Undercover (2021 TV series)

Undercover^[1][2] (Korean: 언더커버; RR: Eondeokeobeo) is a 2021 South Korean television series directed by Song Hyun-wook and starring Ji Jin-hee, Kim Hyun-joo, Jung Man-sik, and Heo Joon-ho.^[3] Based on BBC drama series of the same name,^[4][5][6] it portrays the story of Han Jeong-hyeon (Ji Jin-hee), an agent at the National Intelligence Service, and a Human Rights lawyer, Choi Yeon-soo (Kim Hyun-joo). It aired on JTBC on Fridays and Saturdays at 23:00 (KST) from April 23 to June 12, 2021.^[7][8] The series is also available on streaming media TVING in South Korea.^[9] Kim Hyun-joo and Ji Jin-hee previously starred together in Miss Kim's Million Dollar Quest (2004) and I Have a Lover (2015).

Undercover
Promotional poster
Hangul	언더커버
Genre	Drama Thriller
Created by	JTBC
Based on	Undercover by Peter Moffat and James Hawes
Written by	Baek Cheol-hyeon Jung Hye-eun Song Ja-hoon
Directed by	Song Hyun-wook
Starring	Ji Jin-hee Kim Hyun-joo Jung Man-sik Heo Joon-ho
Composer	Eom Ki-yeop
Country of origin	South Korea
Original language	Korean
No. of episodes	16
Production
Executive producer	Lim Byung-hoon
Producers	Kim Ye-ji Park Woo-ram Lee Hyeong-hoon Kim Jae-geum
Editor	Irene
Running time	70 minutes
Production companies	Story TV JTBC Studios
Original release
Network	JTBC
Release	April 23 (2021-04-23) – June 12, 2021 (2021-06-12)
Related
Undercover (UK)

The series ended on June 12, 2021 with viewer ratings of 5.2% nationwide and 6.1% in the metropolitan Seoul area. It is its own best ratings achieved during its run.^[10]

Synopsis

Han Jeong-hyeon (Ji Jin-hee) is an agent of the National Intelligence Service (formerly the Agency for National Security Planning), who has been hiding his identity for the past 30 years as a father and owner of a bicycle repairing shop. Choi Yeon-soo (Kim Hyun-joo), his wife and a Human Rights lawyer, becomes the first Director of the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO). These characters are trying to uncover the truth, pitted against a huge force holding a top position. The series tests their relationship as husband and wife when the secret life of Jeong-hyeon comes to light.

Cast

Main

• Ji Jin-hee^[11] as Han Jeong-hyeon/Lee Suk-kyu
  • Yeon Woo-jin^[12] as young Han Jeong-hyeon/Lee Suk-kyu

Lee Seok-kyu is agent at the National Intelligence Service, formerly the Agency for National Security Planning. He was selected as the new agent of NIS when he was in a police academy. At first he was tasked to spy on Choi Yeon-soo under the pseudonym Han Jung-hyun in order to take down Kim Tae-yeol who was targeted by NIS, eventually both of them were in mutual love and got married. Years later, he lives a peaceful life with his family until one day an NIS agent named Do Yeong-geol comes back to his life and he is enlisted to take down his own wife, Choi Yeon-soo.

• Kim Hyun-joo^[13] as Choi Yeon-soo
  • Han Sun-hwa as young Choi Yeon-soo

A human right lawyer for more than 20 years. She passed her bar test at the age of 20. A righteous person, she consistently seeks justice for years to Hwang Jung-ho for 20 years after he was unjustly jailed. She joined a mass protest with Kim Tae-yeol, Kang Choong-mo and others to protest against the corrupted South Korean government who failed in protecting Hwang Jung-ho's innocence. In one of a chaotic protest against the government, she met Lee Suk-kyu, under the pseudonym Han Jung-hyun. Both of them ended in mutual love, without her knowing who Suk-kyu was, therefore getting married with him. Years later, because of her consistency in defending Hwang Jung-ho, she is promoted as the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials by the government. However due to this promotion, her husband is tasked to stop her.

• Jung Man-sik as Do Yeong-geol, Han Jeong-hyeon's former senior at the National Intelligence Service, formerly Agency for National Security Planning
  • Park Doo-sik as young Do Yeong-geol
• Huh Joon-ho as Im Hyeong-rak, director at the National Intelligence Service

Supporting

Family of Han Jeong-hyeon and Choi Yeon-soo

• Yoo Seon-ho^[14] as Han Seung-goo

Suk-kyu/Jeong-hyeon and Yeon-soo's autistic older son. He has an obsession with bicycles, therefore he helps his father operate their bicycle repair shop.

