introvertedkdramalover

Finally court adjourned! I'll be frank, this drama left a huge impression on me...although not always in the way I thought it would. First of all, the cases. These were undoubtedly the major highlight of the drama.

This is where the conscience of this drama lives. I love how this drama explores the cracks of our society by showing us the stories of migrant workers who only wanted to retain their dignity; people with disabilities who can barely maneuver through a world designed to ostracize them, celebrities stripped of their humanity the second that scandal breaks. These moments never felt like filler, they provided the heart of this legal drama and I appreciated how honest they were.

Kang Dawit’s story was the drama's foundation. Following him from careerist to a man transformed by the people that he was representing was easily the most engaging story arc. It was earned, believable and given emotional weight by his subdued acting, which held the whole drama together, even when the drama itself began to falter.

And though I did appreciate what the show was going for with characters like Gippeum-who, while an inspiring fighter for justice, can at times be overwhelming. Without forgetting the over the top acting from Nan Hui and Jun U which I found loud and jarring. I would most of the times fast forward some of their scenes which I sometimes found clashing with serious tone of the cases. On the other hand, Jang Yeongsil's understated development-which is a huge part of the show's charm. He went from a timid, wallflower-like figure to a person who takes the reins in a quiet, confident way.

Overall, Pro Bono is very much a mixed bag but definitely one that needs to be sifted through if you want to see law dramas with more heart and soul in them than normal. Go into this with lower expectations as for the humor; look for the cases, the development of Kang Dawit, and the truth behind what it actually means for people's lives to collide with the law.