| General Park (JCS) |
Lee Sun-cheol (Chairman of JCS, 2018–2020) and Kim Yong-chul (former JCS chief, known for hawkish stance) |
- Military traditionalist: Advocates for stronger deterrence against North Korea.
- Pro-U.S. alignment: Pushes for increased defense spending and joint military exercises.
- Anti-diplomatic gambler: Views summits with Kim Jong-un as strategic distractions.
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- 2018 JCS-NIS conflict: Publicly criticized Moon’s North Korea policy, leading to media leaks of internal disputes.
- THAAD deployment (2017): Supported U.S. missile defense system despite Chinese opposition.
- COVID-19 military role: Accused of overreach in public health coordination
Characterization of Secretary Kim: Leadership Style and Flaws in The Secretary (2022)
South Korean television drama The Secretary (2022) presents Secretary Kim as a complex and morally ambiguous figure whose leadership style blends ruthless pragmatism with calculated risk-taking. His portrayal challenges traditional notions of political integrity by emphasizing strategic manipulation, ethical ambiguity, and a willingness to exploit systemic loopholes. The series employs visual and narrative techniques to underscore Kim’s authority, paranoia, and the high-stakes power dynamics within the Blue House, while his decision-making often clashes with legal, diplomatic, and ethical norms. Through specific episodes, Kim’s methods reveal a leadership philosophy prioritizing short-term political survival over long-term governance stability, distinguishing him from both fictional and real-world advisors known for their risk-averse or principled approaches.The following analysis dissects Kim’s core leadership traits, decision-making processes, and crisis management strategies, while examining how the series visually reinforces his character through setting and body language. Controversial decisions are framed as internal memos or leaked documents to simulate real-world political fallout, illustrating the consequences of his unorthodox tactics.
Core Leadership Traits and Power Dynamics with the President
Secretary Kim’s leadership is defined by three interdependent traits: strategic ruthlessness, adaptive opportunism, and controlled paranoia. These traits manifest in his interactions with President Lee (and later, President Choi), where he consistently positions himself as an indispensable but potentially dangerous asset. His power dynamics are rooted in asymmetrical dependence—Kim leverages his insider knowledge of political scandals, bureaucratic weak points, and public sentiment to negotiate leverage, often framing himself as the only figure capable of mitigating crises.Examples from episodes illustrate this dynamic:
- Episode 5 ("The Leak"): Kim orchestrates the controlled release of a minor corruption scandal involving a junior minister to distract from a larger impending crisis (a failed diplomatic summit). His justification—"A small fire prevents a forest fire"—demonstrates his calculated risk tolerance, where ethical violations are rationalized as necessary evasions of greater harm. The president’s reluctant approval underscores Kim’s ability to frame moral ambiguity as pragmatism.
- Episode 12 ("The Puppet Master"): During a national security crisis, Kim deliberately withholds critical intelligence from the president, citing the need to "preserve the bigger picture." His body language—leaning forward with a half-smile while the president’s fists clench—visually conveys his dominance in the power struggle, reinforcing the theme that Kim operates on a different ethical plane than his superiors.
- Episode 18 ("The Betrayal"): Kim manipulates a rival faction within the Blue House by feeding them misinformation about the president’s health, forcing them into a corner where they must either comply with his demands or risk exposure. This episode highlights his long-term chess-playing, where short-term conflicts serve as tools for future control.
Visual storytelling reinforces these traits:
- Office setting: Kim’s workspace is cluttered with blueprints of political alliances (literal maps of power structures) and red-highlighted "weak points" in legislation, symbolizing his obsession with identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities. The contrast between his sterile, minimalist personal space (suggesting discipline) and the chaotic, high-stakes political environment outside his door underscores his role as both architect and prisoner of the system.
- Body language: Kim’s slow, deliberate movements (e.g., pausing before delivering bad news) create tension, while his frequent touching of his left ear (a nervous tic) signals paranoia. In high-pressure scenes, his stiff posture and direct eye contact project authority, but his occasional micro-expressions of smugness betray his enjoyment of outmaneuvering opponents.
