The premise of Chief of Staff is that pretty much everyone in politics is ruthlessly ambitious and willing to put aside any morals to achieve their goals. That's kind of all you need to know, lol. It's cynical but probably fairly realistic. At least all these politicians are super attractive!

In general, the show is very well executed and well worth a watch. (Although if you're looking for something light and feel-good, I'd steer clear). The show's strongest assets are its characters; while there's a mid-sized ensemble cast, all the main players are complex and fully formed and their personalities are easily discernible within the first few episodes. Standouts include Lee Jung Jae as leading man (and Chief of Staff) Jang Tae-jun. His facial expressions alone are so telling; you can immediately feel his constant struggle between doing the right thing and advancing his political goals. He's one of the best anti-heroes I've seen in television. Another standout is Shin Min Ah as Kang Seon-yeong; she's a political badass who you'll constantly root for as she strives to be one of the few uncorrupted politicians. I love her and Tae-jun's chemistry; you can tell how much they care about each other even as their political careers keep jumping in the way. The show also does a good job establishing the tangled web of relationships; you can immediately tell who is loyal to whom, who has beef, etc. The acting and character building is excellent on its own.

Chief of Staff is super plot-heavy; the first few episodes are more slice-of-political-life as Tae-jun grittily handles crisis after crisis. Just when it's starting to get repetitive, the latter episodes start developing more of a seasonal arc which ends in a dramatic season finale. There's a lot going on and tons of side characters and political scheming, so it can be easy to lose track of some of the moving parts. Even so, you don't have to remember every detail to enjoy watching how the drama unfolds.

The soundtrack is fun, too; the dramatic underscoring matches the premise' tone and urgency. I'd recommend Chief of Staff if you're looking for something a little serious/dark with a standout cast of characters.