So Ji Sub's 30-Year Career: The 'Manager Kim' Impact

For an actor, a representative character is like another face, becoming a symbol that comes to mind first along with the actor's name, even after the work is finished. For actor So Ji-sub, in his 31st year since debut, 'Manager Kim' shows the potential to become a new descriptor.

SBS's Friday-Saturday drama 'Manager Kim' premiered on the 26th, marking So Ji-sub's return to an SBS drama after 13 years since 'Master's Sun'. This drama is an action drama depicting the process of the world's most ordinary father transforming into the most dangerous man to reclaim his only daughter.

The drama's anticipation translated into viewership ratings, with the first episode recording 9.5% and soaring to 15.7% by the second episode (Nielsen Korea, nationwide). Furthermore, it achieved significant success in terms of OTT and buzz, ranking first on Netflix's daily charts and placing So Ji-sub at number one in the TV-OTT integrated drama cast buzzworthiness rankings by Good Data Corporation.

Viewers are praising the drama for capturing both artistic merit and popular appeal, citing the combination of action and crime thriller, fast-paced plot, and satisfying good-triumphs-over-evil narrative. So Ji-sub plays Manager Kim, an ordinary family man and former North Korean special agent, leading the drama with his restrained emotional acting and powerful action sequences.

So Ji-sub, now in his 30th year since debut, debuted in the 1997 SBS drama 'The Woman'. He has since solidified his position by starring in hit dramas such as 'What Happened in Bali', 'I'm Sorry, I Love You', and 'Master's Sun'. In particular, Cha Moo-hyuk from 'I'm Sorry, I Love You' and Joo Joong-won from 'Master's Sun' are still loved as his representative characters.