"Opening a new page"... So Ji-sub reveals everything from his wife Cho Eun-jung to 'Manager Kim' PPL, Season 2, and gold gifts [★FULL Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

• Interview with actor So Ji-sub, who plays Manager Kim in the SBS Friday-Saturday drama "Manager Kim"

Actor So Ji-sub, who opened the second page of his acting career with "Manager Kim," has shared everything about the show's surprising box office success, Season 2, heartwarming stories, and his wife Cho Eun-jung.

Recently, So Ji-sub held a wrap-up interview for the SBS Friday-Saturday drama "Manager Kim" (written by Nam Dae-jung, directed by Lee Seung-young and Lee So-eun) at a café in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul.

The drama "Manager Kim," which concluded on the 25th, is an action revenge drama about a father who becomes "the most dangerous man in the world" to reclaim his only daughter, described as "the most ordinary dad in the world." So Ji-sub played Manager Kim, an ordinary employee at a small and medium-sized savings bank who is secretly an agent dispatched on countless special operations, leading the show to record-breaking viewership.

When asked about his feelings after the drama ended, So Ji-sub smiled brightly, saying, "I still feel dazed. Every day I think, 'What is going on?' It feels like I was caught off guard by a surprise camera."

According to Nielsen Korea, the final episode of "Manager Kim" recorded 23.4% viewership in the Seoul metropolitan area and 23.0% nationwide. In particular, the peak viewership soared to 27.1%, breaking its own record and ending on a high note.

So Ji-sub remarked, "It's no different from the first episode's strong ratings. The steep rise in viewership, its sustained performance—nothing was surprising. I truly thought, 'What kind of surprise camera is this?' When the ratings passed 10% and then 20%, I remember calling the director to ask, 'What is happening?' The director apparently said the exact same thing." His words drew laughter from everyone present.

So Ji-sub said, "Isn't this an era where 20% viewership doesn't make sense? Everyone was surprised. Since my usual circles are limited, I don't always feel the popularity, but when people pretend to know me and react with 'Oh? Manager Kim?' it's truly astonishing." He repeatedly expressed his amazement.

How did So Ji-sub work to create his unique Manager Kim character? He explained, "I put effort into portraying paternal love. Since I don't actually have children, I had to develop the Manager Kim character through discussions with the director. It was my first time playing a father of a high school student, so I worried whether it would feel awkward. I think I gave a small gift to Seo Su-min, who plays his daughter Min-ji, on the first day of filming and said, 'Please take care of me.'"

He added, "I believe Manager Kim is a lonely person from the very beginning, having crossed over from North to South. He's grateful for two trustworthy friends and happy to have a daughter, but at his core, he must have been an extremely lonely individual."

So Ji-sub expressed his desire to take on action roles again after the Netflix original series "Square," which was released in June last year. He said, "When I was contemplating my next project, 'Manager Kim' came along. I chose it because I wondered, 'What would my life be like as a father with a daughter?' I didn't feel much pressure about playing a dad role; instead, I felt satisfied knowing there are more things I can do in the future. I still believe I can handle action roles and want to do even more." He revealed his affection for the action genre.

So, what is the charm of action acting according to So Ji-sub? He stated, "I enjoy how emotions emerge when bodies are entangled. I prefer action scenes where there's a clear target for punishing someone. I'd rather have more action than dialogue."

"Manager Kim" also attracted significant attention due to a vow of silence made by the cast. During an earlier production presentation, when asked about viewership pledges, Joo Sang-wook suggested to Yoon Kyung-ho, "How about you take a vow of silence if the ratings exceed 13%?" Yoon Kyung-ho promised, "Then I'll observe a 13-hour vow of silence." In reality, "Manager Kim" achieved 15.7% nationwide viewership in just two episodes, making Yoon Kyung-ho's pledge come true.

Regarding Yoon Kyung-ho's vow of silence, So Ji-sub humorously replied, "It was fun. I actually do a lot of vows of silence myself." His witty response brought laughter to the room.

Debuting in 1997 with SBS's "Model," So Ji-sub has appeared in numerous well-known works that everyone recognizes by name, including dramas such as "Square," "Doctor Lawyer," "Terius Behind Me," "Oh My Venus," "Sunrise in My Heart," "Phantom," "Road No. 1," "Cain and Abel," "Sorry, I Love You" (hereinafter "Misa"), "What Happens in Bali," "A Thousand Years of Love," "Love Now," "Delicious Proposal," and films like "Confession," "Alien + Human," "Now, We Are Going to Meet," "Ganghwa Island," "Sado," "Office Worker," "Only You," and "The Movie is the Movie."

