"Undercover Miss Hong" showcased an unpredictable development in its first broadcast. The tvN weekend drama "Undercover Miss Hong," which premiered on January 17, recorded an average viewership rating of 3.5% and a peak rating of 4.3% based on paid platforms combining cable, IPTV, and satellite. In the metropolitan area, it recorded an average rating of 3.2% and a peak of 4%. These figures were provided by Nielsen Korea.

The drama is set in Yeouido at the end of the 1990s and tells the story of elite securities supervisor Hong Geumbo (played by Park Shin-hye), who goes undercover as a twenty-year-old junior employee to uncover the truth behind slush funds. Hong Geumbo is known as the "Yeouido Witch" for her outstanding abilities and firm approach to work. Her first appearance opened the drama with a strong impact. She refuses to compromise with injustice and boldly confronts her superiors, making a strong impression from the start.

Hong Geumbo receives an email containing a tip-off about corruption at Hanmin Securities from a person named "Yepi." She then teams up with President Kang Myung-hwi (played by Choi Won-young), who has decided to blow the whistle internally, to secure evidence proving the corruption. However, the situation changes drastically when President Kang dies in an unexpected accident. This incident leads to public criticism of the Securities Supervisory Service, allowing Hanmin Securities to escape the crisis. Hong Geumbo is punished and cornered for communicating separately with President Kang.

Yoon Jae-beom (played by Kim Won-hae), Hong Geumbo's superior and director, proposes a plan to infiltrate Hanmin Securities undercover as a junior employee to find the slush fund ledger. After witnessing a public press conference filled with lies by Kang Pil-beom (played by Lee Deok-hwa), President Kang's father and chairman of Hanmin Securities, Hong Geumbo recalls memories from her past at an accounting firm. She then accepts the undercover proposal.

Hong Geumbo undergoes a chaotic transformation to appear twenty years old. She receives special tutoring from her younger sister Hong Jang-mi (played by Shin Yuna) and begins a makeover. Using Hong Jang-mi's identity, she takes the entrance exam, passes with high scores, and successfully infiltrates Hanmin Securities as a new employee. The drama provides catharsis by depicting Hong Geumbo's refreshing actions overcoming discriminatory remarks and the conservative views of company executives prevalent in the late 1990s society.

Hong Geumbo searches for Hanmin Securities' slush funds and strives to uncover the identity of "Yepi," President Kang's aide and internal whistleblower. To get closer to Go Bok-hee (played by Ha Yoon-kyung), President Kang's personal secretary, she moves into a dormitory for unmarried female workers in Seoul. Kang Nora (played by Choi Ji-soo), the chairman's biological daughter who hides her identity and works at Hanmin Securities, and Kim Mi-sook (played by Kang Chae-young), a teller at Hanmin Securities' Magang branch, also gather in the dormitory, starting a suspicious cohabitation. The four women, each with different purposes and stories, reveal strong personalities, while Go Bok-hee's sharp gaze, as if seeing through Hong Geumbo's true identity, creates tension.

Episode 1 of "Undercover Miss Hong" delivered thrilling fun by turning the heavy subject of investigating securities company corruption in the 1990s into a retro office comedy. The diverse characters and the actors' perfect performances boasting high synchronicity captivated viewers from the first broadcast. In particular, Park Shin-hye anchored the drama with a three-dimensional performance, switching between a cold elite securities supervisor and a fresh twenty-year-old rookie.

After the broadcast, viewers responded with comments such as "Career woman Hong Geumbo is cool," "Park Shin-hye is a reliable actress," "The immersion was high from episode 1," and "I'm curious about Yepi's identity." Others said, "Every time a 90s song plays, memories come back," "I'm curious about why Hong Geumbo decided to go undercover," "The main and supporting cast is splendid," "The characters are full of charm," and "Hong Geumbo's styling as a 20-year-old is interesting."

Meanwhile, in episode 2, airing on January 18, a new president succeeding President Kang will appear, shaking up the internal power structure of Hanmin Securities. Hong Geumbo's tough company life will unfold in earnest, and a chaotic survival story is anticipated as she struggles to keep her identity hidden among colleagues.