Agent Kim Reactivated hits No. 1 on Netflix non-English TV chart

The SBS Friday-Saturday drama 'Agent Kim Reactivated,' starring So Ji-sub, is writing a new chapter in K-drama history by capturing the attention of global viewers far beyond the domestic market.

Having established itself as this year's biggest hit by surpassing a 20% domestic viewership rating, 'Agent Kim Reactivated' has also reached the top of the Netflix global charts, proving both its artistic quality and mass appeal.

According to the global Top 10 rankings announced by Netflix's official aggregation site Tudum, 'Agent Kim Reactivated' ranked No. 1 in the global non-English TV shows category from June 29 to July 5. During this period, it recorded 10.5 million views based on cumulative watching time, demonstrating an overwhelming presence in the global market.

Following its initial release on June 26, the series entered the Top 3 of the Netflix non-English TV shows category in just three days, followed by a steep upward trend that saw it reach the top spot in its second week of release.

In particular, 'Agent Kim Reactivated' took the No. 1 spot in 11 countries, including the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, Bolivia, and Peru, and appeared in the Netflix Top 10 charts in a total of 79 countries. This serves as an indicator that the narrative and characters are resonating broadly with global viewers, rather than being confined to a specific region.

The domestic performance is equally unrivaled. 'Agent Kim Reactivated' has recorded an explosive upward trend since its debut, breaking viewership rating records among dramas aired this year.

Episode 4, which aired on the 4th, recorded a 21.6% viewership rating based on Nielsen Korea's nationwide households, once again breaking its own personal record. Starting with 9.5% for the first episode, the series has shown a steady rising curve with 15.7% for episode 2, 18.8% for episode 3, and 21.6% for episode 4, proving the high level of viewer immersion.

Notably, surpassing a 20% nationwide viewership rating within just four episodes is a record for a mini-series seen in about two years. Compared to other successful SBS Friday-Saturday dramas such as 'The Fiery Priest,' 'Stove League,' and 'The Penthouse 2: War in Life,' it is being evaluated as a new success case due to its rapid growth rate.

The series also showed strength in the 2049 viewership rating, a key indicator for the advertising market. It secured a wide viewership base spanning from the younger generation to middle-aged viewers, recording an average of 7.6% and a peak of 8.8%.

Analysts suggest that even in a content consumption environment that has shifted toward OTT, this work has reaffirmed the influence of traditional broadcasting platforms.

The dominance of 'Agent Kim Reactivated' continues in topicality indicators as well. In the integrated TV-OTT drama topicality survey for the first week of July released by Good Data Corporation Funddex, 'Agent Kim Reactivated' took first place in the drama category, and lead actor So Ji-sub reached the top in the cast topicality category.

This signifies that beyond a simple rise in viewership ratings, public interest in the characters and the actors is spreading simultaneously. In particular, So is receiving critical acclaim for leading the drama with his seasoned acting skills and intense character interpretation.

The global success of 'Agent Kim Reactivated' aligns with recent shifts in K-content. While Korean dramas in overseas markets were once consumed primarily by specific genres and fanbases, there is a growing trend of works combining human narratives, social messages, and high-caliber acting that transcend language and cultural barriers.

The production team stated, "It is meaningful that the passionate love of domestic viewers is leading to interest from global viewers. We are grateful to the viewers who empathize with the work across nations and languages. We will do our best to deliver more fun and immersion than expected in the remaining episodes."

Attention is focused on what additional records 'Agent Kim Reactivated' will add to the K-drama success lineage, having secured all three major indicators: domestic viewership rating, topicality, and global OTT performance.