Market vendors call Joo Sang-wook 'truly evil' as 'Agent Kim Reactivated' fame hits home

Actor Joo Sang-wook got a firsthand taste of the popularity of "Agent Kim Reactivated."

A video titled "Preparing Joo Sang-wook's first surprise birthday spread! How does Cha Ye-ryun react?" was recently posted to the YouTube channel "Chajangeum Cha Ye-ryun."

In the video, Joo visits Noryangjin Fish Market to prepare a birthday meal for his wife, Cha Ye-ryun.

He decided to cook sea urchin seaweed soup and cuttlefish vinegar salad for Cha, who is undergoing treatment for a herniated cervical disc. Heading to the market to gather ingredients, he hinted at his own ambitions, saying, "If the view count does well, I might just start my own channel."

He also mentioned that a recent social media post had racked up 430,000 views, attributing it to "Agent Kim Reactivated" being such a hot topic. He even brought a mask in case people recognized him at the market.

He took the mask off at first, as the market was not very crowded — but vendors soon began recognizing him.

One vendor greeted him warmly, saying, "Good to see you — I didn't realize it was you, Joo Sang-wook." Another called out, "Aren't you the chairman from 'Agent Kim Reactivated'?" referring to his character in the show.

Joo left a particularly strong impression with his villainous role as Joo Gang-chan, and one vendor drew laughs by shouting, "Best villain ever. Truly evil!"

The warm reception continued. When a vendor offered him fresh shrimp on the house, Joo smiled and said, "I'm glad I took the mask off."

Joo played chairman Joo Gang-chan in the SBS drama series "Agent Kim Reactivated," which wrapped up July 25, delivering a commanding performance as the show's central villain.