Extraordinary Attorney Woo

Objectively a 10

It's really nice to watch something so different and get a peak into the life and mind of people with autism. I can see all the research that has gone into this drama and the actress did a phenomenal job! I was awed at her mannerisms with her whole body - from the way her eyes avoided eye contact to the way she carried herself. Other than that, the drama addressed different problems in a very tactful manner: from prejudice against people with mental disorders to corruption in the legal system. All the while, I could not really hate any character. Every character had their own twist and I honestly love that there was no "big bad evil villainess" character, because I honestly get tired of that. The whale/dolphin animations were also really well made and it was fun to learn some off-topic whale facts.
The only reason I did not give a full 10 is because although the drama itself is great, it is not completely my taste. But I would argue that objectively, it would be a 10.

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A Drama that Leaves the Viewer with a sense of Fulfillment

Extraordinary Attorney Woo has been a drama that I have been putting off watching for a long time and I am incredibly disappointed in myself for not watching this wonderful drama much sooner! The drama immediately establishes itself perfectly by introducing all the characters and their wide arrange of personalities. The story itself revolves around the titular character Woo Young Woo, Korea's first Autistic Attorney, who immediately became one of my favorite female lead characters with her cute, charming, shy personality. Each episode revolved around a "Case of the Week" style story telling with the attorneys of Hanbada Law Firm taking on various cases involving different situations and different character interactions with a wide arrange of conflicts and new friendships being formed. The drama also has a main overarching story revolving around Woo Young Woo being the secret child of the head of Hanbada's rival lawfirm Taesan and Minister of Justice candidate, Tae Soo Mi. The secondary overarching story was Woo Young Woo's relationship with Lee Jun Ho, a charming and kind litigator who works at Hanbada. He quickly establishes himself as the kind and caring male lead who genuinely cares for Woo Young Woo and who loves Woo Young Woo for who she, even despite his judgmental friends. The story itself is consistent throughout and it never once disappointed me, I was always thoroughly entertained however two things disappointed me was that it feel into the one episode break up trope which many K-Drama's fall into and that some cases' outcomes aren't directly mentioned so you have to judge based around how the closing arguments were for those cases. Although that wasn't enough for me to minus points off.

The cast itself was perfect with Woo Young Woo being played by the talented Park Eun Bin who nobody else could have played that role better and her counterpart Lee Jun Ho was played by Kang Tae Oh who was a big fan of in My First First Love. Kang Tae Oh really shined in the male lead role, I hope he gets more roles in the future as the male lead, this performance alone was perfect. It was interesting to see Kang Ki Young play a nice, caring, mentor role with his role of Jung Myung Seok especially after watching him play the lead villain in the second season of Uncanny Counter. The first episode was odd, but he immediately showed his ability to play two totally different roles. The wide arrange of supporting casting was fantastic, specifically Choi Soo Yeon who was played by Ha Yoon Kyung.

The quality of the production was perfect with the cinematography being extremely high quality and the locations for the drama were lively. The OST was great and complimented the drama well. Overall I loved every second of watching Extraordinary Attorney Woo, I really can't wait for the second season!

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Special in every way

Extraordinary Attorney Woo is one of the most unique shows I've seen in recent times. It is certainly not your ordinary law drama.

Depicting the imaginative world through the eyes of this bright rookie attorney obsessed with whales was insightful and brilliant. She is more than her diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. Along with sharing the perspectives of caregivers and other relations she develops, the show dares to challenge the ableist views society has towards such individuals in an innocent and honest manner. The animation of EAW adds an element of fun to what could have been a very serious topic.

"Though my life is unusual and peculiar, it is valuable and beautiful."

If you are looking for a heartwarming drama which also presents how attorneys deal with moral dilemmas in cases of social justice then this is certainly a drama for you.

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A Sense of Fullfilment

A Sense of Fulfillment is what I felt when I finished the drama just like Woo Young-Woo, I loved and enjoyed and felt every second of this drama. I don't know, something about each character drew me to the story and the acting was phenomenal. I loved the sweet interactions between the main leads and how their romance was portrayed. I want to watch this again like it was my first time. If you have any doubts about watching this, my answer is just to start it. You'll get drawn in. I think it's a drama that anyone can like watching despite their other genre show preferences. This is definitely going on my all-time favorites list. Please enjoy watching yall!

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Mind expanded. Check⚡️✅

The Korean drama, Extraordinary Attorney Woo follows the exploits of an Attorney with Autism who is a savant when it comes to remembering everything she has read on Law and whales. While this drama definitely will be binge-worthy in the future, it is a drama to watch real-time now. This show is getting incredible numbers from viewers. Google users are giving it 98/100.

