Suspicious Partner

Written by Joanna Sands, Margaret Sands, and Patrick Xia

Answer: GOBLIN

We open this puzzle to see 6 ferris wheel cars, each with 4 clues. Using a combination of looking up the title and the oddly specific clues, we find that each clue describes a character from a Korean drama (K-drama).

ClueDramaCharacterActor
A musical actress in an arranged marriageThe Last EmpressOh SunnyJang Na-ra
Cop who used to be a stalkerHello Monster/I Remember YouCha Ji-anJang Na-ra
Genius profiler with a serial killer brotherHello Monster/I Remember YouLee HyunSeo In-guk
Respected (but corrupt) modern-day emperorThe Last EmpressLee HyukShin Sung-rok

ClueDramaCharacterActor
Former singer and CEO of entertainment companyYou're the Best Lee Soon ShinShin Joon-hoJo Jung-suk
News anchor diagnosed with breast cancerJealousy Incarnate/Don't Dare to DreamLee Hwa-shinJo Jung-suk
Weather forecasterJealousy Incarnate/Don't Dare to DreamPyo Na-riGong Hyojin
Young girl named after military admiralYou're the Best Lee Soon ShinLee Soon ShinIU

ClueDramaCharacterActor
An ex-convict who is also a restaurant ownerWok of Love/Greasy MeloDoo Chil-sungJang Hyuk
Former pediatric psychiatristWitch at CourtYeo Jin-wookYoon Hyun-min
Horseback rider and fencer from a rich familyWok of Love/Greasy MeloDan Sae-wooJung Ryeo-won
Prosecutor who toes the line of legalityWitch at CourtMa Yi-deumJung Ryeo-won

ClueDramaCharacterActor
Adopted after being mistaken for man's dead sonPinocchioKi Ha-myungLee Jong-suk
Bully who is the heir to his dad's hotelThe HeirsChoi Young-doKim Woo-Bin
Newbie reporter who hiccups when she liesPinocchioChoi In-haPark Shin-hye
Scholarship student whose mom is muteThe HeirsCha Eun-sangPark Shin-hye

ClueDramaCharacterActor
A hopeless romantic raised in an orphanageKing of AmbitionHa RyuKwon Sang-woo
Murdered step-father to become the first ladyKing of AmbitionJoo Da-haeSoo Ae
Rich man in an arranged marriageMaskChoi Min-wooJu Ji-hoon
Took the place of doppelganger for moneyMaskByun Ji-sookSoo Ae

ClueDramaCharacterActor
Grandson of Mongol leaderThe King Loves/The King in LoveWang WonIm Si-wan
Leader and parent of threePrime Minister & IKwon YulLee Beom-soo
Persistent writer of trashy tabloidsPrime Minister & INam Da-jungIm Yoon-ah
Rich man’s daughterThe King Loves/The King in LoveEun SanIm Yoon-ah

We notice that each of these ferris wheel cars contains one repeated actor/actress along with their character’s partner (or at least suitor) in each drama which forms a “love triangle”, a K-drama staple, between the other two actors/actresses. Taking into account the flavor text, we find the “drama” between the love rivals.

Actor 1Actor 2Shared DramaCar NumberLetter
Seo In GukShin Sung RokThe King’s Face7G
Gong HyojinIUThe Producers6O
Jang HyukYoon Hyun MinA Beautiful Mind2B
Lee Jong-sukKim Woo-BinSchool 20136L
Kwon SangwooJu Ji HoonMedical Top Team4I
Im Si WanLee Beom SooTriangle5N

Indexing the car number into the title of each drama starting at the entrance of the ferris wheel (the bottom) and moving clockwise gives us our answer which is a famous K-drama, GOBLIN.

Author's Notes

Margaret: Please don't take any specific drama being in here as a recommendation.

Patrick: I've never watched K-dramas, don't ask me