In the latest episodes of The Dream Life of Mr. Kim, Kim Nak-su’s relentless pursuit of a promotion leads to a spectacular professional downfall. His attempts to single-handedly solve a corporate crisis and claim glory not only fail but also alienate his team and family, pushing his dream life further out of reach.
A Crisis and a Cowardly Move
The fallout from the major corporate scandal involving the YouTuber IT-Boy continues to rock ACT in Episode 3. With the company’s reputation on the line, the pressure is on Kim Nak-su to fix the mess he helped create. However, instead of taking accountability, he makes a series of desperate and poorly judged decisions.
His first move is to send a formal demand to IT-Boy, ordering him to take down his critical videos. Nak-su believes this aggressive tactic will put him in a stronger negotiating position, but his own team immediately recognizes it as a “completely insane and delusional” strategy. The plan backfires almost instantly. IT-Boy releases another video, making the situation much worse for ACT. When confronted by his furious director, Baek Jeong-tae, Nak-su cowardly shifts the blame onto his own team members, proving himself to be a weak leader who refuses to protect those he mentors.
“The fact that Nak-su was prepared to throw his team under the bus in front of everyone is just embarrassing at this point, undermining his own credentials.”
A Failed Play for Glory
With his career hanging by a thread, Nak-su is presented with two paths to manage the crisis. His colleague, Ik-kyeon, suggests a practical plan: the team should travel to Yangpyeong to personally apologize to the affected contractors and offer them free service to smooth things over. Meanwhile, Team 2 would handle the situation with the YouTuber.
Blinded by his obsession with becoming an executive, Nak-su rejects this team-oriented approach. He becomes fixated on being the “MVP” and handling what he perceives as the more important problemโthe YouTuberโby himself. He forces a junior colleague, Jin-woo, to stay behind so he can take all the credit for a resolution. While Nak-su has a clumsy meeting with IT-Boy, the rest of his team is humiliated by the leaders at the Yangpyeong facility. His absence makes a bad situation worse, resulting in the contract being canceled entirely.
The Fallout at Home and Work
The consequences of Nak-su’s actions are severe. His team is rightfully angry, dragged to an unwanted dinner with a leader they no longer respect. Director Jeong-tae is furious, leaving Nak-su anxiously awaiting a call that he knows will bring more bad news. The professional failure is mirrored by his crumbling home life. His son, Su-gyeom, temporarily leaves home to let his father cool off after their big fight. In a warm moment with Su-gyeom, Nak-su’s wife, Ha-jin, admits that she has spoiled her husband for years, sacrificing her own hopes and dreams to make their home a place where he didn’t feel small.
The episode also offers a glimpse into the past, showing Nak-su and Ha-jin’s awkward first date. He was shy and lacked social skills, but he was also more genuine than the corporate climber he has become. This flashback highlights how far he has strayed from his true self in his pursuit of status.
What Pushed Nak-su to the Edge?
Nak-su’s behavior is driven by a deep-seated insecurity and a lifelong need to prove his worth. The series has shown that he is haunted by childhood taunts from his brother. His entire identity has become wrapped up in his job title and the perception of success. He measures his value through promotions and material possessions, like the expensive leather briefcase belonging to his boss that he covets.
He is a man who has done everything he was supposed to doโworked hard for decades, provided a home for his familyโyet he feels stagnant and unappreciated. This mid-life crisis causes him to cling even more tightly to his corporate ambitions, even as they destroy the very things he thinks he is fighting for.
Also Read: The Dream Life of Mr. Kim Episode 1-2 Recap: A Corporate Manโs Perfect Life Begins to Crack
