Directed by Yu In-Sik, Extraordinary Attorney Woo premiered in June 2022 and has 12 episodes released currently. The show follows Woo Young-Woo (Park Eun-Bin), a brilliant rookie attorney with an autism spectrum disorder. Woo Young-Woo is a trainee at a big law firm where she faces prejudice and discrimination, but solves cases with her unique way of thinking. This show also shows beauty in friendships supporting each other in the workplace, acceptance of a disability, and discriminatory people whom viewers initially resented but started to love because of their backstories.

Extraordinary Attorney Woo displays a disability in society and workplaces. It also shows the importance of being thoroughly educated before passing judgment on someone. The screenplay writers add a layer of comic relief to aid the seriousness of the message, like when Woo Young-Woo's introduction includes a peculiar line. It also takes a deep dive into the realities of living with a disorder and other controversial topics like suicide, North Korean defectors, and LGBTQ+ relationships. A hilarious element of the show is Woo Young-Woo's fascination with whales, which is present subtly with her as the series progresses. Whenever she experiences an epiphany, a huge whale comes on the scene.

Mixing autism, a rom-com, and legal matters, Extraordinary Attorney Woo takes viewers on an unexpectedly entertaining journey of wholesomeness, love, and awareness. This series marks the new style of unconventional K-Dramas receiving fame. Since its pilot episode, Extraordinary Attorney Woo immediately caught international attention, ready to become the next big hit from South Korea after Squid Game. This series gives a massive lesson to viewers to learn empathy, be more accepting of disabilities, and understand that everybody's spectrum is different.

Park Eun-Bin, known for her lead roles in Do You Like Brahms and The King’s Affection, plays the autistic Woo Young-Woo, delivering this character most respectfully without making her feel pitiful. Instead, the script adds wittiness to Woo Young-Woo's conversations with colleagues and in court proceedings. Park Eun-Bin perfectly depicts all hidden emotions and mannerisms without being disrespectful. This heartwarming series also shows the growth of Woo Young-Woo as an employee and others around her accepting her for who she is. Be it her boss Jung Myeong-Suk (Kang Ki-Young), who is reluctant about her being on his team, later evolves into accepting her as an equal; this show portrays the most healthy character development.

Related:

South Korean Shows That Touched On Serious Topics

What Works:

Extraordinary-Attorney-Woo
ENA
Netflix

This lovable series also features a budding romance between Young-Woo and her office ally since day one, Lee Jun-Ho (Kang Tae-Oh). Jun-Ho is the it-boy of the Hanbada law firm’s litigation department and is instantly everybody’s favorite character. He is regarded as the human green flag because of his patience and interest in Young-Woo. The two share the most innocent and wholesome interactions. Viewers immediately fall in love with him in the scene of him helping Young-Woo use the revolving doors. The progression of their little affair also propels Young-Woo out of her comfort zone, learning new things.

This series also has Dong Geu Rami (Joo Hyun-Young), the powerhouse hype friend everybody needs in their lives. Young-Woo and Geu Rami become friends under peculiar circumstances. However, their friendship blooms into the definition of "girl power.” Both girls evolve into leaning onto each other at times of need and having the purest company. Their characters have extremely opposite personalities, which even make other characters in the show doubt them as friends. But Geu Rami knows what is going on inside Young-Woo's mind and is always there to help her, like making Jun-Ho take Young-Woo to the beach.

This series also shows the heartwarming love of parents and the lengths they would go to protect their children. Woo Gwang-Ho (Jeon Bae-Su) is Young-Woo's father, who discovered his daughter's autism and love for the law very early. Through his character, they also show a parent's struggles with an autistic child and how their heart breaks every time the world discriminates against them. He is Young-Woo's most significant support system who makes her gimbap every day and would go to the ends of the Earth to look out for his daughter. His character creates an aura of comfort and reliability in the show, which attracts viewers to the storyline even more.

Side characters like Geu Rami, Young-Woo’s father, and her colleague Choi Su-Yeon (Ha Yoon-Kyung) bring more depth into the plot and have backstories that the viewers absolutely cherish. Su-Yeon comes to terms with working with Young-Woo but develops an emotional bond with her, bringing about a friendship that viewers love as much as Young-Woo does.

Related:

Best South Korean Action Movies, Ranked

What Didn’t Work:

extraordinary-attorney-woo
ENA
Netflix

Since the story has more to reveal in the six episodes left to be aired, not much bad can be said about this magnificent drama. Though most legal dramas can be tedious, this shows displays lawsuits that are not that intense, show the legal team’s greatness, and bring forth Young-Woo's growth. However, one repetitive aspect of the show is Young-Woo's epiphany. In every episode, whenever she gets an idea in a meeting, the scene follows a zoom-in shot of her face with her hair blowing away from her face. The screenwriters even added a giant CGI whale to highlight this idea. Although it is entertaining initially, this aspect becomes extremely repetitive after a few episodes.

However, Extraordinary Attorney Woo gives a realistic outlook on the life of a disabled person. Until now, the storyline has developed seamlessly, and the side plot of Young-Woo's mother being revealed to her has also been carefully catered to. The screenplay does not feel rushed and keeps viewers interested in every episode.