What's Wrong with Secretary Kim

What's Wrong with Secretary Kim (Korean: 김비서가 왜 그럴까) is a 2018 South Korean television series starring Park Seo-joon and Park Min-young. It is based on the novel of the same title by Jung Kyung-yoon which was first published in 2013, which was then serialized into a webtoon comic by KakaoPage in 2015.^[1] The series aired on tvN from June 6 to July 26, 2018, on Wednesdays and Thursdays for 16 episodes.^[2]^[3]^[4]

Quick Facts Also known as, Hangul ...

What's Wrong with Secretary Kim
Promotional poster
Also known as	What's Wrong, Secretary Kim

Hangul	김비서가 왜 그럴까
Revised Romanization	Gimbiseoga Wae Geureolkka

Genre	Romantic comedy
Based on	Why Secretary Kim by Jung Kyung-yoon [ko]
Developed by	Studio Dragon
Written by	Jung Eun-young
Directed by	Park Joon-hwa
Starring	Park Seo-joon Park Min-young
Country of origin	South Korea
Original language	Korean
No. of episodes	16
Production
Executive producers	Jang Jeong-do Moon Suk-hwan Oh Kwang-hee
Producer	Lee Young-ok
Camera setup	Single-camera
Running time	62–76 minutes
Production company	Bon Factory Worldwide
Original release
Network	tvN
Release	June 6 (2018-06-06) – July 26, 2018 (2018-07-26)
Related
What's Wrong with Secretary Kim (Philippines) Dear My Secretary (Thailand) My Dear Secretary (China)

Synopsis

Lee Young-joon (Park Seo-joon) is the vice-chairman of a major corporation. His world is shaken when, one day, his highly capable secretary, Kim Mi-so (Park Min-young), announces that she is resigning from her position after nine years. Young-joon decides to do whatever he can to persuade Mi-so to change her mind.

Cast

Main

Park Seo-joon as Lee Young-joon / Lee Sung-hyeon^[5]^[6]
- Moon Woo-jin as 9-year-old Lee Sung-hyeon^[7]^[a]

Vice-chairman of Yumyung Group. He is handsome and capable, but his narcissism makes it difficult for Mi-so to work with him. He becomes aware of his feelings towards Mi-so after realizing that he might lose her. He can be jealous of Mi-so when she is with his brother or with someone other than him. At one point in his life, he suffered PTSD.

Park Min-young as Kim Mi-so^[8]^[9]
- Kim Ji-yoo as 5-year-old Kim Mi-so

A highly skilled secretary who has worked with Young-joon for nine years. She soon reciprocates Young-joon's feelings after realizing that he was a part of her childhood.

Supporting

Lee Young-joon's family

Lee Tae-hwan as Lee Sung-yeon / Morpheus^[10]
- Bae Gang-yoo as 11-year-old Lee Sung-yeon

Young-joon's older brother and a famous author. He had a crush on Mi-so.

Kim Byeong-ok as Chairman Lee^[11]
- Go Se-won as young Chairman Lee (Ep. 11–12)^[12]

Young-joon and Sung-yeon's father. Chairman of Yumyung Group.

Kim Hye-ok as Madame Choi^[11]
- Lee Soo-kyung as young Madame Choi (Ep. 11–12)^[12]

Young-joon and Sung-yeon's mother.

Kim Mi-so's family

Baek Eun-hye as Kim Pil-nam

Mi-so's oldest sister who is a psychiatrist.

Heo Sun-mi as Kim Mal-hee^[13]

Mi-so's second oldest sister who is a urologist.

Jo Deok-hyun [ko] as Kim Young-man

Mi-so's father who is a rock musician.

Yumyung Group

Kang Ki-young as Park Yoo-sik^[14]

President of Yumyung Group, the second-in-command after the vice-chairman. Young-joon's best friend back from university. He is Young-joon's confidant and provides him with much advice drawn from personal experience. He is still in love with his ex-wife.

