With just two episodes left before the finale, 'Undercover Miss Hong' is portraying the stories of characters with rich, varied narratives.
Through the 14th episode aired on the 1st, the tvN weekend drama Undercover Miss Hong (directed by Park Sun-ho, Na Ji-hyun; written by Moon Hyun-kyung) has continued its relentless rise to the end. That day's ratings, based on paid platforms nationwide integrating cable, IPTV and satellite, averaged 11.8%, peaked at 13.1% nationwide, and were 12.3% and a high of 13.9% in the Seoul metropolitan area, setting a personal record, surpassing double digits for two consecutive weeks and securing first place across all channels in the same time slot. tvN's target men and women aged 20-49 ratings also topped all channels including terrestrial broadcasters in both nationwide and metropolitan areas in the same time slot, proving its undisputed No. 1 class among weekend dramas. (Based on paid platforms integrating cable, IPTV and satellite / provided by Nielsen Korea)
The characters in 'Undercover Miss Hong,' each with their own stories, are active in their respective roles, raising the drama's interest and tension to a peak. In particular, Park Shin-hye, who newly leads the Yeouido pirate crew as Hong Geum-bo, reached out to Shin Jeong-woo, and as Shin Jeong-woo's true face and sincerity—previously shrouded in mystery—gradually emerged, his actions gained persuasive power.
Shin Jeong-woo had a long-standing relationship with Hong Geum-bo as her senior from college, lover and fellow accountant. Nine years earlier, Hong Geum-bo turned her back in disappointment at his action of turning a blind eye to Hanmin Securities' fraudulent accounting scandal, and when a colleague accountant involved in that case took his own life, the incident left deep scars on both of them. When Shin Jeong-woo was appointed the new president of Hanmin Securities, he quickly recognized Hong Geum-bo's true identity as someone who had infiltrated Hanmin Securities undercover, and while he repeatedly impeded her undercover operation, he did not expose or forcibly expel her, maintaining a strange distance that heightened the tension.
In fact, Shin Jeong-woo had another purpose. He had planned to team up with overseas investor DK Ventures to secure equity in Hanmin Securities and then swallow the company. Watching domestic economic conditions, he foresaw the coming IMF crisis yet took no action, and when Hong Geum-bo tried to stop Hanmin Securities from submitting false accounting reports to receive government support, he silently cooperated, showing an inscrutable side. However, even as he rushed toward the ultimate goal of taking over Hanmin Securities, his genuine concern for Hong Geum-bo's safety was revealed. Worried that Hong Geum-bo might get caught up in major turmoil, Shin Jeong-woo persistently tried to persuade her and even met with Director General Yoon Jae-beom (played by Kim Won-hae) of the Financial Supervisory Service to ask for help, desperately hoping Hong Geum-bo would not be put in danger any longer.
Shin Jeong-woo lived with the guilt of not having protected Hong Geum-bo nine years ago, and when Kang Nora (played by Choi Ji-su) asked whether he still had feelings, he replied, "No. I don't want to repeat regrets," showing his determination not to repeat the same mistake. Eventually, following Hong Geum-bo's plan, he was dismissed from his post as president of Hanmin Securities, accepted an invitation to join the Yeouido pirate crew, and actively helped recover Hanmin Securities' slush funds and secure equity. He also made bold and composed moves that helped cement the Yeouido pirate crew's threatening presence, such as contacting Chairman Kang Pil-beom (played by Lee Duk-hwa) directly to provoke him on Hong Geum-bo's behalf.
Thus, Shin Jeong-woo has rapidly emerged as a key figure in the showdown with Hanmin Securities and has become Hong Geum-bo's reliable ally. It was revealed that, despite pursuing pragmatism, he had an unusual conviction, and even amid the worries and conflicts stemming from the incident nine years ago, his sincerity in trying to protect Hong Geum-bo remained firm, resonating with viewers. Attention is focused on the activities Shin Jeong-woo, who is showing three-dimensional change, will display going forward.
[Photo] Provided by tvN
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