K-drama Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard: Lee Joon-hyuk leads bouncy Stranger spin-off
Lee Joon-hyuk stars as prosecutor Seo Dong-jae, repeatedly looked over for promotion and given drudge work, who stumbles upon a big case
Lead cast: Lee Joon-hyuk, Park Sung-woong
Premiering at the Busan International Film Festival one week ahead of its streaming debut, Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard reintroduces us to Lee Joon-hyuk’s prosecutor Seo Dong-jae, one of the supporting characters from the hit series Stranger (2017-2020).
Judging only from the pair of episodes previewed at Busan, Stranger stars Cho Seung-woo and Bae Doo-na do not return, but showrunner Lee Soo-yeon is still holding the reins, steering the story through a mix of comedy, thrills and legal shenanigans, as well as a moral minefield for its titular character.
Zooming straight into the Cheongju District Prosecutors’ Office, the series begins with Dong-jae at his desk, glued to his computer screen, while his subordinates steal nervous glances at one another.
What has him in such a state are the impending results of the promotion review, something he has been denied several years in a row. Luck is once again not on his side, and he is forced to grin and bear it when a smug junior college waltzes in to gloat after getting one of the promotions.
