[Jung Soo-jin’s Account Sharing] 'Doubt', what an intricately crafted drama

[비즈한국] It’s a problem. I can't find the right words or adjectives to praise this drama. When I first heard the title, that it starred Han Suk-kyu, and that it was an MBC Friday-Saturday drama, I didn't have high expectations. In an era where even high-budget OTT dramas often fail, a terrestrial broadcast combined with "Dr. Romantic" Han Suk-kyu? It felt a bit complacent and old-fashioned. But what a surprise—as expected, MBC remains a drama powerhouse, and Han Suk-kyu was, well, Han Suk-kyu. With the added thrill of a fresh discovery, "Doubt" has become a series that makes me eagerly count down the days until the next week.

Traces of a murder case without a body found in a deserted mountain, and another skeleton discovered. Korea's top profiler Jang Tae-soo finds traces of his daughter, Jang Ha-bin, at the scene. Photo courtesy of MBC

'Doubt' is a thriller about Korea's top profiler, Jang Tae-soo (Han Suk-kyu), who finds traces of his daughter, Jang Ha-bin (Chae Won-bin), in a murder case he is investigating, leading him to confront her secrets as he chases the truth. During her childhood, while camping with her family, Ha-bin was found covered in blood after her younger brother, Ha-jun, died in an incident while playing with her. Since then, Jang Tae-soo has harbored suspicions that his daughter might have killed her brother. It is unclear whether this is because he knew early on that there was something different about Ha-bin, or simply because of his profession, which is built on suspicion. Regardless, from the perspective of his daughter Ha-bin, it is impossible for her to feel any intimacy toward her father, Tae-soo. A parent who cannot trust their own child—what greater betrayal is there than that?

Ha-bin, who had been living with her divorced mother, comes to live with Jang Tae-soo after her mother's death. However, just like Tae-soo, who harbors suspicions about his daughter, she also guards herself against her father. Photo courtesy of MBC

Then, a murder case without a body occurs after nearly 2 liters of blood are found in a dilapidated warehouse deep in the desolate mountains. Jang Tae-soo learns that the victim, a runaway girl named Song Min-ah (Han Soo-ah), last met with his daughter. He also discovers that the mountain where the warehouse is located was the last location signal for a phone his daughter had stolen, and that red fibers found at the scene came from a charm on his daughter's bag. Even the skeleton found later nearby turns out to be a person connected to her. Naturally, the viewer's stance initially aligns with Jang Tae-soo. While one might not like his suspicious behavior toward his daughter, the circumstantial evidence emerging one after another shows that Ha-bin is by no means an unrelated party.

Choi Young-min, the leader of a runaway group, is closely intertwined with the murdered runaway Song Min-ah and Lee Soo-hyun, whose skeleton was later found. The performance of Kim Jung-jin, who made a name for himself as Yang Chul-hong in 'Boyhood', stands out. Photo courtesy of MBC

However, just when Tae-soo’s suspicion feels rational, we get blindsided. The ending of episode 4, which reveals that Yoon Ji-soo (Oh Yeon-soo)—Tae-soo's ex-wife and Ha-bin's mother who was thought to have recently committed suicide—was in a completely unexpected place, was a shock to both Jang Ha-bin and Jang Tae-soo. And for the viewers who had been watching through Tae-soo's eyes, it was an even bigger shock. On top of this, the story becomes increasingly complex as it's revealed that Choi Young-min (Kim Jung-jin), leader of the runaway group, the landlord Kim Sung-hee (Choi Yu-hwa), and Ha-bin’s first-grade teacher Park Joon-tae (Yoo Ui-tae) share a connection, and all three are linked to Ha-bin's friend Lee Soo-hyun (Song Ji-hyun), whose remains were found.

Oh Yeon-soo delivers an impeccable performance as Yoon Ji-soo, Jang Tae-soo's ex-wife, who harbors secrets. I thought it was a special appearance at first, but there was a reason she was cast in this role. Photo courtesy of MBC

It is a story of suspecting and being suspected, where new targets of suspicion emerge, and eventually, the subject of the suspicion itself becomes suspect. 'Doubt' pushes not only characters like Jang Tae-soo but also the viewers into an endless cycle of doubt. This process is neither forced nor boring. It succeeds because of the power of the tight script, the commanding presence of Han Suk-kyu that everyone in Korea knows, and the impressive immersion of rookie Chae Won-bin, who plays his daughter, Ha-bin. The conflict and harmony between Lee Eo-jin (Han Ye-ri) and Officer Goo Dae-hong (Noh Jae-won) of the Criminal Behavior Analysis Team, who seem to represent reason and emotion respectively, are also intriguing.

Criminal Behavior Analysis Team members Lee Eo-jin and Officer Goo Dae-hong, who assist Jang Tae-soo. As characters representing reason and emotion, or the left and right brain, their seating arrangement is also mainly divided into left and right. Photo courtesy of MBC

And above all, the power of the meticulous direction stands out. There are countless elements to praise about 'Doubt', and the force that smoothly encompasses them all lies in the precise and delicate directing. The skill used to maximize the characters' psychology and the tension of the situation through the appropriate use of light, shadow, opposition, and various angles is immense. The scene showing Jang Tae-soo, who was agonizing between doubt and pain over his daughter, realizing that her alibi was a lie, is considered a masterpiece scene by fans. The direction of 'Doubt' was handled by PD Song Yeon-hwa, who co-directed 'The Red Sleeve' with PD Jung Ji-in. It is also an interesting detail for viewers that PD Jung Ji-in is currently directing the popular drama 'Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born' during the same period.

'Doubt' often shows screens that are more cinematic than movies, and sometimes more theatrical than plays. The confrontation structure at a distant dining table reflects the psychological distance between them. Photo courtesy of MBC

'Doubt' has now aired up to episode 5 of its 10-episode run (as of October 31). However, no clear clues to the case have emerged, and everything remains in a fog. Moreover, this screenplay is a winner of the MBC drama script contest. Since it is an original script with no source material, viewers have no choice but to engage in earnest deduction, as if possessed by Conan. Of course, who killed Song Min-ah and Lee Soo-hyun and why is important, but the questions and answers regarding the process of how things reached this point seem to be the more vital focus. I have seen many works that start strong but end as a "dragon's head, snake's tail," but I have high expectations that 'Doubt' will not be one of them. If you haven't watched it yet, I strongly recommend you start right now.

Who is the writer Jung Soo-jin?

Worked at various magazines, covering and writing about movies, travel, and popular culture. While not wanting to fall behind trends, they have become an "old-school person" who, while watching the latest dramas, only predicts the obvious clichés for the next scene. Trying to regain their lost edge while drifting through the vast OTT world, their current wish is for a unified OTT subscription plan.