Enjoyable but fairly forgettable rom com with a side of murder
Suspicious Partner was fun. It combined a murder plot and legal drama with a classic rom com and still maintained a light tone. It clipped along at a good pace and had likeable characters. But a week after watching it I've already forgotten a lot about it, so for me this is an enjoyable but largely forgettable show. Good for when you want to switch your brain off and just have fun with an entertaining plot.The writing was generally good, though this drama did manage to include practically every trope in existence. The writer did a great job of weaving an ongoing serial killer storyline, weekly legal cases, romance, and side plots together and creating engaging characters. I did get frustrated with some of the writing choices every now and again, especially when they lost some of the momentum in the murder sub plot near the end, but this was a generally well written show. I liked the romance to begin with, but by the time the show neared its conclusion there had been so many obstacles placed in their way that I'd slightly lost interest. The secondary romance didn't really work, largely because they wrote the second female lead to be pretty unlikeable and attempted to remedy it too late.
The performances were great, especially that of Dong Ha and Nam Ji Hyun who played the female lead. I thought Ji Hyun was charming and was really impressed by her, and Dong Ha was so good he stole the show at times. I also really enjoyed a lot of the supporting characters; Choi Tae Joon was very engaging as the second male lead, and I particularly liked the character of Ji Hae. It was a minor part, but I wanted to see more of her, which is a credit to the performance by Kim Ye Won. I know Ji Chang Wook is incredibly popular, but his performance was one of the weaker ones for me. He's good when he's doing action scenes or serious scenes, but I found him less convincing when required to act happily with someone he loved. There was a scene with his mother where he grinned inanely at her in a seeming display of affection and I found it pretty jarring, and I felt the same in some of his scenes with the female lead. He's better at playing darker emotions than happier ones and I'd have preferred his performance if it was more restrained in those lighter moments.
Overall this is an enjoyable show and I'd recommend it, just don't set your expectations too high.
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This review may contain spoilers
A drama that swallowed numerous genres at once
Warning: This is a long and opinionated review. You can beg to differ. Plus, spoilers are ahead so beware. Please don’t report me for the spoilers, I tried my best to filter out specific events from the show. If you don’t feel safe reading the contents of this review, feel free to skip it.The beginning of the drama was highly engaging. The visuals and acting were chef's kiss. The train to the hotel to the office scenes was hilarious. It was a force to be reckoned with. Later on, when the crime suspense would start to arise, it'd be super interesting. You will start to create crime theories and wonder what the antagonist's true intentions are. And of course, the revelation will be slow progress. The same goes for the romance aspect of the show. Just when you thought it was developing, it really wasn’t.
What I loved the most about the show was the writer's pattern. The writer did a great job executing the transitions of the early to midway episodes. She basically gaslighted me more than once. First, she made me believe it was the other guy that murdered the victim. The way JiBong got me sympathizing with the “protagonist guy” because he got "wrongly accused" just like Bong-hee from 2 years back. Second, for making me think Prosecutor Nah was an actual daredevil. She won my heart after that hallway scene where she purposely sideswiped Bong-hee towards Ji-uk. And near the ending scene where she let Bong-hee stay at her place, I loved her a lot there. It's a shame, all this greatness didn't last long.
What I'm afraid most in k-dramas are those that started great. You saw the potential, you fell in love with the story and the characters but tilted halfway. Sadly, this drama belonged there. It was a great loss. I'm not saying this is not watchable. But the story went plain and boring mid-way. It could’ve been one of the almost perfect k-dramas out there. After Prosecutor Cha got involved in Bong-hee’s murder case, we already knew who the killer was. The show just got longer because they couldn't find the evidence that will prove the antagonist’s guilt. And let me mention the obvious cover-up for the plain scenes where they have to handle cases that didn't do much for the show. It got to the point where it's tiring to watch. The only thing that got me hooked was my anticipation of more hilarious office meeting scenes, amusing beef in every single encounter of the main leads' mothers, and the overflowing chemistry between the leads. Without them, I would not second-guess my decision and drop the drama with no hesitation. It would've been better if they cut it shorter than the way it is. Nonetheless, it was still very entertaining. And it kind of gets back on track on the last episode.
