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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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?
This review may contain spoilers
Watching this with short span attention made me so bored. The cases were not interesting like I wanted it to be (I watched Seoul Busters before this lol). Initially dropped this in 2017 after episode 1 because it didn't make any sense. I continued this because of an edit I saw on Twitter. It started off strong but got weak but I understood that it's for the plot but OMG I did not want any of that anymore, I am Prosecutor Na in this. There were funny bits and also horror. The jumpscares plus the score was scary as a non-horror fan lol.This drama wants us to tune in until the end to know why the villains motive on killing. Mostly fujoshing with Ji Chang Wook and Dong Ha IJBOL. I guess my goal was just to log this here lmao nothing significant. Was 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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Disappointment. More violent/scary stuff than romance+Villain has excess screen time
It's 30 min format just feels a bit weird & it would have been better to have cut it down to 35 episodes . There is more violence & scary stuff than romance. The end reveal ,(about the bad guy ),is brilliant & unexpected BUT this just doesn't feel like a very balanced series.Ji Chang Wook is incredible with his many nuances. Choi Tae Joon shines, while Nam Ji Hyun does well but her character is written poorly. Kwon Na Ra is irritating & Kim Ye Won's character should have been written out by the 10th episode at the very least. Dong Ha's character is the stuff of nightmares & is in WAY too many episodes, which is my main problem with this series. Negatives out weigh the positives for me. Breaking up & making up trope should be done away with ! Neutralizing the bad guy & then bringing him back again & again & again is just tedious & traumatizing ! Side characters that don't take No for an answer should be done away with as well. I wanted to like this & Ji Chang Wook is So good in this, but there just isn't much that's satisfying beyond his acting. There is a happy ending for the leads & the 2nd leads but the satisfaction is ruined by adding 2 more un necessary episodes AFTER the happy ending which is just lazy writing. I loved Healer but with this series, I had to take breaks every few episodes because it got so dark & violent . How many people have to get stabbed!!??? Pretty disappointed in this
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Watch for the visuals, not for the plot to be fair
How is this K-drama about law when the victim is prosecuting his attacker? Someone explain it to me.That said, if you squint and ignore all the bullshit, it is a good weekend watch. Not something to think about or ponder what is going to happen, because around episode 6 they reveal the villain. This is very much a turn-your-brain-off show, something to consume as visual sustenance.
Nam Ji-hyun and Ji Chang-wook are both hotter than burning oil, and their chemistry is smoking, so at least there is something to watch. Choi Tae-joon, Kwon Nara, and Kim Ye-won are also really pretty, which makes it worth a watch for the visuals alone.
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