New series 'Shadow Detective' will make viewers question everyone

Television

Published: 25 Oct. 2022, 15:14 Updated: 25 Oct. 2022, 15:50

New series 'Shadow Detective' will make viewers question everyone

From left, director Han Dong-hwa, actors Jin Goo, Gyeong Soo-jin, Lee Sung-min and Lee Hak-joo pose at a local press event for Disney+ original series "Shadow Detective" at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas in Gangnam District, southern Seoul on Tuesday. [NEWS1]

Upcoming Disney+ original drama series “Shadow Detective” revolves around a veteran detective who one day, receives a mysterious call from a “friend,” which leads him to dive into his shadowy past. Due to the call, he also becomes a prime suspect in the killing of a fellow detective.

“I was captivated by the idea that the series fronted an old detective as a protagonist,” said director Han Dong-hwa at a local press event at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas in Gangnam District, southern Seoul on Tuesday.

Veteran actor Lee Sung-min takes the role of the detective. His team of detectives — portrayed by Jin Goo, Gyeong Soo-jin and Lee Hak-joo, assist him on his cases. The cast and the director hinted that any one of the characters may be the culprit targeting Lee Sung-min's character.

"Shadow Detective" revolves around a veteran detective portrayed by Lee Sung-min, who is forced to look back on his past cases when he becomes a prime suspect in the killing of a fellow detective. [DISNEY+]

“There is a scene where Taek-rok’s [the protagonist's] “friend” tells him, ‘Within your past there’s me, and there’s the reason why,’” Han said. “Based on Taek-rok’s story and the missions thrown at him by his friend, I believe the audience will be able to form their own perspectives and analysis behind the mystery. There’s a reason to doubt everybody and anybody may be the friend.”

Han is behind other cop series such as OCN’s “38 Task Force” (2016) and “Bad Guys: City of Evil” (2017-18). He took a small detour when he took the helm of tvN drama series “Navillera” (2021), which revolves around a retired old man on a mission to achieve his lifelong dream of learning ballet.

From “Navillera,” Han seemed to be drawn to stories which at their core are about humanism.

“I feel like I’m at home again, coming back with another cop series,” Han said. “Unlike my prior cop series, ‘Shadow Detective’ has a taste of humanism to it which is fronted by the protagonist Taek-rok. That is the primary difference between this series and my other works.”

The series will be released on the streaming service on Wednesday.

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr]