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BrightestStar

Turns out, there's really no place like home

BrightestStar

Turns out, there's really no place like home
Extraordinary Attorney Woo korean drama review
Completed
Extraordinary Attorney Woo
3 people found this review helpful
by BrightestStar
Nov 19, 2022
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed
Overall 6.5
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 5.0

I enjoyed the cases that are closer to our daily lives than the usual law kdramas

While this drama (I think) is most popular being about the "genius autistic lawyer", what I liked most is how the story spreads beyond that. Being more of a workplace drama, as she gets closer to her coworkers and gets to know them better, we learn more about who they are. Cases are also interesting. They aren't the usual heavy cases with conspiracies and corruption. They are closer to day-to-day cases with people similar to those you know in life. This is what made the drama feel closer to the viewer.

The drama has its ups and downs, but it did leave me with a smile on my face and a desire to watch more, without needing to binge-watch to get it over with. In short, a decent and relaxing watch. Most of the points of my ratings is for that reason

Now we do need to address the elephant (or in this case the whale) in the room, which is having a leading character that is officially on the autism spectrum. I can't, and neither do most viewers, tell to what degree the portrayal is accurate. I don't think you can tell even if you know or have someone in your family on the spectrum. That is because it is a spectrum, in addition to each person having their own personality and quirks even without being on the said spectrum. I can say though, I didn't get the whole whale show every time our leading lady figured something out to make her case, and neither did I appreciate it much.

The part I appreciated the least in this drama was romance. I actually wish it was written out. Kang Tae Oh does have a romantic look in his eyes and is generally pleasant to look at, and I'm not totally against the romance being there but it did happen way too soon. It felt uncomfortable, and didn’t make sense to me as to when the love actually happened. I would've liked to see the development of their friendship instead. The secondary couple made even less sense to me. It came suddenly out of nowhere. I just didn't feel it.

The part I enjoyed the most is the friendship and camaraderie portrayal. The dependence and trust Young Woo develops towards everyone's favourite (for good reasons) attorney Jung, the growing bond between her and Choi Soo Yeon, her relationship with her father, and so on.

Actually, her relationship with her father was actually is actually what the most stood out for me. The distance felt when having an autistic child at times, closeness beyond any at other times, the worrying about always being available for your child, and the loneliness of being a single parent, all felt too real. The portrayal by Jeon Bae Soo could hardly be matched. He rarely needed to express it, the look in his eyes and his mannerisms said it all.

Out of all the other actors, Joo Jong Hyuk as Kwon Min Woo stood out for me the most. His character didn't actually make sense to me at times, especially in the last couple of episodes, but the actor's performance added more consistency and realism to the character.

Another point I enjoyed is the portrayal of the dilemma that comes from being a lawyer. Yes, most cases did eventually find an ideal ending, but the potential damage that comes from doing their job isn't glossed over. And I liked that Young Woo wasn't there to be the paragon of virtue, her priority was that of any lawyer, to do her job well and serve her client.

The writing had strong points but was uneven at times. Strong performances from the actors, and good directing made up where writing was lacking.

The drama ended on a good note, giving it a satisfying ending while leaving us with a taste of potential in case there is a second season. If the second season does happen, I look most forward to seeing a growing relationship between the siblings (WITHOUT the stereotypic overused Rubik's cube - FYI It does NOT indicate genius!).

PS. Does anyone know the actor playing CEO In Cheol? He looked so manly to me no matter how much he cried and begged LOL I think I just developed a major crush on him XD
Any recommendation for this actor is welcome for me :D

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