Kdrama Feminist
England
Withstands the Test of Time!
I first watched this drama 5 years ago as of writing this review but was suddenly compelled to watch it again. A slightly nerve-wracking prospect as tastes and times both change and I was worried I wouldn't love it as much the second time all these years later.
Well - I definitely did love it! My rating has changed from a 9 to a 8.5 but that's because watching it now having seen hundreds more dramas, I'm more aware of the cliches and problematic tropes. And this drama definitely has them - keeping unnecessary secrets is the worst offender considering our ML can literally *read minds* but there are other offences here and there (wrist grabs and male characters trying to rob the FL of her agency etc).
BUT they really are only very minor offences. In every other way both the characters and plot have stayed as refreshing as the first time. The FL is arrogant & lazy to the point of being unlikable but we see her through Park Suha's eyes and watch her grow into an admirable lawyer. The relationship between Jang Hye Seong & Prosecutor Seo is also a fun breath of fresh air as they go from enemies with genuine reason to be enemies to something better when they meet again as adults. Considering the trend of the times (and in many places the continued trend of today) it's nice to see women navigate a complicated relationship together without it devolving into high-school type nonsense. (Though there is some pettiness and it's always hilarious).
The drama is funny when it wants to be funny, heartfelt when it needs to be heartfelt and surprises you with the care it shows its characters. Park Suha is romantic & emotional so the perfect balance to Hye Seong's more pragmatic and realistic nature but their chemistry together is genuinely adorable. He's a genuinely likeable lead that's super easy to root for from start to end. Because the show focuses on public defenders, the cases are all blue collar crimes which is nice in this chaebol-filled drama landscape and the drama's lesson about the blind hand of justice needing to be able to see from time to time in order for true justice to be given is a genuine one that's put across super well.
Oh and - the villain is consistently awful and deserves everything that happens to him.
Highly recommend no matter what genre you tend to pick!
Well - I definitely did love it! My rating has changed from a 9 to a 8.5 but that's because watching it now having seen hundreds more dramas, I'm more aware of the cliches and problematic tropes. And this drama definitely has them - keeping unnecessary secrets is the worst offender considering our ML can literally *read minds* but there are other offences here and there (wrist grabs and male characters trying to rob the FL of her agency etc).
BUT they really are only very minor offences. In every other way both the characters and plot have stayed as refreshing as the first time. The FL is arrogant & lazy to the point of being unlikable but we see her through Park Suha's eyes and watch her grow into an admirable lawyer. The relationship between Jang Hye Seong & Prosecutor Seo is also a fun breath of fresh air as they go from enemies with genuine reason to be enemies to something better when they meet again as adults. Considering the trend of the times (and in many places the continued trend of today) it's nice to see women navigate a complicated relationship together without it devolving into high-school type nonsense. (Though there is some pettiness and it's always hilarious).
The drama is funny when it wants to be funny, heartfelt when it needs to be heartfelt and surprises you with the care it shows its characters. Park Suha is romantic & emotional so the perfect balance to Hye Seong's more pragmatic and realistic nature but their chemistry together is genuinely adorable. He's a genuinely likeable lead that's super easy to root for from start to end. Because the show focuses on public defenders, the cases are all blue collar crimes which is nice in this chaebol-filled drama landscape and the drama's lesson about the blind hand of justice needing to be able to see from time to time in order for true justice to be given is a genuine one that's put across super well.
Oh and - the villain is consistently awful and deserves everything that happens to him.
Highly recommend no matter what genre you tend to pick!
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