Undercover Miss Hong

Delightfully Funny

I found the first set up episode a bit weak and dropped until more episodes released. When I came back and watched a few more I realized just how hilarious this was.

One problem I had during the first episode set up was the female lead does not look 20 years old no matter how many pink pins she sticks in her hair. But then the jokes about that fact started coming fast and often. The actress/director/writer are well aware she doesn't look 20 and weave that self deprecating humor into the running jokes.

The music so far skillfully fits into the on screen action.

The last six of the eight episodes I've watched slipped by too fast. If more were available I would binge through. So far these first six are extremely well entertaining and I'm looking forward to the rest.

After 10 episodes I'm finding it's getting better. The plot twists are interesting and taking the story well beyond just being funny. There are scenes with some serious commentary on the economic crisis back then targeting the rich and powerful who make the decisions that screw things up and then leave the workers to take responsibility and suffer.

My only complaint is that I want to binge everything and am being forced to wait.

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A masterpiece. Incredibly funny dynamic thriller and hillarious comedy

Miss Hong is a gold mine for comedy bc it is LOADED with excellent actors and practically every scene has tons of it, it is FILMED In a way that just creates scene after scene that is totally memorable and most are hilariously funny. The plot is not transformational but more action oriented but there are some transformations. There are love interests that weave through the interactions between characters and influence the drama and transform the characters, but the main focus is on business tasks. Team A of good guys and Teams B C D E F G etc of bad guys :) and all the independent players jumping to one or the other side....

So... corporate politics, financial shanannigans, and stealing $$$ take priority while the romantic interests are raging in the background :)
These business interests lead to a forced situation that *is* transformational, 4 women and a kid who would have NEVER met otherwise come together by chance and form a strong bond, and they all transform.

Lots of excellent actresses in complex roles, which is rare, and a realistic porttrayal of friendship between women and their kid.
The female thief Bok Hee who becomes a helper is an amazing transformation and that actress is absolutely amazing in this role

The drama does not put artificial emphasis on the growth, and there is nothing sugary or unrealistic. The whole drama is matter-of-fact.... For example, ML and FL love each other, but he is a criminal, she hates that, so that is that, look-but-dont-touch, the ship has sunk before it sailed. The other guy is handsome and rich but too inexperienced... The third guy is ... and so on.
There is nothing sugary about the female friendship either, it is realistic too... There is nothing sugary about obligations and keeping integrity....

Some scenes are filmed as hillarious makjang in utmost exeggaration - and so that is a clue that what is happening is not really critical but provide a context... Some scenes are "as if in real life" acted seriously, and those are the deep important moments...

Side actors make the drama super spicey hilarious and fun and mysterious, for example one scene of Cha and Albert's dad at the computer is only 2 minutes but *extremely* memorable HILARIOUS

So the entire drama is like that. Scene after scene is all masterful and memorable.

It is one of the dramas that you have to rewatch to see all the gold offered to the audience. Every scene is packed with precious information.

Truly a piece of art that needs to be studied.

After doing my own amateur studying - since I have no formal training nor ANY technical knowledge about making dramas or films - I concluded that the script can provide so much, and then the director, the camera. the video production need to direct and CATCH good actors in just the right moments to convey tons of information with just one screen or one scene.
That makes the plot very dynamic, as it moves fluidly and flawlessly.
****You dont need extra dialogues to explain what is going on.**** I learned that the hard way, watching No Tail to Tell ep 10 - where characters SPEAK what is happening and the drama just drags.... then I watched Miss Hong and SAW how you can eliminate so much dialogue just by picking the right scenes to film...

