Lee Joon becomes vampire private eye for OCN

56 September 17, 2015April 27, 2016

by girlfriday

Okay, I feel like this is OCN’s answer to the demand for another season of Vampire Prosecutor — they’re not giving us a Season 3 (why not, Yeon Jung-hoon, why noooooooot?), and instead they’re doing a new vampire show… that sounds a lot like the old vampire show. It’s called Vampire Detective, and this time our hero will be a private eye who gets hired to crack cases for clients. Lee Joon (Heard It Through the Grapevine) has been confirmed for the leading role, along with supporting cast Oh Jung-se (The Lover) and Lee Se-young (Trot Lovers).

Lee Joon stars as an ex-policeman who graduated with honors from police academy, and then suffered an unfortunate accident during an investigation. He carries that pain in his heart, presumably leaves the force because of it, and then sets up shop as a private investigator.

While working as a P.I., he gets turned into a vampire, and the drama is about him continuing to do his detective work while trying to uncover the mystery surrounding his past. The only other descriptor for his character other than “vampire” is “prickly,” which seems kinda redundant. I don’t know about Vamp Lee Joon, but I am interested to see if he can pull it off.

He’ll get an investigation team, of course, and the general character types are such an obvious echo of Vampire Prosecutor that it’s funny. Oh Jung-se plays Lee Joon’s trusty hyung-partner-sidekick, a former detective who runs the private eye office alongside our hero. He’s an amazing detective with the skills of a veteran, but a total failure when it comes to love, and has zero experience with women. He’s a loyal friend who stays by Lee Joon’s side after he becomes a vampire, and becomes his support system. Awww. Oh Jung-se is just delightful in everything, and I’m sure their bromance will be adorable.

Oh Jung-se, Lee Se-young

Lee Se-young plays a young woman who’s a smooth liar with the skills of a con artist. She’s loyal to her brother, her only family in the world, and one day a traumatic incident happens to her brother and she comes to work for Lee Joon and Oh Jung-se in the aftermath. My impression of Lee Se-young from Trot Lovers isn’t great, but she played a totally crazy character. She’s a former child actress with a lot of experience, so I’m hoping that last role was a fluke.

So it’s basically going to be another ragtag team of investigators surrounding a vampire hero, and the only difference is that they’ll be operating on the down-low. (In Korea it’s illegal for a P.I. to investigate in the way that a cop or prosecutor would, so I guess he’ll be skirting vigilante territory while solving crimes). I hope they find a way to differentiate this show from Vampire Prosecutor enough to build its own identity. Or hey, they could be more supernatural and way funnier like Angel, but I won’t be holding my breath for that.

Producer Lee Seung-hoon of both seasons of Vampire Prosecutor and Yacha is developing the project, newbie PD Kim Ga-ram will be directing, and writing is Yoo Young-sun of the horror movie The Wicked.

Vampire Detective starts shooing this November, and will be entirely pre-produced for a 2016 broadcast.

Via Osen

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1 hyralee

September 17, 2015 at 3:10 AM

I'm a fan of OCN drama especially vampire prosecutor. I 've been waiting for this news since this early year but i don't like lee joon to be our lead. I dont have any issue with his acting abilities. But i cant see lee joon as the vampire.

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Alessar

September 17, 2015 at 6:26 AM

Just search "Lee Joon Pole Dance" on Youtube and come say that again.

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Gil

September 17, 2015 at 9:02 AM

Unless Lee Joon is playing a P.I investigator by day and vampire male stripper at night I don't see the connection between hip thrusts and vampire investigators.

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bbstl 🧹

September 17, 2015 at 2:19 PM

That's a great suggestion. This is cable, right?

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missDVM

September 17, 2015 at 3:46 PM

Lol! I think I would also watch that!

estel

September 17, 2015 at 6:56 PM

Bwahahahaha!

