Director Lee Seung Young has shared his deep trust and appreciation for So Ji Sub following the successful conclusion of SBS drama Agent Kim Reactivated.
The action revenge drama ended on July 25 after reaching a nationwide peak rating of 23.1 percent, according to Nielsen Korea. The series follows an ordinary father who becomes a dangerous fighter while trying to save his only daughter.
Director Lee said the drama received a much faster and stronger response than the production team expected.
He recalled, “When the first episode’s rating came out higher than expected, the first thing I felt was gratitude toward the promotional team.”
The director said messages began arriving early in the morning after the second episode as staff members reacted to the sudden rise in public interest.
He explained, “From the second or third episode, I kept wondering, ‘What is happening?’ However, what mattered more was whether viewers would continue watching until the end.”
Lee Seung Young added that the difference between ratings of 10 percent and 20 percent was easy to feel. He expressed gratitude that viewers remained with the drama instead of losing interest halfway through the story.
The director was especially surprised to learn that many families were watching the series together on weekends.
He said, “I received many messages saying that families gathered every weekend to watch it. Hearing that the drama helped them enjoy their weekends made me very happy.”
According to Lee, the drama connected with a wide audience because it combined an emotional family story with comedy and intense action. He also praised the writer for placing humorous moments throughout scenes that could otherwise have felt too serious.
Lee Seung Young then spoke warmly about lead actor So Ji Sub. His comment about not wanting to work with the actor again was made as a lighthearted joke rather than criticism.
He said, “I joked that it might be difficult to work with So Ji Sub again because the experience was so good. The phrase ‘decision to leave’ feels appropriate. It made me think that perhaps we should part while everything is still at its best.”
The director also shared an example of So Ji Sub’s consideration for the production team. After nearly a year without contacting him, the actor called on the same day the final edited episode was completed.
Lee recalled So Ji Sub saying, “You worked very hard. Please also share my gratitude with all the staff members who stayed with the project until the end.”
The director said this showed that So Ji Sub understood how much effort from actors and behind the scenes staff is required to complete a drama.
He added, “It is rare to meet an actor who does more than perform his own role and also treats the unseen staff members as equal colleagues making the same drama.”
Lee Seung Young emphasized that the success of Agent Kim Reactivated did not come from one person alone. He credited the strong teamwork between the cast and production staff for helping the drama reach its high ratings and receive widespread support.
