The SBS Friday-Saturday drama 'Manager Kim' concluded with a spectacular finale, surpassing 20% in viewership ratings. Behind this success was a passionate paternal narrative that served as the roots of the drama. At the center of it were actor So Jisub, who played 'Manager Kim' and threw everything on the line to save his daughter, and newcomer Seo Su-min, who played the daughter 'Minji' and maximized audience immersion by stimulating viewers' protective instincts.
Director Lee Seung-young, who helmed 'Manager Kim', shared calm insights in a wrap-up interview with the press held on July 30 at a cafe in Jongno-gu, Seoul, discussing the extraordinary presence and deep resonance both actors breathed into the project from the casting phase to the filming set.
The entire narrative of 'Manager Kim' begins with the clear proposition that "a father saves his endangered daughter." Therefore, the role of the daughter 'Minji' had to be more than a simple supporting character; it was the most meticulous casting target that provided the momentum for the entire drama. Reflecting on his concerns during the casting process, Director Lee said, "Not only the father, but viewers also needed to feel a desperate desire to 'truly want to save that child' for this story to start powerfully."
"We reviewed about 200 profiles of existing actors alone. Everyone had such wonderful acting skills, but it was difficult to find a suitable candidate that perfectly matched the specific image we were looking for. Eventually, we began reviewing rookies separately."
At that time, what caught Director Lee's eye was a modest video of Seo Su-min, which looked like it was shot on a smartphone at a profile photo studio. In the video, where she took natural poses rather than standardized acting, the director discovered the potential for 'Minji'.
"We asked for an acting video, but she was a complete rookie who didn't even have a prepared acting video. After verifying her through a free-acting video practiced at an academy, we proceeded with auditions among candidates from that point on. Countless candidates passed through the auditions, which went up to the final fifth round, but I became convinced that 'Manager Kim' must have an actor named Seo Su-min."
Although filming began under the heavy pressure of a debut project, the consideration on set and Seo Su-min's boldness shined through. Expressing his gratitude, Director Lee said, "When acting for the first time, people are bound to be intimidated by the camera, co-stars, and the gazes of numerous staff members. I want to praise actor Seo Su-min for overcoming that and delivering her own performance," adding, "Thanks to senior actors and staff members who warmly considered her without a single unkind person on set, she was able to adapt quickly despite being a rookie."
Based on the webtoon of the same name, 'Manager Kim' is a revenge action drama about an ordinary father trying to get his daughter back, and it brought down its grand curtain on July 25. The final episode of 'Manager Kim' achieved a successful finale with its highest personal ratings, recording 23.0% nationwide and 23.4% in the metropolitan area (based on Nielsen Korea). It also created a powerful storm in the global market, ranking first in the Netflix non-English TV show category for 3 consecutive weeks.
Having proven both its popular appeal and artistic quality, 'Manager Kim' is entering positive discussions for producing a second season simultaneously with its conclusion, signaling yet another beginning.
Reporter Kang Sun-ae
(SBS Entertainment News, Reporter Kang Sun-ae)
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