Undercover Miss Hong is finally out, starring Park Shin-hye as Hong Geum-bo. Episode 1 introduces Geum-bo’s life and her undercover tactics.
Netflix’s newest workplace rom-com, Undercover Miss Hong, premiered its first episode on January 17. The episode focuses on Hong Geum-bo and her work as an undercover agent. She displays wit, intelligence, and a strong sense of justice. However, an unexpected accident forces her into an undercover task that could put her in danger.
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Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers about the series. Read with discretion.
Geum-bo’s Line of Work in Undercover Miss Hong Episode 1
Undercover Miss Hong episode 1 opens by establishing its 1990s setting. Right away, Geum-bo introduces herself as a forward-thinking trailblazer determined to usher in the new millennium—whether the system is ready or not. She works as an investigator for the Financial Supervisory Service, a job that already puts her several steps ahead of everyone else in the room.
Soon after, Geum-bo appears at a hostess bar with a group of men who believe they are bribing her. She plays along, positioning herself as a cooperative witness in their case. However, the illusion does not last long. The company she is investigating has manipulated its stock price, and Geum-bo has no intention of protecting them.
At trial, she drops the act. Geum-bo tells the judge outright that the company engaged in full-scale stock manipulation. She backs up her claim with documents and video evidence, leaving no room for denial. As a result, the court quickly sides with her. The fallout is immediate. The disloyal insider turns out to be Hwang, an employee under Geum-bo’s boss, Yun Jae-beom. Without hesitation, Yun fires him.
To further define Geum-bo’s character, the episode shows her helping a woman on the street whose stockings are torn. It seems like a small, chivalrous moment. However, this woman will soon become unexpectedly important to Geum-bo’s life.
Meanwhile, with Hwang gone, Geum-bo earns a promotion and becomes a team manager. The reaction is swift—and predictable. The male employees assigned to her team resign in protest, clearly offended by the idea of working under a woman.
Geum-bo remains unfazed. She tears up their resignation papers and lays out her terms. They can either build their careers with her or walk away, Technically, she gives them a choice. Realistically, she already knows the outcome.
Dangerous Alliance for Geum-bo
Later in Undercover Miss Hong episode 1, the entire team gathers in the meeting room. In the end, none of them can afford to walk away from their jobs. Taking control of the room, Geum-bo outlines her next move. She plans to launch an investigation into the slush fund of Hanmin Investments and Securities. Although the target already feels dangerous—and possibly misplaced—Geum-bo pushes forward. After ten years as a career woman, she sees this case as her chance to finally break through, no matter the risk.
Soon after, Geum-bo receives an unexpected email from someone using the alias “Yehppee.” The sender claims to possess Hanmin’s accounting ledger. Rather than continue the exchange online, Geum-bo insists on meeting face to face. To her surprise, the man who appears is Kang Myeong-hwi, the eldest son of Hanmin’s director.
Myeong-hwi explains that he wanted to judge whether Geum-bo could be trusted with something as fragile as a life—specifically, Hanmin itself. He then reveals the truth: he is Yehppee. Together with a small group, he has been collecting ledgers to prevent a corrupt insider within Geum-bo’s own agency from siphoning off money and burying the scandal. Before leaving, Myeong-hwi hands Geum-bo key documents, giving her the leverage she needs to formally push her investigation forward.
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Myeong-hwi’s Accident in Undercover Miss Hong Episode 1
Meanwhile, the woman Geum-bo helped earlier turns out to be Go Bok-hee, Myeong-hwi’s assistant. Bok-hee closely monitors his movements, yet she has no idea about his meeting with Geum-bo. When she overhears a phone call between them, she jumps to the wrong conclusion. Believing it to be a romantic connection, she reports it to Song Ju-ran, the chief of staff, because apparently nothing escapes her watchful eye.
