“Dongjae, The Good or the Bastard” revolves around the challenges of Seo Dong Jae (Lee Joon Hyuk) - a prosecutor at the Cheongju District Prosecutors' Office (South Korea).
He is currently struggling with his tarnished reputation and confronts Nam Wan Sung (Park Sung Woong) - CEO of Lee Hong Construction.
Revealing the reason for making a spin-off for a supporting character of the previous hit series, director Park Kun Ho said he wanted to tell a different story but still maintain the world of the original work.
According to the director, Dong Jae was an unpopular character in the first season (2017) and gradually became popular in the second season (2020) of the series “Stranger”. Despite the changes, this is still an ambiguous character, constantly fluctuating between good and evil, as reflected in the title of the show.
“It’s not easy to portray the opposing sides of a character. But I’m very satisfied with the title, as it captures Dong Jae’s essence and reflects the fans’ point of view,” the director said.
Meanwhile, Lee Joon Hyuk admitted that he was very pressured when he first heard about the spin-off of the popular drama. However, his opinion has improved after seeing many positive reactions to this news.
“I tried my best to bring something new to this film compared to the original series. For me, this film is like dessert and the original series is like the main course in a fancy restaurant.”
The actor also personally commented that Seo Dong Jae is such a special and unique character that the more he explores, the more interesting and excited he finds it to be to give his all.
Meanwhile, Park Kun Ho revealed that in this film, the audience will have many entertaining moments as well as sympathy when watching how the male lead overcomes difficult situations.
“While the original series had political and social messages, this one focuses more on individual characters. Many people can relate to Dong Jae, who despite his insecurities and intense desire to climb the social ladder, is still very profound.”
“Dongjae, The Good or the Bastard” is scheduled to air on October 10. The drama is currently a formidable competitor in the ratings race with Han Suk Kyu’s “Doubt” and Kim Tae Ri’s “Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born” because of its interesting content, successful original series, and talented actors.
