Suspicious Partner is a romantic comedy thriller about a talented prosecutor (Ji Chang Wook) who suffered trauma in his past that gets mixed up with a judicial trainee (Nam Ji Hyun) who ends up wrongfully accused of murder. And if things aren’t complicated enough, they then have to deal with a serial killer coming after them.
Suspicious Partner is one of those really solid dramas that has a great story coupled with interesting characters played by a talented group of actors. It’s a nice mixture of genres with romantic comedy, mystery, and legal thriller elements. And I loved it!
Ji Chang Wook plays our prosecutor turned attorney Noh Ji Wook. I loved his character so much! He’s an awkward guy whose personality is a bit off putting. He’s bored with his life and frequently looks quite sad and lonely. But he’s a very honorable man who always seeks the truth and wants to help those around him.
Ji Chang Wook really brought Ji Wook to life with the awkward mannerisms and making the character very nuanced and layered. He conveyed what a good heart Ji Wook had and how much pain he was suffering from past trauma. What he was going through greatly affected him throughout the drama, and I really just wanted him to find peace and be happy.
Nam Ji Hyun is Eun Bong Hee, a judicial trainee who finds herself in the horrible position of being accused of murder. It ruins her career and leaves her in a difficult situation. But she is a hard worker with a bright personality and is always ready to give her all. I thought Nam Ji Hyun was perfect as she is just so endearing. Her smile lights up the room plus she can really deliver heartfelt emotions.
Choi Tae Joon plays Ji Eun Hyuk. He’s a long-time friend of Ji Wook’s, but the two have some bad history which creates a strain on their relationship. Choi Tae Joon really delighted me with this character. He’s such a fun and good hearted man.
But it made me sad that underneath all that, he suffered from a lot of pain and guilt because of what he had done to Ji Wook. After that, it was like he had made it his mission to be a good and supportive friend to Ji Wook which I found very moving.
Nara plays Ji Wook’s ex-girlfriend Cha Yoo Jung who is also a prosecutor. She betrayed Ji Wook by cheating on him years ago. It left her a bit cynical as well as still dealing with feelings for him. Her character was a bit difficult to connect with because of her somewhat cool personality, but she did grow on me.
And nothing beats a fantastic supporting cast. I loved the entire team of lawyers. Byun Yeong Hee (Lee Duk Hwa) and Noh Yeong Suk (Jo Seung Yeon) were both humorous and had a great rapport with Ji Wook, Bong Hee, and Eun Hyuk. To avoid spoilers, I won’t include a name or picture of the murderer, but he should be mentioned as he put forth a wonderful performance as the villain of the drama.
Overall, I just loved how the drama felt. It had this atmosphere that made me feel completely comfortable. It’s interesting because I’ve seen plenty of legal dramas and they are definitely not a genre I gravitate towards.
But as mentioned, this one had just that right combination of elements with a solid overarching story. I thoroughly enjoyed just going on the journey with the characters as they tried to overcome obstacles and find happiness.
I loved Ji Chang Wook and Nam Ji Hyun’s interactions. They had such a great rapport between them. Their bickering was spot on as well as their awkward encounters. Then the romance gave me plenty of feels.
It was quite fun first getting to watch Bong Hee obsess over Ji Wook. I just felt for her so much. Of course, the timing is off between them, so we eventually get to see the reverse and watch Ji Wook awkwardly try to win her affections. And that was way too adorable!
They have a lot of difficult challenges to face on their road to happiness, but as they finally get on the same page, their wonderful chemistry only increased, and they had plenty of wonderful moments together.
The relationship dynamics between all of the characters was also very well done. We had the relationship between Ji Wook and Eun Hyuk that was strained but had some touching moments. Eun Hyuk and Bong Hee developed a nice supportive friendship. And Yoo Jung had complicated relationships with everyone in the group. It was all done so well.
Suspicious Partner was so enjoyable. The serial killer mystery was simple but well executed. It even included a few twists and explored some interesting psychological issues. The characters were so well done and really brought the drama to life. It was satisfying on so many levels, and I’m very sad to see it end.
My Rating: 8.5/10
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