Agent Kim Reactivated

Presentation

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Overview

Synopsis

Manager Kim works at a small savings bank. He seems like an ordinary single father, but he has a secret: he’s a former spy. One day, his daughter goes missing. To save her, he doesn’t hesitate to reveal his secret and risk everything. 

My Opinion (No Spoiler)

This is, by far, one of the best dramas of the year! Agent Kim Reactivated broke viewership records right from the start and it’s absolutely deserved. The drama is action-packed – there isn’t a single boring moment. We go from the kidnapping of Kim’s daughter to his confrontation with gangsters to North Korea’s involvement. It may seem like a lot but the plot is so well woven that you just go from one enemy to another without issues. Agent Kim and his two best friends are absolutely fantastic. There’s so much synergy between them on screen! They are also hilarious and bring the humorous vibe to the drama. I loved how the drama focuses on fatherhood and how middle-aged men with glasses can also be real threats if their children are in danger. It’s a great drama on parenthood and camaraderie. The cast is also amazing, even the young actors blew me away. There really is nothing to criticize about this show, you should definitely watch it – period.

Analysis

• Fatherhood
  Manager Kim
  Sung Han Soo
  Park Jin Cheol
  Ju Gang Chan
• The action
• The humor
• The young cast

Fatherhood: To me, Agent Kim Reactivated is not only an action drama, but also a family drama that centers on fathers who would do anything to protect their children.

Manager Kim: Manager Kim (So Ji Sub) is an enigmatic figure in the show. Though we discover that he’s originally a North Korean soldier who later defected to the South and became a spy, his name and full identity remain unknown until the end. Despite this mystery and his unconventional profession, Manager Kim is a kind-hearted, soft and good man. But he’s above all a father who promised his dying wife he would keep their daughter safe. To do so, his existence has to remain a secret. Therefore, he behaves like a weak man, bullied by others, swallowing his pride and enduring humiliation. However, he goes back to being a ruthless, fierce and formidable agent who doesn’t hesitate to kill the moment Kim Min Ji (Seo Su Min) is kidnapped. It was very moving to see such as stoic and cool-headed man lose control of his emotions when it comes to his daughter. In her presence, he smiles and embodies happiness, but he’s also completely shaken and broken when he learns she may have been killed.

Sung Han Soo: Sung Han Soo (Choi Dae Hoon) is one of Agent Kim’s sidekicks along with Park Jin Cheol. They met when they were agents and have kept a strong relationship since then. As a taekwondo artist, he too hides his former past, especially to his son. I love how touching their relationship is. It was clear to me that father and son are exactly the same. Both are bad with words and have fiery tempers that generally lead to confrontation. They are more comfortable using their fists and Taekwondo techniques. However, Han Soo is a father who would kill for his son. That’s why he accepts to briefly turn against Agent Kim when his son is kidnapped. Additionally, he understands better than anyone else his best friend’s despair when Min Ji vanishes. That’s why he doesn’t hesitate to jump in and help rescue her. On another note, I think Sung Han Soo is one of the most hilarious characters of the drama. He’s also doing all the legwork (fighting over 30 people on his own, hiding in the vents to infiltrate the special services….) with little appreciation for his hard work from others. The poor man never gets a break!

Park Jin Cheol: There are only two things in this world that scare Park Jin Cheol (Yoon Kyung Ho): his dear wife (who’s in the military) and his daughter being in danger. This man is a sucker for his family. He behaves like the Hulk, loves fighting, enjoys receiving punches and generally bulldozes into every situation before exiting with a Rock and Roll. However, he would plead and beg for his daughter he considers the apple of his eye – and I think his T-shirts in her honor are a good hint that he’s a very doting father. In his case as well, he immediately feels for Agent Kim and jumps into fire to rescue Min Ji.

Ju Gang Chan: Although Ju Gang Chan (Joo Sang Wook) is a bad man with vile methods, he too is a father. It all starts with his daughter Hye Ri (Yoo Ji An) bricking Min Ji and trying to cover up her ‘murder’. When Gang Chan discovers it, he tries to clean up her mess so she doesn’t get implicated in anything. Obviously, the plan goes astray leading to a series of catastrophic events. But his first intention was to protect his child (in his own way), like any father would do. This behavior humanizes the character and gives him some depth.

The action: There isn’t a single boring episode in the drama! It is action-packed, the pace is excellent and the plot is extremely well written. I think Min Ji is the one who suffers the most – from being bricked by her schoolmate, to being kidnapped by gangsters, then confined in Gang Chan’s house, then locked up by special services. Poor lady, I was exhausted for her! However, this movement is exactly what keeps the drama going, just like the back-and-forth between past and present give rhythm and depth to the story. I liked how they introduced new characters who were originally enemies then turned into allies for a time. You never knew what to expect making the drama more surprising every time. Finally, the drama wouldn’t have been so great without the many fight scenes, Agent Kim’s lack of fear to kill and the trio’s extraordinary skills.

The humor: The action in the show is good, but the humor is even better. Agent Kim Reactivated is simply hilarious and I think this is what made him so popular. The main trio has perfect synergy. Their personalities and skills are different, but they just complement each other. Every action scene was sprinkled with a touch of humor making it extremely lighthearted and entertaining. I personally loved Choi Dae Hoon. As always, he proves that he’s the King of comedy! Finally, I would say there’s one thing that I’ve learned thanks to this show: you should beware of middle-aged men with glasses.

The young cast: I have to salute the young cast, particularly Seo Su Min (Min Ji) and Yoo Ji An (Hye Ri). This was their first drama and they were simply excellent. Not to mention that they were playing alongside veteran and gifted actors, so the pressure must have been quite high. But they delivered and slayed their performance. I can’t wait to see them in more dramas!