A Captivating Woo Young Woo
I've never posted a review for a drama before, even though I've probably watched thousands of them since my youth. I have posted my opinion about Extraordinary Attorney Woo in the main comments section but I really love this drama so I want to repost it here in the reviews section also.For me, I rate a drama very high when it makes me feel deep emotions along with the main characters. I've watched Asian dramas for many decades and this drama is ranked at the very top of my list. This is a story of Young Woo's journey and experiences as a woman, an individual on the autism spectrum and a first year lawyer. She learns and grows through each case she takes on and the people she encounters.
I feel that the cases are relevant to Young Woo and reflects real cases in Korea and real life (many times people will sue and go to court for stupid and crazy reasons). However, those cases are not a waste because Young Woo is able to reflect afterwards and understand herself and recognize the emotions she goes through as a lawyer.
I was alongside Young Woo every step as she faced all her challenges from the beginning to the end of the drama. She captivated me with her positive outlook in life, her blunt and straight forward ways and her willingness to advocate and fight for what she believes in. I will echo what many people have already said, Park Eun Bin deserves to win The Baeksang Awards for her role as Woo Young Woo.
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Extraordinary
Yes... As the name the drama is also extraordinary. I love the whole of it, from the story to acting and I really admire the actress as she played the role better than anyone else could have. She never lacked anywhere. I know the other staff members worked really hard, and their hard work really paid off. I really like this drama. Somewhere it's different and somewhere it's unique. Playing a character like that so good is something really appreciating. I just thought if Woo Young-Woo joined Attorney Ryu Jae-Sook to work with her, the character would've been more like how it should be. She is not some ordinary attorney, she doesn't go only after money! So I think this would've been better. And to be honest Attorney Tar Su-mi or The CEO of Hanbada got what they deserved. They both needed some punishments. And to be honest they should've showed more chemistry between Jun-ho and Woo to the young to the woo... And yeah, they totally skipped the part where it is shown who gets ina relationship with whom! They really skipped that part! And to be honest I think they should've made Young-Woo's father go in a relationship.... Maybe they will have all this cleared out in season 2 if it ever airs... I really hope they will have season 2! I really liked this drama.... There isn't a time I cried while watching the last part where all content of the drama is shown shortly... I really cried while I remembered the every emotion I felt whole watching each episode....... This is something that doesn't happen often...Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Enjoyable, however I acknowledge I can't speak to the autistic rep
I had put off watching this drama for a while, despite some stellar reviews, because the general vibe I got from the trailer and the crowd I saw praising it made me wary of the representation. Americans are no stranger to the (hopefully) well meaning "inspirational" stories of "extraordinary" people with disabilities. These stories are usually meant to inspire people without disabilities, while infantilizing and sensationalizing, people with disabilities. This story fell into that trap at times, (that I noticed) while I did enjoy some aspects of the show.The good:
- lead female character with autism. I actually can't think of any other examples of this in media.
- legal cases that were engaging and interesting to watch
- story that was pretty well paced, complex enough to stay interesting with family dynamics
- i loved Woo Young-woo's friendships with her Dong Geraumi and Choi
- a cast that was fun to watch for the most part (I still hate Kwon. I don't care about the attempt to redeem him)
The bad:
- this story falls in line with implying that people with disabilities are worth loving/paying attention to/existing if they're extraordinarily skilled at something. There's an entire episode where Woo Young-woo tries to help another young man with autism and she explains that people would view her worth differently if she had a similar presentation to the defendant she was representing and the entire show sort of enforces that. She's literally named as "extraordinary" in the title of the show and it felt like another example of a disability being presented as an added "bonus" because she's a great lawyer. I don't really remember people saying she'd be valued even without those skills.