• Lee Jae-in as Han Seung-mi

Suk-kyu/Jeong-hyeon and Yeon-soo younger daughter. A middle school student with maturity and intelligence beyond her age. She resembles her mother in everything

• Park Geun-hyung as Lee Man-ho

Lee Suk-kyu's father and a war veteran, being proud of his son who serves the country like he did in the past. He believes that Suk-kyu went to the US when actually he has to live under name of Han Jeong-hyeon. His health deteriorates as he waits for his son to come back to him. Since Suk-kyu cannot reveal his identity, he spends time with his father in the hospital, posing as a social worker. Man-ho never realizes that his son is always with him even until his death.

National Intelligence Service

• Kwon Hae-hyo as Oh Pil-jae
• Joo Suk-tae as Park Won-jong
• Han Go-eun as Kim Do-hee/Ko Yoon-joo, an undercover agent
  • Park Gyeong-ree^[15] as young Ko Yoon-joo
• Choi Dae-chul as Chu Dong-woo
• Nam Sung-jin as Jo Dong-pal/Cha Min-ho

People around Choi Yeon-soo

• Lee Han-wi as Bae Goo-taek
• Bae Yoon-kyung as Song Mi-seon^[16]
• Kim Soo-jin as Min Sang-ah, Choi Yeon-soo's best friend in college, and a political reporter for a major media house
  • Han Bo-bae as young Min Sang-ah
• Choi Kwang-il as Hwang Jung-ho
  • Im Ji-kyu as young Hwang Jung-ho

30 years ago, he was wrongly accused of a murder case and was sentenced to death. Therefore, while he was incarcerated on death row, Choi Yeon-soo is determined to seek justice for him as his lawyer. However his case hasn't got any shed of light for 30 years, even after his health severely deteriorated.

• Kim Hye-jin as Cha Min-ho's wife

Others

• Lee Seung-joon as Kang Choong-mo, Choi Yeon-soo's good friend in college, now a high ranking government official working at the Blue House
  • Hong Jin-gi as young Kang Choong-mo
• Kang Young-seok as Jung Cheol-hoon, a passionate detective
• Park Jin-woo as Detective Gu
• Son Jong-hak as Yoo Sang-dong
• Song Young-gyu as Kwak Moon-heum, Chief Prosecutor
• Cha Soon-bae as Song Moon-bae, Chief Editor at Daehan Jeil Daily^[17]

Special appearances

• Kim Young-dae as Kim Tae-yeol

Kim Tae-yeol is a president of Hankuk University Student Council and leader of the mass protest against the government in 1991. Eventually he was accused as a communist and being targeted, then murdered by NIS.

• Jang Eui-don as police university instructor (ep. 1)
• Lim Jung-ok as Nurse Kim (ep. 1-2)
• Kim Dong-ho as Cheon Woo-jin, Im Hyeong-rak's subordinate (ep. 2 & 8)
• Jung In-gi as Kim Myung-jae, Secretary General of the Blue House
• Kim Kyung-min as Mr. Park
• Shim Hyung-tak as Lee Min-yool (ep. 3-4)

A man who claims himself being intentionally beaten by Han Seung-goo so that Yeon-soo would be hindered to be the new chief of Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials. Actually at that time, he abused his girlfriend and being caught by Seung-goo who said that a bigger person might not hit smaller person.

• Park Joo-hyung as drug gang boss (ep. 4)
• Kim Young-woong as subway control room staff (ep. 3)
• Lee Se-na as Kim Da-kyung (ep. 4)

Ex-girlfriend of Lee Min-yool. Being guilty with Seung-goo's situation, she confessed about what happened between her, Min-yool and Seung-goo to Yeon-soo.

• Seo Joon
• Lim Hyung-guk^[18]
• Ahn Se-ho as Kim Kwang-cheol, an assistant to Do Yeong-geol^[19]

Production

Development

In April 2020, the remake of the British miniseries was announced.^[20]

Casting

In July, JTBC confirmed that with the joining of Yeon Woo-jin and Han Sun-hwa the cast is completed: Ji Jin-hee, Kim Hyun-joo, Han Go-eun, Heo Joon-ho, Jung Man-sik, Kwon Hae-hyo, Park Geun-hyung, Lee Seung-joon, Lee Han-wi, Kim Soo-jin, Choi Dae-chul, Son Jong-hak, Song Young-gyu and Choi Kwang-il.^[21][22] This drama serves as a reunion project for Ji Jin-hee and Kim Hyun-joo after starring together in the 2015 drama I Have a Lover. It also reunites Ji Jin-hee and Heo Joon-ho who both starred in the 2019 drama Designated Survivor: 60 Days. Also reuniting in this series are Jung Man-sik, Choi Dae-chul and Choi Kwang-il who starred in the 2019 drama Vagabond.

