Agent Kim Reactivated hits 23% rating but faces PPL backlash

SBS's Friday-Saturday drama 'Agent Kim Reactivated' concluded with a spectacular finale, featuring overwhelming viewership ratings and a cathartic tale of poetic justice. The record of 23.0% nationwide viewership and a peak of 27.1% was the highest performance for a mini-series in 2026. Having started with a 9.5% rating in its first episode, the work surged past the 20% mark through word-of-mouth, making 'Agent Kim Reactivated' the most notable success story in this year's terrestrial drama market.

However, even in this moment of perfect victory, a small sense of regret remained in the hearts of viewers. It was the excessive PPL (product placement) that dominated the latter half of the final episode.

The final episode, broadcast on the 25th, concluded with Agent Kim (So Ji-sub) performing a life-threatening final mission to dismantle the forces of evil. The corruption and dark dealings of Ju Hak Construction were exposed to the world, and Joo Kang-chan (Joo Sang-wook) fell due to the trap of desire he himself created. Above all, the scene where Agent Kim reunites with his daughter Minzy (Seo Soo-min), whom he tried to protect even at the cost of everything, completed the core message that permeated the entire work: 'A strong person is someone who protects others.'

In particular, the final scene showing Agent Kim starting anew with a new name and a new life, and the scene where he encounters Lee Do-gyu from Baekho Manpower Agency, left high expectations for Season 2.

However, before the emotional resonance could even fade, the concentration of advertisements during the final 20 minutes of the drama shook the sense of immersion.

With various PPL such as Coffee In candy, automobiles, revolving sushi restaurants, and eyewear brands appearing consecutively in a short period, viewers reacted by saying, "It felt like a collection of advertisements rather than a final episode." In particular, as product exposure continued right up until the moment before the ending, where the tension should have reached its peak, criticisms arose that it severed the emotional narrative built up throughout the series.

On online communities and SNS, reactions such as "The last 20 minutes were a PPL chaos party," "The ending was perfect, but the emotion was cut off because of the ads," and "It felt like watching a 30-minute commercial" continued to pour in.

Of course, there were opinions that the production reality must be considered. Terrestrial dramas are structured to inevitably rely on advertisements and PPL to secure production costs. Especially in a situation like recently, where production costs are rising and they must compete with global OTT platforms, a certain level of indirect advertising is unavoidable.

The problem is not the advertisements themselves, but the position the advertisements occupy within the narrative.

Good PPL blends naturally into the world of the work. When it connects with a character's lifestyle or the flow of the story, it actually adds a sense of realism. However, the moment a viewer feels, "This scene was made for an advertisement," the work is dragged out of its fictional world into a real-world consumer space.

The reason 'Agent Kim Reactivated' received high praise was not just for its flashy action. The process of an ordinary middle-aged man throwing everything away for his family, and the narrative of choosing responsibility and love over power, moved the hearts of viewers. Therefore, what was needed until the final moment was not the image of a product, but the emotional afterimage left by the character of Agent Kim.

Because of this, some viewers are expressing the opinion that "If the quality is this high, I hope Season 2 is produced by an OTT." This is because global OTT originals, such as Netflix, have a relatively lower burden of advertisement exposure and possess a production environment that prioritizes the flow of the work.

Of course, OTT is not a perfect answer either. Another reality of recovering production costs and platform competition exists. However, for a work that has grown through the power of its characters and worldview like 'Agent Kim Reactivated,' the voice calling for a production method that can maintain the density of the story in the next season is gaining persuasiveness.

Ultimately, 'Agent Kim Reactivated' is a successful drama.

So Ji-sub's heavy acting, the new interpretation of a father, the cathartic punishment of the villain, and the setting of a hidden ability of an ordinary man wearing glasses left a strong impression on viewers.

However, the PPL controversy in the final moment left one question.

To what extent can a good drama accept commercialism?

If Season 2 of 'Agent Kim Reactivated' is produced, what viewers want now is not just bigger action or stronger villains. It will be a production environment that can maintain the emotion and immersion of the first season.