So Ji-sub powers Agent Kim Reactivated to a 23.1% ratings high

Hits 23.1% Viewership Rating, Ranking 2nd Ever for SBS Friday-Saturday Dramas

SBS Friday-Saturday drama 'Manager Kim' has taken over living rooms by breaking the 20% viewership rating barrier. The 8th episode, aired on the 18th, recorded a nationwide viewership rating of 23.1%. This is a 1.2%p increase from the previous 7th episode (21.9%) and surpasses the previous series high of 22.3% set in the 6th episode by 0.8%p.

Starting at 9.5% with the 1st episode, 'Manager Kim' reached 21.6% by the 4th episode, making it the fastest mini-series aired this year to break the 20% barrier. Currently, 'Manager Kim' has overtaken 'The Fiery Priest' (22%), 'Taxi Driver 2' (21%), and 'Stove League' (19.1%) to rank 2nd in all-time viewership ratings for SBS Friday-Saturday dramas. The remaining challenge is to surpass the all-time record of 29.2% held by 'Penthouse 2' and reach the 30% milestone.

So Ji-sub's Action Transformation and Global Chart Dominance

At the center of this success is So Ji-sub, who plays the lead role, Manager Kim. Returning to SBS after 13 years, he portrays the head of the accounting team at Sangsaeng Savings Bank and a single father raising a daughter. In particular, scenes where he reveals his former special forces abilities after his daughter Min-ji (played by Seo Su-min) is kidnapped have captivated viewers. So Ji-sub's raw action sequences, such as the fight against gangsters in episode 3 and the car chase in episode 6, are serving as key drivers for the show's success.

The craze is also spreading globally. The series held the #1 spot in the Netflix Non-English TV Shows category for two consecutive weeks and appeared in the Netflix Top 10 in 79 countries, including Singapore, Thailand, and Peru. According to Good Data Corporation's Fundex, it also ranked #1 in the integrated TV-OTT drama popularity category for the second week of July for two consecutive weeks.

So Ji-sub's Wish for Season 2 Production

With only two episodes remaining until the drama concludes, attention is focused on So Ji-sub's chances of winning a Grand Prize at the acting awards and the possibility of a Season 2. Since So Ji-sub has a history of winning Best Actor awards at SBS for works such as 'Cain and Abel', 'Ghost', and 'The Master's Sun', discussions regarding his candidacy for the Grand Prize through this current work are surfacing.

During the 'SBS Drama Media Day: Next Episode' held on June 1, So Ji-sub directly expressed his preference when asked whether he wanted Season 2 production or the Grand Prize more, stating, "I really want to do Season 2."