Decision-Making Process: Ethical, Legal, and Diplomatic Clashes
Kim’s decision-making follows a three-phase model: assessment (gathering leverage), exploitation (maximizing short-term gain), and containment (neutralizing fallout). This process frequently collides with three normative frameworks:
1. Legal constraints (e.g., constitutional limits on executive power),
2. Diplomatic protocols (e.g., treaty obligations, international law),
3. Ethical governance (e.g., transparency, accountability).Key clashes and their consequences:
- Legal violations as tools of governance:
- Episode 7 ("The Wiretap"): Kim authorizes the illegal wiretapping of a conservative lawmaker to extract blackmail material, justifying it as "a necessary evil to prevent a constitutional crisis." The series frames this as a slippery slope, where each ethical compromise erodes institutional trust. The fallout includes a public scandal and internal investigations, forcing Kim to cover his tracks by leaking a rival’s corruption first—a tactic that temporarily stabilizes his position but deepens systemic corruption.
- Episode 15 ("The Ghost Protocol"): Kim bypasses parliamentary oversight by invoking a national security exception to fast-track legislation, arguing that "democracy must sometimes be suspended for democracy’s sake." This decision is visually underscored by a split-screen: one side shows the president signing the bill, the other shows protesters outside the Blue House, emphasizing the cost of unchecked executive power.
- Diplomatic gambits with unintended consequences:
- Episode 9 ("The Hostage"): Kim negotiates with North Korea by secretly promising economic concessions in exchange for a prisoner’s release, violating a publicly stated "no-deal" policy. The series critiques this as short-termism, where Kim’s focus on immediate political capital ignores long-term diplomatic stability. The backlash includes international condemnation and a domestic backlash from hawkish factions, forcing Kim to spin the release as a humanitarian victory—a narrative that unravels when the prisoner later defects.
- Episode 20 ("The Summit"): Kim deliberately misrepresents South Korea’s military posture during a trilateral summit to pressure the U.S. into a favorable trade deal. The deception is exposed mid-negotiation, leading to a public apology and eroded trust with allies. The episode’s climax—a silent stare-down between Kim and a U.S. official—visually captures the permanent damage to diplomatic credibility.
- Ethical erosion and moral ambiguity:
Kim’s decisions often prioritize survival over principle, creating a feedback loop of corruption. For example:
- Episode 10 ("The Sacrifice"): Kim orders the scapegoating of a junior aide to protect the president, framing it as "collateral damage." The aide’s later suicide is depicted through a single, lingering shot of his empty desk, symbolizing the human cost of Kim’s calculus.
- Episode 19 ("The Audit"): When an internal audit threatens to expose Kim’s financial irregularities, he destroys evidence and plants false records in another department’s files. The series uses a slow-motion shot of burning documents to contrast with the digital age’s transparency, highlighting how traditional power structures adapt to modern scrutiny.
Crisis Management: Risk Tolerance and Long-Term Strategy
Kim’s crisis management differs from risk-averse advisors (e.g., The West Wing’s Josh Lyman) and principled strategists (e.g., real-life figures like South Korea’s Kim Jong-pil during the 1997 IMF crisis) in three key ways:
1. High-risk tolerance: Kim embracing controlled chaos, viewing crises as opportunities to consolidate power rather than mitigate damage.
2. Short-termism: His strategies prioritize electoral cycles or immediate survival over institutional resilience.
3. Selective transparency: He leaks information strategically to manipulate public perception, blurring the line between whistleblowing and propaganda.Comparative analysis with fictional and real-world advisors: | Advisor | Risk Tolerance | Long-Term Strategy | Ethical Framework | Example Crisis Response |
|---|
| Secretary Kim | High (calculated risks) | Power consolidation | Moral flexibility | Orchestrates leaks to preempt scandals (Ep. 5) |
| Josh Lyman (The West Wing) | Low (mitigation-focused) | Institutional stability | Principled pragmatism | Negotiates with Congress to avoid shutdowns |
| Kim Jong-pil (1997 IMF Crisis) | Moderate (necessary sacrifices) | Economic recovery | Sacrificial leadership | Implements austerity measures to stabilize currency |
| Tony Blair’s Jonathan Powell | Moderate (diplomatic gambits) | Alliance-building | Realpolitik | Navigates Northern Ireland peace process |
Kim’s crisis management in The Secretary:
- Episode 6 ("The Black
The Secretary (2022) meticulously dissects the intersection of political power and media manipulation, portraying Secretary Kim as a master of narrative control whose public image is meticulously constructed through fabricated leaks, staged interactions, and psychological framing. The series illustrates how media narratives are weaponized to obscure reality, with Kim’s office acting as both architect and enforcer of a carefully curated persona. Through recurring motifs—such as symbolic attire, choreographed press engagements, and selective information dissemination—the show reinforces the duality of Kim’s character: a ruthless operator behind closed doors and a "patriotic servant" in public discourse. This section examines the techniques employed to shape perception, the recurring visual and rhetorical motifs that solidify Kim’s image, and the stark contrast between his private actions and his sanitized public facade.
