Actor So Ji-sub will take on the title role in SBS’s upcoming drama “Manager Kim (김부장)”, based on the webtoon of the same name.
The new SBS Friday-Saturday drama “Manager Kim (김부장)” (written by Nam Dae-joong and directed by Lee Seung-young), scheduled to air next year, tells the story of Kim, an ordinary family man and citizen, who exposes a secret that must never be revealed in order to search for his beloved daughter, risking everything to save her.
The original webtoon, “Manager Kim,” is a spin-off of Park Tae-jun’s popular comics, including “Lookism,” “Self-Taught Fighting,” and “Life and Death.” Its popularity soared to the top of Naver’s Tuesday webtoon charts upon its release. Nam Dae-jung, a writer adept at blending heartfelt humor with humor in films like “The Great Wish” and “30 Days,” penned the screenplay. Lee Seung-young, known for his nuanced and emotionally resonant directing in films like “Wonderful World,” “Tracer,” and “Voice 2,” helms the film.
So Ji-sub plays the role of Kim, Min-ji’s father and a seemingly ordinary employee at a small savings bank, who is in fact a former North Korean operative. Having been dispatched on countless special missions, he is ranked number one on North Korea’s most wanted blacklist — a ticking time bomb whose existence must remain hidden in South Korea.
So Ji-sub, who has proven his unwavering reputation as a “leading man” with his unstoppable action in various recent works, once again sets a new benchmark for his acting career with “Manager Kim.” With his unconventional, realistic portrayal of fatherly love, So Ji-sub is poised to take on a powerful role in 2026.
The production team stated, “The new SBS Friday-Saturday drama ‘Manager Kim’, which will premiere in 2026, will combine the solid original with So Ji-sub’s vibrant performance as an ‘extraordinary father’ to create a ‘spectacular blockbuster’ that will shake up 2026. We ask for your continued anticipation for ‘Manager Kim,’ where So Ji-sub will shine.”
