Agent Kim Reactivated Finale Sparks PPL Backlash

SBS’s Friday-Saturday drama “Agent Kim Reactivated” wrapped up with a satisfying dose of poetic justice, closing out its run as a certified hit.

The finale posted a nationwide rating of 23.0%, with a minute-by-minute peak of 27.1% — a new high for 2026 miniseries. Still, viewer reactions to the final episode were sharply divided on one point: many felt the heavy product placement (PPL) packed into the drama’s back half left something to be desired.

In the finale, which aired on July 25, Manager Kim (So Ji Sub) risked his life in one last operation to bring the villains to justice. Juhak Construction’s corruption and shady dealings were fully exposed, and Ju Kang Chan paid the price for his crimes, delivering a satisfying conclusion built on good triumphing over evil. The ending also showed Manager Kim starting a new chapter in his life, leaving behind a lingering hint that a second season may be on the way.

“Agent Kim Reactivated” opened with a 9.5% rating and, powered by word of mouth, broke past 20% in just its fourth episode. It held the No. 1 spot in its timeslot for 10 consecutive episodes through the finale. Its brisk pacing, strong performances from the cast, the emotional pull of its family themes, and its satisfying takedown of its villains all earned praise from viewers.

But the finale struck a different chord.

Over roughly 20 minutes in the drama’s back half, a string of product placements — including caffeine candy, cars, a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant, and an eyewear brand — appeared in quick succession, and viewers said it broke their immersion. The caffeine candy PPL in particular, a fixture throughout the series, showed up even more frequently in the finale and drew extra attention.

Online communities and social media lit up right after the broadcast with comments like “The last 20 minutes were a PPL free-for-all,” “Felt like watching a 30-minute ad,” “The car and the eyewear store all showed up at once — it was too much,” and “The ending was good, but the ads killed the emotional moment.”

One viewer wrote, “The ending was clean, but the PPL was way too much, even for broadcast TV,” adding, “If this had been a Netflix original, I think I would have been a lot more immersed.”

Others, however, saw it differently, with comments like “Given the production environment, it’s understandable,” “There was PPL, but the ending itself was satisfying,” and “I enjoyed watching this drama all the way through.”

The controversy has also sparked renewed interest in the realities of broadcast drama production. Terrestrial dramas rely heavily on advertising and PPL revenue to cover production costs, making a certain level of product placement unavoidable. Streaming originals on platforms like Netflix, by contrast, tend to have less overt PPL since the platform itself covers a larger share of production costs, and often work it into the story in ways that don’t disrupt the flow.

That’s led some viewers to say things like “If it’s this well-made, I’d love to see a second season made for streaming,” and “It would have been perfect if they’d kept the fun of broadcast TV while cutting back on the PPL.”

In the end, “Agent Kim Reactivated” stands as one of the year’s most satisfying stories of justice served and a certified ratings hit. Still, the concentrated PPL in its finale left a note of disappointment separate from the drama’s overall quality. If a second season does happen, attention is already turning to which platform — and in what form — it might return on.

Source: (A)