Kim Bu-jang (김부장) is an SBS action drama about a mild-mannered company department head who turns out to be a former special agent, and after debuting in mid-2026 it climbed to No. 1 on Netflix's global non-English TV chart for two consecutive weeks. This profile covers the plot, cast, and the streaming success that followed its release. Note that this is a different show from the similarly titled JTBC series about a Seoul office worker — this profile covers the SBS action drama based on the webtoon of the same name.
What Kim Bu-jang Is About
The series follows a man known to his coworkers and family only as an ordinary, slightly unremarkable department head — a "bu-jang," a common mid-level manager title in Korean companies. What his colleagues and daughter don't know is that he's a former special agent, a North Korean defector who was recruited into a secretive South Korean special forces unit before quietly settling into civilian life as a husband and father. On her deathbed, his wife asked him to leave his past behind entirely and live only as their daughter's father. That fragile peace collapses when his daughter, Kim Min-ji, runs away from home and goes missing, forcing him to shed his ordinary disguise and draw on skills he'd buried for years to find her. What starts as a family search drama expands into a much larger story involving government agents and the shadows of his past operations.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| So Ji-sub | Kim Bu-jang, the former agent living a double life |
| Choi Dae-hoon | Main cast |
| Yoon Kyung-ho | Main cast |
| Joo Sang-wook | Supporting cast |
| Son Na-eun | Supporting cast |
Broadcast Info
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Network | SBS (Friday-Saturday drama slot) |
| Based on | The Naver Webtoon of the same name |
| Aired | June 26 – July 25, 2026 |
| Episode count | 10 episodes |
| Streaming | Simulcast on Netflix |
Recent News: Netflix Global Success
Kim Bu-jang's streaming performance became one of the bigger K-drama stories of mid-2026. According to industry reporting from July 15, 2026, the series held the No. 1 spot on Netflix's global non-English TV show chart for two consecutive weeks, a strong result for a show that debuted with relatively modest domestic broadcast ratings compared to other 2026 dramas. The gap between its broadcast numbers and its streaming performance has been noted as an example of how a show's domestic ratings and its global OTT reach don't always move together.
A Shared Webtoon Universe
Kim Bu-jang comes from a webtoon universe that also produced a separate Netflix series in Japan, centered on younger fighters from the same fictional world, released around the same time as the Korean adaptation. Where the Japanese series focuses on teenage combatants, Kim Bu-jang centers on the older, veteran-level fighters from the same shared setting, giving the franchise two simultaneous adaptations aimed at different audiences in different countries.
FAQ
What is Kim Bu-jang about?
It follows a mild-mannered company department head who is secretly a former special agent, and who must return to his old skills after his daughter goes missing.
Who stars in Kim Bu-jang?
So Ji-sub stars as the title character, with Choi Dae-hoon, Yoon Kyung-ho, Joo Sang-wook, and Son Na-eun in the cast.
Where can I watch Kim Bu-jang?
It aired on SBS in Korea and streamed simultaneously on Netflix internationally. Always check the official platform in your region for current availability.
Is Kim Bu-jang the same as the JTBC drama with a similar name?
No. This is a separate SBS action drama based on a webtoon of the same name; the similarly titled JTBC series about a Seoul office worker is a different, unrelated production.