The Good Detective (South Korean TV Series)

The Good Detective (Korean: 모범형사; RR: Mobeomhyungsa) is a South Korean television series that aired on the cable network JTBC. The crime drama consists of 16 episodes and was broadcast from July 6 to August 25, 2020, occupying the Monday and Tuesday 21:30 time slot.

Production

The series was directed by Jo Nam-Kook, who previously collaborated with lead actor Son Hyun-Joo on the SBS dramas The Chaser (2012) and Empire of Gold (2013). The screenplay was written by Choi Jin-Won. Production was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused a delay in the original release schedule; the series was initially planned for an April 2020 premiere but was postponed to July 2020.

Plot

Set in Incheon, South Korea, the narrative follows the investigations of the Violent Crimes Team 2. The story centers on the contrasting methods of two detectives:

• Kang Do-Chang (Son Hyun-Joo): A veteran detective with 18 years of experience. He relies heavily on his personal connections and practical experience rather than scientific methodology.
• Oh Ji-Hyeok (Jang Seung-Jo): An elite detective with 9 years of experience. He approaches cases through evidence-based analysis and psychological insight. He is characterized by a guarded personality, stemming from childhood trauma, and possesses significant personal wealth inherited from his late uncle.

The team is joined by Jin Seo-Kyung (Lee Elijah), a passionate newspaper reporter with five years of experience, as they work to uncover hidden truths behind criminal cases.

Cast

Legacy

Following the success of the 2020 series, a second season titled The Good Detective 2 was produced and aired on JTBC in 2022.