So Ji Sub’s “Agent Kim Reactivated” Adds a High-Stakes Ensemble Ahead of June 26 Premiere

MBC star So Ji Sub is returning as the headline character in “Agent Kim Reactivated,” an action revenge series adapted from a popular webtoon. The production has unveiled an expanded supporting cast, filling in the political intrigue, institutional conflicts, and family-centered showdown that will shape the story. The drama is set to premiere on June 26 at 9:50 p.m. KST, introducing Manager Kim—an apparently ordinary father with a hidden past—at the center of an escalating intelligence war.

A father with a secret past—and enemies with matching agendas

In the drama, So Ji Sub plays Manager Kim, described as a seemingly normal dad whose past resurfaces when he decides to “put everything on the line” to protect his daughter. According to the series’ cast reveal, Manager Kim’s attempt to keep his family safe immediately collides with intelligence power struggles—particularly those led by characters positioned to see him not as a parent, but as a liability.

Joining the lead are multiple high-profile actors, including Kim Sung Kyu, Lee Jae Yong, Won Hyun Joon, Park Jin Woo, Jo Bok Rae, Lee Dong Ha, Seo Su Min, and Yoo Ji An. The new lineup suggests the show will balance spy-thriller propulsion with personal stakes, using each character’s institutional role to raise the cost of survival for Manager Kim.

North Korea operative and intelligence bureau power play

The cast includes Kim Sung Kyu as Park Kang Sung, a highly skilled North Korean operative—an immediate signal that the series will not limit its threats to domestic politics. Opposing or intersecting with him is Lee Jae Yong as Ri Eung Ryung, the ruthless director of the General Bureau of Intelligence. Ri Eung Ryung’s role is defined by conflict: the character is positioned to clash directly with Manager Kim, implying an internal enemy who can weaponize bureaucracy, surveillance, and official authority.

With these two roles, the drama’s world appears designed around competing intelligence ecosystems. Rather than presenting a single antagonist, the announcement frames “Agent Kim Reactivated” as a multi-front pressure system—where different agencies, different loyalties, and different definitions of “truth” all converge on the same target.

Mystery figures: “Mole Cricket,” a friendly front, and unclear motives

The cast reveal also introduces additional characters that appear engineered to create narrative uncertainty. Won Hyun Joon plays Kang Guk Chul, director of South Korea’s Special Mission Bureau, who operates under the code name “Mole Cricket.” The nickname itself suggests stealth and infiltration—potentially aligning Kang’s methods with the story’s central question of who is truly operating underground, and who is merely being watched.

Meanwhile, Park Jin Woo portrays Mr. Lim, a laundromat owner who approaches Manager Kim in a friendly manner. However, his true intentions are described as unclear, signaling that the drama may use everyday spaces—like a local business—as plausible covers for covert activity. In revenge thrillers, such characters often function as both guide and threat, giving viewers just enough information to suspect something, but not enough to confirm it.

Family conflict sparks the chain reaction

Beyond spycraft and institutional conflict, the show’s cast reveal emphasizes a domestic catalyst: the rivalry between Manager Kim’s daughter and another influential family. Seo Su Min stars as Kim Min Ji, a strong-willed daughter who refuses to back down. Her determination, as described in the announcement, likely pushes the story beyond what Manager Kim would prefer—turning family pressure into plot momentum.

Opposite her is Yoo Ji An as Joo Hye Ri, the daughter of Joo Kang Chan (also tied to the show’s storylines through Joo Sang Wook, per the cast connections). Joo Hye Ri is portrayed as someone who uses her father’s wealth and influence to dominate her school. The series description states that the daughters’ clash becomes the spark that triggers a chain of events that will ultimately shake the lives of their fathers—suggesting a revenge structure where personal conflict scales into full-blown political and criminal consequences.

Gangster revenge and loyal aide: the show’s power triangle

The cast also expands the story’s criminal and personal power dynamics. Jo Bok Rae plays Geum I Bbal, a gangster driven by revenge, while Lee Dong Ha portrays Director Nam, the loyal aide to Joo Kang Chan who prioritizes orders over right or wrong. Together, these characters hint that “Agent Kim Reactivated” will move through multiple moral ecosystems—where “justice” is defined differently depending on who’s giving the orders.

At the center remains the question of how Manager Kim’s secret past connects to these forces. The cast lineup, with operatives, intelligence directors, coded specialists, and seemingly friendly civilian fronts, indicates the drama will likely keep viewers guessing about what Manager Kim can trust—and when his identity as a “reactivated” agent will cost him the most.

What to watch before and after launch

With June 26 fast approaching, the key watch items are likely to be the character reveals’ immediate payoff: how quickly the daughters’ conflict escalates into the intelligence conflict, and how soon Manager Kim’s protective instincts force him into direct confrontation with Ri Eung Ryung and other hidden players.

For viewers tracking narrative momentum, the “Mole Cricket” code name and the laundromat owner’s unclear intentions are poised to be early indicators of the show’s tone—balancing action set pieces with slow-burning revelations. If “Agent Kim Reactivated” uses its ensemble effectively, the premiere should establish a clear pattern: every attempt at family safety becomes an invitation to a larger, darker system of retaliation.