Son Naeun Joins So Ji Sub in SBS’s 2026 Fri–Sat Drama ‘Chief Kim’ as a Co-worker with Secrets

Son Naeun has been confirmed to join SBS’s upcoming Fri–Sat drama ‘Chief Kim’ (working title), starring opposite So Ji Sub. Set for a 2026 premiere, the series follows a seemingly ordinary father who is forced to expose a dangerous, long-buried secret to find and save his missing daughter.

Multiple Korean entertainment outlets report that ‘Chief Kim’ is penned by Nam Dae Joong and co-directed by Lee Seung Young and Lee So Eun, positioning the drama as part of SBS’s 2026 Fri–Sat slate. The premise leans into contrast: So Ji Sub’s character appears to be a modest office worker and family man, until a crisis involving his daughter forces him to reveal a secret that must never surface. Son Naeun plays Sang Ah, a co-worker whose own hidden backstory is expected to intensify the mystery and raise the stakes inside the company setting.

For Son Naeun, the project arrives as she continues to expand a steadily growing acting portfolio across multiple genres. Rather than a purely headline-driven role, Sang Ah is framed as a character built on concealed information and shifting positions—an approach that can spotlight restraint, tension, and narrative leverage. Note: this ‘Chief Kim’ is a new adaptation and is not related to the 2017 office comedy ‘Good Manager’ (also widely known as ‘Chief Kim’) led by Namgoong Min. More concrete tonal signals are expected once SBS releases official stills, teasers, or a first-look poster.

• Release: SBS Fri–Sat drama, scheduled for 2026
• Starring: So Ji Sub and Son Naeun (additional casting to be updated)
• Role: Son plays Sang Ah, a co-worker characterized by hidden secrets
• Premise: A father risks everything to save his daughter by exposing a forbidden past

## 【KStarLoud Insight】 The strategic value of this casting lies less in headline novelty and more in structure: SBS appears to be betting on a high-pressure father–daughter rescue narrative, using a corporate environment to channel information, leverage, and moral compromise. In action-thriller dramas, the difference between ‘generic’ and ‘compelling’ often comes down to two factors—whether the lead can sustain credibility across ordinary life and extreme confrontation, and whether the supporting cast provides real motive and reversal potential. By framing Sang Ah as a co-worker with secrets, the series positions Son Naeun’s character as a narrative hinge: her access to information, shifting allegiances, and distance from the protagonist can dictate how the audience assembles the truth. For Son, it’s a role that can demonstrate control and story-driving presence rather than purely reactive emotion—an important signal in her long-term acting trajectory.