returned home to take over the family business.

“In my opinion, he’s a bit lonely.”

“He’s a billionaire.”

“You can’t have dinner with an investment portfolio.”

Much to the chagrin of the board.

He faced resistance even on subjects that Jun-young thought any normal person would agree upon, such as a plan to drastically reduce the rate of accidents in the Kyo Group’s factories.

This is an interesting story. It does feel very much like a first published novel, but it doesn’t feel like it makes the expected mistakes. There is actually minimal world building, and you get to know Jun-young’s family through his interactions with them, and the same for Kyo Seung-hyun, who is not like any Korean businessman Jun-young has worked for previously.

I can find absolutely nothing about the author, but they seem knowledgeable about South Korean society–at least to someone who knows absolutely nothing about it, and have notes in the back explaining things with which the reader might not be familiar (such as mandatory military services and the interactions between employers and employees), making the book at least feel quite like a Western story.

One of the parts I particularly enjoyed were the interactions with Jun-young’s niece.

Just before Min-hyun arrived, boxes with formula, diapers, toys, onesies, and every other baby-related product in existence were delivered to the penthouse. “You know we’re having her over just for the afternoon, right?” Jun-young asked.

I also enjoyed the speculative fiction portions of the story, some of which may involve time-travel, which I as a rule DESPISE. But the random guesses of why Jun-young has his small super powers were amusing and delightful.

I also liked that the romance aspects of the story were underplayed, with Jun-young crushing on his boss, but recognizing that his crush is impossible on so many levels.

Cute story that I enjoyed, even if I’m not sure how well it would hold up upon a second read, or if I was more aware of South Korean culture. If nothing else it’s a fun escape.

Rating: 6.5/10

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