K-Drama First Look: “The Good Detective” Starring Son Hyun Joo & Jang Seung Jo

I experienced quite a jigsaw puzzle in The Good Detective.

But, I will trust Son Hyun Joo and Jang Seung Jo still, albeit the lackluster introduction of the story. I guess I am just use to crime dramas having a solid opening week utilizing an explosive highlighted case that is usually resolved in the premiere week.

The Good Detective needed another episode or maybe more to set the narrative in motion. At any rate, I am still on board.

First Look Rating:

The Good Detective’s Opening Week Story

Chaos ensues in Violent Crimes Unit 2 of Seobu Police Station when a man named Park Gun Ho walks in to claim murdering and burying an innocent. The situation does not help 18-year old detective, Kang Do Chang (Son Hyun Joo), who’s working on a long due promotion.

Teaming up with a new member of the team Oh Ji Hyuk (Jang Seung Jo) is also going against his promotion plan. Ji Hyuk has received a missing person report of Lee Eun Hye, daughter of convicted murderer Lee Dae Chul, whom Seung Jo arrested and put in jail five years ago.

Do Chang and Ji Hyuk both realize that Eun Hye is alive and there’s a connection between Gun Ho and Eun Hye. So, they set forth to find her through Gun Ho’s credit card. Meanwhile, at the police station, a journalist sniffs on a scoop and luckily bumps on Gun Ho, who led them to the case the police has been trying to subdue.

Just as the prosecution’s office drag Gun Ho to be investigated, he takes the opportunity to speak with the journalist about Lee Dae Chul being innocent. Eun Hye stops him for the futile cause he is doing and threatens the gossip greedy reporters that she will bite her tongue if they keep pestering her.

At night, Do Chang receives a video file bearing a concrete alibi that Lee Dae Chul is not on the crime scene.

Opening Week Peak Points + Musings

Instead of chasing the culprit, The Good Detective opens with an amusing scenario of the culprit turning him in casually. That’s why I was hooked from the onset. Additionally, the focus on the Lee Dae Chul case which apparently could become a pandora’s box especially to Do Chang’s colleagues who worked with him before grips the attention to how far the conspiracy extended to conceal the truth about it.

However, The Good Detective kicks off with quite a disorder. I was expecting the presented case will be resolved in its premiere week, but all I got is a long introduction of the main players in the series. I am not sure if the mentioned death row jailbirds’s cases would be tackled one by one in the series either.

All that has been hinted so far is the cover up of the police, prosecution and media in a quite famous murder case which was pinned to an innocent father.

But I am trusting Son Hyun Joo and I am quite engrossed with his interaction with Jang Seung Jo. Despite an abysmal story launch and the long list of character introductions, there’s a room for the story to grow. Thus, a reason not to give up on the story.

Who sent the video file? Why is Ji Hyuk serving as a police when he is rich? What role will Seo Gyung play in the unfinished case that needs to be solved?

A lot of questions have been raised and without proper closure this week, it would really compel anyone to tune in next week.

Naturally, it was a bland opening for The Good Detective. On a bright side, it will run 14 more episodes to make up for its wobbly start.

The Good Detective airs on jTBC every Monday and Tuesday.

Photos: jTBC

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