5 pieces of wisdom from extraordinary attorney woo (season 1) - analysis & review
my review of a wonderfuly complex yet light-hearted korean drama about an autistic lawyer and her trials & tribulations (season 1)
watched: july 2023, via Netflix
rating: 9/10 — highly recommend
mood: light-hearted, sweet, courtroom drama, philosophical, moral dilemma, complexity, eye-opening, awkward-cute, comedy, well-balanced, flavorful, engaging / smart, a little nerdy, a little romantic, reassuring and comforting; like a bowl of bone broth miso ramen
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the aftertaste of this show
this is one of those TV shows that I didn’t want to finish watching because I knew that I would truly miss the characters, and spending time in the world-universe of the show. if every worthwhile TV show/movie/book has its own flavor of hangover, this show’s hangover-withdrawal, in its immediate aftermath, feels like missing a sweet, smart, sassy, cozy friend — who has the courage to stand up for what’s right. Attorney Woo Young Woo might be one epitome of this (in all of her blatant awkwardness) — but I’d say that ALL the main characters in this show are complex, likeable, endearing — even in their ambitious and pettiness, their shortcomings and flaws.
5 themes & bits of wisdom
from extraordinary attorney woo
1) the dignity of being different
I think it’s clear from watching this show how much discrimination Woo Young Woo faces not only as an autistic person, but as a female autistic person in a highly patriarchial, traditional, prejudiced society. she is continually dismissed, rejected, diminished; not taken seriously — again and again — by clients, men, coworkers, “normal” people — but by the end of each exchange, she’ll prove a point, hold her ground, walk away with dignity, and emerge victorious. that alone — was such a pleasure to watch.
I never learned so much about autism until watching this show — and I loved how intimately I was able to empathize with her perspective/experiences through it. the show does an amazing job portraying her subjective reality and inviting the viewers in — with grace and ease.
2) permission to be out of the box
and because woo-young woo is so out of the box — not by choice (her entire being; mannerisms, from her dress to her compulsive, funny introductions) — that this contrast of her character to the corporate lawyer sub-culture, nested inside a very traditional culture — her lack of apology and dignity throughout the entire show at being herself — gives us permission to be unapologetically out of the box, too. she’s not as subject to social norms as we are, and she has less control over her compulsions. we do — but it doesn’t mean it’s more important or imperative that we need to obey the social templated script. woo-young woo has a joy and ease about just being herself — which I found really inspiring and heartening to watch.
3) treasure the magical inner world (of whales)
everytime she has a genius insight on a case — in her mind, she’ll see a whale/dolphin jumping up out of the water. whales and dolphins are her un-self-conscious, main obsession — and I think, represent her own creative genius and depth of her inner world.
brilliance/creativity isn’t something everyone can understand — and certainly, not everyone wants to talk about whales all day. but for me, those creatures represented her wildness, her child-like, creative spirit, her animal genius — and again, I felt like the show validated the power and joy of being unique enough — to have a secret, magical-surrealist inner world. even if no one understands it, and those closest to you might run out of patience for it (eventually) — that inner world belongs solely to you, and it’s up to you to nourish it.
4) learning to love and receive love
the main tension in her romantic relationship with Joon-Ho is: can I make you happy — being who I am? and: will you love me, even though it’s hard? at the beginning, Woo-Young Woo struggles with both loving — and receiving love.
the overarching question is: is a healthy romantic love for a [insert anything divergent] person — something that could work? the show says: yes! and that process of watching this yes unfold — in spite of the culture around them — is sweet, comforting, like drinking honey ginger tea.
Joon-Ho is emotional and giving, whereas Woo-Young Woo can feel a bit detached, awkward, and self-absorbed. but, her behaviors don’t always match up with her intentions and deep feelings for Joon-Ho. there is dissonance in communication. just because she doesn’t know how to express herself in the same way — doesn’t mean she doesn’t feel love for him. to see love and romance on a TV show as an act of learning and commitment — felt so refreshing to watch.
5) standing up for moral complexity & messy truths
is a lawyer someone who fights legal battles for their clients — or someone who stands up for truth and justice — even if it conflicts with the client’s interests? this is the central, reoccurring theme in this TV show, and I appreciate how there is no clean answer — it’s an ongoing process.
we watch Woo Young Woo grapple with this question throughout the entire first season. I appreciate how she doesn’t leave her corporate law firm, at the end. she chooses to stay, stand by her values — and make whatever impact she can there.
one of my favorite things about this show is how it looks at moral complexity — giving each side of a case philosophical weight and consideration. Woo Young Woo isn’t always fighting for sympathetic clients, nor does she always win every case. it’s NOT a tidy SUV/Law-and-order kind of TV show, there’s always a clear RIGHT/WRONG, an obvious HERO/VILLIAN, and even the antagonists (when there seem to be any) feel like sympathetic characters.
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end thoughts
what I appreciated most about this show was that it didn’t feel tidy (especially for a korean drama!). each episode grappled with complexity and emotional depth, while still maintaining lightness. instead of being clean-cut, it felt delightful, quirky, realistic. it felt human.
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