[Spoiler Alert: Episode Summary]
This article contains plot points and episode summaries from ‘Undercover Miss Hong’ Episodes 1–2.
'Undercover Miss Hong' has captured the hearts of viewers in just two episodes.
According to Nielsen Korea, the second episode of tvN’s weekend drama 'Undercover Miss Hong,' which aired on January 18, recorded an average nationwide rating of 5.7% and a peak of 7.2% across paid platforms (cable, IPTV, and satellite). In the Seoul metropolitan area, it posted an average of 5.7% with a peak of 7.1%. This marks a sharp rise from the premiere episode on January 17, which logged an average nationwide rating of 3.5% and a peak of 4.3%, with metropolitan averages at 3.2% and a high of 4%.
Episode two depicted Hong Geum Bo (played by Park Shin Hye) standing up, firmly and in her own style, against workplace practices that were once considered “normal” at the time. Hong Geum Bo is a Financial Supervisory Service investigator who tracks suspicious money flows to take down financial criminals. To uncover corruption at Hanmin Securities, she goes undercover by rejoining the company as a 20-year-old high school graduate employee.
On her first day at Hanmin Securities, Hong Geum Bo is repeatedly dismissed as “Miss Hong” and subjected to subtle condescension from her superiors, but she refuses to quietly accept it. When her roommate, Go Bok Hee (played by Ha Yoon Kyung), a seasoned secretary, is looked down on by college-graduate secretaries due to her educational background, Hong Geum Bo reacts with open anger. As she steps in to resolve the situation directly, the conflict escalates into a physical altercation, ultimately bringing Hong Geum Bo and Go Bok Hee closer together.
After surviving an unexpectedly harsh initiation, Hong Geum Bo soon faces another major obstacle. The newly appointed company president turns out to be Shin Jung Woo (played by Go Kyung Pyo), her former lover. Matters worsen when Go Bok Hee, who had served the previous president Kang Myung Hwi (played by Choi Won Young), faces dismissal, while Hong Geum Bo herself is suddenly reassigned as the president’s new secretary, pushing her dangerously close to having her undercover identity exposed.
Determined to avoid a confrontation with Shin Jung Woo, Hong Geum Bo teams up with Go Bok Hee to devise a plan. During a meeting, they set things up so that Shin Jung Woo alone can smoothly answer the barrage of questions from Chairman Kang Pil Beom (played by Lee Deok Hwa). Hong Geum Bo also subtly leaks Shin Jung Woo’s personal preferences—knowledge only she possesses—to help Go Bok Hee score points. Thanks to Hong Geum Bo’s desperate efforts, Go Bok Hee manages to keep her position as the president’s secretary, and a sense of camaraderie begins to form between the two women.
However, a major twist soon follows. It is revealed that Go Bok Hee has a suspicious employment history, having worked at each of her previous jobs for only one year, and was even reported for embezzlement at her former workplace. The shock deepens when it comes to light that Go Bok Hee has secretly been holding onto the slush fund ledger that Yeppi was supposed to deliver, delivering a major surprise to viewers.
Torn between trust and suspicion, Hong Geum Bo sneaks into the president’s office to obtain Kang Myung Hwi’s schedule records—only to find herself face-to-face with Shin Jung Woo, ending the episode on a breathless cliffhanger.
Park Shin Hye’s Commanding Performance Drives the Drama
As Hong Geum Bo overcomes obstacles and solves cases one by one, viewers are experiencing a strong sense of catharsis. Much of the positive response centers on Park Shin Hye’s confident, no-nonsense performance, which many say is anchoring the drama effectively.
Park Shin Hye has previously admitted to feeling pressure about portraying a 20-year-old character. At the drama’s production press conference, she said, “I felt a lot of pressure about playing a 20-year-old. Since I debuted young, many people remember what I looked like at that age. But time is unavoidable. I paid close attention to my hair and wardrobe. Even if my face looks more mature, I tried to compensate through styling and fashion.” She added, “There’s also a big difference in acting tone. I hope viewers watch the drama with that in mind.”
Addressing whether she had difficulties interpreting the character of Hong Geum Bo, Park explained, “Although I was young in the 1990s, I grew up observing that environment, so it wasn’t particularly difficult. It was a time when son preference still existed, and I was able to incorporate the discomfort and emotions I realistically felt back then.” She continued, “Even though the story reflects my elementary school years, those memories remain very vivid. Filming often felt nostalgic for me.”
Meanwhile, 'Undercover Miss Hong' airs every Saturday and Sunday at 9:10 p.m. on tvN.
SHARE
