“What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim” is a 2018 romantic comedy-drama about a woman who falls for her boss. The show follows Kim Mi-sook, a secretary who catches the eye of her new boss, Lee Young-joon. The premise is simple. The execution is sharp.
Trailer, via Viu Singapore.
Kim Mi-sook and Lee Young-joon
Mi-sook is the kind of heroine who carries the story. She is smart, funny, and quietly confident, and the show trusts her to be the engine of the plot. Young-joon is the opposite: handsome, wealthy, and utterly clueless about how his actions affect others. Their dynamic is the core of the series, and the writers handle it with a light touch.
The chemistry between the leads is immediate and easy to read. The show understands that romance built on mutual respect reads better than romance built on suffering. That choice pays off across all ten episodes.
The Ten Episodes
The series runs ten episodes, each roughly half an hour long. The pacing is tight, and the show rarely wastes a scene. Here is how the season breaks down:
| Episode | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | A New Boss |
| 2 | A Secret Crush |
| 3 | A Big Mistake |
| 4 | A Forbidden Kiss |
| 5 | A Family Crisis |
| 6 | A Betrayal |
| 7 | A Second Chance |
| 8 | A Reckoning |
| 9 | A New Beginning |
| 10 | A Happy Ending |
The titles are straightforward, and the episodes mostly deliver on them. There is a clear arc from the first episode’s introduction to the final episode’s resolution. The middle stretch holds together well, with the betrayal in episode six serving as a turning point that reshapes the relationship between the two leads.
Comedy and Drama
The show balances comedy and drama without leaning too far in either direction. The humor comes from the characters themselves, not from jokes written around them. The drama feels earned because the comedy has already established who these people are.
The supporting cast is small but effective. The handful of recurring characters add texture without stealing focus from the central couple. The show trusts its audience to follow the story, which means it spends less time explaining itself and more time showing.
What Works and What Doesn’t
The show is not perfect. Some of the misunderstandings feel stretched out for longer than they need to be, and a few late-season twists arrive without enough setup. But the strengths outweigh the weaknesses. The writing is consistent, the performances are strong, and the emotional payoff lands.
The show’s biggest strength is its confidence. It knows exactly what kind of story it wants to tell and tells it without apology. That consistency is rare in a genre that often relies on spectacle over substance.
Final Word
“What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim” is a solid entry in the romantic comedy-drama format. It does not reinvent the wheel, but it does not need to. The characters are well drawn, the comedy is sharp, and the drama is satisfying. It earns its reputation as a reliable watch.
The show is available on major streaming platforms, and its popularity has made it a reference point for later entries in the genre. For anyone looking for a clean, well-made romance, this one delivers.
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