'The Straw Man' Director and Writer Aim to Show Unjust Reality of Wrongdoers Thriving

The ENA drama 'The Straw Man,' which aired its final episode on May 26, delves into the aftermath of the notorious Lee Chun-jae serial murders, offering a stark portrayal of reality.

“

We wanted to show the reality of people who did wrong living well.

Director Park Jun-woo emphasized that the series intentionally steers clear of a simple good-versus-evil resolution. "We wanted to show the reality of people who did wrong living well," Park stated during an interview. The drama is set in the fictional town of Kangseong, following detective Kang Tae-joo (played by Park Hae-soo) as he reluctantly partners with prosecutor Cha Si-young (Lee Hee-joon) to pursue the real killer.

Lee Chun-jae was convicted of murdering 15 people and committing over 30 sex crimes in the Hwaseong and Cheongju areas between January 1986 and January 1994. Director Park highlighted the "dual violence" inflicted upon the victims, not only by the perpetrator but also by the state's mishandling of the case. "There was insufficient reflection and deliberation regarding the state's mistakes," he noted, explaining the series' intent to convey this message.

“

There was insufficient reflection and deliberation regarding the state's mistakes.

Despite the lack of a triumphant ending, the drama garnered significant attention, starting with a 2.9% viewership rating for its first episode and climbing to 8.1% by the finale. Writer Lee Ji-hyun explained that detective Kang Tae-joo's character was infused with a touch of fantasy to express the production's core message. "We wanted to convey that these events happened and shouldn't have, yet no one in authority acknowledged or apologized," she said. "Our small hope through this story is that someone in reality might acknowledge and seek forgiveness, just like Tae-joo."

“

We wanted to convey that these events happened and shouldn't have, yet no one in authority acknowledged or apologized. Our small hope through this story is that someone in reality might acknowledge and seek forgiveness, just like Tae-joo.

The drama's genesis traces back to director Park's encounters with victims of the Lee Chun-jae case while working on the SBS drama 'The Good Detective.' He met Yoon Seong-yeo, who endured 20 years of wrongful imprisonment after being named a suspect, and the father of victim Kim Hyun-jung, whose disappearance was initially covered up by police. Following the broadcast, Park received a call from Mr. Yoon, who expressed regret that the series was only 12 episodes long. The victim Kim Hyun-jung's brother had not yet been able to watch the series, as he was not emotionally prepared.

“

Mr. Yoon said, 'Are you only doing 12 episodes? It's a shame.'