My Boss Is Truly Generous... So Ji-sub Gifts Gold to 'Chief Kim' Team: "Use It When Times Are Tough"

A Leading Actor Who Generously Cares for Actors, Managers, and Staff

"His Thoughtfulness Is More Precious Than the Gift," Netizens Praise

Actor So Ji-sub became the center of attention after it was revealed that he gifted gold to the cast and crew of the SBS Friday-Saturday drama "Chief Kim," which concluded with a 23% viewership rating. On July 26, photos certifying So Ji-sub's gift were posted on social media by the actors and staff members who worked with him on "Chief Kim." The publicly released photos show the gold presented in a special case, along with a thank-you message prepared by So Ji-sub inside.

So Ji-sub conveyed through a message, "I felt great emotion and happiness working on this project together," and added, "I am always grateful to everyone who quietly shone as 'Manager Kim' in their respective positions." Screenshot from SNS

In his message, So Ji-sub said, "I felt great emotion and happiness working on this project together,” and added, “I am always grateful to everyone who quietly shone as 'Manager Kim' in their respective positions." However, the specific weight of the gold and the total scale of the gifts have not been disclosed. This is not the first time So Ji-sub has gifted gold to his colleagues after completing a project together.

Last year, after finishing filming for the Netflix series "Plaza," he also drew attention by presenting each actor, manager, and staff member who participated at the filming site with a gold piece inscribed with the word "Plaza." In an interview at the time, So Ji-sub shared that since he began playing lead roles, he has given thank-you gifts to on-site staff every time a project concludes.

He explained, "It is because of these people that I am able to shine," noting his gifts are a token of gratitude for safely completing filming. He said he chose gold not as a sponsorship but to show genuine sincerity, adding there is a practical meaning as well, since recipients could sell the gold to support themselves in difficult times. Netizens who heard the news reacted by saying, "With gold prices this high, he’s really generous," "The thoughtfulness for the staff is even more precious than the gift," "Our boss is truly big-hearted," "Not only is he handsome, but his character is admirable," and “This is why people call him ‘So Ganji’ (So Ji-sub’s nickname meaning ‘stylish’).”

Actors Choi Daehoon (from left), So Jisub, and Yoon Kyungho are posing at the production presentation for the new Friday-Saturday drama "Chief Kim" held at the SBS building in Mokdong, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul on the 25th. Photo by Yonhap News

Meanwhile, "Chief Kim" is a revenge action drama about Chief Kim, who once served as a North Korean special operative but now lives a quiet life as an ordinary office worker and father, until he jumps back into a dangerous world to rescue his kidnapped daughter. So Ji-sub starred as Chief Kim, with Choi Daehoon and Yoon Kyungho playing Seong Hansu and Park Jincheol, respectively, portraying the solidarity and paternal love of three fathers. The cast also included Joo Sangwook, Son Naeun, Kim Sungkyu, and Seo Sumin.

"Chief Kim" started with a nationwide viewership rating of 9.5% for its first episode, followed by 15.7% for episode two, and 18.8% for episode three, surpassing 20% to reach 21.6% with episode four. The eighth episode marked a personal best with an average of 23.1%. The final episode, which aired on July 25, recorded 23.0% nationwide and 23.4% in the Seoul metropolitan area, according to Nielsen Korea. The highest real-time rating soared to 27.1%, and the show ranked number one across all channels in its time slot for 10 consecutive episodes.

On Netflix, "Chief Kim" topped the global non-English TV shows category for three consecutive weeks, achieving significant success both domestically and internationally. This is the second-highest average viewership rating among all SBS Friday-Saturday dramas to date. The cast and crew, who experienced this successful run together, plan to take a reward trip in mid-August to Guam. So Ji-sub, who could not join the reward trip for SBS’s "Master's Sun" in 2013 due to his personal schedule, is expected to join the trip this time.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.