Delurker

September 17, 2015 at 12:32 PM

Well, after Gap Dong, I can definitely see him as a vampire, and I would actually be pretty excited to see him do creepy again; he stole the show completely. Sadly, the tragic-past backstory does not sound promising...

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2 Meix2

September 17, 2015 at 3:23 AM

Hmmm that's all well and good but what about Vampire Prosecutor Season 3? Are they not doing that anymore? Season 2 kinda ended on a cliffhanger...

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korini

September 17, 2015 at 10:02 AM

Yeah, though I'm not sure I want a Series3. I hate in all "vampiric" shows how when the inspiration gets a bit lost, supernatural creatures emerge left and right. I mean, come on people! How many vampires can live in the same city? Or werewolves? Or witches? Or succubuses? The whole point is of a unique creature being... unique.

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plumwine

September 19, 2015 at 10:38 AM

A witch, vampire, and succubus walk into a werewolf bar...

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3 lidyadya

September 17, 2015 at 3:41 AM

I got the feeling that somehow after this show end, they will made a drama/special drama in which both prosecutor and investigator meet. Maybe while investigating his past, Joon found out that there are others vampire too, and he met with YJH. The whole vampires universe.

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poliwag

September 17, 2015 at 4:05 AM

And then they work together and solve cases in Vampire Prosecutor Season 3? Yes please!

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cheekbones

September 17, 2015 at 5:31 AM

I like ! That's such a good idea ! :D

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plumwine

September 19, 2015 at 10:40 AM

Please! That's actually an excellent idea.

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4 putenNabellah

September 17, 2015 at 3:48 AM

I really hope that happen..cuz somehow that sound convincing to me..lidyadya.. hahahaha which at the least we could then enjoy yeon jung hoon in action..

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5 galue

September 17, 2015 at 4:30 AM

I've been waiting so long for Lee Se Young's comeback. It's a relief that she's still in the industry.

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6 pinny

September 17, 2015 at 4:31 AM

Great, Drama Makers, just great!!! If you aren't definitely certainly one hundred percent sure that you are going to make another season, DON'T end on a cliffhanger. Now vampire prosecutor and his little family are forever suspended in unhappiness and THAT IS NOT COOL!

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Odessa Jones

September 18, 2015 at 8:18 AM

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7 mary

September 17, 2015 at 4:39 AM

It would be funny if Oh Jung Se's character was younger than Joon's. Then Joon "hyung" got bitten and stayed the same while OJS continued to age, leading to confusing hoobae/sunbae/hyung/maknae dynamic in their PI agency.

ㅋㅋㅋㅋ I just love reverse hyung and banmal jokes. XD

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8 erwinia

September 17, 2015 at 4:52 AM

Enough of this or that vampires! Give us Mr Min Taeyeon! I am still waiting to know what happened to Jung In!!!

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9 kororo

September 17, 2015 at 4:57 AM

I'm sad, I was really looking forward to a VP 3 ( just like I am still delusionnaly hoping for a team ten season 3) . Ocn seems to always deliver great stories imo, and I'm a huge fan of Oh Jung-se so I'm going to check this one out. Now I have only seen lee joon act in the movie "rough play" and I thought he was pretty good in it, so I'm not really worried about him getting the lead here. It would be totally awesome if somehow VP and this serie united in another show following this, since both univers seem similar.

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10 softworking

September 17, 2015 at 4:59 AM

Congratulations to Lee Joon's first title-role in a serial drama!

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missDVM

September 17, 2015 at 3:47 PM

Yay!

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11 fantasy

September 17, 2015 at 5:00 AM

Are you kidding OCN??? There can never be a replacement of Min Taeyeon , never ever !!!

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12 cheekbones

September 17, 2015 at 5:35 AM

Well, I'll take any OCN vampire I can get. And I think Lee Joon looks especially good with guyliner. :)

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13 maknae_reader

September 17, 2015 at 5:38 AM

What? I was totally expecting a Season 3 this year! Has anyone have seen Cheo Yeong 2?!! I was so glad seeing that episode!! They guested our Min Tae Yeon as a police officer drinking a red colored drink which I suppose is blood. Oh come on OCN!! That is not fair!! I had my hopes up!! Way to make us so disappointed!! No one can replace Vampire Min Tae Yeon!!

