Filing for Love Review
Director: Lee Soo-hyun
Date Created: 2026-05-05 00:52
4.5
Filing for Love Review: Directed by Lee Soo-hyun, 은밀한 감사 is led by Shin Hae-sun as Ju In-a and Gong Myung as Noh Ki-jun. They are joined by Kim Jae-uck as Jeon Jae-yeol, Hong Hwa-yeon as Park a-Jeong, alongside Son Ji-yoon, Jeon Gook-hwan and others.
Filing for Love Episode 1 Recap
Filing for Love Episode 1 begins with an introductory narration that sets the scene, highlighting romance and secrecy in the office. Noh Ki-jun is introduced in this episode as a trustworthy assistant manager in the Audit Team One of the Haemu Corporation. He handles tough situations and never hesitates to fight against corrupt directors.
The hierarchy of the audit division is well-established by introducing Team Three. While all other teams handle high-level and complex audit cases, it is Team Three that works on resolving minor disputes amongst employees. The turning point in Ki-jun’s career happens when Ju In-a joins the office. She is feared for being strict with everyone and leaves all employees trembling after individual meetings with her.

The meeting between Ki-jun and In-a is expected to be one where he receives recognition for his capabilities, but he is suddenly transferred to Team Three. This shock came at a time when he was handling an important case. In-a does not attempt to comfort him and simply tells him that he is the most qualified for the position.
In his first case, Ki-jun handles a woman who thinks that her husband is having an affair. Believing that there is no evidence to support her claims, he dismisses the case. However, In-a’s strong intuition leads her to discover the truth about the affair, and she makes it known to everyone in the public eye. In a shocking turn of events, by the end of Episode 1 of Filing for Love, the woman goes into a rage at him, accusing him of not listening to her.

Filing for Love Episode 2 Recap
Filing for Love Episode 2 further delves into the issues surrounding Ki-jun’s dissatisfaction and confusion. Following the commotion brought about by their previous case, Ki-jun’s views towards his boss’s choices start getting more critical as she decides to punish the female worker harder than the man who is already married. The conflict between Ki-jun and In-a reveals an important theme, which is morality against company logic, as In-a values company consequences over emotional justice.
The next peculiar case Ki-jun gets assigned revolves around an area that has become a place where employees secretly meet. In this episode, the show introduces a story of married people who act as total strangers at work. At the same time, the personal life of Ki-jun also becomes entangled as his ex-girlfriend A-jeong shows up and starts living with him again. This unresolved tension only increases Ki-jun’s problems, and just as he is about to give up, the news of a possible transfer to a different department comes up.

But his plans are dashed when it is revealed that one of the directors in the parking lot scandal has been exposed, meaning there is no chance left for him to transfer now. This once again highlights how difficult company politics can be, and in Episode 2 of Filing for Love, Ki-jun gets so frustrated that he considers resigning. But everything changes when rumours of an extramarital affair involving In-a begin to circulate.
Filing for Love Episode 3 Recap
In Episode 3 of Filing for Love, there is a turn in the story where Ki-jun starts to investigate In-a secretly. He does not quit his job but rather stays to find out what really happened. This indicates a change in the character of Ki-jun because now he is curious and determined rather than frustrated.
Another conflict that happens in Episode 3 is in Team Three, where Gwang-il faces a fabricated rumour about an affair. It turns out that a simple kind deed can be turned into something else very quickly. The company even makes use of him in order to draw attention away from its own problems.

The initial reaction to how In-a handles this is one of frustration since she punishes Gwang-il without him being guilty of what she accused him of. It is later explained that In-a is actually planning to uncover the truth about the situation, and hence the seeming cruelty is actually very strategic on her part.
Ki-jun gradually develops another impression of In-a because of the actions that she takes and how she defends herself when accused of misconduct. This changes the relationship between the two from one of antagonism into a more understanding one. However, in Filing for Love Episode 3, before anything can progress between them, In-a makes a startling revelation to Ki-jun, which leaves him speechless.

Also Read: Lord Of The Flies Review: Gripping Descent Into Chaos That Feels Uncomfortably Real
Filing for Love Episode 4 Recap
Episode 4 of Filing for Love resumes right after the revelation regarding In-a. It takes time for Ki-jun to digest what he has witnessed, resulting in an uncomfortable atmosphere in their interactions. Nevertheless, they have to collaborate on the next case where something fishy seems to happen in the Jeju branch of the firm.
While travelling together, their connection gradually develops. Behind the awkwardness is the budding connection and mutual understanding between them. This time, the case turns out to be a grave matter because they come across the misconduct of a foreign executive. This case will have severe repercussions compared to their other cases.

In-a takes charge, intervening to save the victim and revealing the wrongdoing. It confirms the moral standards of In-a, showing that although she can be ruthless, there is always a limit when it comes to wrongs. Ki-jun gets a first-hand view of what she can do, which changes his opinion about her.
This episode gets climactic when Ki-jun visits the art studio one more time, but refuses to flee from it. Rather, he sits down and starts sketching In-a while she is modelling. This scene is very different from the previous one since everything that happened before felt shocking, but here the whole atmosphere gets very intimate and silent. When In-a approaches Ki-jun and notices the picture, she is amazed at how Ki-jun perceives her beauty. At the end of Filing for Love Episode 4, in that vulnerable moment, Ki-jun declares that In-a looks gorgeous, breaking their emotional wall. They kiss passionately, sealing their new relationship status.

Filing for Love Review
In all honesty, watching Episodes 1-4 of Filing for Love kdrama was an unexpectedly enjoyable experience. When I went into the show, I expected to watch a straightforward workplace drama. However, what I witnessed was a much more complex and enjoyable series than I had ever expected. First of all, one of the things that impressed me the most was the performance of Shin Hae-sun as Ju In-a. This woman is such an interesting character, being cold, unexpected, and even charming at times.
The most appealing aspect of this show for me is that it successfully combines humour with serious messages. All the cases dealt with by Team Three, although they might seem ridiculous, in fact, point to the more serious issues surrounding trust, hierarchy, and perceptions of reality within the workplace environment. I could not help but laugh at some situations that were, at the same time, quite realistic.

The love affair between Ki-jun and In-a is also another element that stands out. The relationship between them is not one that happens instantly because it is filled with tension, difficulty and complexity throughout the movie. It is nice that their chemistry involves the development of the relationship through problems and difficulties. Gong Myung gives the perfect depiction of Ki-jun’s struggle and emotional development.
Kim Jae-uck performs the part of Jeon Jae-yeol. Although he is usually not in the centre of action, his character still plays an important role in the film. Jeon Jae-yeol represents the company that creates conflict in the main heroes’ lives. On the contrary, the role played by Hong Hwa-yeon as A-jeong introduces emotional aspects to the story of Ki-jun.

On another note, I also like how the play doesn’t mind showing the imperfections of its characters. None of them is wholly wrong or right, which makes the show quite intriguing. In the case of In-a, for instance, although she seems mean at first, more sides of her character become apparent as she acts on her intentions. This is what made me interested in the Korean drama Filing for Love.
Filing for Love Episode 1-4 Review: Summing Up
On the whole, k-drama Filing for Love seems witty, intelligent, and even daring in its plotline. Given that the plot has started to develop the way it has, especially considering the mystery that is developing regarding In-a, not to mention the rising tension between the main characters, it can be said that I look forward to how it will progress further.