Park Shin-hye's 'Undercover Miss Hong' Hits Record Ratings with Thrilling Plot Twists

Park Shin-hye's drama 'Undercover Miss Hong' has reached its highest ratings yet, hitting 8.0% and showing a strong upward trend. Park Shin-hye, who married actor Choi Tae-joon in 2022, stars in this gripping series.

The sixth episode, aired on the 1st, revealed the heartbreaking past of Go Bok-hee (played by Ha Yoon-kyung) and the suspicious actions of Albert Oh (played by Jo Han-gyeol), leaving Hong Geum-bo (played by Park Shin-hye) in shock.

The episode achieved an average nationwide rating of 8.0% and peaked at 9.2% across cable, IPTV, and satellite platforms. In the Seoul metropolitan area, it reached an average of 8.7% and a peak of 10.4%, setting a new record for the series. Among tvN's target demographic of viewers aged 20-49, it scored an average of 3.0% nationwide and 3.1% in the metropolitan area, ranking first across all channels, including terrestrial networks, during its time slot. (Data provided by Nielsen Korea)

In the episode, CEO Shin Jung-woo (played by Go Kyung-pyo) discovers that the low-level employee Hong Jang-mi is actually Hong Geum-bo, who infiltrated Hanmin Securities using her younger sibling's identity. Under pressure, Hong Geum-bo initially seems to admit her identity but then cleverly turns the situation around, leaving Shin Jung-woo flustered. The encounter between the two, who parted ways nine years ago amid conflict, heightened the drama's tension, with Hong Geum-bo once again facing a crisis head-on.

Meanwhile, the plot thickens as the trail of Hanmin Securities' slush funds leads to the account of an outstanding member of the Fox Society. Sensing the possibility of a large sum being transferred to her account, Go Bok-hee becomes increasingly anxious. After receiving a letter from her brother, who is about to be released from prison, she decides she can no longer handle the situation and plans to flee.

Her past, marked by constant threats forcing her to change jobs, is also revealed, adding to her precarious situation. As Hong Geum-bo tracks down the missing Go Bok-hee, she witnesses her being threatened by her brother and intervenes without hesitation, rescuing her. The roommates in Room 301, upon learning of Go Bok-hee's circumstances, vow to protect her.

Meanwhile, under Chairman Kang Pil-beom's (played by Lee Deok-hwa) orders, the Crisis Management Headquarters and the Research Department form a joint task force for a new project. The 'So-Bang-Cha' members secretly agree to favor the Research Department, led by Cha Joong-il (played by Lim Chul-soo). However, Hong Geum-bo refuses to overlook the marginalization of her Crisis Management team. Her adept handling of the situation begins to arouse suspicion among her peers. Albert Oh, growing closer to her, musters the courage to ask her out on a date, which Hong Geum-bo accepts, recalling Director Yoon's advice. Though her decision is driven by a desire to gather clues about the Sa-ju family, their meeting hints at further developments in the storyline.

Additionally, the plot thickens with the death of a Fox Society outstanding member, a potential clue to the slush funds, and the mysterious disappearance of the 'One Million Investment' CEO, previously involved in a Hanmin Securities order error. At a location linked to these events, Hong Geum-bo is shocked to encounter Bong Dal-soo (played by Kim Roe-ha), who once threatened her, along with Albert Oh.

Reporter Se-yoon Jung, TenAsia yoon@tenasia.co.kr