Soon after in Undercover Miss Hong episode 1, an emergency meeting is called regarding the search and seizure of Hanmin’s assets. However, Myeong-hwi fails to appear. Concerned, Albert—the grandson of Kang Pil-beom—tries to locate his uncle. Instead, he receives devastating news: Myeong-hwi has died in a car accident.
The truth quickly surfaces behind closed doors. When Pil-beom and Ju-ran speak privately, it becomes clear that this was no accident. Pil-beom authorized the killing after discovering Myeong-hwi’s betrayal. In his eyes, loyalty to his first and only true child—Hanmin, the company—outweighed everything else.
Dong-gi Exposes Geum-bo
Suddenly, everything falls apart. Nam Dong-gi, one of Geum-bo’s subordinates, inadvertently exposes her connection with Myeong-hwi to the higher-ups. As a result, Geum-bo is demoted, and the investigation is immediately shut down. The police label Myeong-hwi’s death an accident, closing the case officially. Meanwhile, Geum-bo barely escapes an attempted kidnapping by some goons, a warning that she “messed with the wrong people.” Shaken, she decides to take a short break from work.
Her boss, Yun Jae-beom, has always supported her, and he quickly proposes a bold plan: go undercover at Hanmin. The company is hiring young secretaries and assistants, and he wants Geum-bo to infiltrate it from the inside. At first, Geum-bo refuses, unwilling to step into such a risky role. But her determination soon reignites. She resolves to prevent Hanmin from continuing its illegal activities and agrees to pose as a 20-year-old assistant for three months to track down both the slush fund ledger and Yehppee.
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Geum-bo’s Transformation
Geum-bo is 35, but now she must convincingly appear as a 20-year-old—though arguably, even 22–24 might have worked. With the help of her younger sister, Jang-mi, she undergoes a full transformation. Her first test comes at a movie rental shop. To prove her youthful disguise, she attempts to rent a 19+ film. She succeeds and, in the process, unexpectedly runs into Albert—though neither knows who the other is.
Next, Geum-bo takes the entrance exam for Hanmin in Undercover Miss Hong episode 1. She earns the position after confidently arguing that one of the test questions is itself wrong. With her cover secured, she updates Jae-beom on her suspicions. In her estimation, Yehppee could be one of three people: So Gyeong-dong, Bang Jin-mok, or Cha Jung-il. Now, the real undercover mission begins.
Undercover Miss Hong Episode 1 Review
Undercover Miss Hong episode 1 sets a strong and stylish tone, immediately establishing Geum-bo as a confident, no-nonsense protagonist. The 1990s setting adds charm and nostalgia, while the story quickly introduces her as a trailblazing investigator unafraid to challenge authority. Her courtroom scenes are particularly satisfying, showcasing her intelligence and resourcefulness as she exposes financial misconduct with clear evidence. The early tension with male colleagues resigning in protest adds humor and demonstrates her ability to command respect in a male-dominated workplace.
The episode’s plot twists are engaging and layered. The introduction of Yehppee, later revealed as Kang Myeong-hwi, provides intrigue and sets up a compelling dynamic of trust and secrecy. Meanwhile, the subplot involving Go Bok-hee and the misinterpreted phone call injects light-hearted confusion, balancing the darker themes of corporate corruption and betrayal. The sudden, shocking death of Myeong-hwi adds high stakes and unpredictability, making the episode feel both intense and suspenseful.
Meanwhile, the undercover setup at Hanmin works as a clever hook for the series. Geum-bo’s transformation into a 20-year-old assistant is both humorous and impressive, highlighting her determination and adaptability. The encounter with Albert and her initial steps in infiltrating Hanmin hint at the personal and professional challenges ahead. Episode 1 successfully blends suspense, humor, and character development, leaving viewers intrigued by the mysteries surrounding Yehppee, the slush fund, and Geum-bo’s ambitious undercover mission.
Catch the next episode on January 18 via Netflix. The series airs at 9:10 PM (KST) and 8:10 PM (PHT) every Saturday and Sunday.
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