So Ji-sub's 'Manager Kim' surpasses 21%, a movie from 14 years ago

So Ji-sub's Return: 'Manager Kim' Triggers a 14-Year-Old Movie's Resurgence

The SBS Friday-Saturday drama 'Manager Kim' is shattering viewership ratings. The 4th episode, aired on the 4th, recorded a national average rating of 21.6% according to Nielsen Korea, breaking its own record. It showed incredible strength by breaking the 20% barrier in just four episodes. The craze has extended globally. 'Manager Kim,' which appeared at the top of the non-English shows category on Netflix, achieved number one globally in its second week of release and successfully entered the Top 10 in several countries.

This success has led to a phenomenon where viewers are turning to actor So Ji-sub's past filmography. This is the result of viewers, captivated by his middle-aged action in 'Manager Kim,' seeking out his previous works. At the center of this is the 2012 film 'The Man from Nowhere.' This movie, which tells the story of a contract killer organization, drew 1.11 million viewers nationwide upon its release. Recently, it has been recording a dramatic resurgence after 14 years, climbing to 9th place in the Netflix Korean movie rankings. So Ji-sub's action as the cold-blooded killer 'Ji Hyeong-do' is receiving renewed attention.

A 3-Minute North Korean Action Sequence Crafted by AI Technology

One of the driving forces behind the rising ratings of 'Manager Kim' is its overwhelming visual beauty. The scene where the protagonist is dispatched to North Korea to perform a special mission concentrated the AI technological prowess of Morpheus Studio, a VFX (Visual Effects) startup. This sequence, broadcast over episodes 1 and 2, lasts about 3 minutes and captures building explosions set in North Korea, a vehicle chase on snowy roads and through tunnels, vehicle rollovers, and underwater scenes. This is the first case in domestic dramas where a long 3-minute sequence was produced entirely using AI.

Morpheus Studio's AI platform 'AICRON' was used 100% for this task. It solved the problem of maintaining character consistency, a major challenge in AI video production, and even implemented close-up shots showing character expressions. Ryu Jae-hwan, Vice President of Morpheus Studio, who oversaw the video work, stated, "It wasn't just about replacing second-by-second cut work with AI; we used AI for the entire sequence that was essential to enhancing the story's completeness." Vice President Ryu has a career as a VFX supervisor for films such as '1947 Boston,' 'Swing Kids,' 'Pandora,' and 'Jungcheon,' winning Grand Bell and Blue Dragon Film Awards. He explained that this work is an example proving that AI can be a powerful partner for creators with good planning and stories.

Namkoong Min's Winning Move: A Direct Ratings Battle with 'The Completion of Marriage'

The new KBS2 Saturday-Sunday drama 'The Completion of Marriage,' which competes in the same time slot, has chosen a direct confrontation. Actor Namkoong Min mentioned the underperformance of his previous work 'Our Movie' at a production press conference held at The Saint in Guro-gu, Seoul, on the 1st. He stated, "It was a good work, but it didn't approach many people in an entertaining way," noting that the ratings stayed in the 3-4% range despite having no competing works at the time. However, he expressed confidence in his next project. Namkoong Min said, "When I first saw the script, I read episodes 1 to 4 without a single break. I felt it could be loved by various age groups."

'The Completion of Marriage' is a crime thriller depicting the story of doctor Kang Tae-joo (played by Namkoong Min), who fights a desperate battle against criminal Noh Man-hee (played by Kim Dae-myung) to save his wife Go Se-yoon (played by Lee Seol), who was kidnapped just before their divorce. Regarding the ratings competition with 'Manager Kim,' Namkoong Min emphasized the difference, saying, "It's a shame that 'The Completion of Marriage' starts at the time when 'Manager Kim' is most interesting," but added, "The vibes of the two works are different. If 'Manager Kim' feels imaginative, 'The Completion of Marriage' has a depth that is grounded in reality." The drama began its first broadcast on the 4th and is on an upward trend, recording ratings of 4.4% for episode 1 and 6.4% for episode 2. This is Namkoong Min's return to KBS2 after seven years since 'Doctor Prisoner.'

The Combination of Technology and Acting Skills Changing the Drama Market Landscape

Currently, the Friday-Saturday drama market is a battleground between So Ji-sub's explosive genre hit and Namkoong Min's thriller. 'Manager Kim' is gaining momentum, surpassing 21% in just four episodes, while 'The Completion of Marriage' is chasing behind, quickly raising its ratings after shaking off the disappointment of its previous work. The AI-based high-quality video production method shown by 'Manager Kim' has presented a new milestone for future drama production environments. This is because it opened a way to maximize visual perfection while reducing massive location and special effects costs.

The movie 'The Man from Nowhere' starring So Ji-sub drew 1.11 million viewers nationwide upon its release in 2012. As 'Manager Kim' became a hit with a 21.6% rating in just four episodes, a trend of searching for So Ji-sub's previous works emerged, causing the 14-year-old work 'The Man from Nowhere' to experience a resurgence, climbing to 9th place in the Netflix Korean movie rankings.