Agent Kim Reactivated review: So Ji Sub powers a gripping K-drama action revenge thriller with heart and rage

Nielsen Korea reported that Agent Kim Reactivated has become SBS’s top 2026 K-drama and fastest in 5 years since The Penthouse 3 in 2021.

Agent Kim Reactivated web series review

Cast: So Ji Sub, Choi Dae Hoon, Yoon Kyung Ho, Joo Sang Wook, Son Na Eun, Kim Sung Kyu, Lee Jae Yong, Won Hyun Jun, Park Jin Woo, Jo Bok Rae and Lee Dong Ha.

Director: Lee Seung Young and Lee So Eun

Rating: ★★★.5

So Ji Sub in a still from Agent Kim Reactivated. (SBS/Netflix)

K-dramas have never struggled to tell a good revenge story. Time and again, they have proved that even familiar tropes can feel fresh with the right characters and emotional depth. Agent Kim Reactivated follows that formula, but it also knows what keeps viewers hooked. Led by So Ji Sub, the series mixes intense action with a heartfelt story about a father who will stop at nothing to save his daughter. The opening two episodes move at a steady pace, giving enough time to understand the characters before the story explodes into full-fledged action.

What is the plot of Agent Kim Reactivated

That promise doesn’t last long. After Min Ji is bullied at school and later kidnapped by a criminal group with ties to influential businessmen, Do Hyeon is forced to rely on the skills he has spent years trying to forget. As he searches for his daughter, his actions catch the attention of the National Special Missions Bureau. At the same time, he finds himself facing powerful businessman Joo Kang Chan (Joo Sang Wook) and North Korean operative Kang Seong (Kim Sung Kyu), both of whom stand in his way.

Do Hyeon isn’t fighting alone for long. He is joined by two former teammates and fellow fathers, Seong Han Su (Choi Dae Hoon) and Park Jin Cheol (Yoon Kyung Ho). Each brings a different set of skills, and together they make an unlikely but entertaining team as they take on criminals, corrupt executives and anyone else standing between them and Min Ji.

Movie Review

Agent Kim Reactivated K-drama Web Series

3.5/5

2026-06-26T18:30:00+0000

Kim Do Hyeon (So Ji Sub) is a quiet bank manager and single father raising his teenage daughter, Min Ji (So Su Min). After losing his wife, he chose an ordinary life, hiding one dangerous secret; he was once an elite intelligence operative who vowed never to return to that world.

Director

Lee Seung Young and Lee So Eun

Cast

So Ji Sub, Choi Dae Hoon, Yoon Kyung Ho, Joo Sang Wook, Son Na Eun, Kim Sung Kyu, Lee Jae Yong, Won Hyun Jun, Park Jin Woo, Jo Bok Rae and Lee Dong Ha

Verdict

Agent Kim Reactivated gets off to a confident start. It has the action you’d expect from a revenge thriller, but what keeps you invested is the emotional story at its centre. If the writing stays this focused and the villains become a little more layered, this has all the ingredients to be one of the better K-drama action thrillers of the year.

Actors and performances

So Ji Sub returns to television after focusing on films for several years, and it feels like he never left. He slips comfortably into the role of Kim Do Hyeon, balancing the life of a single father with the instincts of someone who once lived in a much darker world.

Choi Dae Hoon is instantly likeable and brings an easy charm to Seong Han Su, while Yoon Kyung Ho adds toughness as Park Jin Cheol. The two make for strong companions alongside So Ji Sub, and their interactions add a welcome bit of humour without taking away from the seriousness of the story.

On the other side, Joo Sang Wook makes for a convincing antagonist. Kim Sung Kyu is equally effective in the first two episodes.

What works

The show doesn’t rush into the action. It first lets you spend time with Do Hyeon and Min Ji, making their father-daughter bond feel real. So when she’s taken away, you’re already emotionally invested in what happens next. Every punch he throws carries the weight of a father trying to bring his child home, and that makes the action hit much harder.

The fight scenes are also fun because nobody fights the same way. Do Hyeon is calm and calculated, Han Su relies on speed and technique, while Jin Cheol simply bulldozes through his opponents. It keeps every action sequence feeling fresh instead of repetitive. Once Min Ji disappears, the story barely slows down. The pacing is just about right.

What doesn’t work

The only real hiccup in these opening episodes is that the show tries to do a little too much too soon. Within the first two hours, you’re introduced to school bullies, corporate power players, intelligence agencies and North Korean operatives. It all comes together eventually, but the constant introduction of new threats can make the story feel a bit crowded at first.

Verdict

Agent Kim Reactivated gets off to a confident start. It has the action you’d expect from a revenge thriller, but what keeps you invested is the emotional story at its center. If the writing stays this focused and the villains become a little more layered, this has all the ingredients to be one of the better K-drama action thrillers of the year.