Why a resignation letter triggers a corporate vice-chairman’s sudden romantic awakening
In short: When a highly capable secretary announces her resignation after nine years, her narcissistic boss is thrown into a tailspin. This 2018 South Korean drama explores the fragile boundary between professional duty and personal connection, as a corporate vice-chairman desperately attempts to keep his indispensable assistant from walking out the door.
What's Wrong with Secretary Kim, a 2018 television series, centers on the high-stakes professional relationship between Lee Young-joon, the vice-chairman of Yumyung Group, and his secretary, Kim Mi-so. The narrative kicks off when Mi-so, who has served Young-joon for nine years, decides to resign. This sudden departure forces Young-joon—a man defined by his narcissism and professional capability—to confront the reality of his dependence on her. As he attempts to persuade her to stay, he begins to recognize feelings that transcend their employer-employee dynamic.
The series, which aired on tvN for 16 episodes between June 6 and July 26, 2018, is rooted in a 2013 novel by Jung Kyung-yoon, later adapted into a webtoon by KakaoPage in 2015. Beyond the central romance, the plot weaves in elements of past trauma, specifically Young-joon’s history with PTSD, and a shared childhood connection that binds him and Mi-so together. The interplay between these characters is complicated by the presence of Young-joon’s brother, Lee Sung-yeon, a famous author who also harbors feelings for Mi-so, adding layers of jealousy and history to the unfolding drama.
The show’s ensemble cast provides a detailed look at the corporate environment of Yumyung Group, featuring characters ranging from the president—Young-joon’s university friend—to various office staff members. While the primary focus remains on the evolving bond between the leads, the series utilizes these supporting roles to highlight the contrast between Mi-so’s professional excellence and the surrounding office culture. Ultimately, the show examines how a long-term professional partnership can mask deeper, long-buried emotional ties, forcing both characters to re-evaluate their lives once the professional structure is removed.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: What's Wrong with Secretary Kim
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