Extraordinary Attorney Woo has become a hit around the world, combining autism, romantic comedy and legal issues into one compelling series that proves representation can make an impactful difference in lives. Its success shows us the strength of representation.
Though widely-preferred, this film does not accurately represent the experiences of individuals with disabilities.
Young-Woo’s portrayal can be misleading, such as treating her repetitive actions such as counting before entering rooms as amusing tics.
1. It’s about autism
Extraordinary Attorney Woo is one of the pioneering k-dramas to feature a lawyer with autism. Not only does it create a feel-good drama experience for viewers, but it also shows how someone with autism can be successful in the workplace. Park Eun Bin’s character Young-woo is a legal novice who joins Hanbada firm as its first autistic lawyer despite possessing both high IQ and photographic memory; yet still struggles with everyday interactions.
However, with help from her bold yet earnest colleague Lee Jun-ho, she gradually learns how to cope with social anxiety. The show does not shy away from showing their raw emotions and delving deep into their relationship – exploring even how difficult it is being an autistic person in a society which often views disability as something tragic rather than worthy of celebration.
Even though the show occasionally falls into familiar tropes such as an unexpected enemies-to-lovers plot, it never falls into ableism; rather it demonstrates how someone with autism can be an excellent lawyer.
Young-woo’s ability to remember law terms and rules is an impressive display of her talent as a lawyer, particularly during an elaborate case involving accusations that she murdered her husband. Although the case itself was complex, Young-woo was successful at providing effective defense counsel, saving the client in question from facing a lifetime prison term.
Young-woo’s confidence grows with each victory she attains, until one case causes a major setback: when the prosecution attempted to discredit one of their defendant’s on account of autism – an act which caused Young-woo to recall her own experiences dealing with stigmatization and ignorance associated with autism.
Young-woo’s ability to overcome his obstacles is what truly makes this show standout. It not only shows that an autistic person can be just as capable as any other lawyer, but also raises awareness that issues surrounding people with disabilities remain an unresolved matter in our society – hopefully other television series will follow suit and challenge perceptions that these individuals are tragic victims.
2. It’s about friendships
Extraordinary Attorney Woo is an instantaneous hit due to Park Eun-bin’s stellar portrayal of Young-woo, an autistic law student with an IQ of 164 and an ability to overcome challenges. Debuting on Korea’s ENA channel and now streaming worldwide via Netflix, Extraordinary Attorney Woo brilliantly explores autism in its true essence without turning its protagonist into an offbeat caricature. In its 16 episode first season alone she finds unexpected mentors, allies, foes, family secrets along with an enchanting love interest all helping her along her journey en route to work at one of Korea’s premier firms
Kang Ki-young plays Kang Myung-seok, an experienced senior lawyer, who is critical of Hanbada CEO Han Seon-young assigning autistic lawyer Young-woo to her team at Hanbada. Myung-seok accuses Young-woo of lacking professionalism but she dismisses this concern by reminding Myung-seok that she graduated top of her class from Korea’s most renowned university and her high-functioning autism should not disqualify her from practicing law.
Young-woo’s rapid rise as an attorney is due to her natural talent and unwavering commitment. Soon she realizes her eidetic memory allows her to process information faster and build strong arguments to refute claims faster; additionally her creativity and ability to read people’s body language become invaluable assets during court hearings.
Young-woo quickly wins over her colleagues who respect her skills despite initial reservations. Her ability to recall laws instantly allows her to build persuasive arguments against stubborn witnesses; and later they learn that many of these memories come from whale-related subjects that hold special meaning for her.
Some of the most striking moments from Season One involve Young-woo’s evolving relationships with her coworkers and acquaintances, especially fellow lawyer Lee Joon-ho (played by Kang Tae-oh) who becomes her closest ally after witnessing her brilliance first-hand.