We are use to binging our Korean dramas, but sometimes that drama comes along that provides so much information for you to assimilate that it takes a week to clear all your head talk. You don’t have time to get anxious for the next episode. And some tell me they are rewatching the episodes that they have viewed already to fully enjoy the incredible moments. Head talk is when you go into deep thought in your head, talking to yourself about the things you have seen in the drama. You get in these contemplative moods, discussing Autism in general and each creative way that Attorney Woo Young Woo (A butterfly name that is the same forward and backward like the word deed) wins her cases.

Through the week you get to marvel at the terrific writing and direction in this drama. The Revolving Door Waltz, The Nepotism Episode that was truly a disguise for discussing discrimination in general (Cryfest moment for me), and the episode on “Should those with Autism be allowed to love who they love?” (Another Cryfest episode). While these may be singled out as my highest levels of enjoyment, these moments were just the cream on top of the ice cream for Extraordinary Attorney Woo.

Actors Kang Tae Oh as Lee Junho and the incredible Park Eun Bin as Woo Young Woo
Then there are the ‘Whale Moments’ of Attorney Woo. Who does not know that she loves whales? I am learning so much about whales, because of her fixation on them and whale talk has even provided some of my Cryfest moments too. I anticipate the whale stories. Also, when Attorney Woo comes up with those creative law epiphanies, those are introduced with her whale associations. I get such a sigh of relief, because I know that she has figured out how to win the court case when I see her whale moments.

The one debate in my head at present, that is keeping me up at night, is “Which drama did I like the most for the year 2022, Business Proposal or Extraordinary Attorney Woo?” Business Proposal is deeply squirreled away in my heart, but Extraordinary Attorney Woo is whaling away it’s own credits.

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underrated

the story takes us in the lives of autistic people and shows their daily struggles and how they are treated in the society for these people to live normal lives is not very easy and simple they have to go through shi from some bitchy people

i actually didnt know what to expect when I started watching this one but I surely was so so pleased with what I got
and it's not very usual for autistic people to find real love and real friendship

i loved how her friend stayed with her and supported her thru everything and also it melted my heart when the male lead didn't give up on her coz honestly it was so cute 😭 and that one scene where he tells her that I'm disappointed your heart doesn't beat fast when we're not touching or something like that I don't remember the line exactly lol
and the cases they all solved together were so interesting too

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Understanding Myself via This Drama

As someone who is awaiting testing for ASD, I keep coming back to this drama, as the first time I watched it I noticed traits that the female lead has that I have in my daily life. Also, for a professional job, the characterisation of what it is like to be in the outside world with a neurodivergent mind really does shine through.

The overall story of the drama was fitting, and the themes all intertwined so strongly with the writing, production and acting.

I would not fault anything about this drama, and it is certainly one of the best I have ever seen come out of South Korea.

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The Wisdom of Woo Young Woo!

It is sad that the world is not more accepting of those with mental or physical handicaps. Given a chance, we find that such beings are more than capable. Everyone can contribute to the world, no matter how big or small.

If you’re like many other people who’ve seen this beloved series, you’ll find yourself immediately enamored by Attorney Woo Young Woo…no matter how it’s flipped, it reads the same! And no matter how much you try to look at Woo in a different way, she’s still her charming, cute, and beautiful self!

We all need a Woo Young Woo in our lives. Such people are often devoid of egotistical traits. There is no animosity or hatred behind their words. And when they love, they love completely. How many people in the world can claim this? We often look at people in the world like Woo Young Woo as having problems. And yet, I daresay, perhaps WE are the ones who should be more like her! Such is the purity of innocence. To have the essence and wonderment of a child. And why are children so wonderful? Because they’re like sponges who are free of shame and guilt—such traits are learned behaviors that are sadly instilled in them by parents, society, culture, religion, etc. Woo Young Woo is like being an eternal child, and that is not a bad thing! It's something we should all aspire to be.

Like very few autistic people, Woo Young Woo would be classified as a savant. Someone with incredible mental abilities to remember pretty much anything and everything. Such a skill makes Woo Young Woo an amazing asset as an attorney, despite her lack of ability to read people and understand various emotions. Sudden emotional outbursts tend to frighten her, and she’s not immediately comfortable in foreign environments. She also has an aversion to being physically touched. But don’t let these things fool you since Woo Young Woo has more charm than most people can begin to dream about.

Eun Bin Park gives a tremendous performance as Woo Young Woo. The only other characters I’ve seen that match hers were autistic performances in “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay,” and “Move To Heaven” (two more incredible Korean dramas if you’re looking for something!). Eun Bin Park will have you laughing, smiling, and occasionally tearing up with her delightful performance. She may well have given us one of the cutest characters I’ve ever seen. And yet, she also shows us the absolute brilliance of Woo Young Woo as an attorney. Yes, we’re talking about someone along the lines of a Perry Mason. But what makes her truly remarkable is her integrity; her unwillingness to compromise her values in doing what is right. How many attorneys can claim that?! Not very many, I’d wager.

