[Edaily Starin YUN GI BACK Reporter] The SBS Friday-Saturday drama “Manager Kim,” starring So Ji-sub, is continuing its unstoppable run of success, breaking its own record for highest viewership just three episodes into its run.

According to Nielsen Korea on the 4th, the third episode of “Manager Kim,” which aired on the 3rd, recorded an 18.8% rating nationwide and a 19.6% rating in the Seoul metropolitan area. Not only did it set a new series high, but it also marks the highest rating among miniseries aired this year.
The upward trend is steep. Starting with a 9.5% rating in its premiere, “Manager Kim” shot to fame overnight with a 15.7% rating in its second episode, and soared to 18.8% in the third episode, putting it on the verge of breaking the 20% mark in just three episodes. In a drama market where viewership ratings have generally leveled off, this upward trajectory is being hailed as exceptional. Among all weekend dramas, it has come very close to the 20.5% recorded by the finale of KBS 2TV’s “Glorious Days,” starring Jung Il-woo.
Episode 3 depicted Director Kim (So Ji-sub) recovering the cell phone of his missing daughter, Kim Min-ji (Seo Su-min), with the help of Seong Han-su (Choi Dae-hoon). Upon discovering the loneliness and pain his daughter had left behind in her phone, Director Kim burst into tears out of belated guilt, and at the end of the episode, North Korean operative Park Kang-sung (Kim Seong-gyu) pointed a gun at his head, bringing the tension to a fever pitch. This plot development, which simultaneously amplified both emotional depth and action, drew praise from viewers immediately after the broadcast.
First aired on the 26th of last month, “Director Kim” is a revenge action drama depicting the journey of a former special agent—now living as an ordinary family man—who returns to the fray to rescue his missing daughter. Combining paternal love reminiscent of the movie “Taken,” fast-paced action, and So Ji-sub’s signature intense charisma, the series is rapidly expanding its viewership through word of mouth.
The series is making its mark not only domestically but also overseas. Simultaneously released on Netflix, “Director Kim” climbed to No. 3 on the Top 10 Non-English TV Shows list announced by Netflix’s official site, Tudum, just three days after its release, proving its potential for global success. By securing both high viewership ratings on domestic TV and success on global platforms, the series is poised to become this summer’s standout hit.