Naked Fireman (2017) 맨몸의 소방관
Directed by Park Jin-seok, starring Lee Joon-hyuk as Kang Cheol-soo and Jung In-sun as Han Jin-ah.
Watched 31 January - 1 February 2026 — 4 episodes (KOCOWA)
*Don't let the ridiculous title fool you! It's not that kind of a show! I wanted to watch a short series because I hadn't decided yet what to watch next after having finished Can This Love Be Translated?. I had heard of this show but never knew it was only 4 episodes short. And I didn't know Lee Joon-hyuk plays the male lead. I like him so it's an added incentive to try this out. I also like the female lead Jung In-sun (seen her in My Secret Terrius and Welcome to Waikiki) and she looks pretty here.
*I kept my expectations low and was pleasantly surprised how enjoyable this was. It's also nicely paced and the acting is solid.
*Lee Joon-hyuk plays a firefighter who wants to earn a large sum of money in order to pay for the surgery of his friend/chief of the fire department. He is a bit goofy and loves being a firefighter. I like the fact that he's just an average guy and doesn't have unbelievable fighting skills. He has to be in physical good shape to be a fireman so he's no wimp either. I also liked how he showed a very human side when he was a fugitive on the run. He cried while on the phone with his friend/the chief. His life was suddenly turned upside down, and who wouldn't be upset when suspected of murder?
*Jung In-sun plays a rich heiress/artist who offers 10,000 dollars for male models (she's particularly interested in firefighters) to pose in the nude for her. She is looking for a fireman who has a distinctive scar on his back and who's responsible for her parents' deaths. The leads have nice chemistry and I liked their little romance.
*Ultimately I also liked the second couple, Kang Cheol-soo's friend and Han Jin-ah's aunt. They genuinely seemed to care for each other, and though they might have criminal tendencies (theft, among others), they were on the side of our main couple and helped them catch the culprit.
*I cannot believe I fell for the trap at the ending. No spoiler here, see for yourself!
*While certainly not without flaws and with some tonal issues, this was thoroughly entertaining. A longer runtime would have benefited the show, as there would have been more time for development of characters and romance.
*Something noteworthy about Lee Joon-hyuk. Apparently he is known for his philanthropic efforts. In November 2020, he was awarded the title of Honorary Firefighter by the president of South Korea on 58th Firefighter Day's Celebration, for his generous donation of his full fee from Naked Fireman to South Korea Fire Service and appearing in two firefighting-related projects. (Lee Joon-hyuk didn't want his donation to be known to the public, but as these things go, the secret leaked out.) He also donated to animal protection organisations and participated in charity events, also for breast cancer awareness. Ahh ... this makes me like him even more!