Episode 1
Episode 1 of Dong Jae, the Good or the Bastard begins with prosecutor Seo Dong-jae losing out on yet another promotion while his colleagues celebrate their advancements. He frequently clashes with fellow prosecutor Cho Byung-gun. While eating a solitary dinner of ramen, Dong-jae reads articles about his past successes in solving major cases. Motivated, he resolves to impress his superior in hopes of earning a promotion next time.
However, Dong-jae’s enthusiasm wanes as months pass, with him handling trivial cases and personal disputes. This changes when he takes on a case involving a man whose pottery, valued at 100 million won, broke in his car trunk after a restaurant owner suddenly appeared in front of the car.
Initially dismissive after the restaurant owner admits fault, Dong-jae becomes intrigued upon learning that the owner is known for serving affordable meals to the underprivileged and is frequently sought after by the press. Sensing an opportunity, Dong-jae digs deeper into the case.
He uncovers a special delivery mechanism used by exhibition houses to ensure the safe transport of artifacts and visits an exhibition center, posing as a customer. There, he learns that the victim had signed paperwork to transport the artifact at his own risk. When the victim arrives, he offers excuses for not using the special delivery service, but Dong-jae finds the situation suspicious and continues his investigation.
Later, the victim shows up at the restaurant to threaten the owner into settling, but the owner, in turn, threatens to kill him. The man is only saved by Dong-jae’s timely arrival. Dong-jae then asks the waterworks to fix the restaurant’s pipeline, as the business had been shut down due to a lack of water. Despite the owner’s reluctance, Dong-jae also humorously encourages him to appear in interviews, though without success.
On his way back, Dong-jae nearly gets into a car accident, the second time this has happened to him. He investigates and finds that the car belongs to the victim. Dong-jae continues gathering evidence and eventually summons the victim for questioning. CCTV footage reveals that the victim had been deliberately targeting the restaurant owner, though he offers several justifications for his actions.
Dong-jae’s boss later invites him to a dinner meeting, where Dong-jae encounters the CEO of a construction company. The CEO attempts to bribe Dong-jae into settling the case in his favor, but Dong-jae refuses and leaves.
The CEO chases him, revealing that they know each other from Dong-jae’s time as a sponsored prosecutor. It is revealed that the CEO wants to buy the restaurant owner’s property for a redevelopment project, but the owner’s refusal to sell led the CEO to orchestrate the entire fraud. The CEO threatens to expose Dong-jae’s past before leaving.
Later, Dong-jae visits the restaurant owner to share the good news, only to find him digging up human remains. As Dong-jae tries to flee, the owner strikes him on the head, knocking him unconscious. When Dong-jae wakes up, he is bound, and the owner, preparing to kill him, rebukes him for calling the waterworks, which forced him to dig up the body. The episode ends with Dong-jae negotiating for his life, claiming he can help the owner earn billions of won.
The Episode Review
Dong Jae, the Good or the Bastard starts off strong, featuring black humour throughout the episode, which sets the tone for the series. Unlike his character in Stranger, Seo Dong-jae is now on a path of redemption, attempting to walk the ethical path, only to be comically hindered, pushing him back to his opportunistic ways.
This episode serves primarily as an introduction, laying the groundwork for Dong-jae’s road to redemption while touching on his previously corrupt personality. The most entertaining part is undoubtedly the revelation of the restaurant owner’s true identity.
While it’s unclear whether he’s really a murderer since the show handles the final scenes with such comedic lightness that it’s both intriguing and amusing. Overall, Dong Jae, the Good or the Bastard offers a promising start to a much-anticipated Stranger spinoff.
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