Disney+ “Shadow Detective” Episode 1 And 2 Review- A Stellar Start
Finally, we might have what could possibly be the first ever Disney+ Korean production that is actually captivating with its premiere.
Note: this article is a first-impression review, it doesn’t mean this is the writer’s final thoughts on the drama. This is a spoiler review.
“Shadow Detective” has been on my radar for some time, the stars leading the cast is one reason, but the other was the plot.
Veteran actor Lee Sung Min picks entertaining projects so I had high expectations going in, and I think the premiere delivered.
The first thing I like is how gritty the atmosphere was, in directing and editing, and in writing. I also didn’t expect that a veteran detective like Kim Taek-Rok would resort to actually fabricating evidence to lock up a guy. His demeanor and wittiness hinted at a grumpy ‘moral’ detective. This surprised me in a good way.
In general, in police kdramas, the hero detectives are usually rarely portrayed as individuals who fabricate evidence. They might use ‘unconventional’ methods, but they wouldn’t outright fabricate a HUGE piece of evidence just to put a guy behind bars. There are, of course, exceptions to this rule, but, its not that common.
I also found Kook Jin-Han interesting as a character. I don’t like his demeanor, he’s very unexpectedly rude and a show-off to his superiors which makes me think something must’ve happened. Also, I am glad what would be a main character [with such characteristics] that is often portrayed better is portrayed like this. Abrasive, rude to elders who don’t seem to deserve it and condescending at times. The way he does it is how I would expect a character like him to behave in real life.
I am very intrigued by the premise of the show. It will be so much fun keeping up with the work Kim Taek-Rok plans on putting in to catch him. He’s very quick on his feet so I am assuming this won’t be an easy catch.
At first, when I heard the voice of the man, I automatically thought it was Lee Hak Joo’s character, but the more I listened, the less convinced I became. I think it will be a game of guessing who the caller is throughout this series.
Despite the fact that we’re only two episodes in, Disney+ has already confirmed the production of season 2, and actor Jung Jin Young will join the cast.
This season is only 8 episodes long and it makes wonder why they’d agree to film a second season without seeing the fans’ reactions. Don’t get me wrong, I like the premiere of the drama a lot but I am surprised to hear them okay a 2nd season without seeing the public’s feedback first. I say this because the 2nd season news was announced before this drama even premiered.
I think “Shadow Detective” has the best premiere of an original Korean production by Disney+. Disney+ has been attempting to follow in Netflix’s footsteps and create something interesting but most of their attempts have fallen short of expectations and the public interest isn’t that high, not as high as you’d get with any average Netflix kdrama.
While I don’t think “Shadow Detective” will break any grounds, I think its a step in the right direction. I feel a bit iffy about the 2nd season confirmation mainly because I like things to wrap up fast, but I am assuming this story needs more than 8 episodes. I just hope we actually learn who the caller is in the 1st season, otherwise, it would be greatly disappointing.
I also like the performances a lot so far and I expect nothing but the best from the cast considering they’re all pros at what they do.
Excited for the next episodes.