'Manager Kim' final episode ratings 23.4%... 10 consecutive episodes ranked 1st 'Highest record of the year'

The drama ″Manager Kim″ ended with its final episode broadcast on the 25th, achieving viewership ratings in the 20% range. In the finale, Manager Kim (So Ji-sub) escaped from the cage set up by Joo Kang-chan (Joo Sang-wook) along with Sung Han-soo (Choi Dae-hoon) and Park Jin-chul (Yoon Kyung-ho), successfully taking revenge. As the corruption and illicit deals of Joo Hak Construction were exposed, those involved fell from grace, and Lee Eung-ryeong (Lee Jae-yong) was repatriated to North Korea by Kang Seong (Kim Sung-kyu). Joo Kang-chan paid the price for his crimes to Geum Ippal (Jo Bok-rae). Manager Kim asked Seon-saeng (Song Kyung-chul) to dismantle Joo Hak Construction, and the prosecution conducted a search and seizure of the company. Declared dead, Manager Kim reunited with his daughter Min-ji (Seo Soo-min), who was devastated in front of his urn, and the two started a new life under new names in a new neighborhood. Later, Manager Kim was shown interviewing at Baekho manpower agency, hinting at a new beginning. According to Nielsen Korea, the drama ″Manager Kim″ started with a nationwide rating of 9.5% for the first episode, surpassed 15.7% by the second episode, reached 21.5% by the ninth episode, and recorded 23.4% in the metropolitan area, 23.0% nationwide, and a peak of 27.1% in the final episode. It ranked first in its time slot for 10 consecutive episodes and set a new record for mini-series ratings in 2026. The 2049 demographic rating averaged 7.4%, peaking at 8.42%. It became the second highest-rated SBS Friday-Saturday drama, with the top spot held by ″Penthouse 2″ (29.2%). The drama’s success was attributed to So Ji-sub’s action performance, the passionate acting of the cast, and the storyline centered on family love. The production team expressed gratitude to viewers, stating, ″We hope the story of fathers who gave up ordinary daily lives to protect their families will remain in the hearts of the audience for a long time.″ Meanwhile, about 20 minutes in the latter part of the final episode featured concentrated PPL (product placement) including caffeine candies, cars, conveyor belt sushi restaurants, and eyewear brands, which some viewers felt disrupted their immersion. Online communities and social media were filled with comments such as ″The last 20 minutes were a PPL frenzy″ and ″The emotional flow was broken because of the ads,″ while some responded, ″Considering the production environment, it was understandable.″ The nature of terrestrial dramas relying heavily on advertising and PPL revenue for production costs was noted. The ending showed Manager Kim interviewing at Baekho manpower agency, hinting at the possibility of a season 2.