Stranger

As a child Hwang Si-mok had brain surgery to control a violent temper, and the operation left him with a near-blank emotional life. Now a prosecutor, he relies on razor-sharp logic and forensic attention to detail, which makes him brilliant at work and awkward with people. When a seemingly routine stabbing intersects with an investigation into corruption inside the prosecution, Si-mok and Lieutenant Han Yeo-jin cross paths at the crime scene. They pair up, pooling Si-mok's analytic precision with Yeo-jin's instincts, and start untangling a web of institutional corruption while trying to solve a string of linked murders, all without revealing any major twists.

Released in 2017, the series was directed by Park Hyeon-seok and created by Lee Su-yeon and Kang Sook. The cast is led by Cho Seung-woo as Hwang Si-mok and Bae Doona as Han Yeo-jin, with strong supporting turns from Lee Jun-hyuk, Jeon Hye-jin, and Choi Moo-seong.

Critics and audiences praised the show for its meticulous plotting and restrained performances, reflected in its 8.3/10 vote average. Reviews highlighted the writing's focus on institutional rot, moral ambiguity, and the human cost of adhering to principle. The central partnership between Si-mok and Yeo-jin is often singled out for chemistry and tonal contrast, and the acting was widely cited as a major strength.

The series picked up several domestic awards and nominations, particularly recognizing its screenplay and lead performances. Those honors helped raise its profile within Korea's television landscape and among international viewers discovering Korean crime dramas.

Beyond awards, the show made an impact by steering Korean legal dramas toward a more austere, procedural style that treats corruption and ethics with cold-eyed seriousness. Its spare aesthetic, quiet lead character, and methodical unraveling of conspiracies turned it into a reference point for later series that aim for intelligence and moral complexity over melodrama.