Agent Kim Reactivated Hits 22.3 Percent as SBS Drama Climbs to Historic Ratings Mark

SBS’s Agent Kim Reactivated has turned a strong opening run into a genuine ratings event. The Korean drama reached a new peak with its sixth episode, which aired on July 11 and recorded an average nationwide rating of 22.3 percent, according to Nielsen Korea figures cited by Korean entertainment media. The result made the series the most-watched program of Saturday overall and pushed it further into the top tier of recent network drama performance.

The latest number is especially notable because the series had already been gaining attention as one of 2026’s biggest scripted television successes. Rather than leveling off after early curiosity, Agent Kim Reactivated has continued to rise through its first half, suggesting that viewers are not only sampling the drama but returning week after week as the central rescue story intensifies.

With episode 6, the drama has now reportedly achieved the second-highest viewership rating for any SBS Friday-Saturday drama in the network’s history. The only title still ahead of it is the 2021 hit The Penthouse 2, which reached an average nationwide peak of 29.2 percent during its own run. That comparison places Agent Kim Reactivated in rare company, particularly at a time when many dramas compete not only with rival broadcasters but also with streaming platforms and short-form entertainment.

A Ratings Climb Built on Momentum

The 22.3 percent figure marks a new personal best for Agent Kim Reactivated, but the number matters because of the pattern behind it. A drama can post a large premiere when cast recognition, marketing, or source material awareness is high. Sustained growth by episode 6 is a different signal. It usually means word of mouth is working, the story is giving viewers reasons to stay, and later episodes are becoming appointment viewing.

The series is based on a popular webtoon and follows Manager Kim, played by So Ji Sub, as a seemingly ordinary father whose hidden past resurfaces when he risks everything to save his daughter. That premise gives the drama an accessible emotional hook: a parent fighting for family. At the same time, the secret-history setup gives the show room for action, suspense, and character reveals, all of which can help a weekend drama attract viewers beyond a single niche.

So Ji Sub’s casting also gives the project a built-in center of gravity. The actor has long been associated with roles that balance restraint, intensity, and emotional damage, which suits a character whose normal life is disrupted by a dangerous past. For viewers who know him from past films and dramas, Agent Kim Reactivated offers a familiar kind of screen presence while placing it inside a fast-moving webtoon adaptation.

Why the SBS Milestone Stands Out

Friday-Saturday dramas are among the most competitive slots in Korean television, and SBS has produced several major hits in the format. Reaching the second-highest mark in that category means Agent Kim Reactivated is no longer simply a successful 2026 title; it is being measured against some of the network’s defining weekend performers. That gives the remaining episodes added weight, because each new broadcast now carries the question of how close the drama can get to the benchmark set by The Penthouse 2.

The timing is also useful for SBS. A breakout drama can lift the network’s weekend profile, drive discussion across entertainment media, and strengthen interest in related interviews, behind-the-scenes clips, and international availability. Even for viewers who do not follow domestic ratings closely, a number above 20 percent sends a clear message: this is the drama people are talking about.

For the production team, the challenge now is maintaining the energy that got the series here. Ratings surges can create pressure as expectations rise, especially when a drama is still mid-run. The key will be whether the show can keep its family rescue stakes emotionally grounded while expanding the danger around Manager Kim’s hidden past. If the story escalates without losing the father-daughter motivation at its center, the drama has a strong chance to keep its audience locked in.

The sixth episode’s result gives Agent Kim Reactivated a clear place in SBS ratings history, but the larger story is still unfolding. With viewer interest rising and the drama now chasing one of the network’s most famous benchmarks, its next episodes will be watched not only for plot twists but also for whether the numbers can climb again.