Original soundtrack

Undercover
Soundtrack album by Various
Released	2021
Genre	Soundtrack
Language	Korean English
Label	Kakao Entertainment

Part 1

Released on April 23, 2021 (2021-04-23)^[23]

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Artist	Length
1.	"That Kind of Person" (그런 사람)	Kim Young-sung	Kim Young-seong, Seo Jae-ha, Do-hoon	Han Dong-geun	3:33
2.	"That Kind of Person" (Inst.)				3:33

Part 2

Released on April 30, 2021 (2021-04-30)^[24]

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Artist	Length
1.	"On a Secluded Road" (타이틀 외딴길에서)	Park Kang- il	Park Kang- il	Sondia, Kim Joon-Hwi	3:54
2.	"On a Secluded Road" (Inst.)				3:54

Part 3

Released on May 8, 2021 (2021-05-08)^[25]

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Artist	Length
1.	"My Day" (나의 하루)	Donnie J	Donnie J	Sondia	4:08
2.	"My Day" (Inst.)				4:08

Part 4

Released on May 14, 2021 (2021-05-14)^[26]

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Artist	Length
1.	"Where Are You"	Safira.K(Psycho Tension)	Psycho Tension (DOO, Safira.K, Jeong Seongmin)	KATIE	4:03
2.	"Where Are You" (Inst.)		Psycho Tension		4:03

Part 5

Released on May 22, 2021 (2021-05-22)^[27]

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Artist	Length
1.	"I remember this moment" (이 순간을 기억해요)	Noheul(노을)	Noheul(노을)	고영배 of 소란	3:01
2.	"I remember this moment" (Inst.)		Noheul(노을)		3:01

Part 6

Released on May 28, 2021 (2021-05-28)^[28]

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Artist	Length
1.	"With You Under the Sky" (하늘 아래 그대와)	Hana	Tom Irang Jerry, Um Ki-yeop, Safira.	Huh Gak	3:56
2.	"With You Under the Sky" (Inst.)				3:56

Part 7

Released on June 5, 2021 (2021-06-05)^[29]

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Artist	Length
1.	"With You Under the Sky" (하늘 아래 그대와 (English Ver.))	하나, Safira.k	Tom Irang Jerry, Um Ki-yeop, Safira.	Safira.K (사피라 K)	3:55
2.	"With You Under the Sky" (하늘 아래 그대와 (English Ver.) (Inst.))				3:55

Special

Released on June 11, 2021 (2021-06-11)^[30]

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Artist	Length
1.	"That Kind of Person" (그런 사람)	Kim Young-sung	Kim Young-seong, Seo Jae-ha, Do-hoon	Han Dong-geun	3:34
2.	"On a Secluded Road" (타이틀 외딴길에서)	Park Kang- il	Park Kang- il	Sondia, Kim Joon-Hwi	3:53
3.	"My Day" (나의 하루)	Donnie J	Donnie J	Sondia	4:08
4.	"Where Are You"	Safira.K(Psycho Tension)	Psycho Tension (DOO, Safira.K, Jeong Seongmin)	KATIE	3:39
5.	"I remember this moment" (이 순간을 기억해요)	Noheul(노을)	Noheul(노을)	고영배 of 소란	3:01
6.	"Under the Lonely Sky" (하늘 아래 그대와)	Hana	Tom Irang Jerry, Um Ki-yeop, Safira.	Huh Gak	3:56
7.	"With You Under the Sky (English Ver.)" (하늘 아래 그대와 (English Ver.))	하나, Safira.k	Tom Irang Jerry, Um Ki-yeop, Safira.	Safira.K (사피라 K)	3:55
8.	"When I Close My Eyes"			Choi Sol Ji (최솔지)	3:05
9.	"Your undercover"			Park Mi Ji (박미지)	2:24
10.	"Into the battlefield"			Ahn So Young (안소영), Hong Seung Hyun (홍승현)	3:28
11.	"Dark Forces"			Park Min Ji (박민지)	3:14
12.	"Untruth"			Ahn So Young (안소영), Hong Seung Hyun (홍승현)	3:30
13.	"Sunrise"			Um Gi Yeop (엄기엽)	4:26
14.	"Lonely Road"			Park Min Ji (박민지)	4:25
15.	"A door without a memory"			Um Gi Yeop (엄기엽)	2:37
16.	"The widow’s cruse"			Um Gi Yeop (엄기엽)	2:37
17.	"Successful Resolution (성공적해결)"			Roark, Park Kyu Seo (박규서)	1:49
18.	"Clues to the Crime"			Eom Gi Hyun (엄기현)	2:34
19.	"Traces of the Past"			Kim Tae Jin (김태진)	2:47
20.	"Endless Run (끝없는질주)"			Roark, Park Kyu Seo (박규서)	1:50
21.	"A Secret Agent"			Park Min Ji (박민지)	2:42

