If you're a male webtoon fan, one of the dramas you were likely looking forward to was 'Mr. Kim.'

It represents a core work of the Park Tae-jun universe (PTJ Universe) alongside titles like 'Appearance-Based Society' and 'Self-Taught Fighting,' and gained significant popularity with its setting of a former special agent and intense action.

So when the news of the drama's production came out, expectations were high that "this time, we would finally get a proper military action drama."

In fact, it received praise for following the original's main storyline in the early episodes while capturing the unique heavy atmosphere of Mr. Kim and the narrative of a father trying to protect his family.

Domestic ratings: It started with 9.5% for the first episode and surpassed 21.6% in just four episodes, breaking the 20% barrier.

In its second week on Netflix, it ranked first among global non-English TV shows (with 10.5 million views) and achieved a spot in the TOP 10 in 79 countries.

Up until around episode 7, original fans were saying, "The adaptation is better than expected," and the action direction was generally well-received.

However, after episode 8, the atmosphere changed drastically. The most criticized aspect was that the tactical actions of the South Korean special agents were too unrealistic. While general viewers might overlook it, those with military or police experience or fans of military content noticed awkward scenes far too often.

A typical example is the scene of entering a building. In actual close-quarters combat (CQB) and special operations, it is standard to first deploy surveillance teams and escape route blockers around the target building.

This is crucial for controlling the suspect's escape and external support, just as much as the internal entry team. However, the agents in the drama were clustered together like local thugs, standing in front of the door, or dangerously crowded to the point of being exposed to a single bullet.

The operation of vehicles and operational security also left much to be desired, haha.

If the operation needs to maintain secrecy, it is basic to use inconspicuous regular cars, but they appeared in off-road vehicles that overly emphasized a military feel, essentially advertising, "I am a special agent."

The scene where all the tires were punctured by the enemy due to neglecting external vehicle surveillance after entering the building was also a direct violation of operational basics. While they might have aimed to create dramatic tension, it only highlighted the sloppiness.

Moreover, during the process of dealing with a Telegram crime organization, the professionalism expected from intelligence agencies was not adequately expressed.

The cybercrime investigation and information-gathering process flowed too simply, significantly reducing the sense of realism.

Of course, a drama is not a documentary. Adaptation is necessary when visualizing the webtoon's allowances, and exaggeration for dramatic fun can be included.

However, 'Mr. Kim' was originally a work where detailed tactics and the overwhelming combat abilities of special agents were its core appeal. Therefore, when the basic tactical authenticity wavered, the viewers' immersion inevitably decreased.

Nonetheless, the actors' performances were excellent. The weight of the character Mr. Kim and the desperate emotional arc of a father trying to save his daughter left a deep impression. Ultimately, the arrows of disappointment point not at the actors but at the shortcomings in direction and tactical authenticity.

For a webtoon-based drama to go beyond mere commercial success and be remembered as a 'masterpiece,' it must pay attention to genre details beyond simple story reproduction.

If it had maintained its excellent form from the beginning, it could have been remembered as the best action drama of the year, so the tactical awkwardness after episode 8 remains a deep regret for both original fans and genre enthusiasts.

Even if it has been somewhat rough so far, I hope the final finale of Mr. Kim delivers a satisfying conclusion with the message that 'a father protecting his daughter is invincible.'