Tensions Rise in 'Undercover Miss Hong' as 1997 Financial Crisis Hits

Park Shin-hye and the Crisis Management Team face a real challenge.

In the upcoming episode 9 of tvN's weekend drama 'Undercover Miss Hong,' airing on the 14th, Hong Geum-bo (played by Park Shin-hye) struggles with an undercover operation amidst the massive obstacle of the 1997 financial crisis, commonly known as the 'IMF Crisis.'

In previous episodes, Hong Geum-bo thwarted Hanmin Securities' attempt to receive government support through fraudulent accounting. As a result, Hanmin Securities was disqualified from receiving public support, facing significant turmoil during the unprecedented IMF national economic crisis. All eyes are on what actions Chairman Kang Pil-beom (played by Lee Deok-hwa) and President Shin Jung-woo (played by Go Kyung-pyo) will take to save the company.

The released stills capture a scene where Crisis Management Team members Hong Geum-bo, Director Albert Oh (played by Jo Han-gyeol), Manager Bang Jin-mok (played by Kim Do-hyun), and Manager Lee Yong-gi (played by Jang Do-ha) are gathered together. The Crisis Management Team, which has maintained a laid-back work environment, watching movies or reading comics, begins to experience a change in dynamics after Hong Geum-bo joins them. The serious expression on Albert Oh's face and Lee Yong-gi's teary eyes hint at an unusual atmosphere.

Hong Geum-bo and Bang Jin-mok also look at their colleagues with complicated emotions. Previously, the two clashed over differing values in the Hanmin Securities public support task force, and Manager Bang, revealed as the whistleblower 'Yeppi,' has turned his back, unable to assist Hong Geum-bo's operation any longer. The awkward relationship between the two raises curiosity about how it will unfold. The intrigue grows as to how the now tightly-knit Crisis Management Team will overcome this new challenge.

Episode 9 of 'Undercover Miss Hong' airs at 9:10 PM.

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