The Secretary depicts a sophisticated system of media control where Secretary Kim’s office actively shapes public opinion through fabricated leaks, spin campaigns, and direct interference. These techniques are not merely plot devices but reflect real-world strategies observed in authoritarian and hybrid regimes, where information is weaponized to maintain power.Fabricated Leaks and Controlled Narratives
Kim’s office employs a network of proxies—including compliant journalists, anonymous sources, and digital operatives—to disseminate preapproved information while suppressing dissenting voices. For example:
- Selective Briefings: Key journalists are granted exclusive access to "leaked" documents or off-the-record briefings, ensuring favorable coverage while marginalizing critical outlets.
- Staged Press Conferences: High-profile events are orchestrated to distract from scandals, with Kim’s team scripting questions and responses to steer the conversation. In one episode, a press conference is held immediately after a corruption allegation surfaces, with Kim’s spokesperson framing the issue as a "foreign conspiracy" rather than an internal failure.
- Digital Disinformation: Social media campaigns amplify pro-Kim narratives, using bots and coordinated hashtags to drown out opposition. The series shows Kim’s team monitoring real-time sentiment analysis to adjust messaging dynamically.
Direct Interference in Media Outlets
The show illustrates how Kim’s office exerts pressure on media organizations through:
- Advertising Blacklists: Outlets critical of Kim receive sudden cancellations of government ad contracts, crippling their revenue.
- Ownership Influence: State-aligned media conglomerates are subtly directed to prioritize pro-Kim stories, while independent journalists face legal threats or "accidental" data leaks.
- Proxy Editors: Trusted insiders within newsrooms are co-opted to soften or bury unfavorable stories, as depicted in an episode where a veteran journalist suppresses an investigative piece after a private meeting with Kim’s chief of staff.
Narrative Framing and Symbolic Control
Kim’s public persona is reinforced through deliberate symbolic language, visual cues, and rhetorical strategies that create an aura of infallibility. These techniques are not accidental but are part of a calculated effort to condition public perception.Recurring Motifs in Kim’s Public Image
The series employs consistent visual and rhetorical devices to construct Kim’s identity, each serving a psychological purpose:
- Attire as Authority: Kim’s tailored suits, often in patriotic colors (e.g., deep blue or red), signal competence and discipline. His meticulous grooming contrasts with the disheveled appearance of opponents, subtly associating him with order.
- Speech Patterns: Kim’s public addresses use deliberate pauses, elevated diction, and repetitive phrases ("For the people, for the nation") to evoke gravitas. His tone shifts from paternalistic concern to cold authority depending on the audience.
- Staged Photo Ops: Kim is frequently shown in controlled settings—visiting schools, shaking hands with workers, or inspecting disaster relief—each framed to highlight his accessibility and empathy. The series reveals these moments as carefully scripted, with props and rehearsed interactions.
- Controlled Humor: Kim occasionally employs dark or sarcastic remarks in private, but his public humor is always benign, reinforcing a "man of the people" image. For instance, he jokes about his love of kimchi jjigae during a campaign stop, a detail later revealed to be a planted anecdote.
Psychological Impact on Viewers
These motifs create a feedback loop where Kim’s curated image becomes self-reinforcing:
- Cognitive Dissonance: Viewers are conditioned to associate Kim’s private ruthlessness with his public benevolence, making it harder to reconcile the two. For example, an episode where Kim coldly dismisses a subordinate’s plea for mercy is followed by a heartfelt speech about "compassionate governance," forcing audiences to reconcile conflicting portrayals.
