SBS Drama “Kim Bujang” Surges Past 20 Percent As Writer Controversy Draws Scrutiny

SBS’s Friday-Saturday drama “Kim Bujang” has become one of the fastest-rising Korean television stories of the summer, crossing the 20 percent ratings threshold just four episodes into its run. The revenge-action series, led by So Ji Sub, recorded a nationwide rating of 21.6 percent for its July 4 episode, according to reports citing Nielsen Korea, while its peak minute reportedly climbed above 25 percent.

The jump is notable because the drama started at 9.5 percent on June 26 before rising to 15.7 percent for its second episode and 18.8 percent for its third. By episode four, the show had moved from promising launch to full-scale hit, a pace that has made it a central topic across Korean entertainment media. Reports also described the number as one of the strongest results for an SBS Friday-Saturday drama and one of the clearest ratings breakouts of 2026 so far.

The series follows an ordinary father who is pushed into a violent struggle to recover his daughter, combining family melodrama with hard-edged action. That formula has helped the show draw both broad household viewership and intense online conversation. Its early episodes have leaned on a brisk plot, physical confrontations, and the emotional stakes of parental desperation, giving viewers an easy hook while leaving room for character-driven turns.

A Ratings Breakout With Several Talking Points

So Ji Sub’s return to a heavily physical lead role is a major part of the attention, but the surrounding ensemble is also helping the drama travel beyond routine ratings coverage. Choi Dae Hoon and Yoon Kyung Ho have been highlighted in local reports as part of the show’s expanding alliance of fathers, while Joo Sang Wook’s role as Joo Kang Chan has added a sharp antagonist presence to the story’s conflict.

One supporting performance has generated a separate burst of interest. Actor Lee Dong Ha, who plays Nam Sil Jang, drew attention after episode four revealed the character’s brutal past treatment of Geum Ibbal, played by Jo Bok Rae. The scene underlined Nam Sil Jang as a calm but dangerous figure who carries out Joo Kang Chan’s orders without visible hesitation.

That role became a trending side topic because Lee Dong Ha is married to Sojin, the former Girl’s Day member who is now active as an actress. Korean outlets noted that Sojin had previously promoted her husband’s appearance on social media, a detail that turned the villain’s unnerving screen presence into a lighter celebrity-interest story outside the drama itself. The contrast between the affectionate real-life connection and the character’s cold violence helped the role stand out during a week already dominated by the show’s ratings.

Controversy Around The Original Creator

At the same time, “Kim Bujang” is facing a more complicated conversation involving Park Tae Joon, the creator of the original webtoon. Korean reports say online users have revived allegations that certain details in his past work resembled references associated with Ilbe, a far-right online community in Korea that has long been criticized for misogyny, regional hostility, and mocking victims or political figures.

The latest discussion has centered on claims about phrases and numbers that some viewers interpreted as allusions to the late former president Roh Moo Hyun, including references described in reports as “Rock Owl” and “5 minutes 23 seconds.” Those claims remain allegations circulating among online users, but they have been amplified because the drama is now a mainstream broadcast hit rather than only a webtoon property.

For SBS and the production team, the timing is delicate. A drama that is enjoying unusually strong ratings can often benefit from every new point of conversation, but controversy around source material can also shift attention away from cast performance and storytelling. The challenge will be whether the show can keep viewers focused on its central revenge narrative while the broader public debate continues around the adaptation’s origins.

For now, the ratings suggest that the controversy has not slowed the drama’s momentum. Episode four’s result shows that curiosity, word of mouth, and the appeal of So Ji Sub’s action-driven performance are bringing audiences in quickly. The more important test will come over the next several weeks, when early buzz gives way to sustained audience loyalty.

If “Kim Bujang” continues its current climb, it could become one of the defining Korean drama hits of 2026. But its breakout week also shows how modern K-drama success is rarely measured by ratings alone. Viewer trust, online interpretation, actor visibility, and the reputations attached to source material all move together now, making the show’s next chapters important both on screen and off.