Can Namkoong Min's new drama 'The Husband' beat SBS hit 'Agent Kim Reactivated?'

A poster for KBS's new series "The Husband" / Courtesy of KBS

KBS2's new crime thriller "The Husband" opened with a fast-paced story led by Namkoong Min. Marking Namkoong's return to the network after seven years, the series delivers an immersive narrative from its first episode. However, the drama faces tough competition from the established audience of SBS's "Agent Kim Reactivated," which continues to build strong ratings momentum.

"The Husband," a weekend drama, centers on a man's desperate fight to save his wife, who is kidnapped just before their divorce. The plot relies on suspense and some plot twists, as the husband who sets out to find her instead becomes the prime suspect in her disappearance.

Actor Namgoong Min is seen in a scene from KBS's new series "The Husband." Captured from Disney+ Singapore YouTube channel

In its Saturday premiere, driven neurosurgeon Kang Tae-ju (Namkoong) demands a divorce from his estranged wife, Ko Se-yun (Lee Seol), the daughter of his hospital's founder. The next day, she is suddenly kidnapped. Kang blacks out after drinking heavily and wakes to find that he had hired a hitman to kill his wife.

The kidnapper initially demands 500 million won ($327,883) to carry out the hit, but when Kang backs out, the assailant demands 1 billion won within an hour to cancel the contract. En route to the drop-off, Kang collides with a motorcycle. As he approaches to check on the fallen rider, the man asks if he brought the money and attacks him with a stun gun, ending the episode on a cliffhanger.

The series quickly establishes itself as a polished crime thriller. Expectations were high before the premiere, driven by Namkoong's track record of hit dramas, including "Good Manager," "Doctor Prisoner," "Hot Stove League," "The Veil," "One Dollar Lawyer" and "My Dearest."

Actor So Ji-sub is seen in a scene from SBS action thriller "Agent Kim Reactivated." Courtesy of SBS

The primary obstacle to dominance is the SBS weekend drama "Agent Kim Reactivated." The rival series ranked first in its time slot, posting a 21.6% nationwide rating according to Nielsen Korea. Despite a broader slump in broadcast networks, the show has secured the third-highest viewership in SBS drama history and is gaining momentum through word of mouth. With a loyal audience built over its first four episodes, it puts pressure on "The Husband," which posted a 4.4 percent nationwide premiere rating.

While "Agent Kim Reactivated" relies on an action-driven plot, "The Husband" aims to distinguish itself with psychological tension, mystery and crime thriller elements. With a distinct genre identity, KBS's new series has plenty of room to attract an audience seeking a different tone. The question remains whether Namkoong's reliable screen presence and the show's fast-paced storytelling can translate into a ratings rebound.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.