Suspicious Partner (Korean: 수상한 파트너; RR: Susanghan pateuneo) is a 2017 South Korean television series starring Ji Chang-wook and Nam Ji-hyun, with Choi Tae-joon and Kwon Nara. It aired on Seoul Broadcasting System from May 10 to July 13, 2017, at 22:00 (KST) on Wednesdays and Thursdays for 20 episodes.
While the show, during some weeks, managed to outperform its competitor in some categories, such as the 20-49 year old demographic, as well as streaming, popularity and brand reputation charts, it enjoyed modest viewership, while its competitor topped the ratings in its time slot.
Contents
Synopsis
The series is about Noh Ji-wook (Ji Chang-wook), a prosecutor, and Eun Bong-hee (Nam Ji-hyun), a prosecutor trainee. When a murderer strikes, Bong-hee suddenly finds herself as a suspect, and Noh Ji-wook then changes jobs to become a private attorney due to circumstances. The two work together on the case, finding out how deeply connected they are by their past.
Cast
Main
Ji Chang-wook as Noh Ji-wook (31 years old)
Oh Han-gyeol and Son Sang-yeon as young Ji-wook
A top-performing, tsundere, brainy prosecutor with the highest indictment success rate in the Seoul District Prosecutors' Office who ends up switching professions to a private attorney in the aftermath of defending Eun Bong-hee. He became a prosecutor to fulfill the unfinished dream of his father, who passed away while fighting crime. He has little interest in promotions or honor; his sole dream is to serve as an active prosecutor until retirement and then hang up his robe. He was scarred by an event in his childhood involving his parents. He then went through a traumatic betrayal involving his former best friend and his ex girlfriend. Bong-hee falls for him, though he does not initially return her feelings. He eventually does and tries to pursue her, however he starts to be swayed again by the fact that Bong-hee's father could have been the arsonist who set the fire in which his parents died.
Nam Ji-hyun as Eun Bong-hee (27 years old)
Choi Myung-bin as young Bong-hee
A prosecutor trainee at Ji-wook's office, later lawyer who was a Taekwondo athlete in her youth. One day, she becomes a murder suspect as her ex-boyfriend's dead body was found in her house in which she had no alibi, causing District Attorney Jang Moo-young to keep coming after her and blame her for his son's death. She eventually falls for Ji-wook after he defended her. He eventually pursues her as he realizes his feelings for her.
Choi Tae-joon as Ji Eun-hyuk (31 years old)
Kwon Bin and Moon Woo-jin as young Eun-hyuk
A lawyer, once best friends with Ji-wook, who is now despised by him because he had an affair with Yoo-jung.
Kwon Nara as Cha Yoo-jung (31 years old)
Ryu Han-bi as young Yoo-jung
Production
The early working titles for the drama were Beware This Woman and Suspicious Romance. The first script reading took place April 4, 2017 at SBS Ilsan Production Center in Tanhyun, South Korea.
Both lead actors Ji Chang-wook and Nam Ji-hyun starred in Warrior Baek Dong-soo in 2011.
Original soundtrack
Adaptation
The series got the dorama adaptation, which was aired on MBS and TBS across Japan, with Disney+ streamed the series globally. An Indian adaptation in Hindi language was titled A Legal Affair was also confirmed to aired on JioCinema.
