So Ji-sub, one of Korea's most enduring action stars, channels shades of Liam Neeson in his latest series, Agent Kim Reactivated, a live-action adaptation of the hit Naver webtoon Manager Kim.
The series centres on a man known only as Manager Kim (So), an unassuming bank employee and devoted single father raising his daughter, Min-ji, on his own. To the outside world, he appears to be an ordinary salaryman. But when Min-ji suddenly vanishes, Kim is forced to reveal a hidden past and unleash a formidable set of skills in a desperate mission to bring her home.
The premise inevitably invites comparisons to the 2008 action classic Taken: A father races against time to rescue his abducted daughter.
The similarities, however, end there, as Agent Kim Reactivated is based entirely on the popular webtoon Manager Kim and has no narrative connection to the Liam Neeson franchise.
Director Lee Seung-young leaned into the comparison during a recent press conference in Seoul.
"I think it surpasses Taken. I'm just joking," Lee laughed. "Taken is essentially a real-time pursuit story about a father searching for his daughter, while our story unfolds across 10 episodes. "It retains the elements that made Taken compelling, but it's also entertaining even when the main character Kim isn't on screen."
Arriving on the heels of My Royal Nemesis, the globally successful romantic comedy that wrapped June 20, Agent Kim Reactivated will take over SBS' Friday-Saturday prime-time slot, a marquee programming window for the network.
The transition also marks a dramatic tonal shift for the network. While My Royal Nemesis leaned into romance and comedy, Agent Kim Reactivated is positioning itself as a far grittier, action-driven offering.
"If My Royal Nemesis was a sweet cake, then our series is much spicier and more intense in flavour. I think it will offer a different kind of satisfaction for viewers looking for something new. "That's why I was genuinely pleased to see the success of My Royal Nemesis. "We hope to connect with audiences through our own distinct style," director Lee said.
Action credentials
For So, the actor who has anchored classic K-action projects such as Mercy For None and A Company Man, the role offered more than another opportunity to showcase his action credentials.
"I had been wanting to do another action drama," So said. "At first, the action drew me to the script, but what ultimately convinced me was Kim's story as a father raising his daughter alone and desperately searching for her. "I felt that emotional journey would be a challenge as an actor, and that's what made me choose the project."
Asked how the action differs from his previous work, including Mercy For None, So pointed to the emotional motivation driving the character.
"In many action dramas, characters fight knowing that they might not survive. "In 'Agent Kim Reactivated, the action comes from a father's determination to stay alive and reunite with his daughter," So said. "It's driven by a desire to keep living for someone he loves, which gives it a very different emotional texture (from my other works)," he added. – The Korea Herald/Asia News Network
Agent Kim Reactivated is available on Netflix.
