Character Relationship Map: Secret Zoo

Characters

• Kang Tae-su (played by Ahn Jae-hong) — protagonist

  A temp lawyer at a renowned firm who is assigned a special three-month mission to revitalize a failing zoo. He devises the viral strategy of having staff wear animal costumes and ultimately confronts...

• President Hwang (played by Park Hyuk-kwon) — supporting

  The chairman of the law firm that owns the zoo. He tasks Tae-su with the revival project but secretly plans to use the zoo's apparent failure as justification to sell the property.

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Kang Tae-su → President Hwang (Professional Employer And Employee In Conflict) — Hwang gives Kang the revival assignment but imposes an ultimatum when the zoo's animal situation remains unresolved, placing Kang's job and the zoo's future in conflict.

  President Hwang assigns Kang responsibility for reviving the zoo, then rejects Kang's appeal and threatens to remove him unless the situation is resol...

Story Analysis

A temporary lawyer tries to revive a failing zoo through a costume-based attraction, while the resulting success intensifies the risks facing the operation and the animals.

Plot Progression

1. An Empty Zoo to Save — Kang, a temporary lawyer treated as a low-ranking worker, is assigned to revive a struggling zoo. He discovers that its animals have been sold and that the zoo is left with empty enclosures and debts.
2. A Costumed Attraction — With no animals to show, staff wear costumes and perform in the enclosures. Small crowds and the difficulty of finding new attractions leave them unsure whether the scheme can keep the zoo operating.
3. Viral Fame and New Pressure — A video of the costumed polar bear drinking cola spreads online and brings a surge of visitors. The unexpected success raises revenue but makes it harder to hide the performers' identities.
4. The Deadline and Exposure Risk — The sold animals face shipment, and Hwang gives Kang only 24 hours to resolve the situation. Kang's plea for the people who cared for the animals is rejected, while a visitor threatens to expose the c...