Ryu Seung-ryong Faces New Crisis in 'A Manager Kim' Episode 3 Amidst IT Creator Fallout

JTBC's Saturday-Sunday drama ‘A Manager Kim’ (also known as 'The Story of Manager Kim Working at a Large Corporation') has thrown its protagonist, Kim Nak-su (played by Ryu Seung-ryong), into yet another precarious situation.

In the third episode, aired on the 1st, Kim Nak-su, who had seemingly navigated the fallout from an IT creator's exposé, found himself facing unforeseen troubles, leaving viewers concerned. The episode recorded a viewership rating of 3.4% in the Seoul metropolitan area and 3.2% nationwide, according to Nielsen Korea.

The direct impact of the IT creator's video severely affected ACT's Sales Division, particularly Sales Team 1 led by Kim Nak-su, which had aggressively promoted gigabit internet services. Under subtle gaslighting instructions from Managing Director Baek Jeong-tae (Yoo Seung-mok), Kim Nak-su was tasked with damage control. He issued a drastic directive to his team: send an email to the IT creator demanding the video's removal.

However, contrary to Kim Nak-su's expectations, the creator posted a second video. This follow-up mentioned complaints from the Yangpyeong Cultural Center, further worsening public opinion. Managing Director Baek severely criticized Kim Nak-su for his complacent judgment, pushing him into a corner. Kim Nak-su began seeking solutions with his team.

Kim Nak-su's focus remained solely on the conflict with the IT creator, overshadowing the issues with the Yangpyeong Cultural Center. He became fixated on the idea that resolving the creator's conflict, a matter of national attention, would make him the 'MVP' of the company.

Ultimately, instead of addressing the accident caused by his own carelessness, Kim Nak-su decided to concentrate on a singular, impactful move. He delegated the handling of the Yangpyeong Cultural Center complaints to his team members and, with assistance from his brother-in-law Han Sang-cheol (Lee Kang-wook), ventured out alone to meet the IT creator who had posted the exposé video.

While his team faced resentment from Yangpyeong Cultural Center staff and felt a sense of despair, Kim Nak-su basked in the satisfaction of resolving the issue with the IT creator. His proud declaration of his achievement to Managing Director Baek, akin to a child presenting homework, and his boastful remark to his team, "What did I tell you?", evoked sighs from the audience.

However, Kim Nak-su's troubles were far from over. Officials from the Fair Trade Commission noticed the faces of executives from the three major telecommunication companies gathered in Kim Nak-su's hole-in-one celebration photo at a golf course. If the Fair Trade Commission were to investigate and discover potential collusion, it could lead to severe repercussions. Upon hearing this news from an executive of a rival company, Managing Director Baek's expression hardened as he uttered an ominous phrase, "I've done all I could, too," amplifying the sense of impending doom.

Meanwhile, Kim Nak-su was contemplating a job posting for a safety management position at the company's remote Asan factory, a place often seen as a workplace exile. At that moment, a call from Managing Director Baek made his breathing quicken. The reason for Managing Director Baek's call remains unknown, and attention is focused on whether Kim Nak-su can truly become the company's MVP as he dreams.

Separately, Kim Su-gyeom (Cha Kang-yun) continued to ponder a scout offer from a startup named 'Jealousy is My Strength.' While still unsure about his career path or what suits his aptitude, he holds a clear goal: not to live like his father. Curiosity mounts about whether Kim Su-gyeom's dream of a different life can be realized.

Korean viewers expressed frustration with Kim Nak-su's self-serving actions, commenting, "Watching Kim Nak-su makes me feel suffocated," and "Is he just trying to take all the credit after solving it alone?" They voiced concern for his future and curiosity about the drama's unfolding plot.