SBS's Friday-Saturday drama 'Chief Kim' has claimed the number one spot as Koreans' most favorite broadcast program. The 18.9% preference rating is the highest figure ever recorded across all channels and genres since Gallup Korea began conducting the survey.

According to results from a Gallup Korea survey conducted from the 21st to the 23rd, asking 1,003 adults aged 18 and older nationwide about 'the broadcast programs they enjoy watching most these days,' 'Chief Kim' topped the list with an 18.9% preference rating. Respondents were allowed to freely name up to two programs.

Based on a webtoon of the same name, 'Chief Kim' tells the story of Kim Bong-sik, a former elite North Korean special agent who has been living as an ordinary office worker and single father. When his daughter Min-ji goes missing after becoming entangled in a school violence incident, he sets out to find her. So Ji-sub plays the role of Kim Bong-sik, while Seo Soo-min appears as his daughter Min-ji. In the series, with the help of his longtime friends Sung Han-soo and Park Jin-chul, Kim tracks down the wealthy Joo Kang-chan, who kidnapped his daughter. Tension escalates as the Special Task Bureau, seeking to stop Kim's actions, and North Korean forces, attempting to eliminate him, become entangled in the pursuit.

In particular, the combination of a father's desperation to reclaim his daughter and the action sequences of a former special agent has drawn broad interest across all generations and genders.

■ All-Time Record Broken… Previous No. 1 Was 'Reborn Rich' at 16.6%

The 18.9% preference rating for 'Chief Kim' is the highest record among the 'Favorite Broadcast Programs' surveys conducted by Gallup Korea since January 2013. The survey was conducted under the name 'Favorite TV Program' until 2022.

The previous highest record was 16.6%, set by JTBC's 'Reborn Rich' in December 2022. ENA's 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo Young-woo' recorded 16.4% in August of the same year. Both were non-terrestrial dramas that were also streamed on Netflix at the time of their broadcast. In contrast, 'Chief Kim' is a terrestrial drama accessible not only on Netflix but also without a separate paid channel subscription, which is interpreted as allowing it to reach a wider audience.

A total of 14 dramas, including 'Chief Kim,' have surpassed a 10% preference rating in Gallup Korea surveys. Notable examples include: KBS2's 'My Daughter Seo-young' at 12.2% (February 2013), SBS's 'My Love from the Star' at 11.5% (February 2014), MBC's 'Empress Ki' at 11.8% (April 2014), MBC's 'Jang Bo-ri Is Here!' at 12.1% (September 2014), KBS2's 'Descendants of the Sun' at 12.3% (March 2016), tvN's 'Goblin' at 12.6% (January 2017), and JTBC's 'SKY Castle' at 13.0% (January 2019).

Subsequently, Netflix's 'The Glory' at 14.8% (March 2023), tvN's 'Queen of Tears' at 13.1% (April 2024), Netflix's 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' at 11.7% (April 2025), and 'Brave Citizen' at 10.7% (June 2026) also broke the 10% mark.

Among variety programs, the highest preference rating is held by MBC's 'Infinite Challenge,' which recorded 16.0% in January 2015 when its 'Saturday! Saturday is for Singers' special generated significant buzz.

Recording a preference rating that surpasses not only the previous drama record but also the variety show record, 'Chief Kim' has established itself as the biggest talk of the broadcasting industry in the summer of 2026.

[This article was written with the assistance of AI.]