So Ji-sub's 'Manager Kim' surpasses 21.6% viewership rating in just 4 episodes

So Ji-sub's 'Mr. Kim' Creates a Sensation, Reaching 21.6% Viewership in Just 4 Episodes

The SBS Friday-Saturday drama 'Mr. Kim' is shaking up the viewership landscape immediately upon its broadcast. The viewership rating for the 4th episode aired on the 4th recorded 21.6% nationwide according to Nielsen Korea. Starting at 9.5% in the 1st episode, the drama has been breaking its own record every episode, climbing to 15.7% in the 2nd episode, 18.8% in the 3rd, and finally breaking the 20% mark by the 4th episode. This performance ranks 3rd among all SBS Friday-Saturday drama records, following 'Penthouse 2' (29.2%) and 'The Fiery Priest' (22.0%). It shows an upward trend that significantly surpasses the peak viewership of 11.8% recorded by its predecessor, 'Wonderful New World'.

Based on the webtoon of the same name on Naver, this work combines the realistic struggles of a middle-aged man with hidden action. Kim Bu-jang, played by So Ji-sub, is a manager at a small-to-medium savings bank—an inconspicuous figure at work and an awkward father at home who wants to communicate with his daughter. However, the reality is different. It is a revenge action drama where he unseals his former special agent abilities to find his missing daughter.

In the 4th episode, the conflict reached its peak. After Kim Bu-jang's daughter, Kim Min-ji (played by Seo Su-min), disappears, Kim Bu-jang senses that it is not a simple runaway case but a potential kidnapping and violent incident, and begins his pursuit. In this process, Kim Bu-jang's past is revealed, and his old friends Seong Han-su (played by Choi Dae-hoon) and Park Jin-cheol (played by Yoon Kyung-ho) join him to establish a cooperative system. The episode depicted a tense situation where Kim Bu-jang heads to Myeongpo Port with a gunshot wound, and his daughter Min-ji, having survived a cold storage room, faces another crisis. Furthermore, with the appearance of North Korean agent Park Kang-sung (played by Kim Sung-kyu) at Myeongpo Port, the chase expands into a scale involving state agencies, criminal organizations, and North Korean forces.

The Power of 'Ajusshi Fantasy' Captivating Viewers of All Generations

The drama's popularity is not limited to a specific age group. According to Nielsen Korea data for the 4th episode, the female viewership in their 30s and 50s recorded a peak market share of 46%, and the female viewership in their 20s recorded a peak of 44%. The influx of male viewers is also distinct. The market share for men in their 30s soared nearly sixfold compared to the first episode, and the market share for men in their 20s also exceeded 50%. The portrayal of a middle-aged man struggling between his presence at work and his responsibility toward his family resonated with all generations.

Recently, a trend of 'Ajusshi Fantasy' has emerged in the K-drama landscape, where middle-aged men—who were previously consumed as helpless breadwinners or victims of patriarchy—appear as protagonists. 'Mr. Kim' shows a narrative where the protagonist overcomes obstacles with overwhelming power. Similarly, works that highlight the experience and responsibility of middle-aged men are following this trend, such as the MBC drama 'Fifty Percent' (starring Shin Ha-kyun, Oh Jung-se, and Heo Sung-tae), where characters overcome mid-life crises through their years of experience, or the Netflix film 'Husbands' (starring Jin Seon-kyu, Gong Myung, and Yoon Kyung-ho), where an ex-husband and current husband cooperate to save their kidnapped family. The Ji Sung-led drama 'Apartment', which is set to premiere on the 11th, also follows this trend as a crime comedy about a former gang leader running for the position of residents' representative chairman.

In the process of Kim Bu-jang (played by So Ji-sub) searching for his missing daughter Kim Min-ji (played by Seo Su-min), his old friends Seong Han-su (played by Choi Dae-hoon) and Park Jin-cheol (played by Yoon Kyung-ho) join him to carry out a joint operation. Beyond a simple father-daughter relationship, they serve as the core axis of the chase, which involves past connections, state agencies, and criminal organizations. The North Korean agent Park Kang-sung (played by Kim Sung-kyu), who appears at Myeongpo Port, opposes Kim Bu-jang's group and expands the scale of the incident.