What happens when a custody battle doesn’t involve a child, but a dog? JTBC’s Esquire has ignited heated conversations as Lee Jin-Wook’s character, Seok-hoon, clashes with Lee Sang-yeop’s character, Won-jun, over the ownership of his beloved pet, Hash.
In the September 6th episode, the storyline took a sharp turn when Seok-hoon, frustrated and cornered, appointed his sharp-witted junior Jin-woo (played by Lee Hak-joo) as his legal counsel in a lawsuit involving alleged animal abuse and ownership rights. What began as a dispute over a pet escalated into a broader exploration of animal law, ethics, and the blurred lines between personal attachment and legal definitions.
The drama digs deeper than courtroom jargon. Jin-woo questions whether repeated animal abuse signals darker tendencies, even hinting at connections to unsolved crimes. Meanwhile, Seok-hoon insists that legal loopholes in animal protection need bold action, not just ethics and paperwork. His strategy: pressure through public interest lawsuits, compensation claims, and collaboration with advocacy groups.
But the tension peaks when Seok-hoon’s ex-wife’s husband, Won-jun, tries to claim Hash as his own. Jin-woo’s fiery response — “Does that make sense? Hash was abandoned, but I raised him like gold and jade” — underscores how personal this fight has become. Ultimately, Jin-woo promises to take on the injunction himself, pointing out that in the eyes of the law, animals are still classified as property.
This storyline isn’t just fueling drama; it’s sparking real-world discussions about animal rights, property law, and the emotional bonds between humans and their pets.
