‘My Perfect Secretary’ starring Han Ji-min and Lee Jun-hyuk has burst into a romantic pink mood, rising to a peak of 13.1%.
In the third episode of ‘My Perfect Secretary’ (directed by Ham Joon-ho and Kim Jae-hong, written by Ji Eun, produced by Studio S and IOK Contents Group) aired on the 10th, the process of Ji-yoon (Han Ji-min) and Eun-ho (Lee Jun-hyuk) getting to know each other’s new sides, transforming from their initial hostility into laughter, was depicted.
The viewership ratings soared to 10.5% nationwide, 10.3% in the metropolitan area, and peaked at 13.1%, ranking first in its time slot and among Friday-Saturday dramas. The target rating for the 2049 demographic also reached 2.8%, securing the top spot in its time slot, marking a perfect upward trend. (Provided by Nielsen Korea)
In this episode, Ji-yoon, who almost collapsed thanks to Eun-ho's strong shoulder, headed to her favorite snack bar. She ordered the ‘Dijin Taste’ level 5 tteokbokki, which only the seasoned eaters dare to challenge, tied her hair back, and launched into a fierce eating show. She also apologized for snapping at Eun-ho, saying, “The perfect secretary I need is someone who only does what I tell them,” hinting at wanting to do better together. However, Eun-ho, who can't handle spicy food, bravely took a bite of the tteokbokki and ended up gasping for air, dipping his mouth into the oden broth. Seeing Eun-ho in a daze from the extreme spiciness, Ji-yoon burst into laughter for the first time.
As Ji-yoon erased her hostility towards Eun-ho, other feelings began to take root. When she saw the sweet green grape candy Eun-ho offered, she recalled the warm feeling of collapsing into his arms. When their hands brushed as Eun-ho stopped her from mistakenly getting into someone else's car, she pretended not to notice but was fully aware of him. Even when she initially thought they didn’t match, she smiled at Eun-ho’s meticulous care, such as bringing pizza for the late-night workers and arranging necessary items in advance, adding a calming lavender scent to the office.
Eun-ho also began to learn more about the world of headhunting through Ji-yoon. Together, they worked to scout a fine dining chef, Jung-won (Heo Joon-seok), who has a brilliant career and outstanding star quality, for their client, the Ganyel Hotel. His only condition was to move with his long-time sous-chef, Hye-in (Park Yu-rim). However, while checking references, they heard an unexpected rumor that the two were in an inappropriate relationship. It didn’t make sense that Jung-won, who wasn’t a study-abroad graduate and didn’t come from a famous culinary school, had Hye-in as his sous-chef.
The concerns of ‘People’s’ deepened over the suspicion that Hye-in was receiving special treatment due to a personal relationship with Jung-won. At that moment, Eun-ho suggested they confirm directly with the two. Having dealt with various rumors in the HR team at Hansu Electronics, Eun-ho had often felt sorry for how one person's life could change due to mostly false rumors. It turned out that the relationship between Jung-won and Hye-in was different from the rumors. After undergoing wrist nerve surgery, Jung-won had issues, and Hye-in was the one who helped him, a fact only she knew, which was critical for a chef.
Judging that if the two continued to be together without revealing the secret, the rumors would persist, Ji-yoon decided to move only Jung-won to the head chef position. She also helped Hye-in with her fresh start. Although her resume wasn’t glamorous, it contained the time of a chef who diligently researched food. Nevertheless, she proposed a position as a food development researcher, which was a perfect fit for someone who feared the kitchen.
Eun-ho persistently persuaded Hye-in, who was hesitant even about this. The cold Ji-yoon also offered warm encouragement, saying, “The road remembers everything. You’ve walked hard until now. You’ll be able to showcase your capabilities there, Hye-in.” It was a new side of her that Eun-ho had never seen before.
Successfully completing the project by moving both Jung-won and Hye-in to suitable places, Ji-yoon and Eun-ho felt they had learned a bit about headhunting. Eun-ho found meaning and beauty in helping others find places where they could showcase their abilities. Ji-yoon was also pleased with Eun-ho’s sincerity.
However, suddenly rain began to fall from the clear sky. As if he had predicted this, Eun-ho confidently pulled out a pink umbrella filled with children’s characters. In the ridiculous situation, Ji-yoon laughed again, and the physical distance between the two under the same umbrella closed in. The ending of the day, reminiscent of a scene from a romance movie, exploded with excitement.