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crayon

September 17, 2015 at 8:57 AM

Lee Yong Ah guested in ep1 and Soon Bum guested in some later episodes as well. Lol...

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14 C

September 17, 2015 at 5:40 AM

Our vamp prosecutor had a cameo on Cheo Yong 2, ep 5, so funny...maybe a good sign?

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15 dramalover

September 17, 2015 at 6:10 AM

Angel! Brings back so many memories:-)

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16 Sajen

September 17, 2015 at 6:26 AM

If I get down on my hands and knees to beg will they give us another season, or maybe not a full season and just copy Japan and make a special episode that answers our questions. Like is Jung-in alive or dead? If she's alive did he get there in time to save her or did he turn her into a vampire too in order to save her?

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17 trav

September 17, 2015 at 7:06 AM

I like supernatural and crime genres and when it's the mix of them, it's even better.

Congtrats to Lee Joon on his first lead role in a drama (does HITTG count?). I wonder if he can pull off a vampire though.

Oh Jung Se was great in everything I saw him starring so it definitely adds to the list.

Pre-producing a drama is not a common move for Korean TV. Are they this confident about the show?

I haven't watched the Vampire Prosecutor yet but seeing everyone here eagerly waiting for season 3 makes me curious about this drama. Should I watch it before Vampire Detective starts?

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softworking

September 17, 2015 at 7:30 AM

Lee Joon plays a lead role in HITTG, but not the first male lead. I think most people see Yoo Joon Sang as the first male lead. Also, HITTG is more focused on Go Ah Sung than Lee Joon.

Vampire Prosecutor is very good, which why we have VP2. But VP2 is not so good, which is why we do not have VP3.

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trav

September 17, 2015 at 12:21 PM

I see xD

I guess I better watch it because the VD will definitely be compared to VP and if it gets recapped, I want to be on the same page.

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Odessa Jones

September 18, 2015 at 8:29 AM

A second opinion on VP: I wouldn't say VP1 is better than VP2, just different. Both have some big weaknesses, but these are counteracted by Yeon Jung-Hoon. He's totally awesome as the one-and-only Vamp Prosecutor.

Season 1 is good horror and has a strong ending. Season 2 occasionally goes for humor or meta-narrative, sometimes very successfully. (I love the episode that takes place on the set of a vampire movie.) On the down side, both seasons have a "monster of the week" structure that sometimes gets tedious. But the good cast and some genuine creepiness make for a pretty entertaining show.

I like to pretend the last five minutes of VP2 didn't happen.

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18 casso

September 17, 2015 at 7:24 AM

i want vp3!!!!!!
thats all

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19 alice20

September 17, 2015 at 7:56 AM

Hell yes!! This is gonna be great!! I feel like Lee Joon can TOTALLY pull this off! Finally a role I cna get behind. :)

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20 owl 🦉 🫰

September 17, 2015 at 8:03 AM

This looks like a great combo of actors and I can totally see Lee Joon as a vampire (he had such a crazed look and persona in Gap Dong and his acting in Grapevine swayed me big time). Very happy with this, thanks OCN (My Beautiful Bride was a pretty good OCN ride, too).

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21 Sara

September 17, 2015 at 8:12 AM

I can't look at Lee Joon without remembering his behind from Rough Play. Forever scarred (or blessed?).