Now, if you're debating whether to check Suspicious Partner out or not. I'd say if you're a sucker for crime rom-com, yes. The drama went bland but it wasn't that bad. There'll be scenes where you'll either be swooning over Ji-uk and Bong-hee or screeching because of the soaring tension in the suspense areas of the show. The whistle melody, My Oh My! Gives me goosebumps every time I hear it. The best takeaway from this review is to not expect much from the crime/suspense area of the drama. The start was good enough to attract attention but in the bigger picture, it's shallow. It only got confusing because they won’t reveal much info until a few episodes later. Anyways, there’ll also be a few action scenes. And if you caught a vibe for rom-coms, you'll surely enjoy this one. The comedy aspect here is insanely good! There’ll be an additional young character that would generate laughter and make the show more endearing. The visuals and acting of the cast are no joke. The OSTs really complimented the ambiance of the scenes. There are plenty of smooch scenes. We even got a bed scene but it wasn't that wild. But beware of the "aesthetic lighting" that genuinely got on my nerves every damn smooch scene. Like, it was blocking the beautiful happening on screen! And let me add the adorable morning kisses.
In conclusion, if something inside of you really wants to check out this drama, go for it! It’s really worth watching. In fact, I binge-watched this for 2 days straight. If a scene bore the hell outta you, the fast forward button exists for a reason. The ending was satisfying. Both first and second leads got their happy ending. The truth prevailed but in my view, after so many loopholes, the way the truth unfolded felt overdue. I wish the writer made the story more complex or just cut it out short. But this drama is a mixture of light-hearted romance comedy and legal with a little touch of dark suspense and action, so it quite made sense for the story to be this way. Maybe some scenes are there to complement a particular genre that concerns the show. That would be all. Thanks for reading, have a great day ahead dear folks!
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Lead actor and actress made a perfect companion for their roles. Realised the effort on make up to show the actor has consistent insomnia.... Supporting roles have incredibly blend into the story to deliver a comedy part of the drama. The drama contained suspicion at the same time..jovious...happy...sad..the truth behind that will keep you chasing after the story ..worth watching the third time....bought the DVD to keep for future recap....????????????????????????????
Cheers! ????
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Yes There Is More Chance Of Feeling That It Is Not Everyone Cup Of Tea either. The Romance Between Ji Chang Wook And Nam ji Hyun Worked Out Really Well. So Cute And Cheerful To Watch. And Am Ok With 40 Episodes Because I Didn't Felt Like It Was Too Big Drama That Each Episode Contain Only Half An Hour So It Is Watchable For All Audience
There Was Some Mistry Hided In The Main Plot And Also A Serial killler Chasing. No Lag Or Boring Part At All .. This Is One Of The Best Watchable K Drama So Far .. Really Liked
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A plot written to give you Stockholm syndrome
As am determined to watch at least 80% of Ji Chang Wook projects before the end of the year,I picked up my suspicious partner without going through the reviews..
I told myself that 40 episodes of 30 min each will nt ruin me as long as JWC is on my screen
Also if you are C-drama watcher, you will know thata this is childplay.
1.If you like good and real acting from professionals,please go ahead and watch.
2.If you like good court drama and crime solving,please go ahead and enjoy this.
3.The support team and the friendship that came out of this was incredible.
4.If you are triggered by handsome criminals with mesmerising visuals,maybe skip it
5.If you get easily angered by a hot and cold female lead who take 38 episodes to decide,
6.If you have enough time on your hands to watch an amazing cast doing amazing acting
Key people to keep in mind:
No Ji Wook the versatile prosecutor played bythe multi talented Ji Chang Wook
Eun Bong Hee, the unluckiest FL turned lawyer,nicknamed "dirty but pretty" by No Ji Wook
Jung Huy-Soo,The smoothest handsome serial killer who started the whole nighmare
Note:It doesnt mean the whole drama was superb,but any plot hole that showed up was covered
by good acting.Like the child that witnessed the murder and was confused if he should testify or not.
I know it was added so that Procesecutor No Ji Wook can sort out his own story but the way it was never
solved or developed didnt make sense at all.Having in mind that this wasnt a small plotline.
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The main antagonist gives a superb performance that is memorable and I really enjoyed that the drama would steer you in one direction and then suddenly swerve to deliver a great plot-twist.
The romance is very sweet and neither of the main characters are pushy or groan-worthy about it which was such a relief. Their development from friends to lovers was enjoyable to watch and Ji Chang Wook really is a treat for the soul.
There are many hilarious scenes and lines and all the credit should go to the actors and writers for their hard work.
It's been about a month or two since I first saw SP and it has still stuck with me- the hallmark of a great show. If I could, I'd want to watch it all over again like I'd never seen it before because it was really that good.
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good satisfying end
where exactly was the editor in this drama? this would good romance with strong plot but so many unnecessary filler scenes just dampens the real story. of course kudos to the cast, i don't understand the hate nam jihyun gets as she did her best with the character that was given to her. and ji changwook was good too. and maybe the second leads should have been given a chance to move on from each other, but giving them an open ending is also not a bad choice. i just wish tthis drama wasn't this long as at the end all i remember is the time i spent on this than what really happened in itWas this review helpful to you?
