[비즈한국] In the current era of the OTT (Over-the-Top) battlefield, every platform is staking its life on original content. If there is well-made original content, consumers are bound to switch to that platform or add it to their subscriptions. Coupang Play, Coupang’s OTT service that anyone with a Rocket Wow membership (2,900 won per month) can enjoy, has also released its first original series. The drama 'One Ordinary Day,' starring Hallyu star Kim Soo-hyun and Cha Seung-won, an actor who has mastered everything from acting to variety shows, is the protagonist.
'One Ordinary Day' is a story about an ordinary college student who, overnight, becomes a suspect in a murder case and struggles for survival while meeting a bottom-tier lawyer who doesn't ask about the truth and the top predator in the prison food chain. It is based on the British BBC drama 'Criminal Justice,' in which Ben Whishaw gave a stellar performance. It garnered attention not only for the reputation of the acclaimed original work but also for the meeting of a star-studded cast including Kim Soo-hyun, Cha Seung-won, and Kim Sung-kyu, along with hitmaker director Lee Myung-woo, who helmed 'Punch' and 'The Fiery Priest.' Starting with the first episode on November 27, it is released every Saturday and Sunday at midnight; having watched up to episode 4 of the 8-part series, it is, in a word, overwhelming.
College student Kim Hyun-soo (Kim Soo-hyun) sneaks out his father's taxi after his group study session is canceled to attend a friend's pool party. Feeling an attraction to a woman who coincidentally boards his taxi, he is led to her home, where they take drugs and spend a passionate, drunken night together. However, when he wakes up a few hours later, he finds the woman dead and covered in blood. Scared, Hyun-soo flees the scene, gets caught by an officer during a DUI crackdown, and after various twists and turns, is taken to the police station and arrested as a murderer. Although there is no direct evidence, there are 117 pieces of circumstantial evidence pointing to him, and no one, including veteran detective Park Sang-beom (Kim Hong-pa) and prosecutor Ahn Tae-hee (Kim Shin-rok), believes in his innocence.
'One Ordinary Day' shows the process of Kim Hyun-soo falling into a helpless abyss after a night spent with a woman leads to a horrific situation, with gripping immersion. Above all, it adds to the drama's engagement that when someone like Kim Hyun-soo is caught in an unexpected incident one day, one cannot be sure that they wouldn't act just like him. At the same time, it is a characteristic of 'One Ordinary Day' that it evokes curiosity about who killed the woman, Hong Gook-hwa (Hwang Se-on), while simultaneously creating confusion about whether Kim Hyun-soo is truly innocent. Since Hyun-soo wakes up drunk and drugged, he cannot remember what happened. Thus, while viewers become immersed in Hyun-soo, who seems falsely accused, it is difficult to shake off the lingering "what if" feeling.
'One Ordinary Day' is completed by the actors' performances. Kim Soo-hyun, who has always shown excellent acting despite being a star, has perfectly transformed into an ordinary college student who erases the glow of a "cool guy" and is left sobbing in the abyss. Even if there might be a twist, you cannot turn away from his appearance as he trembles in fear while pleading his innocence. And what about the wit of Cha Seung-won, who plays Shin Joong-han, the livelihood-driven lawyer specializing in petty crimes? Appearing with a unique look—wearing sandals with bandages wrapped around his feet due to severe atopy, and his long hair tied back—Cha Seung-won at first seems like a "gag character" with his unique comic acting, but he gradually fills the mysterious character of Shin Joong-han with his own color as he shows his quick wit from moment to moment. Kim Sung-kyu, who plays Do Ji-tae, the top power in the prison who dominates the space with sharp eyes and quiet charisma, is also outstanding.
Beyond the leads, the weight of the supporting cast is also notable, including Kim Hong-pa as the veteran detective, Kim Shin-rok as the prosecutor in charge of the murder case, and Seo Jae-hee as Park Mi-kyung, the star lawyer who volunteers to represent Hyun-soo for free for some reason. In particular, Kim Shin-rok, who gave an impressive performance in the Netflix drama 'Hellbound,' boasts a solid presence in every scene she appears in.
Unlike the method of releasing all content at once, 'One Ordinary Day' is a drama that requires waiting as episodes are released weekly. Usually, 16-episode dramas often lose momentum after the 8th episode, the halfway point, but 'One Ordinary Day,' which is an 8-part series, still has intense tension even after airing 4 episodes. Considering the stories left to uncover—what are Do Ji-tae's intentions for approaching the incredibly ordinary Kim Hyun-soo, will the surprisingly capable Shin Joong-han go beyond being a "livelihood" lawyer and achieve a victory, and will Kim Hyun-soo really be innocent without a shred of doubt—the remaining 4 episodes are breathtaking. While there are several unrealistic elements, such as the prison being worlds apart from the one in 'Prison Playbook' and more like the hellish prison from the American series 'Prison Break,' one cannot look away from 'One Ordinary Day' because it overwhelms with a fast-paced development and a consistently heavy atmosphere.
Between the lawyer who doesn't ask about the truth and the detective and prosecutor who value their own performance over finding the truth, who will win? Will Kim Hyun-soo, joining hands with Shin Joong-han, be able to prove his innocence? To find the answer to this question, you have no choice but to log in to Coupang Play every weekend. Fortunately, you don't have to pay extra since you're a Coupang membership member, which is nice, isn't it?
Who is the author Jung Soo-jin?
She has worked at various magazines, covering and writing about movies, travel, and pop culture. She doesn't want to fall behind on trends, but she has become an "old person" who watches the latest dramas and can only predict obvious clichés for the next scene. She is currently struggling to regain her lost sense while drifting through the vast OTT world, and her current wish is for an integrated OTT subscription plan to be released.