Despite a divisive scandal linked to the far-right online community Ilgan Best (Ilbe), the soaring ratings of the SBS drama Agent Kim Reactivated have become the hottest topic on global K-snapp.
Agent Kim Reactivated follows an ordinary father who turns into the most dangerous man alive to rescue his only daughter. Based on the webtoon of the same name, Agent Kim Reactivated is a 10-episode series that premiered on the 26th of last month. As of the 9th, four episodes have aired.
The show made a shocking splash from its very first episode. Starting at 9.5% nationwide ratings (Nielsen Korea), Agent Kim Reactivated cracked double digits by episode 2 with 15.7%, then climbed to 18.8% in episode 3, and hit 21.6% with the July 4 broadcast—sending ripples across the industry. It now ranks third in all-time ratings among SBS Friday–Saturday dramas, following The Penthouse 2: War in Life and The Fiery Priest.
However, an unexpected controversy has flared alongside the drama’s success. The original webtoon Agent Kim Reactivated is the fifth series from creator Park Tae-joon’s universe. In the midst of the show’s rise, online communities have reignited debate over Park’s alleged ties to Ilbe, stemming from claims that certain terms used in his work Lookism mirror far-right slang. Park vehemently denied the allegations at the time, but the drama’s popularity has revived scrutiny of his past.
Even so, the buzz around Agent Kim Reactivated is only growing. Its clear retribution theme—where “bad guys get what’s coming”—and the fact that it marks So Ji-sub’s first major comeback project in 13 years are fueling interest. Now streaming on Netflix, the series has surged to No. 1 globally in the Non-English TV Shows category, claimed Top 1 in 11 countries and Top 10 in 79 countries, and seized the No. 1 spot in TV-OTT drama and cast buzz rankings—cementing a full-blown phenomenon.
Meanwhile, episode 5 of Agent Kim Reactivated, airing tomorrow (the 10th), is set to reveal the secret behind Codename 66, keeping viewers on edge.