Despite being a drama and not a movie, a work has emerged that instantly captures viewers' attention with an overwhelming scale as if tearing through the screen and a fast-paced development that explodes dopamine. It is the action-thriller Manager Kim starring So Ji-sub. This drama, which generated a lot of public curiosity by constantly being compared to the character in the work of the same name starring Ryu Seung-ryong even before its broadcast, revealed a completely different genre once its veil was lifted. Although preferences may be divided depending on individual tastes, the mere fact that actor So Ji-sub, and no one else, takes on the title role and dominates the screen is more than enough to guess the weight and genre thrill this work possesses.
So far, So Ji-sub has been a trustworthy actor who has excellently pulled off his uniquely heavy and charismatic roles while crossing between the Korean silver screen and television. Although he does not do a massive amount of projects, whenever news of his appearance in the action genre is heard, the public's expectations naturally soar. In particular, since he received great love from viewers for showcasing overwhelming weight and desperate action as a legendary figure of an organization in his previous work, The Plaza, the thirst and anticipation for the new action acting he will show in Manager Kim are higher than ever. This work, having opened its lid, also lays down a heaviness that aligns with his previous work, yet delivers a much greater sense of satisfaction with a more sophisticated narrative and action design.
The original work of this drama is the action webtoon of the same name, Manager Kim, which is still being serialized popularly on Naver Webtoon. Even amidst the pressure to satisfy the expectations of the original fans, the reason So Ji-sub's casting is considered a stroke of genius is thanks to the overwhelming physique and aura he exudes. Having built his body while being active as a swimmer in his childhood, he boasts an excellent physique to the point of being called a 'shoulder gangster,' and these physical conditions play a decisive role in visually maximizing the impact and destructive power in action scenes. His inner strength, having always perfectly worn serious and weighty characters while being affectionately called 'So-ganji' by the public, is creating perfect synergy with this webtoon-based character.
In the early parts of the play, Manager Kim, played by So Ji-sub, has the face of a very ordinary and intimidated petty bourgeois that can be easily seen around us. He bows at work and tries not to stand out in his daily life, but if you look closely at his eyes and suppressed gestures, it is clearly evident that he is someone hiding a massive secret from the past. Just as a large, fierce dog does not even flinch and silently holds its ground despite the loud barking of small puppies, Manager Kim silently endures and bears the world's disregard and contempt towards him. His appearance, crouching while thoroughly hiding his claws like this, paradoxically acts as an excellent build-up that tightly tightens the viewers' tension for the upcoming explosion.
The solid lineup of supporting actors backing up the lead is also a strong driving force that makes this drama trustworthy to watch. Choi Dae-hoon takes on the role of 'Sung Han-soo,' a Taekwondo master in the play, showcasing agile yet impactful action and his signature sly acting, while Yoon Kyung-ho takes on the role of 'Park Jin-chul,' a member of the Marine Corps Veterans Association, showing off his presence as a rough but reliable helper. Without even needing to examine the faces of the numerous other supporting actors one by one, the mere fact that the names Yoon Kyung-ho and Choi Dae-hoon are on the casting lineup is as good as the stability of the play already being complete. The acting chemistry of these two actors, who will sometimes tune the tension and sometimes deliver exhilarating satisfaction within the weighty narrative, is extremely comfortable and reassuring.
The ensemble of other characters adding variety to the play alongside them is also outstanding. Son Na-eun passionately plays the role of 'Jung Sang-ah,' an assistant manager working at the same savings bank as Manager Kim. Her true identity, which raised curiosity by treating Manager Kim strangely kindly and amiably amidst her normally harsh work life, is revealed to be an undercover agent holding a plot twist, doubling the interest of the play. Meanwhile, 'Joo Kang-chan,' played by Joo Sang-wook, who is a figure threatening their peace, is a villain from the underworld who has currently risen to the position of CEO of a construction company. Looking at his wicked steps in the early parts, it causes the illusion that he might be the final boss of this worldview, but considering the gradually expanding scale of the story, he seems to be responsible for the chewy tension of the play as a weighty mid-boss connecting to the massive axis of evil that will appear in the future.
Manager Kim's desperate wish to live day by day faithfully and ordinarily doing his assigned tasks like others, thoroughly stepping out of the world's gaze, is eventually ruthlessly trampled upon. This is because a terrible incident occurs to his only daughter, 'Kim Min-ji,' played by Seo Soo-min, who is his entire world and reason for living. Min-ji, who had been continuously bullied at school, silently endures the pain but eventually reaches her limit and explodes, attempting a desperate resistance against the group bullying her. Perhaps blood cannot be deceived; Min-ji, having inherited her father's fighting instinct, fights back excellently against the perpetrators, but this incident rather ironically spreads into an unfair situation where a school violence committee is convened.
Manager Kim, who had to protect his daughter's future as an ordinary head of the household, suppresses his boiling anger and chooses the path of directly visiting the parents of the offending student and desperately begging for forgiveness, even dropping to his knees. And the father of that offending student was Joo Kang-chan, the cold-blooded construction company CEO mentioned earlier. With the father's humiliating apology, who threw away his pride, the situation seemed to be wrapped up, and the incident appeared to be settled with the daughter transferring schools. However, cruel fate once again drives Kim Min-ji into a brutal crisis. Manager Kim, who sets out to find his daughter who has not returned home by the next day and has vanished without a trace, unties all the restraints and the string of reason that had bound him, and begins to ruthlessly smash the obstacles threatening his daughter one by one.
From this very point, the suppressed tension of the play explodes, and a full-fledged feast of action perfectly captures the viewers' attention. In particular, the action sequences unfolding in a dark and cold space pouring with rain deliver the pinnacle of visual pleasure, harmonized with delicate slow-motion and dynamic camera jump techniques that instantaneously switch perspectives. Watching the outstanding directing that captures the momentary impacts with splashing water droplets and rough breathing, one unknowingly lets out an exclamation of admiration and becomes completely mesmerized by this drama. Above all, right before the spectacular action is fully unleashed, the director perfectly imparts justification and thrilling catharsis to the violence that will unfold by first engraving Manager Kim's true identity and past, which had been thoroughly hidden, into the viewers' minds.
The true identity of Manager Kim, who seemed like he would be hiding some massive secret while disguised as an ordinary office worker, was a legendary special agent whose very existence should never be revealed to the world, to the extent that even the highest power institutions of North Korea and China continuously target and keep him in check across the borders of South Korea. Right after perfectly recognizing the fact that he is such a massive and dangerous figure, the moment one watches the overwhelming action where the unsealed Manager Kim ruthlessly sweeps away his enemies, the adrenaline and dopamine hitting the brain explode. Having unintentionally revealed his existence to the world in order to find his daughter, the future development of this drama, which makes the heart race in every episode anticipating how much more massive and cruel forces he will fight against and what kind of new world of overwhelming action he will unfold, is madly awaited.
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