[Photo &] So Ji-sub Interview: “Kim Bu-jang” Breaks Through 23% Ratings With Fatherly Action That Overcomes “No-Child” Limits

Actor "So Ji-sub" (49) hit a dramatic turning point in his acting career through the SBS drama "Kim Bu-jang", setting an astonishing record of "23%" and delivering a flawless performance. Even though he has no children under his belt after marrying in 2020, he carved into the TV screen the feral fatherly love as he chases a kidnapped daughter and the no-nonsense action, drawing overwhelming praise from the public.

A 25.63 million-strong phenomenon that swallowed the living room… “Days like a hidden-camera prank”

Even after the series ended, the "Kim Bu-jang" phenomenon is still ongoing. "So Ji-sub", met in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, shared that the way people refer to him by job title rather than his name in everyday spaces like a gym and restaurants makes him feel "as if he’s inside some huge hidden camera." With his signature heavy smile, he showed that there was more depth to the character. The three-dimensional role, which ignites the instincts of a special agent in an ordinary family man, broke through the barrier of phantom ratings of "20%" in just four episodes. The final episode landed at "23%", leaving behind overwhelming figures of "25.63 million viewers".

Tightly built character analysis that breaks the “no-children” ceiling, plus an ensemble

He also did not forget his humility, crediting his success to his fellow actors. On his chemistry with "Choi Dae-hoon" and "Yoon Kyung-ho", he said, "Without the two actors, there wouldn’t have been the glory we have now." He stressed the synergy on set, where he kept filming without a single NG thanks to rehearsals that left no gaps. Even the portrayal of a “father with no children,” which raised public concerns, was the result of careful calculation. The strange sense of distance he created on the first day of filming by offering candy to "Su-min", who played his daughter in the drama, became a powerful tool for depicting the relationship between a daughter in adolescence and a clumsy father.

Grit in the freezing cold that bites the skin, sublimating action into “language”

The extreme environment instead increased the density of his performance. About the scene in a cold storage warehouse in the rain, he recalled, "The freezing cold that seemed to peel the flesh almost swallowed even my emotions." The "So Ji-sub"-style action he proved again once more after "Gwangjang" on Netflix goes beyond being mere eye candy. His philosophy—"Action is also an extension of dialogue"—creates an unmistakable aura strong enough to make you imagine a world shared with Hollywood action masters such as "Liam Neeson" and "Keanu Reeves".

A second act in life beyond "Misa": Expanding a spectrum more valuable than an acting award

After debuting in 1995 and leaving behind plenty of acclaimed works, "Kim Bu-jang" set a new milestone in his filmography. If "I’m Sorry, I Love You" was the opening of his acting life, then this work can be called the opening of a brilliant second act. Even amid the situation where he is being discussed as a likely candidate for the year-end "SBS Drama Awards", he showed class by saying, "I want the team to win, not my own individual glory."

“I’m grateful that the public can accept the image of a family man with a grown-up daughter,” said "So Ji-sub". That is why his next move—destroying his own limits and further expanding the edges of his acting range—is drawing even more anticipation.