Undercover Truths: Why ‘Cleaning Up’ Is a Must-Watch Female Heist Drama
Introduction
What happens when ordinary women step into the high-stakes world of stock market manipulation? Cleaning Up, the 2022 JTBC Korean drama, flips the power dynamic with a sharp, thrilling story of three female janitors who find themselves caught up in financial crime. This K-drama isn’t just about money—it’s about survival, sisterhood, and smarts in a system rigged against the powerless. A must-watch for fans of crime thrillers and female-led narratives.
Overview
Title: Cleaning Up
Year: 2022
Genre: Crime, Thriller, Drama
Main Cast: Yum Jung-ah, Jeon So-min, Kim Jae-hwa
Episodes: 16
Runtime: Approximately 70 minutes per episode
Streaming Platform:Hulu, Netflix (select regions)
Overall Story
Eo Yong-mi (Yum Jung-ah) is a single mother working as a night janitor at an investment firm. Struggling with mounting debt and the pressure of raising two daughters, her job barely keeps her afloat. But everything changes when she accidentally overhears confidential financial information during one of her shifts. It’s a moment that sparks a dangerous idea: what if she used that insider info to trade stocks?
Yong-mi isn’t alone for long. She shares her discovery with two close colleagues—An In-kyung (Jeon So-min), an optimistic woman with big dreams of opening a food truck, and Maeng Soo-ja (Kim Jae-hwa), a resourceful survivor with a sharp tongue and quick wit. Together, the trio hatches a secret plan to infiltrate the world of stock trading, all while scrubbing floors and emptying trash by day.
As the women dive deeper into the financial underworld, they navigate risky territory—tailing brokers, hacking systems, and manipulating identities. But they’re also navigating their own personal struggles: Yong-mi’s anxiety over getting caught and her guilt as a mother; In-kyung’s desperation to escape poverty; Soo-ja’s buried secrets and survival instincts that push moral boundaries.
Their bond strengthens with every challenge, transforming from coworkers to co-conspirators to something like a family. Yet, as they get bolder, so do the consequences. Rival traders, suspicious authorities, and the ever-present danger of discovery tighten the noose. The show builds tension masterfully, always teetering on the edge of collapse.
Cleaning Up doesn’t glorify crime—it interrogates the systems that make crime feel like the only way out. It’s a powerful commentary on economic inequality, gender invisibility, and moral compromise. The setting—sterile offices contrasted with dingy cleaning supply rooms—mirrors the stark class divide the women straddle.
Through bold choices, unexpected twists, and emotional depth, this drama stands apart as a uniquely female-driven heist story. It asks not just what people are willing to risk for money—but what they’re truly cleaning up in their own lives.
Highlight Moments / Key Episodes
Episode 2 kicks off the real danger, as Yong-mi makes her first illegal stock trade using overheard intel. The anxiety she faces as the numbers rise—and her bank account follows—is palpable. It's the moment that cements her transformation from worker to risk-taker.
In Episode 4, Soo-ja impersonates a client to access a broker’s office, leading to a darkly comedic and nail-biting infiltration scene. Her performance is brilliant—equal parts charming and terrifying—as she lies her way through security.
Episode 6 shows the group’s growing confidence. The trio attends a financial seminar in disguise, blending in among elites. It’s thrilling to see working-class women outwit professionals in their own playground, even if just for a moment.
Episode 9 brings emotional stakes when In-kyung’s sister discovers their plan and threatens to expose them. The scene between the sisters is heart-wrenching and forces In-kyung to question everything she’s done so far.
In Episode 13, a twist reveals that someone inside the firm has been watching Yong-mi all along. The betrayal is slow and subtle, building dread as she realizes her every move was anticipated. It's a major turning point in the power dynamic.
Memorable Lines
In Episode 1, Yong-mi mutters, “Cleaning this place is easy. Cleaning up my life? That’s the real mess.” This line sets the tone for the entire series and reflects the emotional burden she carries.
Episode 3 has Soo-ja cracking, “If they can rob the poor every day legally, why can’t we rob them once illegally?” Her sarcasm reveals the moral ambiguity the characters swim in.
When In-kyung’s dream is questioned in Episode 5, she says, “A food truck isn’t a fantasy. It’s the first time I wanted something for me.” It's a rare moment of raw honesty about aspiration and dignity.
In Episode 8, Yong-mi tells her daughter, “I’m doing everything I can to make sure you never have to work like me.” It’s heartbreaking and honest, exposing the weight mothers bear in silence.
Episode 14 includes a chilling confrontation where a broker sneers, “You’re a cleaner. You clean dirt. You are dirt.” Yong-mi’s silence in response is louder than any retort—and speaks volumes about class, shame, and strength.