3. It’s about family
As a lawyer, Young-woo must set her emotions aside when taking on cases close to her heart, such as when defending a mentally handicapped girl accused of sexual abuse by an intimate partner. Young-woo was overcome with emotion as she attempted to explain that it wasn’t sexual abuse when her client consented and loved the guy they were dating and never did anything wrong; all while being watched over by his mother. It’s an emotionally draining case that shows just how challenging being an attorney can be; we see her struggle against her emotions for the first time ever!
Other cases in the series demonstrate various aspects of law. Two especially compelling instances include one involving a North Korean defector and Hanbada and Taesan rivalry; these demonstrate how complex legal issues can be and Attorney Woo’s unique approach helps her solve cases in unconventional ways.
However, Young-woo’s most touching act in the show comes when she takes on Myeong-Seok’s case, an elderly friend with stage 3 stomach cancer who will likely remain sick until he passes on. Young-woo knows he must eat before he dies so she offers to take him for Haengbok noodles so he can taste them once again and appreciate their flavor before his departure from this world.
In these troubled times, this drama provides a much-needed dose of relief. Netflix ranked it the number 1 non-English show for several weeks and broke ratings records at local broadcasters in its wake; not only is it entertaining but it provides insights on social issues as well as providing entertainment! We hope more will come our way; its cast has great chemistry while writers have created an unforgettable narrative with every episode that portrays life’s complexity as well as showing the necessity of pushing yourself outside your comfort zone.
4. It’s about love
Young-Woo, as a small child, had always dreamed of becoming an attorney someday. Now she has graduated from Seoul National University Law School (which can be considered comparable to Harvard), taken and passed the bar exam, and obtained employment at Hanbada law firm where she and her team solve cases in every episode; it’s exciting yet enjoyable watching! Since its June 29th debut date, this show has amassed tremendous buzz – garnering over 69 Million views in 16 episodes alone!
Young-Woo’s romantic relationships at Hanbada revolve around Lee Jun-Ho, an litigation officer who immediately takes an interest in her. He helps Young-Woo navigate her way through Hanbada’s ever-shifting doors while reminding her of her qualities – all the while creating an extremely sweet and fulfilling romance that pushes Young-Woo out of her comfort zone and introduces her to new things.
Extraordinary Attorney Woo is an incredible film which portrays disability realistically without turning it into an amusing caricature, as well as taking on many fascinating legal cases like North Korean defectors, marriage disputes and even an dubious business deal between two brothers. Each case is fascinating and captivating allowing viewers to gain more insight into Young-Woo’s mind and memory processes.
As Young-Woo nears the conclusion of her series, an unexpectedly complex case arises for her to handle. Geurami, an elderly widow being coerced into agreeing with two sons over her inheritance is being blackmailed by two others to sign over her company created by Young-Woo. Young-Woo remains reluctant, yet steps up nonetheless to defend Geurami against these demands from both sons threatening takeover of said company she created; ultimately Young-Woo stands up and defends her client; although risking her own job amidst possible legal problems while standing firm to defend Geurami’s interests despite potential job repercussions as Young-Woo does her client in court against two other attempts by two sons for inheritance from two other sons for inheritance rights; Young-Woo stands up and defends Geurami against two threats from both sons to take control over this company she created until Young-Woo steps up and takes action to defend Geurami’s interests despite possible losing her job by taking up to defend Geurami’s interests by intervening to defend him/her and doggedly stands up and defends their cause despite potential risk to do just that while standing her client against two brothers’ threats to takeover their company; Young-Woo steps up and defends his/She steps up again against YoungWoo despite potential job loss to do just that and stands up and defends her client despite taking no matter at her in order to defend his/her client in doing her rightly against potential job loss by taking up her and defend her client and does so while protecting her client in court as Young-Wo despite losing job over YoungWo’s cause even as Young-Wo;
Over the course of this series, viewers can witness Young-Woo’s steadily increasing confidence as she faces new challenges each week. Not only is she able to prove the innocence of her client; but also manages to win over both coworkers and her crush! Extraordinary Attorney Woo is a captivating drama worthy of watching for anyone who appreciates well-written storytelling.
