Netflix is home to some of the best legal dramas around, including the highly underrated Suspicious Partner. Whether the bulk of the plot takes place in a courtroom or a private detective firm, the best legal dramas engage the viewer with captivating cases. Central mysteries are formed clue by clue, allowing the audience to join the investigation as armchair detectives.

Legal dramas can have sparks of comedy, romance, horror, or any other sub-genre imaginable, but the most prominent lawyer shows on Netflix stick to the classic genre conventions. Nonetheless, some titles push the boundaries of what it means to be a legal drama, offering a refreshing spin on a familiar formula— like Suspicious Partner, a hidden gem procedural from 2017.

Suspicious Partner Subverts The Classic Courtroom Drama

The Show’s First Major Murder Case Casts Its Protagonist As The Defendant

Whereas classic legal dramas follow top-notch lawyers trying high-octane criminal cases in dramatic courtrooms, Suspicious Partner starts with a major twist. After establishing her love of the law, plucky protagonist Eun Bong-hee (Eun Bong-hee) is arrested for the murder of her ex-boyfriend. To make matters worse, the counsel assigned to prosecute her is her former boss, Noh Ji-wook (Ji Chang-wook).

As a prosecutor-in-training herself, Bong-hee makes a desperate plea for Ji-wook to believe her innocence. Though he faces political pressure from his firm, Ji-wook saves Bong-hee by convincing an old friend to take on her case as a defense attorney. Furthermore, after he finds fabricated evidence, Ji-wook stays true to his professional values and gets the case thrown out entirely.

Though Bong-hee’s acquittal comes quickly, the stigma surrounding her trial remains as she attempts to open her own law firm. With such a poor reputation, the only prospective clients she gets are guilty criminals hoping to land a mistrial like Bong-hee did. Just as she considers giving up, Ji-wook reappears in her life with a one-of-a-kind job offer.

With a ragtag group of lawyers in his home office and a killer still on the loose, Ji-wook vows to help Bong-hee solve the crime she was wrongfully accused of to clear her name once and for all. Yet, the culprit is much closer than they realize, and he has no intention of letting the pair discover the truth.

Suspicious Partner Is A Genre-bending Hidden Gem

The International Hit Refuses To Be Confined To One Genre

As such, Suspicious Partner is as much a murder mystery whodunit as it is a typical legal drama. The case that nearly ruined Bong-hee’s life slowly unravels, revealing bits and pieces regarding the killer’s identity, motive, and original target— Bong-hee herself. Even as the lawyers investigate and try new crimes, the old murder case runs as a constant undercurrent.

Beyond the intriguing crime mystery, Suspicious Partner has a surprisingly sweet K-drama romance. Despite Ji-wook and Bong-hee getting off on the wrong foot, the two fall into a classic slow-burn set-up. Yet, the pair never seem to be on the same page, with constant miscommunication making them rethink their feelings.

Nonetheless, the sub-genres never detract from the heart of the drama: seeking justice. The romantic subplot is incorporated organically, allowing Ji-wook and Bong-hee’s love story to unfold alongside the overarching mystery rather than overriding or distracting from it.

Suspicious Partner Is Worth The Investment

Despite Its High Episode Count, The Drama Is Over Before You Know It

Suspicious Partner‘s winding plotlines wrap up perfectly in a mere 20 episodes— but with each entry running at least an hour, it adds up to a substantial binge. For viewers accustomed to the modern trend of six-episode seasons and bite-sized miniseries, Suspicious Partner‘s runtime may feel daunting. Nevertheless, the story is well worth the 20-hour commitment.

Plus, the mystery, romance, and episodic cases make a truly engrossing mix, meaning Suspicious Partner draws the viewer in enough that time flies by. Furthermore, the Korean series is an essentially perfect legal drama that has been overlooked for far too long. Without question, Suspicious Partner is one of the best lawyer dramas Netflix has to offer.​​​​​​

Release Date

2017 – 2017-00-00

Network

SBS

Directors

Park Seon-ho

Writers

Kwon Ki-young

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  Ji Il-ju

  Jun Seong Ho [Lee Na Eun’s stalker]