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kalel

September 17, 2015 at 9:04 AM

I was ready to share a few thoughts of mine about Lee Joon and how he shames other idols who pursuit acting careers and his astonishing breakthrough in Ki-duk Kim's movie in a comme il faut manner when I saw your comment...The coffee came out of my nose splashing all over the place, my precious MacBook included...
I love the way you're thinking, @Sara. A bit shallow but still, my kind of comment! Hat off...
PS OCN made an excellent choice with this cast. Oh, @Sara, I forgot what I wanted to post. My computer is now following my messed-up thoughts! ;-)

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22 pogo - sailing HMS Queen of Tears and HMS Sailboat Lovely Runner🍉

September 17, 2015 at 8:55 AM

I really like this cast and Lee Joon in particular is versatile enough to make me believe he can pull off playing Mr Vampy. He was great in Grapevine (best drama of 2015, head and shoulders above all the rest and nothing like any kdrama I've ever seen before) even though that was largely the Go Ah-sung show, in terms of the younger leads.

As for Lee Se-young, she was actually pretty good as a child actress and has been mostly ok in recent years. And if I'm still rooting for Jung Eun-ji after that mess Trot Lovers, she deseraves a second chance too - I hated her there, but I can recognise that I hated her character and not the actual actress in the role.

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23 An

September 17, 2015 at 12:08 PM

May be they couldn't get Yeon Jung Hoon? I have hope that Lee Joon can pull it off..

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24 Chris

September 17, 2015 at 12:16 PM

AKP is saying this drama has been in the works for 2 years. It's possible that this may tie into VP somehow.

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25 shaynanigans

September 17, 2015 at 12:30 PM

I'll ad mot to shallowness.
Lee Joon as a vampire.......
Providing there's guy-liner and some sexy-times involved....I'm sold.

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shaynanigans

September 17, 2015 at 12:31 PM

Maybe I need to tone back my excitement.
*admit, not ad mot. LOL

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mary

September 17, 2015 at 12:58 PM

I thought it was French for something :3

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26 mia

September 17, 2015 at 2:40 PM

Why? WHY?!!!!!!!!!!!!! T^T
Where' my VP3! TT^TT
Please don't forget VP3!

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27 Runn

September 17, 2015 at 3:45 PM

stop with the vampire stuff, its so boring now

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28 Hipployta

September 17, 2015 at 3:51 PM

Lee Joon and Oh Jung Se bromance for the win!

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29 missDVM

September 17, 2015 at 3:54 PM

I am actually rather excited about Lee Joon in this role. The story hasn't got me completely excited, (ANOTHER VAMPIRE DRAMA?!) but as for his acting, Lee Joon has been VERY impressive. He won me over in Gap Dong and although I often considered dropping the drama, HIS acting kept me hanging on to the (bitter) end. Hopefully, this drama will be well written, shot and directed, because I have faith that Lee Joon will do his best. So…here goes!

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30 Mag Mag

September 17, 2015 at 4:50 PM

My thoughts exactly: "ANOTHER VAMPIRE DRAMA?!". So far we have vampires as doctors, detectives, high school students, idols and even in Joseon era. I wonder what will be next .... vampire president? Vampire secret agent services?

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mumu

September 21, 2015 at 11:40 AM

It's probably because vamps are easy. Just slap on a pair of red contacts and teeth, and they are good to go. 'Weres' and wizards on the other hand have to be CG'd, they're too cheap to do anything that won't make our poor eyes bleed with the potential terribleness of it.

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31 magnet

September 17, 2015 at 10:30 PM

Lee Joon as vampire. i'm totally in!

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32 MissLH

September 18, 2015 at 5:26 AM

Its the same producer that produced VP so it sounds possible that it could be set in the same universe as V.P.... which will hopefully lead us into V.P season 3!!! He might even get hired to fins our favorite prosecutor ^^

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33 chi

September 18, 2015 at 7:08 AM

I'm actually quite excited for this!

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34 Nikilann

September 18, 2015 at 2:25 PM

Oh really ? I found her not so bad actually in Trot Lovers. She has something. She does. Just... how much does she have, I suppose that's the question ^^
I really hope she's gonna be good. Seriously, I didn't like one vampire drama this year. And I've a theory that each year, there is at least one good drama coming out of the big theme (time travel, ghosts, whatever). It's the same each year. So I suppose Vampire Detective will be the good one !