After just four episodes, SBS revenge thriller Agent Kim Reactivated has smashed past the 20 percent mark in national TV ratings, hitting 21.6 percent according to Nielsen Korea. Led by veteran star So Ji Sub, the drama is also rising fast on Netflix.
For US K drama fans, these Agent Kim Reactivated ratings signal that this is not just another revenge series, and the run is only four of ten episodes in. The question now is whether this brutal dad action story becomes the next must watch thriller.
Agent Kim Reactivated Ratings Blow Past 20 Percent
Premiering June 27 in SBS’s prime Friday Saturday slot, the series opened strong at 9.5 percent nationwide, then jumped to 15.7 percent for episode 2. Episode 3 reached 18.8 percent, and episode 4 crossed 20 percent to land at 21.6 percent.
- Episode 4 peaked at 25.1 percent in real time and 22.7 percent in Seoul.
- It is described as 2026’s highest rated Korean mini series and top TV program so far.
- Within SBS’s Friday Saturday dramas, it is already the fastest to reach 20 percent.
- The same episode scored 7.6 percent among viewers aged 20 to 49.
That 21.6 percent figure represents roughly one in five TV households in Korea choosing Agent Kim Reactivated over everything else in its time slot. With six episodes still to air, the ratings curve is pointing sharply upward instead of leveling off.
Inside So Ji Sub’s Fierce New Netflix Dad Thriller
Based on the popular Naver webtoon Manager Kim, the drama follows single father and mild mannered bank employee Manager Kim, played by So Ji Sub. When his teenage daughter Min ji is kidnapped in a case tied to school violence, his hidden past as a legendary black ops agent slams back into gear.
Director Lee Seung young and writer Nam Dae joong shape the story as a tight ten episode revenge ride that leans on close quarters combat and raw paternal emotion rather than fantasy. On Netflix, it climbed to number three on the Global Top 10 non English TV list with 6.6 million views for the week of June 22 to 28 and has already spent several days inside the Netflix US TV Top 10.
Can Agent Kim Reactivated Become the Next Must Watch K Action Drama?
As Agent Kim Reactivated ratings cross 20 percent, the series becomes the first Korean mini series in about two years to hit that mark after 2024 favorite Queen of Tears. It is already ranked behind only The Penthouse 2 and The Fiery Priest among SBS Friday Saturday dramas, and its 7.6 percent score in the 20 to 49 age group hints at real cross generation buzz.
With only four of ten episodes out on SBS and Netflix, there is room for even higher numbers if the finale run sticks the landing. New episodes stream on Netflix shortly after airing in Korea through July 25, giving action fans time to catch up now before the final stretch decides whether this becomes a long term K drama classic.