Extraordinary Attorney Woo is regarded by many as one of the series that changed the game. It was an astounding breakthrough that this simple yet funny South Korean drama won many accolades, including the Grand Prize in Television for Park Eun-bin.
Plot Overview
Extraordinary Attorney Woo tells the story of a young and rookie autistic lawyer who has an extreme fascination with whales, Woo Young Woo. She is raised by her single father, who owns a small eatery. Growing up, she encountered bullies that made her seek the companionship of her only friend, Dong Geu-ra-mi, an odd but caring girl who acts as her protector. She graduated at the top of law school at Seoul National University. However, despite being excellent in her studies, she struggled to find a job because companies would not hire an autistic lawyer. She gets accepted into the Hanbada, a large Seoul law firm.
As Attorney Woo begins her journey to Hanbada, many of her colleagues find her mannerisms and actions awkward such as struggling to navigate through a rotating door, counting before entering the room, and many more. She is supervised by Jung Myeong-sok. She is joined by her law school classmate and peer, Choi Su-yeon, and legal support staffer Lee Jun-Ho. Her experiences in Hanbada are marred by prejudice and jealousy, especially by her fellow colleague, Kwon Min-soo.
The series focuses on several cases our lead character handles, such as legal issues and ethical questions. Unlike her colleagues, Attorney Woo's ways are unique and sometimes go beyond what she learned from law books. Throughout the series, we often see Attorney Woo and her eureka moment that involves seeing whales.
Characters
We encounter several characters throughout its 16-episode first season, but the main characters remain the same.
Woo Young-woo - The series' heroine and lead character played by Park Eun-bin. She is highly fascinated with whales and likes to keep her things arranged. She has a close relationship with her father, who is very supportive of her journey as a rookie lawyer. For much of the series, we see her character development like a flower blooming and showing its colors. Park Eun-bin did an excellent job, and if this is the first series you've seen her, you might think of her other roles to be like Attorney Woo. That goes to show her incredible acting prowess.
Lee Jun-Ho - He is Attorney Woo's leading man, played by Kang Tae-Oh. His character is like a supporting member of Jung Myeong-sok's group. He often handles transportation and hard labor. He develops a romantic feeling toward Attorney Woo in the middle of the series. Except for her father, he is also the only one Attorney Woo likes to share her whale trivia.
Jung Myeong-sok - Attorney Woo's supervisor who teaches her the ways of Hanbada, played by Kang Ki-young. He initially doubts her ability because of her autism but soon gets fascinated by her unusual talent for solving cases. He is knowledgeable about the law and provides suggestions if his team needs help. He is often criticized for his favorable treatment of Attorney Woo, but he maintains a strict order that only gives credit to people who deserve it.
Choi Su-yeon - Attorney Woo's classmate and peer, played by Ha Yoon-kyung. If Deung Gu-ra-mi protects Attorney Woo outside the office, she watches her from the inside. She develops a crush on Lee Jun-Ho but realizes that he does not like her. She often helps Attorney Woo with minor things like opening a water bottle or informing her when Gimbap will be served.
Kwon Min-woo - Attorney Woo's colleague, played by Joo Jung-hyuk. He is like the odd one in the group. He dislikes the others' treatment of Attorney Woo and often sabotages her by giving her false documents or getting ahead of her. He even goes to specific lengths when he discovers her background. However, throughout the series, we also see his character development and begin recognizing Attorney Woo as a trustable colleague.
Dong Geu-ra-mi - Attorney Woo's best friend, played by Joo Hyun-young. She protects Attorney Woo from bullies and supports her decisions. She works at an eatery where her best friend grabs dinner. She develops feelings for Kwon Min-woo.
Review
Extraordinary Attorney Woo is not called extraordinary for no reason. Throughout its 16 episodes, with each ranging from 60 to 90 minutes, it delivers powerful insights not only to increase awareness of autism but also to the law. Sometimes, an episode will make you laugh, smile, and cry. However, each episode will tell you different lessons and themes essential for our awareness of the topic.
Extraordinary Attorney Woo thrives in its excellent character development, giving each individual time to shine. Park Eun-bin's acting talent makes her character so likable. It's not an easy role to portray, but she made it look natural.
The way this series is shot is by having it well-lit in most of its scenes to perfectly simulate Attorney Woo's bright personality and point of view.
Extraordinary Attorney Woo is a Korean drama that easily captures the audience and their expectations because of its light-hearted storyline mixed with heavy drama and many comedy sequences. It will make you smile, laugh, and even cry. It's an astounding series that lets you hope there will be a second season because you will be craving for more.
A perfect 5 out of 5 stars.
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