The hit K-drama Agent Kim Reactivated has become one of the biggest shows of 2026, pulling in record-breaking ratings and climbing Netflix’s global charts. But with its rising fame, an old controversy linked to the original webtoon creator has resurfaced, sparking heated debates among viewers.
The SBS Friday-Saturday drama, starring So Ji Sub, tells the story of a regular office worker who turns into a deadly fighter after his daughter goes missing. The show has drawn comparisons to the Liam Neeson movie Taken for its revenge-driven father-rescue storyline. Within just three days of its premiere, the series landed at No. 3 on Netflix’s global non-English TV chart.
The drama’s fourth episode, which aired on Saturday, recorded a nationwide viewership rating of 21.6 percent according to Nielsen Korea. This makes Agent Kim Reactivated the third highest-rated SBS Friday-Saturday drama ever, behind only The Penthouse II: War in Life (29.2 percent) and The Fiery Priest (22.0 percent). After just three episodes, it had already reached sixth place in SBS’s weekend drama ratings history.
The Old Controversy That Came Back
The controversy does not involve the drama’s actors or the show’s content. Instead, it connects to Park Tae-joon, the creator of the original Manager Kim webtoon that the series adapts. The discussion centers on Park’s earlier webtoon Lookism, which is part of the same creative universe.
In 2015, some readers claimed that a scene in Lookism appeared to mock former South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun. Critics pointed to a background sign reading “Rock Owling” and a stopwatch showing “five minutes and 23 seconds”. They argued these elements referenced Roh’s death on May 23, 2009, when he fell from Owl Rock, a cliff near his home.
The allegations gained new life after a recent episode of the YouTube channel ‘Yeouido Next Door, Mullae-dong’ revisited scenes from Lookism. The panelists claimed that such details were unlikely to be accidental and suggested they reflected themes linked to Ilbe, a controversial far-right online community in South Korea.
Park Tae-joon Denies All Allegations
Park Tae-joon has consistently denied any political intent in his work. When similar claims first surfaced, he responded through his personal blog.
“I am dumbfounded. No matter how lacking or uneducated I may be, I am not the kind of person who would use the image of a deceased individual in that way, nor would I have the courage to do so.”
Park faced similar accusations in 2021 when another of his works, Desire Diary, drew criticism over the use of the expression “Hwo Hwo Hwo.” Some alleged it resembled an online parody directed at former President Moon Jae In. Park has always maintained that he never included political messages in his work.
It is important to note that Park Tae-joon is not the original creator of the Agent Kim Reactivated drama. While the webtoon is part of the “Park Tae-joon Universe” and produced by his company The GLEAM Entertainment, the story was written by Toy and Man’s Story, with artwork by Jeong Jong-taek. Park is credited only as the overall producer of the webtoon, but misinformation has spread claiming him as the original creator.
Separate Controversy Over Palestine Reference
Another controversy hit the drama when a scene featuring a reference to Palestine sparked debate among international viewers. The issue began after screenshots of the English subtitles were shared on Reddit. In the scene, the main character was described as having a military background that included “three airstrike operations against Palestine”.
Many viewers questioned why the series referenced a real-world conflict instead of using a fictional country. Given the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Palestine, several fans felt the dialogue was insensitive. One viewer wrote, “Why can’t they just leave out the country name. Or just say in the Middle East”. Another commented, “It’s really odd thing to say considering how Palestine is suffering. It doesn’t really add anything to the story so why was it needed?”
However, as the discussion continued, many viewers suggested the backlash may have come from an inaccurate English subtitle rather than the original Korean dialogue. Fans who checked multiple subtitle versions claimed the wording differed significantly. According to some viewers, the Korean dialogue was intended to say the character had prevented airstrikes in Palestine, not carried them out. One Reddit user shared, “I heard somewhere that it meant ‘prevented three air strikes in Palestine’ and it was only a mistranslation”.
Mixed Reactions From Viewers
As Agent Kim Reactivated gains momentum, older screenshots, clips, and discussions about the source material have resurfaced on social media, especially on Korean online forums. The renewed debate has drawn mixed reactions from viewers.
Some people are criticizing the drama over the claims, while others believe the television adaptation should be viewed separately from the webtoon creator’s past work. Supporters of the show argue that the alleged references are open to interpretation and should not be treated as proof of deliberate political intent. They also point out that Park has consistently denied the allegations.
The show’s strong storytelling has kept most viewers hooked. Fans are demanding new episodes every day, as the cliffhangers at the end of each episode keep them wondering about what comes next. In the latest episode, Kim managed to find Min-ji’s location, but Golden Teeth is also present, and Kang-chan is on his way, setting up a tense confrontation.
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What Viewers Should Know
Neither the drama’s production team nor SBS has commented on the matter. The controversy has also led to calls for a boycott in some online communities, but the show’s popularity continues to grow.
Episode 5 of Agent Kim Reactivated is scheduled to air on Friday, July 10, 2026. The series has been praised for mixing action, humor, and emotional storytelling, with each episode leaving viewers curious about what comes next.
The drama is available for streaming on Netflix for international audiences, where it continues to perform strongly.
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