I never had any second thoughts about watching Extraordinary Attorney Woo when I first heard about it. Aside from medical K-dramas, those under the legal genre suit my interest, not only because it pushes me to think and analyze; but it allows me to relive my days as part of the legal profession.
The show centers on Woo Young Woo (played by Park Eun Bin), a rookie lawyer for the fictional law firm named Hanbada. Despite graduating at the top of her class at Seoul National University and possessing the impressive credentials that make her an ideal lawyer, she faces prejudice from both her colleagues and clients. Despite being a genius lawyer, she is also diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Watching the entirety of this Kdrama not only enabled me to relive the career that I have missed through the various legal matters shown throughout the 16 episodes. It opened my eyes on the plight of people too as some of the scenes focus on socially-relevant issues. In one particular episode, Attorney Woo defended a man prosecuted for abducting middle school students, and the guy would later admit that he did it just so the kids could play and enjoy their childhood even for just a few hours. From the view of someone who once worked as an ESL teacher to Korean students, it spoke resolutely of the reality (of what it is like to be a student in South Korea). Parents take education (and grades for that matter) seriously, to the extent of forgetting that their children also need to cherish their youth once in a while.
This slice-of-life drama also offered a fresh take on how society and the workplace should deal with and handle situations involving employees and individuals with disabilities and challenges. Next to the slant that Attorney Woo was accepted in Hanbada for her credentials, it is worth noting that the drama showed how she found a support system through her single dad, Woo Gwang-ho, the colleague Choi Su-yeon, and friends like Dong Geu-ra-mi, and the funny restaurant owner called Mr. Hairy who did not only stayed by her side in every situation but were also there for the protagonist as she navigated through various events in order to live a close to normal life despite having ASD.
I guess the other thing that appealed to the viewers was the romantic facet of the drama. How the bond between Woo Yong-woo and Lee Jun-ho evolved from just colleagues to friends, and eventually as lovers, was one of the reasons why I looked forward to each episode. As a person with a disability myself, I confess that I could somehow relate to the scenes where Young-woo openly expressed her apprehensions about being romantically involved with Jun-ho because of her condition. Those echoed the same thoughts that I've always had for the longest time. But what was more endearing was how Kang Tae-oh's character as Lee jun-ho chose to remain by Young-woo and still pursue her despite the objections of his sibling. Such devotion proved the essence of what real and unconditional love is; and how our flaws will always make us perfect for the heart that is meant to love us.
But setting kilig factor aside, I can say that Extraordinary Attorney Woo is a slice-of-life drama that I enjoyed watching not just for the legal element, but also for all its heartwarming scenes and nuggets of wisdom. I would recommend this to friends seeking inspiration that will motivate them to be the improved (if not the best) version of themselves especially when life hits and pulls them the lowest.
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