Actor So Ji-seob proved his undeniable presence as his first return to the living-room screen in five years, snapping up the No. 1 spot for cast buzz with his appearance.
Breaking 18% in just two episodes — a super-fast hit record that rocked the broadcast industry
SBS’s new weekend Friday-Saturday drama “Kim Bu-jang” is driving a fierce summer viewing surge as it takes both ratings and buzz in just its first two episodes. Based on the popular webtoon of the same name, the series is a revenge action thriller in which an ordinary father awakens the instinct he has been hiding to get back the daughter who was kidnapped and fights a brutal battle.
From the first broadcast, it recorded a peak momentary rating of 11.3%, topping the list for first-episode ratings among the miniseries aired this year. Then in episode 2, the highest rating surged as high as 18.1%, quickly clearing the 15% milestone. The 2049 target rating also hit a top 7.17%, securing No. 1 across all channels for the week in combined programming, drawing admiration both inside and outside the broadcasting world.
The buzz index is just as overwhelming. According to the results of Good Data Corporation’s FundeX investigation for the fourth week of June, So Ji-seob took the No. 1 spot in the TV/OTT combined drama cast buzz category within the first week of broadcast. The work itself also claimed No. 1 in TV drama buzz, proving its explosive popularity.
“Then I’ll have to do lawless middle-aged…” — suspense peaks with a twist ending
In the last episode, Kim Bu-jang (played by So Ji-seob), who unsealed his past monster-like instincts to find his missing daughter Min-ji (played by Seo Soo-min), declared a chilling revenge and delivered a powerful jolt to viewers. In particular, at the end of the broadcast, a phone call coming in with the name of the daughter who was believed to be dead was answered in a life-or-death confirmation twist ending, maximizing curiosity about what comes next.
Starting with episode 3, airing on the 3rd, a full-fledged daughter-tracking operation begins. Adding to that, Seong Han-su (played by Choi Dae-hoon), Kim Bu-jang’s longtime friend, will join as a special support unit, unveiling the true essence of high-energy action. The two “lawless middle-aged” men’s surprising sides, which contrast with how they refer to themselves as ordinary guys, along with their flashy action chemistry, are being cited as the top points to watch going forward.
The synergy of So Ji-seob and Choi Dae-hoon’s “lawless middle-aged” — hints at full-scale bare-handed action
Kim Bu-jang is expected to plunge alone into the middle of enemy territory in a black suit, completing a bare-handed action sequence with overwhelming impact and delivering a thrilling catharsis. Choi Dae-hoon will also add vitality to the drama by showcasing his own hidden twist action skills within his signature cheerful charm. Viewers are set to lock onto the tight bromance and satisfying action of these two “lawless middle-aged” who teamed up to save their daughter.
The production team said that in episode 3, a full-fledged episode will unfold in which Kim Bu-jang rushes into enemy territory without hesitation to rescue his daughter, asking viewers to look forward to the catharsis that will be created by So Ji-seob’s weighty action and Choi Dae-hoon’s upbeat performance.