Hwang Chan-sung as Go Gwi-nam^[14]

A deputy in Yumyung Group who later transfers to Chi-in's group. He is known for his handsome looks, elite education, being a workaholic, and extreme frugality.

Pyo Ye-jin as Kim Ji-a^[14]

The rookie secretary to the Vice-Chairman, being groomed to replace Mi-so who has announced her resignation.

Kim Ye-won as Sul Ma-eum^[14]

Yoo-sik's secretary who is clumsy and careless, often comparing unfavorably to Mi-so.

Hwang Bo-ra as Bong Se-ra^[15]

A section head in Chi-in's team, who initially coveted the open position of secretary to the vice-chairman, and initially had a crush on Gwi-nam.

Lee Yoo-joon [ko] as Jung Chi-in^[16]

A team leader in the Vice-Chairman's office, who frequently organizes after-work gatherings.

Lee Jung-min [ko] as Lee Young-ok^[16]

A member of Chi-in's team, who has a strict adherence to dieting.

Kim Jung-woon [ko] as Park Joon-hwan^[16]

A member of Chi-in's team, who is bespectacled and brags about his university education.^[16]

Kang Hong-seok as Yang Cheol

A secretary and chauffeur to the Vice-Chairman, he is a man of few words. He ends up bailing out Se-ra several times.

Bae Hyun-sung as Yun-sung Bae, an intern staff.

Special appearances

Hong Ji-yoon as Oh Ji-ran, a famous model and onetime girlfriend of Young-joon (Ep. 1-3 & 16)^[17]
Choi Na-mu as woman at the Spanish Embassy party (Ep. 1)
Shin Joo-yeon as Kim Mi-so's friend (Ep. 1)
Park Byung-eun as Park Byung-eun, Kim Mi-so's blind date (Ep. 3)^[18]
Lee Do-yeon as a reporter who interviewed Morpheus (Ep. 4)
Lee Chang as center director of the Art Center (Ep. 4)
Choi Hee [ko] as the host of the book concert (Ep. 8)
Jung Soo-young as an agency staff (Ep. 9)
Mihal Ashminov as a chef at a restaurant (Ep. 9)
Seo Hyo-rim as Choi Seo-jin, Park Yoo-sik's ex-wife (Ep. 9, 11–12 & 16)^[19]
Lee Min-ki as young Mi-so's father (Ep. 10)^[20]^[b]
Jung So-min as young Mi-so's mother (Ep. 10)^[20]^[b]
Choi Hyun-woo [ko] as Magician (Ep. 10)
Son Seong-yoon as the kidnapper (Ep. 11–12)
Gil Hae-yeon as the woman at the reserved parking space (Ep. 12)
Jung Woo-suk [ko] as Psychiatrist (Ep. 12)
Park Na-rae as the lewd devil (voice) (Ep. 13)
Jung Yu-mi as Jung Yu-mi, a childhood friend and former classmate of Lee Young-joon (Ep. 14)^[21]
Kim Ga-yeon and Lee Se-young as the staff who talked behind Kim Mi-so's back (Ep. 14)
Lee Byung-joon as a wedding dress designer (Ep. 16)

Production

Development

Much of the visual styling of the series protagonists have referenced the comic version's cues, including clothing designs and reenacting the comic cover for the drama's promotional stills and images.^[22]

The first script reading was held on April 10, 2018, at Studio Dragon in Sangam-dong, Seoul, South Korea.^[23]

Maserati Korea provided the cars of Lee Young-joon, Lee Sung-yeon and Yumyong Group. The cars featured in the show include a Maserati Ghibli (driven by Yoo-sik),^[24] a Maserati Levante (driven by Sung-yeon),^[25] a Maserati GranCabrio (driven by Young-joon), and a Maserati Quattroporte (driven by Young-joon).^[26]^[27]

Promotion

The press conference for the drama was held on May 30, 2018, at the Times Square in Seoul with the attendance of the main cast and crew.^[28]^[29]^[30]