SBS Friday-Saturday drama 김부장 truly captivated living rooms. In just three episodes it surpassed a peak rating of 23%, setting the remarkable record of being the No. 1 mini-series by viewership across all channels in 2026.
On the 3rd (Fri) at 9:50 p.m., the third episode of SBS Friday-Saturday drama 김부장 (writer Nam Dae-joong, directors Lee Seung-young·Lee So-eun, planned by Studio S, produced by Studio S·판타지오(032800)) recorded a metropolitan area average of 19.6% and a national average of 18.8% according to Nielsen Korea, and its momentary peak rating rose as high as 23%, once again breaking its own record. The 20-49 demographic rating, a measure of topicality, also reached a peak of 7.5%, making it overwhelmingly No. 1 not only in its time slot but among all programs aired that week, solidifying an uncontested run at the top.
In that episode, viewers held their breath as Manager Kim (played by 소지섭) displayed tearful paternal love that drove him recklessly to find his missing daughter Min-ji (played by Seo Soo-min), and the largest chase sequence in the show's history unfolded around him.
With hope that his daughter might still be alive, Manager Kim escaped to the police station and joined forces with his friend Seong Han-soo (played by 최대훈), who had once been part of the "legendary operative duo." The two delivered catharsis with overwhelming "monster-coop action" against special mission bureau agents and organization members. Meanwhile, Park Jin-chul (played by 윤경호), who escaped from the detention center, fought a life-or-death battle with North Korean operative Park Gang-seong (played by 김성규) at Manager Kim's house, then heightened tension by delivering the shocking warning to Manager Kim that "a North Korean operative has come down."
Above all, So Jisub's poignant emotional performance that day was outstanding. After many twists and turns, Manager Kim got hold of daughter Min-ji's cellphone and belatedly confronted the lonely, painful truth contained within it. So Jisub shed tears of intense paternal love mixed with deep guilt and regret, saying, "Why didn't I notice sooner?", leaving viewers emotionally moved.
It was also shocking when it was revealed that Jung Sang-ah (played by 손나은), whom he thought was an ordinary bank colleague, and the neighborhood laundromat owner (played by Park Jin-woo) were actually undercover agents monitoring Manager Kim.
At the end of the broadcast, a chilling "crisis ending" froze living rooms. As Manager Kim steadied his mind with Seong Han-soo's consolation, a paratrooper agent Park Gang-seong appeared silently behind him, trained a gun on his head and lowly murmured, "Found you... fake 66," creating a breathtaking confrontation. With Manager Kim surrounded on all sides, curiosity about where his fate will head next is soaring for the next episode.
[Photo] '김부장' broadcast capture
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