KB News Desk
The 48-year-old action star speaks about embracing his new nickname, the pressure of a potential Season 2
“Agent Kim Reactivated” was a summer phenomenon few in the industry saw coming.
The 10-episode series wrapped its run on July 25, with ratings peaking at a nationwide series-high of 23.1 percent, according to Nielsen Korea. The dramatic surge cemented the project as one of Korea’s defining television hits of the year — with veteran star So Ji-sub anchoring the show’s massive breakout as a long-established name among the country’s blue-chip action leads.
Playing the titular Kim, a former special operative on a desperate mission to save his kidnapped daughter, So delivered a performance that gradually earned him a new title in domestic media circles: the Korean Liam Neeson.
That screen persona, however, stands in contrast to the actor himself. Offscreen, So is notably reserved and soft-spoken. Sitting down for an interview in Seoul on Thursday, he smiled quietly as he reflected on the project’s massive footprint.
“Honestly, it feels a little like I’m being pranked,” So said. “I’m still wondering, ‘What’s going on?’ and feel a bit dazed by everything. When we first started, the team talked about how great it would be if ratings could simply cross the 10 percent threshold.”
The show’s upward ratings trajectory caught the cast and crew entirely off guard.
“Everything about the momentum was surprising,” he said. “From the premiere numbers to the steep climb that followed, and the fact that the viewership sustained at that level, it was all unexpected.”
That uncertainty had loomed over So throughout production. He recalled confiding in director Lee Seung-young during filming that he had no metric for how the public would react, even joking about early retirement should the series flop.
“When I’m working on a project, I usually have a baseline sense of whether audiences will respond,” he said. “But with ‘Agent Kim Reactivated,’ I really couldn’t predict it. I even told the director, ‘We both think this is strong, but if viewers reject it, maybe we should start planning our retirement.'”
Having recently anchored the hard-hitting noir Netflix series “Mercy for None,” So said he was seeking another physically demanding project, and “Agent Kim Reactivated” had hit his desk at an opportune moment.
“After returning to heavy action in ‘Mercy for None,’ I developed an appetite for another physical role,” he recalled. “And beyond the set pieces, I resonated with the core story. I was also eager to explore the dynamic of playing a father to a daughter.”
The performance ultimately garnered him his second major Hollywood star comparison in recent years. Having already been dubbed the Korean John Wick for his turn in “Mercy for None,” the media shifted to the “Taken” framework for his latest role.
“Last time I was the Korean John Wick, and now I’m the Korean Liam Neeson,” So said, with a laugh. “(Neeson) is an actor I hold in high regard, so the comparison is flattering. We even joked on set about how wild a crossover between the worlds of ‘Agent Kim Reactivated’ and ‘Taken’ would be.”
Critical consensus has largely highlighted the show’s taut pacing and punchy payoffs, but So attributes the show’s staying power to its narrative anchor.
“Industry tracking noted the fast pace and cathartic resolution, but I believe the emotional core did the heavy lifting,” he said. “From preproduction, I approached it not merely as an action project, but as a drama about family bonds. I think that emotional groundwork is what truly resonated.”
The series has marked a clear inflection point in So’s public image, with fans increasingly addressing him by his character’s name — Manager Kim — a career milestone he equates to his breakout era.
“If ‘I’m Sorry, I Love You’ launched the first major chapter of my career, I believe ‘Agent Kim Reactivated’ marks the beginning of the second,” he reflected.
At 48, So has no intention of stepping back from physically demanding roles. Instead, he maintains a rigorous daily routine to stay camera-ready for stunt work.
“I feel confident in my physical conditioning for action,” he said. “It’s a space I want to continue occupying as I mature. I keep a strict routine even during downtime, training twice daily so my body stays mobile — boxing in the mornings and strength conditioning in the afternoons.”
With the finale still fresh, So is aware of the growing talk around expanding the franchise, though he said it remains uncertain whether those plans will move forward.
Should a second season move into active development, the primary hurdle will be constructing a compelling catalyst for the protagonist, said So.
“The core creative challenge will be framing a new central conflict,” So said. “Kim doesn’t have a wife in the lore, so we can’t repeat that tragic loss, nor can we put his daughter back in jeopardy.”
As for his immediate slate, So is weighing his next steps carefully, acknowledging that the massive ratings of “Agent Kim Reactivated” set a high bar. Yet he remains open to pivoting back toward lighter fare, citing a recent broadcast rewatch of his hit 2013 project “Master’s Sun” as inspiration.
“I’d love to venture back into romantic comedy,” he said. “Though it makes me wonder if the market has space for mature, adult-led rom-coms today.”