Viewership

Season		Episode number																Average
		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16
	1	763	816	583	736	627	903	628	862	773	988	793	818	847	916	769	1163	812

Undercover : South Korea viewers per episode (thousands)

Source: Audience measurement performed nationwide by Nielsen Korea^[31]

Average TV viewership ratings

Ep.	Original broadcast date	Average audience share (Nielsen Korea)[31][32]
		Nationwide	Seoul
1	April 23, 2021	3.471% (7th)	4.139% (5th)
2	April 24, 2021	3.785% (5th)	4.866% (1st)
3	April 30, 2021	2.800% (NR)	3.355% (9th)
4	May 1, 2021	3.367% (4th)	4.283% (1st)
5	May 7, 2021	2.885% (NR)	3.466% (6th)
6	May 8, 2021	4.243% (3rd)	5.115% (1st)
7	May 14, 2021	3.041% (10th)	3.963% (5th)
8	May 15, 2021	4.175% (5th)	5.555% (2nd)
9	May 21, 2021	3.777% (6th)	4.471% (4th)
10	May 22, 2021	4.187% (4th)	4.939% (2nd)
11	May 28, 2021	3.768% (5th)	4.503% (4th)
12	May 29, 2021	3.816% (5th)	4.696% (2nd)
13	June 4, 2021	3.922% (5th)	4.437% (5th)
14	June 5, 2021	4.517% (5th)	5.279% (3rd)
15	June 11, 2021	3.916% (8th)	4.645% (4th)
16	June 12, 2021	5.229% (4th)	6.115% (2nd)
Average		3.806%	4.614%
In the table above, the blue numbers represent the lowest ratings and the red numbers represent the highest ratings. This drama airs on a cable channel/pay TV which normally has a relatively smaller audience compared to free-to-air TV/public broadcasters (KBS, SBS, MBC and EBS). NR denotes that the series did not rank in the top 20 daily programs on that date.