The script of Miss Hong is wickedly tight :) There is no telling what is going on and new suspicions and new information and twists keep happening :) We the audience HAVE NO IDEA what could happen next, but we do know all the clues are there so we keep watching and guessing :) This is truely a treasure hunt that is very exciting :) Looking for Waldo LOL

Overall, I am very impressed :)

I want to send the camera/directing/video/script people of dramas Radiant Days and Love Phobia and No Tail to Tell to this drama to CAREFULLY study it and learn. Radiant Days and Love Phobia have such choppy camera and super fast random scenes it is like a whirlwind... Like Energizer Bunny on Steroids feeling.... it is supposed to impress you and surprise you but it is like someone threw a whole bunch of cofetti at ya face.... and NTTL drags... the actors are forced to SPEAK what is going on in the scene

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Winds me up

Just Wow -- talk about demoralizing -- women's are there to provide coffee etc..... Sorry but Park Shin Hye doesn't nearly pull off a 20yr old vibe -- acting stupid isn't being a 20yr old -- sticking clips in your hair isn't neither -- she just does not look nor portray that character well -- she is a pretty actress & usually does well -- but her overacting is teeth rattling Ha Yoon Kyung is another misadventure but not nearly as awful as Cho Han Gyeol out of them all he detracts from a scene with his nonchalance which comes over as I'm pretty so that is all you should require. The supporting cast is why I will try to finish this series because believe me they hold this together so far that is all I can say

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A Show I’d Have Continued Without the Male Lead”

Undercover Miss Hong opens with the promise of a financial crime investigation, but by episodes 2–3 it becomes obvious that the series has no real interest in pursuing that premise seriously.

The so-called undercover plot carries no sense of danger. The internal logic is weak, the investigation itself is sidelined, and there is little urgency or narrative pressure. Instead, most of the runtime is wasted on office dynamics, assistant-level scheming, and situational filler that contributes nothing to the case. Even the period setting feels purely decorative—it imposes no constraints, no risks, and no stakes.

By the third episode, it’s clear this is not a story about uncovering financial crimes or holding criminals accountable. When the female lead is already being set up for a romantic arc with the head of the criminal operation, the genre confusion becomes impossible to ignore.

The male lead is entirely predictable: of course the “mysterious” captain of the pirate gossip site turns out to be him. Of course he conveniently worked in Hong Kong. Of course he runs a Korean news and gossip website tied to the very crimes the drama pretends to investigate. None of this is surprising, clever, or earned.

Worse, the male lead is already morally compromised. Nine years ago, he took a bribe, betrayed his girlfriend, and used stolen money to secure an overseas education. Yet the drama frames his return as romantic—he shows up acting as if he’s entitled to reclaim the woman he discarded. As if the female lead is a possession he threw away and now wants to buy back.

The idea that nine years later both characters are still single, still emotionally frozen, and still waiting for each other plays less like realism and more like male wish-fulfillment fantasy. A fantasy where a man can abandon his partner for money and ambition, return years later without accountability, and have the plot conveniently bend to reward him with love.

This isn’t an investigation drama. It isn’t even a serious crime story. It’s shaping up to be a soft, consequence-free rom-com where corruption is brushed aside, betrayal is romanticized, and everything eventually works out in the male lead’s favor.

The female lead, despite being played competently, is written with little challenge or agency. The show relies heavily on the familiarity of its lead actress rather than on strong writing or meaningful tension. Conflicts are dulled, delayed, or neutralized before they can generate curiosity.

Add to that the complete lack of chemistry between the leads, and the result is a flat, predictable, and ultimately boring experience.

Conclusion:
A potentially interesting premise handled far too comfortably. Low tension, weak engagement, genre confusion, and a romantic arc that undermines the very idea of justice or investigation. I see no compelling reason to continue. Dropped.

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Dropped After 3 Episodes — A Missed Opportunity

Undercover Miss Hong starts with the promise of a financial crime investigation, but after three episodes it becomes clear that the series has little interest in developing that premise.

The undercover plot lacks real danger, the internal logic is weak, and the investigation itself remains secondary. Most of the screen time is spent on office dynamics, assistant-level intrigue, and situational filler rather than on meaningful progress in the case. The period setting feels decorative and does not impose any narrative constraints or urgency.

The story relies heavily on the presence and familiarity of its lead actress, who largely performs within a well-known mold. While competent, the character rarely feels challenged, and the series struggles to generate tension or curiosity. Even potential conflicts are softened or delayed, making the overall experience flat.

After three episodes, the show fails to offer a compelling reason to continue.

Conclusion: a potentially interesting premise handled too comfortably. Low tension, weak engagement, and ultimately boring. I’m dropping this series.

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