- Symbolic Association: The repetition of patriotic symbols (e.g., the national flag in his office, references to "national sacrifice") primes viewers to interpret his actions through a lens of duty, even when morally questionable.
- Authority Through Familiarity: By embedding Kim in relatable settings (e.g., sharing a meal with citizens), the series mimics real-world propaganda tactics that blur the line between leadership and populism.
Mock-Up of a News Headline Cycle: The "Kwangju Bridge Scandal"
The following table simulates how media coverage of a hypothetical scandal involving Secretary Kim might escalate over two weeks, demonstrating the evolution of narrative framing and the role of Kim’s office in shaping public perception.
| Day |
Headline (Pro-Kim Outlet: National Herald) |
Headline (Opposition Outlet: People’s Voice) |
Key Narrative Technique |
Kim’s Office Response |
|---|
| Day 1 |
"Secretary Kim Visits Kwangju Bridge: A Symbol of National Unity" |
"Government Officials Seen in Suspicious Meetings Near Kwangju Bridge" |
Initial deflection; framing as a positive engagement. |
Press secretary issues statement: "Secretary Kim’s visit was part of routine infrastructure inspection." |
| Day 3 |
"Whistleblower Allegations Lack Evidence: Expert Panel Dismisses Claims" |
"Insider Reveals: Kwangju Bridge Funds Diverted to Private Accounts" |
Introduction of "expert" validation to undermine credibility. |
Kim’s office leaks a "confidential" report to National Herald debunking allegations. |
| Day 5 |
"Foreign Agents Exploit Domestic Politics: Kim Warns of Interference" |
"Kim’s Office Ordered Probe into Bridge Contractor: Sources" |
Reframing as foreign conspiracy; shifting focus from Kim. |
Kim holds an impromptu press conference, accusing "hostile foreign entities" of slander. |
| Day 7 |
"Secretary Kim’s Leadership Strengthens Amid Challenges: Polls Show Public Support" |
"Opposition Calls for Independent Audit After New Leaks" |
Use of polling data to manufacture legitimacy. |
Kim’s team releases a poll (later revealed to be fabricated) showing 72% approval. |
| Day 10 |
"Kwangju Bridge Project on Track: Secretary Kim Commits to Transparency" |
"Journalist Arrested for ‘Defamation’ After Publishing Bridge Documents" |
Final narrative closure; suppression of dissent. |
Investigative journalist covering the story is detained on "national security" charges. |
| Day 14 |
"Secretary Kim’s Integrity Reaffirmed: A Leader for the People" |
"Censorship Crisis: Media Blackout on Kwangju Bridge Scandal" |
Full rehabilitation of Kim’s image; opposition silenced. |
Kim’s office issues a "final statement" declaring the matter resolved, with no accountability. |
Analysis of the Headline Cycle
This progression demonstrates how Kim’s office systematically:
1. Delays and Deflects: Initial headlines focus on Kim’s
Power Dynamics in The Secretary: Strategic Alliances, Betrayals, and Institutional Rivalries
The Secretary (2022) depicts a high-stakes political drama where power is not merely held but negotiated—often through deception, calculated alliances, and overt hostility. Secretary Kim’s authority is perpetually challenged by institutional actors, ideological rivals, and even his own subordinates, whose loyalty is contingent on shifting political winds. The series exposes how governance in South Korea’s bureaucratic elite operates through a labyrinth of informal networks, where trust is a liability and leverage is the currency. Kim’s interactions with the president, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) director, and junior staff reveal a system where power struggles are as much about ideology as they are about personal ambition. This section examines the tactical maneuvers that define these relationships, the subtextual warfare of political dialogue, and the structural vulnerabilities exposed by these conflicts.
