# 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. The series aired on tvN from June 6 to July 26, 2018, on Wednesdays and Thursdays for 16 episodes.

## 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
** Moon Woo-jin as 9-year-old Lee Sung-hyeon
    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
** 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
** 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
** Go Se-won as young Chairman Lee (Ep. 11–12)
    Young-joon and Sung-yeon's father. Chairman of Yumyung Group.
* Kim Hye-ok as Madame Choi
** Lee Soo-kyung as young Madame Choi (Ep. 11–12)
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    Yoo-sik's secretary who is clumsy and careless, often comparing unfavorably to Mi-so.
* Hwang Bo-ra as Bong Se-ra
    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
    A team leader in the Vice-Chairman's office, who frequently organizes after-work gatherings.
* Lee Jung-min [ko] as Lee Young-ok
    A member of Chi-in's team, who has a strict adherence to dieting.
* Kim Jung-woon [ko] as Park Joon-hwan
    A member of Chi-in's team, who is bespectacled and brags about his university education.
* 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)
* 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)
* 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)
* Lee Min-ki as young Mi-so's father (Ep. 10)
* Jung So-min as young Mi-so's mother (Ep. 10)
* 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)
* 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.
The first script reading was held on April 10, 2018, at Studio Dragon in Sangam-dong, Seoul, South Korea.
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), a Maserati Levante (driven by Sung-yeon), a Maserati GranCabrio (driven by Young-joon), and a Maserati Quattroporte (driven by Young-joon).

### 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.

## Viewership

| Season | Season | Episode number | Episode number | Episode number | Episode number | Episode number | Episode number | Episode number | Episode number | Episode number | Episode number | Episode number | Episode number | Episode number | Episode number | Episode number | Episode number | Average |
| Season | Season | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Average |
| | 1 | 1.510 | 1.480 | 2.002 | 1.727 | 1.783 | 1.897 | 1.926 | 2.058 | 2.002 | 2.231 | 2.383 | 2.348 | 2.094 | 2.234 | 2.014 | 2.348 | 2.002 |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
| 2018 | 11th Korea Drama Awards | Top Excellence Award, Actor | Park Seo-joon | Nominated |
| 2018 | 11th Korea Drama Awards | Excellence Award, Actor | Hwang Chan-sung | Won |
| 2018 | 11th Korea Drama Awards | Hallyu Star Award | Hwang Chan-sung | Won |
| 2018 | 11th Korea Drama Awards | Popular Character Award – Female | Pyo Ye-jin | Won |
| 2018 | 11th Korea Drama Awards | Best Original Soundtrack | "Because I Only See You" (Kim Na-young) | Nominated |
| 2018 | 6th APAN Star Awards | Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries | Park Seo-joon | Won |
| 2018 | 6th APAN Star Awards | Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries | Park Min-young | Nominated |
| 2018 | 6th APAN Star Awards | K-Star Award, Actor | Park Seo-joon | Nominated |
| 2018 | 6th APAN Star Awards | K-Star Award, Actress | Park Min-young | Won |
| 2019 | 14th Annual Soompi Awards | Best Actress of the Year | Park Min-young | Won |
| 2019 | 14th Annual Soompi Awards | Best Actor of the Year | Park Seo-joon | Nominated |
| 2019 | 14th Annual Soompi Awards | Best Couple | Park Seo-joon and Park Min-young | Nominated |

## Adaptations

In November 2023, ABS-CBN announced a Philippine remake for the series. It premiered on March 18, 2024 on Viu.
Thailand will produce an adaptation of the series titled Dear My Secretary and is set to premiere in 2025.
China will have its own adaptation title My Dear Secretary and will release in 2025.