- the attempt for WYW to be independent from her father is never furthered or addressed. Maybe in the next season? In a way it almost seemed to imply she'd go from relying on her father to relying on Jun ho
- Kwon is trash and that's never really addressed. Also, it bothered me that WYW's friend and Choi both wanted to date the guy that had it out for WYW the whole time
- Jun ho is cute and all, but his interactions with everyone in his life were discouraging. This guy repeatedly encountered horrible ablelist comments from his roommate (Kwon) and his college friends and yet he acted like a surprised child every time he did. It happened over and over and then he decided to bring WYW around his family, who he hadn't vetted? I get that the show wanted to show that you can have autism and still be in a romantic relationship, but if someone really cares about you, they should do the bare minimum and make sure you're going to be in a safe environment when they bring you around people in their lives. As it was, Jun ho's friends, family, and roommate were not welcoming people for WYW to be around and it bothered me that he was shown to be so thoughtful in so many other regards, but this was a blind spot for him.
- it did start to bother me that WYW's father and Jun ho really had no lives outside of WYW. On one hand, a change of pace as its usually female characters without the side missions. However, it made Jun ho seem to only exist to be in love with WYW and I actually felt really bad for her dad that he just... had nothing else going on. I thought he would have something with the CEO but he really did just sit in that shop cutting vegetables all day
So, overall, this was an enjoyable watch for me. However, I acknowledge that I'm not equipped to discern if the representation of autism was harmful and would render my enjoyment in consequential.
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Interesting and entertaining drama
There's a quality encompassing this show that is genuinely extremely appealing, and all credit must be given to Stop Eun Container for making it so convincingly. Yet, when you get underneath that, the actual show isn't anything especially unique. It is a procedural regulation show that looks at idiosyncratic cases throughout the span of a couple of episodes in an especially cerebral manner and there is nothing surprising about it.I'm happy I coincidentally found this enchanting South Korean show concerning an unpracticed, Optimistic, honest youngster lawyer compelled to explore the lions' nooks of court theater, ferocious workplace issues, and client plotting, while at the same time managing 'chemical imbalance range jumble'.
Recording was postponed for a year until Park Eun-canister opened up for the job, and (contentions about recruiting an entertainer with genuine chemical imbalance in any case) she is ideally suited for this generally delicate lawful show, in spite of the fact that she appears to 'forget' her problem in certain scenes of the early episodes. It's hard not to experience passionate feelings for Charm Youthful Charm's peculiarities, assurance, and fixation on cetaceans, and her fearless recuperation from exacting and figurative knockdowns en route.
Charm's father makes a respectable attempt, yet the genuine science is with her 'flighty' dearest companion (supporting areas of strength for the of female strengthening), and there is a lot of humor to offset the more serious occurrences.
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A Lighthearted Drama with Good Messaging, Sentimental Value, and a High Quality Cast
I enjoyed many aspects of this show. My favorite part was probably the romantic plot line between the two main love interests. Their love story was very cute in a way that made me giddy. I also appreciated how, as a law drama, Young Woo didn't always win every case/ how sometimes she had to represent people or situations that were morally grey. I feel like often in law dramas, it can get repetitive watching the genius lawyer stick up for the little guy and continuously win every case. But the variety of clients that Young Woo took on not only added more interest to the show, but absolutely furthered the story and her character development. I would definitely watch this show again. A perfectly lighthearted drama that still feels very sentimental and also carries many good messages.Was this review helpful to you?
furthermore, since i believe a generous majority of the people enjoying this show are neurotypical, it is impossible for any of us to even scrape the surface for understanding just how detrimental this poor portrayal is to the autistic community and how this simply exacerbates stereotypes. therefore, it is important to understand why this show and its misrepresentation must not be praised solely for its entertainment value. in entertainment and the media, autistic people are typically and very frequently portrayed through a black and white lens, as extremes on each side of the spectrum: the freakishly intelligent genius with outstanding memory, or the socially isolated nonverbal individual (as seen in woo young woo and jeong-hoon).
as someone who has consumed mass amounts of media and entertainment, i can easily tell you that the media is highly influential in the way i think, speak, communicate, and act. also as an asian american, i can 100% tell you that how asians are depicted in the media has severely impacted the way people see us. i've seen classmates of mine get heckled about why they weren't good at math despite being asian. i've had friends who were labeled as a shameful asian and an embarrassment to their family for not getting that perfect 4.0 gpa. the stereotypical "nerd" asian is not representative of the asian/asian american community and experience as a whole, just as these archetypes for those who are autistic is not representative of the entire autistic community. in fact, the media portrayals can be used to invalidate others' experiences at school, in work, and throughout their daily lives when they don't live up to these stereotypes or don't show signs of being neurologically atypical "enough" to bypass "excuses" for not producing the same quality of work or behaving a certain way.
