Ryu Seung-ryong is earning rave reviews for his painfully relatable turn in JTBC’s new weekend drama "The Dream Life of Mr. Kim."
The series follows a middle-aged man who loses everything he thought mattered and, after a long detour, discovers who he is beyond his corporate title. As lead character Kim Naksu, Ryu delivers the definitive portrait of an out-of-touch, lecture-prone boss while tapping into the quiet heartbreak of a fifty-something family man―broadening his range yet again.
◆ A ‘Successful’ 50-Something on the Brink ― Anxiety at the Top
On paper, Naksu is the archetypal success story. In reality, he’s slipping in the promotion race, wobbling through corporate shake-ups, and clinging to the perch he spent years building―an unfiltered snapshot of the midlife dread so many feel. Ryu distills that panic and restlessness―the moment your long-held systems and values start to crumble―into Naksu’s eyes and breath, pulling viewers in with surgical precision.
After he’s sidelined to the ACT Asan plant, a reunion with Executive Director Baek (Yoo Seung-mok) boils over when Baek cuts him down: “You’re not working―you’re just acting like you are.” Ryu’s close-to-the-bone delivery turns the outburst into a character-defining beat, adding layers to Naksu’s backstory.
◆ The Boss You Dread ― And Can’t Look Away
Naksu is diligent and loyal, but to his team he’s still that old-school boss. He side-eyes a staffer’s imported car and turns a rare tea break into yet another sermon―small, razor-sharp slices of office life that land with a wince and a laugh.
Ryu plays the authority and stubbornness with sly ease, while letting the character’s loneliness and fragile pride show through―making Naksu less hateful and more heartbreakingly human.
◆ Ryu Seung-ryong Finds the ‘Sad Clown’ in Kim Naksu
Leaning into the show’s black-comedy streak, Naksu’s antics trigger laughter that stings. When Jung (Jung Soon-won) visits the Asan plant, Naksu overplays the stoic safety-team chief and whiffs; later, he sprints through the rain in full denial. It’s the “sad clown” in a suit, and Ryu makes the irony sing.
With nimble, detail-rich choices, Ryu maps the contradictions of Naksu’s reality―the hollow echo that follows the punchline―keeping the character’s search for the “real me” front and center while balancing humor, sincerity, and hard truth.
As "The Dream Life of Mr. Kim" hits a pivotal turning point, anticipation is high to see how Ryu pushes Naksu’s journey―and our nerves―next.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)