Multiple episodes have addressed issues of discrimination against those with disabilities. When her boss remarks that an issue would be difficult for an ordinary attorney, she reminds him that she is anything but ordinary.
The ninth episode dealt with an emotionally charged case wherein an individual is accused of sexually abusing a mentally handicapped girl, which the show handled sensitively and skillfully.
1. They don’t get along
Young Woo is fortunate to be loved and supported by many. This became evident during her ninth case when she was asked to defend a man accused of abusing a mentally handicapped girl; it proved challenging because his client was autistic and couldn’t testify properly during trial; during which one CEO from Raon attempted to bribe Young Woo. But Young Woo refused.
After her case is concluded, Young Woo visits Attorney Jung at her hospital bedside to explain it all and asks if she should reveal the truth and seek social justice or be an attorney and do what’s best for her client. Attorney Jung advised her to follow her heart and do what feels right – an unforgettable moment from this drama! I really appreciated Attorney Jung’s character as it showed she always stood behind Young Woo even when their opinions disagreed on certain subjects.
2. They don’t share the same values
If you were among the millions who tuned into Netflix this summer to binge-watch Korean legal drama Extraordinary Attorney Woo, chances are you were won over by its lead character Woo Young-woo (Park Eun-bin). After all, she wasn’t your typical protagonist!
Young-woo is autistic, and she may struggle with social awkwardness and occasional meltdowns; yet she possesses strong determination, an impressive IQ score, and an excellent memory – qualities which allow her to be an extremely effective attorney.
She braves challenging cases that push her out of her comfort zone, defiantly dismissing snide remarks from neurotypical colleagues and forging supportive friendships such as with Choi Su-yeon who tirelessly defends Woo against office bullies.
3. They don’t have the same goals
Extraordinary Attorney Woo is an eye-opening coming-of-age story, where each case provides Young-woo with invaluable life lessons. It is rare legal dramas that successfully combine genuine emotional drama with funny caricatured protagonists; Extraordinary Attorney Woo is such an exceptional legal drama!
Young-woo was left shaken after watching the fifth case unfold, which involved a girl with autism who is accused of lying in court because she mistook the defendant as her love interest and believed they were together. It was difficult for Young-woo to defend her client since Young-woo was aware that this girl couldn’t differentiate right from wrong.
It was an upsetting case that demonstrated how society still stigmatizes disabled people as lesser members of society; an eye-opener that shed light on many global problems that remain to be resolved; an engaging drama that illustrated that people with disabilities can lead meaningful lives despite prejudice; they deserve dignity and respect – a message delivered clearly through its characters on screen.
4. They don’t have the same interests
I believe this drama perfectly demonstrated the difficulty of being a lawyer, which requires setting aside personal feelings and judgment in favor of justice. Young Woo struggled immensely with this aspect of her job – she wants both, yet finds it challenging juggling them simultaneously, especially as one requires much more work and understanding than another.
For example, her fifth case proved challenging because she felt the defendant was lying. Although she recognized all of the telltale signs that indicate deception in this instance, her emotions still got in the way and caused an impactful case to drag out – ultimately breaking down her confidence that she could continue being an effective lawyer in future cases.
