“Agent Kim Reactivated” Reaches Peak Ratings in Final Week While “Spooky in Love” Makes Its Debut

SBS’s “Agent Kim Reactivated” enters its final week of broadcast with a series-high 22.3% national viewership rating, cementing So Ji-sub’s comeback as one of 2026’s most dominant television events. The 10-episode spy Thriller, which premiered June 26, airs its final episodes July 24–25, 2026, while tvN’s new horror-Romance “Spooky in Love” debuted July 18, introducing fresh competition to the weekend primetime landscape. Both dramas are simultaneously available on Netflix globally, reflecting the industry’s shift toward integrated broadcast-streaming strategies.

Record-Breaking Momentum Into the Final Episodes

“Agent Kim Reactivated” has shattered viewership benchmarks week after week, with Episode 6 achieving the drama’s peak rating of 22.3% before Episode 7 settled at 21.9%—the highest Friday rating the series has posted to date. The drama’s trajectory reflects unprecedented audience engagement, with momentary peak ratings reaching 26.4% during Episode 6, signaling that viewers remained glued through climactic sequences. This sustained momentum across multiple episodes distinguishes the series from typical K-Drama patterns, where ratings often fluctuate between installments.

The speed of “Agent Kim Reactivated’s” ascent through rating milestones has no recent parallel on SBS. The drama crossed the 20% threshold in just four episodes, hitting 21.6% by Episode 4, making it the fastest Friday–Saturday series to achieve this milestone in five years—a record previously held by “The Penthouse 3.” Episode 3 had already recorded 18.8% nationally with a peak of 23%, establishing the show as 2026’s highest-rated miniseries at that point. The premiere itself scored 9.5%, the highest premiere rating among all 2026 miniseries, suggesting the project had built considerable anticipation before its June 26 launch.

So Ji-sub’s Triumphant Return and Industry Significance

The ratings surge represents a decisive validation of So Ji-sub’s first major television comeback since 2021. Reporter Kang Seo-jung noted in official coverage: “‘Agent Kim Reactivated’ So Ji-sub has done it again. It has set a new record for the highest viewership rating of 22.3%,” underscoring the actor’s continued star power and the drama’s cultural resonance. In Good Data Corporation’s June buzz survey, So Ji-sub ranked No. 1 in TV-OTT integrated drama actor buzz, while the drama itself claimed No. 1 in TV drama buzz and No. 2 in TV-OTT integrated drama buzz—metrics that reflect both critical and audience enthusiasm.

The drama’s appeal extends beyond traditional broadcast demographics. The 20–49 age bracket rating hit 5.8%, demonstrating strong traction among younger viewers despite the show’s Friday–Saturday late-night slot at 9:50 p.m. KST. Globally, “Agent Kim Reactivated” has dominated Netflix’s non-English TV chart, securing No. 1 for two consecutive weeks with 10.5 million views and 9.1 million viewership counts (59 million hours watched) in its sixth week alone. The series ranked No. 1 in 11 countries, including South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, and Peru, while reaching the Top 10 in 79 countries—making it 2026’s highest-rated Netflix K-Drama after just three episodes.

Industry Recognition and Production Excellence

The success of “Agent Kim Reactivated” reflects the collaborative efforts of its creative team, led by writer Nam Dae-jung and directors Lee Seung-young and Lee So-eun. Studio S and Fantagio produced the series, which adapts the webtoon “Manager Kim” by Jeong Jong-taek and Toy. The ensemble cast includes Choi Dae-hoon and Yoon Kyung-ho in central roles, alongside Joo Sang-wook, Son Na-eun, and Kim Sung-kyu, creating a narrative framework that has clearly resonated with viewers across age groups and regions.

The drama’s strength in simultaneous global distribution on Netflix has positioned it as a model for hybrid broadcast-streaming releases. Both episodes air on SBS and Netflix the same day at 9:50 p.m. KST in 80-minute installments, eliminating the waiting period that traditionally delayed international access to Korean content. This strategy has directly contributed to its domination of Netflix’s global charts, establishing “Agent Kim Reactivated” as a benchmark for how Korean broadcasters and streamers can collaborate to maximize audience reach.

Historical Standing in SBS’s Friday–Saturday Legacy

“Agent Kim Reactivated” now ranks No. 2 in SBS Friday–Saturday drama history by ratings, trailing only “The Penthouse 2” at 29.2% and surpassing “The Fiery Priest” at 22%. The achievement gains weight when contextualized against the broader miniseries landscape: the drama is the first miniseries in approximately two years to break the 20% threshold, and it accomplished this feat faster than comparable titles including “Hot Stove League” and “The Penthouse 2.” Episode 2 crossed the 15% mark with a 15.7% rating, making “Agent Kim Reactivated” the fastest show in five years to pass this milestone—a distinction previously held by “The Penthouse 3” in 2021.

These comparisons underscore a shift in audience viewing patterns and content consumption preferences. Despite the proliferation of streaming options and the fragmentation of television audiences, “Agent Kim Reactivated” has demonstrated that traditional broadcast slots, when paired with compelling narratives and star power, retain significant cultural authority. The drama’s performance suggests that viewers continue to prioritize prestige television events that command weekly anticipation and water-cooler conversation.

New Competition: “Spooky in Love” Premieres on tvN

While “Agent Kim Reactivated” heads into its final week, tvN launched “Spooky in Love” on July 18, introducing a 12-episode horror-Romance comedy that will air through August 23, 2026. The series stars Park Eun-bin as a chaebol heiress who sees ghosts, alongside Yang Se-jong and Ong Seong-wu as a ghost-fearing prosecutor, with writing by Choi Jung-mi and direction by Lee Min-soo. The drama reimagines the 2011 film “Spellbound” (starring Son Ye-jin and Lee Min-ki) as an occult-centered romantic narrative centered on solving mysterious cases.

“Spooky in Love” airs Saturdays and Sundays at 9:10 p.m. KST on tvN in approximately 70-minute episodes, simultaneously available on Netflix globally and on TVING for domestic viewers. The premiere’s positioning against “Agent Kim Reactivated’s” final stretch reflects tvN’s confidence in the project’s appeal to audiences seeking genre-hybrid content. The supernatural-romance category has proven commercially viable in recent years, and the drama’s star-studded cast and Remake pedigree position it as a significant competitor in the weekend primetime market.

What Lies Ahead for Both Series

Viewers will focus on “Agent Kim Reactivated’s” final two episodes on July 24–25, 2026, as the drama concludes its narrative arc. Industry analysts will closely monitor whether the series maintains its 20%+ ratings trajectory through the finale or experiences typical end-of-run audience attrition. The final-week performance will determine whether “Agent Kim Reactivated” can challenge “The Penthouse 2’s” Historical record of 29.2%, a threshold that would represent an extraordinary achievement for a contemporary miniseries.

Meanwhile, “Spooky in Love” will develop its audience over the coming weeks, with particular attention to whether the horror-romance hybrid can capture significant viewership share during its 12-week run. Both dramas exemplify how Korean television continues to innovate across genres while maintaining the production values and narrative ambition that have made K-dramas globally dominant. The simultaneous broadcast-streaming strategies of both titles signal an industry-wide commitment to maximizing reach across traditional and digital platforms, ensuring that Korean content maintains its position as a defining force in global entertainment through 2026 and beyond.