Fans of South Korean star So Ji-Sub are glad that he is back with "Agent Kim Reactivated" (also referred to as "Mr. Kim" in some places), a new action thriller series on Netflix, after the success of "Mercy for None" (if you haven't watched it, please do so as soon as possible, because it's one of the best action thrillers of all time).
"Agent Kim Reactivated", which premiered on June 26, is officially the most popular non-English show on Netflix, as per the streamer's official weekly analytics data released via Netflix Tudum. The series reportedly accumulated 10.5 million views and over 44 million viewing hours worldwide during its peak tracking week. Interestingly, it has successfully dethroned another hit Korean thriller series, "Teach You a Lesson", which had previously dominated the No. 1 spot for four consecutive weeks. The show’s popularity is also visible on social media, where people enthusiastically discuss it.
The data showed that "Agent Kim Reactivated" has broken into the overall Top 10 charts across 79 countries and secured the absolute No. 1 ranking in 11 countries, including South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Peru, and the Philippines. This achievement is said to be highly unusual since the series is a weekly broadcast drama (airing two episodes a week on SBS and Netflix), unlike a traditional Netflix Original format that opts for a single drop of all episodes. Usually, a weekly series takes much longer to reach 10 million views, making its second-week surge a remarkable outlier.
Nielsen Korea ratings also show that "Agent Kim Reactivated" has officially shattered the 20% viewership milestone, becoming the fastest miniseries to cross the 15% and 20% thresholds in the last five years. It has already secured its position as the third-highest-rated Friday-Saturday drama in SBS TV history, trailing only "The Penthouse 2" and "The Fiery Priest".
Based on the highly popular webtoon "Manager Kim", the story appeals to a diverse target audience with its impressive blend of raw martial arts choreography and an emotion-driven narrative. It revolves around an unassuming, ordinary bank manager who is secretly an elite, blacklisted special agent. He is "reactivated" when his teenage daughter goes missing, and all hell breaks loose.
