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Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard is a South Korean crime thriller legal drama television series. It was created by Lee Soo-yeon and co-written by Hwang Ha-jung and Kim Sang-won. The series is directed by Park Gun-ho. Lee Joon-hyuk and Park Sung-woong star in the lead roles.
The drama aired on TVING from October 10, 2024, to November 7, 2024. The show is a spin-off of the popular Korean drama Stranger ( 2017-2020) by Lee S. It centers around the life of Seo Dong-jae, a prosecutor, and explores his complex journey through the legal world.
In Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard, prosecutor Seo Dong-jae uncovers corruption, a drug cartel, and a murder involving powerful figures like Nam Wan-seong and his son. Despite his efforts to expose them, Dong-jae is dismissed. But then, he gains a new role investigating corruption within the prosecution, setting the stage for further disclosures.
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Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard recap: Seo Dong-jae's pursuit of justice unravels corruption, exposing powerful figures and facing personal sacrifices.
In the past episodes of Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard, Seo Dong-jae (Lee Joon-Hyuk), a prosecutor, faces repeated failures in securing a promotion, leading to growing frustration. His investigation into a case involving Lee Kyung-hak (Kim Sang-Ho), a diner owner, reveals that the accident for which Kyung-hak is being sued was staged by Joo Jung-ki (Jung Hee-Tae) in order to defraud him.
Dong-jae uncovers Jung-ki's connection to Ehong Construction, which is trying to force Kyung-hak to sell his land. As the case deepens, Dong-jae rejects a bribe from CEO Nam Wan-sung (Park Sung-Woong). However, he discovers that Wan-sung had previously given him land years ago, complicating his position.
Dong-jae uncovers a buried skeleton at Kyung-hak’s property, leading to the latter's arrest. In prison, Kyung-hak agrees to sell his land in exchange for a luxurious prison life, but only if Dong-jae is eliminated.
Meanwhile, Dong-jae becomes entangled in a subplot involving a troubled high school student Im Yuri (Choi Joo-Eun) and Byung-gun (Hyun Bong-Sik). He is a prosecutor with ties to a drug dealer, Park Chan-hyuk (Heo Dong-Won). Dong-jae is considering accepting a bribe in the form of land, but he places a higher value on his integrity. He is nominated for a model prosecutor award, though suspicions about his connections with Wan-sung persist.
As Dong-jae digs deeper into the case, he uncovers links to a drug cartel, including Chan-hyuk’s resentment, Nam Gyeo-re (Kim Su-Gyeom), and Wan-sung’s son, who is involved in Yuri’s death. Evidence points to a larger drug trafficking operation, leading Dong-jae to investigate further. He uncovers more corruption and attempts to expose Wan-sung’s illegal activities but faces roadblocks, including a failed raid and pressure from Wan-sung’s influence.
Dong-jae's sharp intelligence and self-serving nature drive his investigation, while his vanity and complex relationships with those around him add depth to the narrative. As the story unfolds, Dong-jae is determined to take down Wan-sung despite the mounting challenges.
The final two episodes of Dongjae, The Good or The Bastard, begin with Dongjae infiltrating the construction site where Nam Wan-Seong is believed to have hidden the body. Disguised as Hwang Si-mok, Seo Dong-jae visits the Ehong Construction site to gather information from workers and search for traces of missing workers.
Seo Dong-jae takes advantage of a safety inspection that leads to a work stoppage. That night, Cho Byung-gun and him (Hyun Bong-sik) go undercover at the site. They anticipate correctly that Nam Wan-seong's subordinates would arrive with a shredder to destroy the body. Seo Dong-jae sabotages their plan by pulling the shredder's power cord.
Cho Byung-gun is captured, but Seo Dong-jae escapes. The detectives later raid the site, resolving the situation. Prosecutor Kim Ji-hee (Jung Un-sun) arrests Nam Wan-seong for murder and concealing the body, but Nam refuses to admit to the charges. This is where Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard's episode 9 ends.
The final episode of Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard, begins with the start of Nam Wan-seong's trial. Nam applies for Seo Dong-jae as a witness along with Park Chan-hyuk (Huh Dong-won). Nam's lawyer, Joo Jung-ki (Jeong Hee-tae), claims the prosecutors are colluding, citing the strained relationship between Seo Dong-jae and Nam Jeon-han.
Seo Dong-jae presents evidence, including a phone transcript showing that Nam Wan had instructed his son, Nam Gyeo-Re (Kim Soo-gyeom), to erase the black box. Seo Dong-jae links the black box’s date to the victim's death, forcing Nam to confess through his son.
However, despite his role in Nam Wan-Sungn's arrest, Seo Dong-jae is dismissed due to past mistakes. A new prosecutor is appointed to the Cheongju District Prosecutors' Office, and efforts are made to sever ties with President Nam.
Seo Dong-jae visits the Ministry of Justice's correctional headquarters, where he is offered a new opportunity. An inspection team, led by Kang Won-cheol (Park Sung-geun), is formed to investigate corruption in the prosecution. Seo Dong-jae becomes a key member of the team. The team exposes prosecutors involved in corruption.
In the final scene, Seo Dong-jae declares his intention to reveal the irregularities to senior prosecutor Jeon Mi-ran. This is where the series Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard ends.
Potential for season 2 of Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard as the storyline leaves room for expansion
While there hasn't been any official confirmation for a second season of Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard, the ending leaves room for potential expansion. The storyline concludes with Seo Dong-jae taking on a significant role in exposing corruption. He is determined to fulfill his mission, which can serve as a foundation for future episodes.
All episodes of Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard are available for streaming on TVING.