For him as well, this time around, "Manager Kim" holds special significance. So Ji-sub said, "Many people have started calling me 'Manager Kim.' If 'Misa' opened the first page of my career wide open, I feel that 'Manager Kim' has opened the second page just as widely. It seems more likely now that I'll be called 'Manager Kim' rather than 'Misa.'" He expressed his unique affection for "Manager Kim."

Given the remarkable viewership, interest has already turned to whether So Ji-sub will win an award at the upcoming 2026 SBS Drama Awards. When asked about awards, he responded, "I don't have a strong desire for awards. If I receive one, I'll accept it, but I'd prefer that the entire team behind 'Manager Kim' be honored rather than me personally. I hope my colleagues who worked with me get recognized. It would be enough if this helps me choose my next project more easily."

He also mentioned his chemistry with Choi Tae-hoon, who plays Sung Han-soo, and Yoon Kyung-ho, who plays Park Jin-cheol, the trio at the heart of "Manager Kim." So Ji-sub said, "Both actors are incredibly talented, so I learned a lot from them. When all three of us came together, we spent a lot of time thinking about how to fully fill each scene. Once filming started, we almost always got an 'OK' on the first take. Even the cage scene in the final episode was shot after much deliberation, and it's one of my favorite scenes."

He continued, "Yoon Kyung-ho talks a lot but uses his body very well. Choi Tae-hoon delivers lines with precision and clarity. When all three of us are together, we keep asking each other, 'How should we do this? How should we do this?' This constant dialogue seems to have created synergy." He praised both Choi Tae-hoon and Yoon Kyung-ho. Then he added jokingly, "(Yoon Kyung-ho) talks too much, and you never know what he'll say next, so I told him to be careful until the drama ends," which caused bursts of laughter.

How was his chemistry with Joo Sang-wook, who played the antagonist Kang Chan? So Ji-sub joked, "(Joo Sang-wook) seems to enjoy getting hit." He added, "He took all the action hits on his body and ended up bruised everywhere. I think it was a great collaboration."

It was revealed that So Ji-sub gifted one don of pure gold to each of the 300th cast members and production staff of "Manager Kim," sparking widespread discussion. It is reported that he spent approximately 100 million won from his own pocket for this gesture.

Regarding this, So Ji-sub explained, "After working on many projects since my debut, I realized that nothing succeeds solely because of me. When a project ends, I feel deeply grateful for everyone's hard work, so I wanted to include that gratitude in the gift and give something memorable that colleagues and staff could look back on as 'We did such a great project.' But surprisingly, gold received the best reaction." His candid words brought laughter.

So Ji-sub has another heartwarming story. He learned that Seo Su-min is a fan of the band DAY6 and gave her a gift with an autographed album. Explaining the situation, he said, "Early in filming, I asked (Seo Su-min) about her favorite singer and managed to track down (a signed DAY6 album) as a gift. It turned out that day was actually Seo Su-min's birthday by pure chance, which was lucky for me."

His past heartwarming deeds are also plentiful. During the broadcast period of "Manager Kim," staff members who had previously worked with So Ji-sub shared his kind stories on online forums and other platforms, generating significant buzz.

When asked about the heartwarming stories surrounding him, So Ji-sub lightly dismissed them, saying, "I don't intentionally create these stories." He then humbly added, "I'm not sure if I'll become a great actor, but as I get older, I try to become a better person."

He continued, "For several years now, I've been constantly praying with gratitude. No matter what happens, I think things can go either way. Since I'm greatly influenced by each project, the concerns and gratitude related to that context keep repeating. I'm not religious; it's more like praying to someone in heaven."

The drama sparked widespread discussion when a nearly three-minute sequence depicting Manager Kim's past was entirely produced using AI. This marked the first time in Korean drama history that such a technique was used, leaving many viewers stunned upon learning the fact.

Regarding this, So Ji-sub commented, "I believe AI usage will become unavoidable in the future, and I think it was a worthwhile attempt."

He also showed caution regarding Season 2. So Ji-sub said, "I think the biggest concern should be 'What major direction should we take for Season 2?' Since there's no wife in the story, we can't have her lose her life again, and we certainly can't lose the daughter either."

Given how well-received "Manager Kim" has been, did he feel any pressure about his next project? So Ji-sub admitted, "I do want to do action again, but since 'Manager Kim' was so successful, I think it might be a bit daunting. Recently, when watching TV, I saw 'Sunrise in My Heart' being rebroadcast. It made me wonder, 'Is there a romantic comedy that someone my age can pull off?'"

With such great reception, there are also regrets. Viewers voiced complaints about the heavy PPL concentration in the latter half of the drama. So Ji-sub explained, "Dramas need PPL to be made. If the PPL was concentrated at the end, it's because 'Manager Kim' is a very serious drama. There weren't many parts that could be easily integrated throughout, so it ended up being heavily clustered in the final episodes. But advertisers are precious people."

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*This content was translated by AI.