however, there is one aspect of the show's portrayal of autism that i commend them for: displaying at least some form of (albeit watered-down) realistic systemic and institutionalized oppression that hinder those who are neurodivergent. it's easy to watch things like forrest gump and want to, and choose to believe that anyone despite their differences and inequities can be successful, but that's just not how it is in reality and it's important that people can distinguish that. i also thought it was refreshing that they displayed autism in a woman! anyhow, it was sort of bewildering to think that korean entertainment (in a highly conservative country) has slightly progressed to the point that they'd be willing to even portray someone who isn't neurotypical as the main character. it's a big step for them, but they've still got a long way to go!
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an important one; the original title is foul though
it seems like people fail to realize how important it is that people are finally gaining awareness on neurodivergency and ableism. i see it as a huge step forward and there were many scenes that made me feel represented and understood that i'd almost cry. also junho and youngwoos love is the best romance story i've ever seen in kdramas, hands down. pure love and understanding and honesty, in a way that makes both of them comfortable.that being said, there were quite a lot of things that bothered me, that made me feel like they could have portrayed certain things a lot better.
first off, i appreciate that they translated the title as "extraordinary", but hate the fact that the original title says "weird". shitty move from whoever decided on the title, considering the entire theme is around autism spectrum disorder and they are making money off of it.
they clearly did their research though, especially with displaying ableism and the struggles of people on the spectrum. each autistic person has different upbringings and experiences and so i wasn't expecting them to cover every symptom and behaviour of everyone ever.
that being said, it is very apparent that the story is told from an outsider's viewpoint. it felt like mostly the audience never really knew what's going on in young woo's mind. it seemed like it was going to be about her life from her point of view but the way the script is written, the audience ends up so detached from her which is what we Don't want. come on now. the point is to tell people about autism and to teach people how ableist the world is and to help each other, accommodate and care for each other, be understanding of one another. but this drama made young woo seem like an alien, a different species of a human which makes me so upset because yes we might be different but that becomes a problem only when we get othered and ostracized. the entire world is built in a way that others people who have disabilities, and the 'outside looking in' point of view really didn't help.
i am also glad about some of the cases they were working on, as they tackled lgbt+ rights, the problems refugees face and other mental disabilities.
and i do Not agree with people complaining about how the actress talks in a higher voice and acts "cute and childish" it is beyond disrespectful to view that as a stereotype and as infantilizing. seems like y'all wanted a character who masks and tries to fit into your own personal standarts which, yk, is ridiculous. i'm glad young woo was herself when she had the chance to be.
hated how the second male lead had a redemption arc that felt like a jumpscare. what do you mean the petty guy who bullied and plotted against youngwoo the entire drama suddenly had a revalation and did a 180 due to the slightest display of romantic interest????? HUH????? and how come the woman who hated the guy and protected her friend from him ends up falling in love with the mf are you kidding?????? i love the actors still, they did an incredible job.
in love with the part where young woo calls her friend a spring sunshine, my favorite scene in the series.
to summarize, even though certain things were definitely handled poorly, i'm still glad a drama with an autistic lead gained this much popularity, it at least helps people gain awareness about asd and hopefully it will help them recognize things they can be accommodating with, even if it's opening a water bottle for a friend.
they should still change the fucking title though.
ALSO much love to the animation team honestly. my special interest is orcas as well and i was Crying when one swam up to young woo inside the courtroom, it was mesmerizing and so so beautiful.
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Simple yet touching
The FL’s portrayal of an autistic genius attorney struggling to find her footing in a new environment was very realistic and it was the best part of this drama for me.The writing was a good balance of introducing different cases each episode and revealing more of Attorney Woo’s personal life while we cheered her on as she gets her cute ~aha~ moments.
I also loved the romance and the realistic considerations surrounding it from both the FL’s and ML’s point of view - extremely touching and heartfelt. Not many scenes on this but when it did happen, it was perfect.
Watch this not to have your mind blown but to have your heart moved.