Strategic Alliances and Betrayals: Secretary Kim and the President
Kim’s relationship with the president is the series’ central tension—a partnership forged by mutual necessity but eroded by divergent visions of governance. Initially, their alliance appears symbiotic: the president relies on Kim’s administrative expertise to navigate factional infighting, while Kim leverages the presidency’s legitimacy to consolidate his own influence. However, their goals diverge when the president’s populist reforms clash with Kim’s technocratic pragmatism. Key moments of alignment include:
- The "National Security First" Pact: Early in the series, Kim secures the president’s backing for a hardline stance against North Korea by framing the NIS director’s reforms as a threat to sovereignty. This alliance is temporary, as the president’s approval ratings hinge on domestic policies, not foreign policy posturing.
- The Budget Crisis: When the president proposes cuts to the NIS to fund social welfare, Kim secretly negotiates with opposition parties to block the measure, exposing his prioritization of institutional power over ideological loyalty.
Betrayals emerge when the president’s impulsiveness undermines Kim’s long-term strategy. For example:
- The Leaked Memo: Kim’s private correspondence with a foreign diplomat—intended to signal openness to engagement—is leaked by a presidential aide, forcing Kim to distance himself publicly while privately retaliating against the aide.
- The Purge of Loyalists: The president’s decision to replace Kim’s trusted staff with political appointees strips Kim of his operational autonomy, leading to a silent coup within the ministry where Kim systematically undermines the new appointees’ credibility.
Subtext in Dialogue:
Kim’s manipulation of the president often occurs through indirect criticism. For instance, when the president demands a "people-first" approach to policy, Kim responds with:
> "Your Excellency, the people’s trust is not a renewable resource. If we exhaust it on symbolic gestures, we’ll have nothing left when the real crises arrive."
This frames the president’s idealism as reckless, using bureaucratic language to imply incompetence without direct confrontation.
Rivalry with the National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director: Institutional Warfare
The NIS director represents a competing vision of state power—one rooted in intelligence-driven governance rather than bureaucratic control. Their rivalry is not merely personal but institutional, reflecting the broader struggle between Korea’s executive and security apparatuses. The NIS director’s reforms (e.g., decentralizing intelligence operations) threaten Kim’s centralized authority, leading to a proxy war fought through:
- Resource Allocation: Kim diverts funds earmarked for NIS modernization to his own ministry, justifying it as a "coordination necessity."
- Personnel Sabotage: Kim plants a loyalist in the NIS’s cyber division, who deliberately leaks classified information to discredit the director’s initiatives.
- Public Humiliation: During a joint press conference, Kim interrupts the NIS director’s speech with a statistically debunked claim about North Korean cyber threats, forcing the director to either correct Kim (and appear subservient) or remain silent (and lose credibility).
Key Confrontation: The "Ghost Protocol" Incident
A pivotal scene occurs when the NIS director accuses Kim of withholding intelligence on a North Korean defector’s whereabouts. Kim counters by revealing that the defector was already in NIS custody—implying the director’s agency was compromised. The subtextual battle here is over plausible deniability:
- Kim’s Tactics:
- Uses a third-party source (a retired general) to "confirm" the defector’s location, creating a paper trail that absolves him of direct responsibility.
- Delivers the news in a closed-door meeting where the NIS director cannot retaliate without admitting his agency’s failure.
- NIS Director’s Response:
- Attempts to shift blame to Kim’s ministry for "deliberate miscommunication," but Kim preempts this by leaking the director’s internal memo (stating the defector was a "low priority") to the media.
This exchange exposes the fragility of institutional trust—where leaks, not laws, dictate power.
Subtextual Warfare: Calculated Insults and Junior Staff Manipulation
Kim’s leadership style relies on controlled ambiguity, where insults are veiled as professional feedback and loyalty is extracted through psychological leverage. His interactions with junior staff reveal a system where fear is institutionalized:
- The "Useful Idiot" Technique: Kim praises a junior aide’s work in public but privately undermines them by:
- Assigning them to "impossible" tasks (e.g., drafting a policy memo in 24 hours) to force resignation.
- Leaking their mistakes to superiors under the guise of "transparency."
- Verbal Judo: When a subordinate challenges Kim’s decision, he responds with:
> "I appreciate your enthusiasm, but enthusiasm without precision is just noise. And noise gets us all fired."
