[Edaily Reporter Lee Youn-jung ] SBS’s Friday-Saturday drama “Manager Kim” concluded its run in spectacular fashion, setting a new series high with a peak viewership rating of 27.1% and rewriting the record for the highest-rated miniseries aired in 2026.

According to SBS on the 26th, the final episode of “Manager Kim,” which aired the previous day, recorded a 23.4% rating in the Seoul metropolitan area and a 23% rating nationwide, based on Nielsen Korea data. It ranked first among all channels in its time slot for 10 consecutive episodes, and its 2049 demographic rating averaged 7.4% with a peak of 8.42%.

In the finale, Manager Kim (So Ji-sub), along with Seong Han-su (Choi Dae-hoon) and Park Jin-cheol (Yoon Kyung-ho), turned Joo Kang-chan’s (Joo Sang-wook) trap against him, staging a thrilling comeback. Subsequently, the corruption and shady dealings at Ju Hak Construction were exposed, leading to the downfall of the villains one by one, and Director Kim finally made Ju Kang-chan—the man who had destroyed his life and that of his daughter Min-ji—pay for his crimes.

Having completed all his missions, Director Kim faked his own death and was reunited with Min-ji. The two promised to start a new life under new identities, and Seong Han-su and Park Jin-cheol, continuing their unwavering friendship, joined the three friends in their fresh start.

The final scene showed Director Kim, Seong Han-su, and Park Jin-cheol walking side by side, accompanied by Min-ji’s voiceover: “I suppose all fathers in the world are just ordinary people.” The episode concluded on a poignant note with a scene of Director Kim heading to an interview at his new workplace, “Baekho Human Resources.”

Hong Seong-chang, CEO of Studio S, stated, “Thanks to the viewers’ overwhelming support, we’ve achieved this deeply moving success,” adding, “The cast’s passionate performances, the empathy conveyed through paternal love, and the thrilling action all came together to earn the show so much love. We will continue to repay this support with high-quality content.”

The production team also expressed, “We are grateful to our viewers for their passionate support and encouragement from the very first episode to the very last,” adding, “We hope the story of fathers who gave up their ordinary lives to protect their families will linger in viewers’ hearts as a source of warm comfort and uplifting energy.”