[Edaily Starin Gim Ga Yeong Reporter] “If you create good content, viewers will definitely come back. I think the success of the drama ‘Manager Kim’ proves that.”

Shin Young-jin,

of

—the production company behind the SBS drama “Director Kim”—stated

with E-Daily, “The success of ‘Director Kim’ goes beyond the success of a single production; it is a case that demonstrates the potential to overcome the prolonged crisis facing K-content.”
"Director Kim," which wrapped up on the 25th of last month, is an action drama depicting the journey of Director Kim (played by So Ji-sub), a North Korean special operative living as an ordinary father, as he sets out to rescue his kidnapped daughter. It surpassed a 20% viewership rating after just four episodes and recorded a peak rating of 23.1% (based on Nielsen Korea’s nationwide household ratings), marking the highest viewership rating among dramas aired this year. It also gained immense popularity overseas, ranking No. 1 in Netflix’s Global Non-English TV Shows category for three consecutive weeks.
Industry observers note that this is a remarkable achievement, given that the content industry is currently experiencing an extreme slump, with the number of drama productions plummeting due to a “series of setbacks” such as rising production costs, a shrinking advertising market, and declining investment.
CEO Shin cited the drama’s “simplicity, fast pace, style, and humor” as the keys to its success. He explained, “‘Manager Kim’ features straightforward storytelling and a fast-paced plot, with action and comedy elements blended just right, making it a show viewers can enjoy without feeling overwhelmed.” The solid intellectual property (IP) of the original webtoon was also a key factor in its success. He emphasized, “The strength of the original work—with its loyal fan base and well-developed world-building—played a major role,” adding, “We confirmed that it is possible to achieve success by leveraging the original’s strengths while adding dramatic appeal.” In particular, he cited the ability to shorten the production period compared to original works as a key strength. CEO Shin noted, “Works based on source material can shorten the production period compared to original works,” pointing out, “Trends in content change rapidly these days; a genre that was popular during the planning stage may no longer be in vogue by the time the show airs, so this approach is well-suited to such a rapidly changing media environment.”
“Manager Kim” also serves as a showcase of Fantagio’s production capabilities. CEO Shin remarked, “Many people didn’t even know that Fantagio produces dramas,” adding, “We’ve been consistently producing content at Fantagio, but ‘Manager Kim’ seems to have brought this to the attention of a wider audience, making it an even more meaningful project.”
CEO Shin also expressed his hope that the success of “Manager Kim” would serve as a catalyst for expanding genre diversity. While the broadcasting industry has recently been focused on producing romantic comedies centered on actors in their 20s and 30s aimed at overseas markets, “Manager Kim” demonstrated that genre-based dramas featuring characters in their 40s and 50s can also be successful. He remarked, “It demonstrated that K-dramas can be successful in the global market even without relying on the romantic comedy genre,” adding, “I hope the success of ‘Director Kim’ will encourage broadcasters to experiment with diverse formats, creating a virtuous cycle within the industry.”
Meanwhile, Fantagio plans to use the success of “Manager Kim” as a springboard to accelerate its efforts to secure comprehensive IP spanning dramas, films, and artists. CEO Shin said, “We are currently preparing a number of projects,” adding, “We will present content across various genres, including works that can be as successful as ‘Manager Kim.’” He continued, “As a company that combines content production and artist management, we will continue to secure competitive IP,” emphasizing, “Content production and artist management are inseparable; we will grow both businesses and achieve a win-win situation.”