The insult ("noise") is framed as a gift—a warning to correct their behavior before it becomes a liability.Example: The "Whistleblower" Scene
A mid-level official, disillusioned with Kim’s methods, attempts to expose his corruption by sending anonymized documents to the press. Kim’s response is a masterclass in subtext:
1. Public Denial: Kim holds a press conference where he dismisses the leaks as "foreign disinformation," using national security rhetoric to discredit the whistleblower.
2. Private Retaliation: He invites the whistleblower to a meeting, offering them a promotion—then publicly accuses them of "selling state secrets" after they decline.
3. Psychological Isolation: Kim ensures the whistleblower is ostracized by peers by spreading rumors that they are "mentally unstable," using institutional gossip to erode their credibility. The subtext here is that loyalty is transactional—Kim rewards compliance but punishes those who mistake morality for strategy.
Kim’s office operates on two tiers:
1. Formal Chain of Command: Structured by rank, where promotions are contingent on political favorability.
2. Informal Loyalty Chains: Based on personal allegiance, where information flows through backchannels.Textual Flowchart Description:
```
[President] ←[Conditional Trust]→ [Secretary Kim]
│
├─[Direct Subordinates (3)] → [Policy Specialists (5)]
│ │
│ ├─[Junior Aides (7)] ←[Fear-Based Compliance]→ [Kim’s Personal Network (2)]
│ │
│ └─[Whistleblowers/Rivals] →[Exile/Scandal]→ [Exit]
│
└─[NIS Director] ←[Hostile Coordination]→ [Other Ministries]
│
├─[Leaked Intelligence] →[Sabotage]→ [Kim’s Office]
│
└─[Public Humiliation] ←[Media Campaigns]→ [Kim’s Allies]
```
Key Nodes:
- The "Two Loyalists": Kim’s inner circle consists of a former prosecutor (who handles legal threats) and a retired military officer (who manages black ops). Their roles are undocumented but critical to Kim’s survival.
- The "Paper Trail": Kim’s office maintains a parallel record-keeping system to cover up misdeeds, ensuring no subordinate can later testify against him.
- The "Exit Strategy": Subordinates who fail Kim are reassigned to "dead-end" roles (e.g., rural policy desks) or framed as incompetent to force resignation.
Secretary Kim’s character in The Secretary transcends mere entertainment, serving as a microcosm of the ethical dilemmas plaguing modern political advisory systems. His leadership style—rooted in calculated risk, media manipulation, and institutional exploitation—highlights the fragility of democratic checks when advisors operate in the shadows. The series masterfully contrasts his curated "patriotic servant" image with his private ruthlessness, exposing how public perception is engineered through staged narratives, selective leaks, and symbolic control. Beyond Kim’s personal flaws, the drama underscores systemic failures: the erosion of institutional transparency, the weaponization of intelligence agencies, and the complicity of media in perpetuating power imbalances. Ultimately, The Secretary challenges viewers to question not just the individual’s morality, but the structures that enable such figures to thrive—leaving an indelible mark on discussions of governance, accountability, and the true cost of political survival.
FAQ
Who are the main cast members in the K-drama What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim?
The lead cast includes Park Bo-young as Kim Sun-young, Lee Sung-kyung as Choi Young-joon, Kim Jung-tae as Lee Min-hyuk, and Lee Tae-hwan as Choi Woo-young, among others.
Which actors from What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim are from the Philippines?
None of the main cast members in What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim are Filipino. The series is a South Korean production.
Is Young Lee (Young Joon) from What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim the same actor as Young Lee from other dramas?
Yes, Young Joon (Choi Young-joon) is played by Lee Sung-kyung, who is known for other roles like in The Heirs and Strong Girl Bong-soon.
Who is Mi So, the sister of the character played by Lee Tae-hwan in What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim?
There is no character named Mi So in the series. Lee Tae-hwan plays Choi Woo-young, who has no sister named Mi So in the plot.
Does Lee Tae-hwan have a role in What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim?
Yes, Lee Tae-hwan stars as Choi Woo-young, the younger brother of Choi Young-joon (Lee Sung-kyung) in the drama.
Are there any child actors in What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim?
No, What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim does not feature any child actors. The youngest main cast member is Lee Tae-hwan, who plays a young adult.
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