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best ?
Extraordinary Attorney Woo is undoubtedly the best legal drama I've watched in 2022. Its a beautifully crafted TV show with a gripping storyline, yet the acting is incredibly professional and realistic, depicting the notable experiences of an autistic attorney working at a major law firm in Korea whilst having to face prejudice of society.The drama is fantastic in many ways. One of the biggest reasons why its a must-watch is its episodic nature. For the past couple weeks I've been craving episode after the other, wondering what happens next - yes, its entirely addictive and enjoyable to watch. Each episode is a new law case the main character Woo Young-Woo has to work on, as well as showing further progression in Woo Young-Woo and her co-worker Lee Jun-ho's relationship. Not only is the plot easy to follow, but has a refreshing flair to it, one that is light-hearted, unique, and sends a great message about how society should support and treat those physically or mentally disabled equally, and despite someone's mental dysfunctions, people should have each other's backs instead of bringing each other down.
Woo Young-Woo is one of my favorite K-Drama characters ever due to her cheerful disposition and undeniable intelligence. Her obsession with whales and dolphins is just the cutest! Likewise, her relationship with Lee Jun-ho is so adorable and carefree, and is paced very well throughout the show. The actress of Woo Young-Woo, Park Eun-bin, has a forte in playing the part and demonstrated adeptness in her ability to master difficult lines and autistic representations. To be honest, all the actors on the show are unbelievably talented in every way, and portrayed their roles with aptitude and skill.
Overall, the show was a big hit and deserves the praise it is getting. The comical dialogue, scintillating humor and workplace romance was all I needed! Needless to say, Extraordinary Attorney Woo is a totally binge-worthy K-drama with outstanding finesse and filmography, one you can sit back and relax to, promised to make your day. :)
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Heart warming and engaging
I hadn't planned to write my thoughts about this delightful and heart-warming drama till I read so many of the negative comments by fellow Mydramalisters. Many of them found the cases uninteresting but this is not, emphatically about the law but rather about how the law impacts the lives of attorneys and one extraordinary lawyer in particular who happens to be autistic. It is about tolerance and acceptance, family and community. Needless to say, Park Eun-Bin is completely convincing as Attorney Woo. You would have to have a heart of stone not to be touched by her story, her life, and her funny, quirky personality. Are autistic people disabled? Or are the abled differently.. This drama might lead you to think the latter. I also enjoyed the soundtrack, not based on songs, but variations on the opening theme. I can't wait for Season 2.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Extraordinary show!!!!
This is my favorite drama so far this year! I loved the character, storyline, and little romance. This is definitely a feel good drama. I enjoyed the cases and how they sometimes connected to the storyline. I didn’t like the little redemption arc towards the end For Min Woo. I don’t think he did anything to redeem himself. I’m not going to lie a small part of me wishes they exposed Attorney Woo’s mother just to see how it would play out. I’m excited for season. 2 I want to see more of her and her brother together. I rated this a 9.5/10 only lost half a point due to Min Woo.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Well....I made it to episode 10 a while ago and haven't went back since. Why? Because every episode is the same: you get a mediocre case and the only person who can save the day is attorney Woo Yong Woo...I'm not going to go through the whole introduction of palondromes because it became annoying by the 3rd episode to me.The series was fun to watch for the first few but then it became monotonous. The writers made the other attorneys mediocre compared to Young Woo. Nobody could figure things out but her. It made me grit my teeth a lot. Those kind of shows irk my nerves. At first these people were on top of their game but then they became stupid throughout the series. Made me wonder why were they there? It was like they could no longer fend for themselves. They needed Yong Woo to help.
The cast is perfect though. I like the whole cast except for the other female lawyer who worked at the other law firm. She just seemed out of place to me.
Once again there's that irksome romance scenario that always gets me. If it wasn't done in such a childish way then maybe I would be gung ho about it but I could see where it was going after the 5th episode. That was another reason I wasn't too thrilled about finishing this series.
I seen 10 episodes and I guess that was enough. Since every episode seemed the same I feel like I'm not missing anything.
There's going to be a second season in 2024. Who knows if I'll go back to finishing this. I just know I'm dropping it for now.
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