Ji Chang Wook & Nam Ji Hyun is all I nee <3
Drama was my top for quite a while as the storyline is intriguing right from the start and cast is really well chosen. The chemisty undeniable between the leads is a giant plus! Good combination of seriousnes and cuteness made it super pleasant to watch.The main couple has amazing chemistry, which contributed to the great reception of their romance. Nam Ji-Hyun's previous romance with D.O. it was rather weak so it's a very nice change. Contrary to the chemistry, her performance in "Suspicious Partner" was a few percent worse than in "100 Days My Prince". I don't know if it's the role that she didn't fit here or I didn't understand something about her character. Her frequent naivety and clueless was quite annoying, but fortunately didn't ruin the overall of the drama. I totally loved her in the previous drama Nam Ji-Hyun but here she was just good. When it comes to Ji Chang Wook he is such a good actor and he played his role with a heart. Definately there two together made a great show and gave their 110% to create Bong Hee and Ji Wook 💛
I very much liked the story and the crime mystery. I can't agree with comments about predictability of the drama. The final reveal of the murderer and his story was very interesting and unique. This is not a drama that will give you a heart attack with its twists and turns, but it will certainly make the time spent on the couch worth sitting.
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Fire the Writer's
I tried hard to love this show considering all the great actors in this ensemble. However, the writers continued to get in my way. This best way to put this is that within each episode there was contained a high amount of "Dumb" written into the script especially Ji Chang Wook's, character. Someone decided the lead character was going to be a wuss who could not overcome his depression throughout each episode. The love story was good , the bad guys were good and, the other characters all had potential. That is until the writers continued to dumb down the character of No Ji Wook. I still gave it high marks for a number of things. Is it worth watching, YES! Is it frustrating, Without a Doubt!Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Suspicious Partner (also translated as Love in Trouble), is a drama that successfully blends the two opposing genres of romance and crime, unlike maybe a Strong Woman Do Bong Soo, which felt like we were watching two separate dramas. The show follows the story of two lawyers, No Ji Wook (played by the charming Ji Chang Wook) and Eun Bong Hee (played by the delightful Nam Ji Hyun), and the subsequent cases that they solve together, including the core central plot of proving Bong Hee’s innocence, when she is falsely accused of murdering her ex-boyfriend (played by Chansung).I classify Suspicious Partner into the ‘typical Korean drama’ genre that is filled with clichés such as the girl getting cheated on in the first episode(just like in Fight My Way), then, the female lead having no choice but to move in with the male lead, or working together in the same office. It becomes a bit too convenient at times, but you know what, as long as the whole drama is enjoyable, I honestly don’t mind. These type of dramas are also as important as the serious ones. As much as I loved Signal, Misaeng, and Something in the Rain, I don’t mind a She was Pretty, a School 2015 and this, once in a while. This show was my stress breaker when I was finishing off my architectural thesis, and it was perfect to take my mind off for a few minutes.
Talking about a few minutes, the half an hour episode format did not suit this show at all. Crime shows require time to explain the crime, the motive, the victims, the suspects, and this show already had a love story in place, so the short episodes ended up breaking the continuity. To combat this, the screenplay alternates between scenes of rom-com, followed by a few scenes of the crime thriller, and then back to the rom-com, and so on. At times, the romance does overshadow the crime plot of the show, especially with multiple cases lining up in the second half of the show, as well as the underdeveloped past of both of our lead characters.
Ji Chang Wook is in top form, especially in scenes involving the courtrooms, or his conversations with Jung Hyun Soo (played by Dong Ha). He is impressive, and he holds theses scenes together. Unfortunately, these scenes are far and few in between, and as much as I love seeing him romance Nam Ji Hyun’s character, these scenes showcase another range as an actor, and I really enjoyed watching him in this mode.
Choi Tae Hoon is amusing as Ji Eun Hyuk, and his chemistry and rapport with No Ji Wook were hilarious, but I wish there was more for him to do, especially the whole part of why he almost slept with Cha Yoo Jung (Hello Venus’s Nara), No Ji Wook’s girlfriend at the time, which totally went unexplained.
Is there any drama where a character doesn’t have amnesia and the lead couple doesn’t break up at least once? Yes there are, but this drama isn’t one of them.
It was both smart and dumb to suddenly put Jung Hyun Soo into a coma; smart because our characters get some time to delve into their past (whose reveal was a sheer disappointment), but dumb, because once Hyun Soo is out of coma, we are back to where we started, right at the beginning of the show. A few episodes are then wasted to get the confession out of Hyun Soo, which could have been saved to give more details onto the lead characters past, which was being teased from the beginning of the show.
The drama does pack a lot for its twenty episode run, and at times does drag, but the reveals are so unexpected, that it hooks you back into the show.
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