References

1. "Undercover". JTBC Worldwide. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
2. ENG│[폭행 사건의 진실] 용기 내 유선호를 찾아온 피해자 언더커버(undercover) 4회. YouTube (in Korean). JTBC Drama. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
3. "지진희X김현주, '언더커버'로 재회…내년 상반기 방송" [Ji-hee Ji x Kim Hyun-joo reunited with 'Undercover'... Broadcast in the first half of next year]. JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean). July 8, 2020. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
4. Atta, Jamila (September 10, 2020). "BBC Studios and Story TV partner up on a new South Korean format of political thriller Undercover for JTBC channel". BBC. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
5. "Undercover Drama 2021". HanCinema. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
6. "'언더커버' 연우진·한선화 합류…퍼펙트 라인업 공개" ['Undercover' Woojin Yeon and Sunhwa Han joined... Revealed the perfect lineup]. JTBC. July 30, 2020. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
7. Lee Min-ji (March 17, 2021). "'언더커버' 지진희X김현주 포스터, 엇갈린 시선 너머의 혼란" ['Undercover' Ji-hee Ji-hee x Kim Hyun-ju poster, confusion beyond mixed gazes]. Newsen (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
8. "언더커버" [Undercover]. JTBC Studios. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
9. Kim Ji-eun (April 16, 2021). "티빙, '언더커버' 독점 공개... JTBC와 협업 본격화" [TVING to unveil 'Undercover' exclusively... Collaboration with JTBC in earnest]. Newsis (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
10. Na-Yul Kim (June 13, 2021). "종영 '언더커버' 지진희, 새 인생 시작 엔딩..자체 최고 5.2%로 유종의 미" [The ending 'Undercover' Ji Jin-hee, the beginning of a new life, the ending...]. Herald Pop (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
11. Kang, Jin-ah (July 23, 2020). "'언더커버', 지진희·김현주·허준호·한고은 라인업 완성" [Undercover' completed lineup for Ji-hee Ji, Hyun-joo Kim, Jun-ho Heo, and Go-eun Han]. Newsis (in Korean). Retrieved November 27, 2020.
12. Kim, Myung-mi (July 9, 2020). "연우진-한선화 '언더커버' 출연, 지진희-김현주 과거 연기(공식입장)" [Yeon Woo-jin and Han Sun-hwa appeared in'Under Cover', Ji Ji-hee-Kim Hyun-ju, past acting]. Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved November 27, 2020.
13. Jang, Yoon-jung (July 8, 2020). "지진희-김현주, JTBC '언더커버'로 출연 확정 내년 상반기 방영" [Ji-hee Ji-Kim Hyun-joo confirmed to appear as JTBC'Undercover' "Aired in the first half of next year"]. Aju News (in Korean).
14. Yoon, Sun Cho (July 30, 2020). "[공식] 유선호, JTBC 새 드라마 '언더커버' 출연 확정…지진희·김현주와 호흡" [[Official] Yu Sun-ho, JTBC's new drama'Undercover' confirmed to appear... Ji-hee Ji and Hyun-joo Kim]. Chosun (in Korean).
15. Noh, Gyu-min (July 14, 2020). "경리, 연기 활동 본격 시동…JTBC '언더커버' 출연 확정" [Accounting, acting activity started in earnest... JTBC'Undercover' appearance confirmed]. The Korea Economic Daily (in Korean).
16. Kim Na-kyung (December 1, 2020). "배윤경, '언더커버' 캐스팅... 거침없는 연기 행보" [Bae Yun-kyung casts'Undercover'... Unstoppable acting]. The Korea Economic Daily. The Korea Economic Daily. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
17. hoon Hong, Sung (November 26, 2020). "차순배, 드라마 '언더커버' 캐스팅 결정" [=Cha Sun-bae, cast of drama'Undercover']. NBN News.
18. Choi, Ji-eun (November 4, 2020). "임형국,'언더커버' 출연 확정...네이티브 못지않은 북한말 구사" [Lim Hyung-guk confirmed to appear in'Undercover'... speaks North Korean as well as native]. Top Daily.
19. "안세호, JTBC '언더커버' 합류..정만식 조력자 활약 [공식]" [Se-ho Ahn joins JTBC 'Undercover'.. Jung Man-sik as an assistant [Official]]. Osen (in Korean). Naver. March 10, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
20. Ha-eun, Jeong (April 26, 2020). "'부부의 세계'→'언더커버'·'엉클', 英 원작이 뜬다[SS드라마]" ['Couple's World' →'Undercover' and'Uncle', the British original is coming [SS Drama]]. Sports Seoul.
21. Lee, Ji-eun (July 30, 2020). "'언더커버' 연우진·한선화·박경리 출연 확정…라인업 완성" ['Under Cover' Yeon Woo-jin, Han Sun-hwa, and Park Kyung-ri appearing confirmed... Lineup completed]. NewsPim (in Korean). Retrieved November 27, 2020.
22. ""Undercover" Stars Yeon Woo-jin, Han Sunhwa and Park Gyeongree". HanCinema. July 30, 2020. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
23. "언더커버 OST Part.1" [Undercover OST Part.1]. Melon. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
24. "언더커버 OST Part.2" [Undercover OST Part.2]. Melon. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
25. "언더커버 OST Part.3" [Undercover OST Part.3]. Melon. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
26. "언더커버 OST Part.4" [Undercover OST Part.4]. Melon. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
27. "언더커버 OST Part.5" [Undercover OST Part.5]. Melon. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
28. "언더커버 OST Part.6" [Undercover OST Part.6]. Melon. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
29. "언더커버 OST Part.7" [Undercover OST Part.7]. Melon. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
30. "언더커버 OST Special" [언더커버 OST Special]. Melon. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
31. "Full Episode Daily -TOP 10 LIST FOR TV PROGRAMS (Nielsen Korea)". AGB Nielsen Media Research (in Korean). Retrieved June 13, 2021.
32. "언더커버: 시청률" [Under Cover: ratings]. Naver. Retrieved June 13, 2021.

External links

• Official website (in Korean)
• Undercover at IMDb
• Undercover at HanCinema
• Undercover at Daum (in Korean)
• Undercover at Naver (in Korean)