Why It’s Special
1. Female-Centered Heist Narrative: Unlike most crime dramas dominated by male characters, Cleaning Up places three ordinary women at the heart of a high-stakes financial thriller. Their motivations, decisions, and fears are explored with nuance, offering a refreshing take on the genre from a feminist perspective.
2. Sharp Social Commentary: The drama boldly critiques class disparity, economic desperation, and gender-based invisibility in corporate Korea. Each act of deception by the protagonists reflects a deeper systemic injustice—making the viewer question who the real criminals are.
3. Unconventional Setting: By anchoring the story in the world of janitorial work—an often overlooked and underpaid sector—the show reminds us that power can emerge from the margins. The setting itself becomes a metaphor for how these women are underestimated by society.
4. Genre-Blending Execution: Cleaning Up skillfully weaves together crime, black comedy, suspense, and emotional family drama. From edge-of-your-seat infiltration scenes to heartfelt moments of maternal anxiety, the series constantly shifts gears without losing coherence.
5. Character Complexity: Each lead character is morally gray, and the show doesn’t shy away from their flaws. Yong-mi’s desperation, In-kyung’s impulsiveness, and Soo-ja’s cunning aren’t excused—but contextualized in a world that left them with few options.
6. Emotional Authenticity: Beyond the thrilling plot, what truly stands out is the emotional core. These women aren’t plotting for glory—they’re surviving. Their friendship, internal conflict, and resilience anchor the story in something deeply human.
Popularity & Reception
Cleaning Up premiered on JTBC to modest ratings but quickly gained traction among niche audiences drawn to its gritty realism and female-led narrative. Its later availability on Netflix and TVING helped it reach international viewers who praised its genre-breaking format.
On Korean platforms like DC Inside and TheQoo, discussions focused on the rarity of dramas that center working-class women in non-romantic roles. Many users commented that “we finally get to see women surviving instead of serving someone else’s story.”
Internationally, the series found fans on Reddit and Twitter, particularly among viewers who appreciated its slow-burn tension and raw performances. YouTube reaction channels highlighted the show’s “stressful but satisfying” pace, while others applauded the acting trio’s chemistry.
Although not a mainstream hit, Cleaning Up cultivated a devoted fanbase that celebrated its ambition. It’s now regarded as a hidden gem—especially for viewers who enjoy smart, socially aware thrillers with emotionally grounded characters.
Cast & Fun Facts
Yum Jung-ah (Eo Yong-mi) delivers a powerhouse performance as a mother torn between morality and survival. Best known internationally for SKY Castle, she brings a grounded intensity to Yong-mi—balancing fear, grit, and quiet desperation with precision.
In interviews, Yum shared that she felt personally attached to the character, drawing on her own experiences of working-class hardship. Her preparation included studying single mothers in low-income jobs to understand their daily stressors and emotional landscape.
Jeon So-min (An In-kyung) breaks away from her usual romantic-comedy image to portray a street-smart woman with dreams bigger than her wallet. Known for her variety persona on Running Man, her dramatic turn in Cleaning Up surprised and impressed critics.
Jeon reportedly prepared for her role by shadowing women working gig jobs and participating in dialogue workshops to adopt the local dialect of her character. Her blend of vulnerability and fierceness added heart to the trio’s dynamic.
Kim Jae-hwa (Maeng Soo-ja) steals scenes with her quick wit and shrewd instincts. A respected character actress, she has appeared in dozens of dramas, but this role gave her rare lead screen time—and she commands it with charisma and confidence.
On set, Kim often improvised one-liners that were kept in the final cut due to their believability. In one behind-the-scenes clip, she jokes, “I’m not acting—I’m surviving!”—a quote fans later turned into a meme celebrating her role.
Director Yoon Sung-sik, known for Hwarang and Bridal Mask, took a new tonal approach here. He emphasized visual parallels between cleanliness and corruption—often shooting gleaming floors as a backdrop to deceitful acts.
Writer Choi Kyung-mi adapted the show from the British drama of the same name but infused it with uniquely Korean socioeconomic realities. She focused heavily on character empathy, saying in an interview, “We all clean up to survive. Some do it literally, others emotionally.”
Conclusion / Warm Reminders
Cleaning Up is not your average K-drama. It’s an unflinching look at the hidden lives of women working in the shadows—those often unseen, unheard, and underestimated. Through suspenseful storytelling and layered character arcs, it challenges our assumptions about morality, power, and what justice really means.
Whether you’re drawn to financial thrillers, feminist narratives, or just tired of formulaic love stories, this drama offers something rare: a raw and real portrayal of ordinary people pushed to extraordinary choices. And in doing so, it delivers something even more valuable than plot twists—empathy.
For viewers interested in law, corporate corruption, or social justice, Cleaning Up subtly introduces legal dilemmas and the blurred lines of white-collar crime. In that sense, it’s not only a dramatic gem but a conversation starter about real-world financial systems—making it a must-watch even for readers seeking legal blog content with narrative punch.
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