And, of course, because of Woo Young Woo’s innocence, she also brings with it a childlike naivety which makes her vulnerable to those who would try to take advantage or mistreat her. It can be a bit painful sometimes to watch those scenes, as all you want to do is be like Jun-Ho and do your utmost to protect her.

Woo Young Woo describes herself once as a narwhal living among beluga whales. She knows she’s a bit peculiar to most people, but she not only learns to adapt but to accept herself as she is. I would actually go even further and say she’s like a gold nugget among lumps of coal. She’s far more precious and special than even she can comprehend or realize. And part of the charm of the show is watching those who doubted and even abused her, begin to soften and realize how precious she really is.

Another beautiful aspect of the show is the simple, and yet beautiful romance between Woo Young Woo and Jun-Ho. And the reason why it is so incredibly unique is because Jun-Ho fully accepts Woo Young Woo as she is. He never asks her to change or be anything other than who she is. In short, this is one of the rare depictions of unconditional love that many people search for, and yet very seldom find.

Extraordinary Attorney Woo is a true delight. It’s also light drama in case you’re searching for something that isn’t too heavy. And the court cases are always very intriguing to watch as we wait and see what magic Woo Young Woo is about to pull. I’ve already heard that a second Season will be made. And well, I never get tired of Woo Young Woo’s love and talk of whales. I definitely want another season of this charming and delightful show!

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Woo to the young to the no Woo Hoo

Primarily a law drama, which is fine because of the title, it was expected. It delivered on the law aspect of the show, but that was mostly it. The cases were mostly nice, as I enjoy a good law drama, but the dream sequence with the whales were sooooo painful. I like a space out as much as the next person, but it was a bit much. The court room antics were mostly spot on which was nice and the cases were not extraordinary but they were nice. I especially like the realism in the cases because it will be that was in real life, I even loved the realism with the case of with the defense of another mentally disabled person. The fact that everything was taken away from her and no one, not even her mother could really understand why she was crying is heartbreaking.

Their was an attempt at romance in this from the onset, but it really wasn't anything to notice really. I loved Jung Myung , he was a boss among bosses, kind and supportive where ever it was needed. His hospital visit was the worst, I literally prayed for this fictional character after. It was amazing to have a side character that can connect with people so well.

Kwon Min was the biggest snake I have ever seen in a law firm, like he needed to get met in an alley and have things happen to him that cannot be proven. He was really nice to look at though, but still wanted to punch that beautiful face.

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The drama that Twitter convinced me to watch

I started watching this drama after I saw everyone on Twitter talking about it. I absolutely loved every second.

+ the cast was incredible, especially Park Eun Bin as Woo Young Woo.
+ the topics. We had many different topics in all the cases that Woo had to solve. There was a case involving someone else with autism, there was some queer rep in an episode too, etc.
+ the romance was cute (but it sometimes felt forced).
+ almost all side characters were really good.

Overall a great drama that I recommend to everyone who wants to watch a drama with an amazing main character and with good autism representation.

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Refreshing

I was captivated from the get-go and became thoroughly engrossed in this series.
Out of 16 eps, only one made me cringe a bit and that's probably more about my own discomfort over certain situations than the story!

An excellent cast, especially Park Eun-bin; without her extraordinary acting, which made Attorney Woo just that, this series could have failed.

However, this is a drama. It is not a reality programme centring around an actual lawyer who lives with autism, going about her daily life and work representing those that can afford it, at a high end legal firm.

S.Korea seem to be introducing characters with disabilities more (I thought the character in Our Blues, actually played by an actress with Downs Syndrome, was really ground breaking, yet rarely got mentioned). I hope it educates people (shocking they are so far behind), that treating those who are different to the 'norm' badly and dismissing members of society with any form of disability, or looking down on them, is unacceptable and shows poor and ignorant behaviour.

I think it is highly unlikely one would see many of the scenarios in real life, however, the way in which the programme brought to the fore Young Woo's different (often enlightening) perspective on things, was a joy. It showed that whilst she struggles with understanding human emotion, that didn't mean the character has none, and also felt hurt or concerned for others, just in a different way.

There are autistic savants (I have a cousin-once-removed that is, but he is more severely affected by it at the same time), so her amazing memory is not a step too far. Her obsessions, OCD and discomfort with human contact, I thought were well represented. I also applauded the episode showing the fact not all people with same disorder will be identical ~ there are different levels and the more severe cases are nothing like Young-woo.

Incorporating a romantic element for the character was good to see as well ~ why shouldn't or can't people care about and date someone with autism, if it works? However, whilst it touched on the fact Joon Ho was going to have to work harder at the relationship, would experience discrimination toward her (and their relationship) and would definitely feel lonely and frustrated at times, that aspect was rather romanticized. I think the reality would be more difficult, but equally, if it can work, hugely rewarding for both.

Issues of abandonment were upsetting, I thought and one character was/is irredeemable and not fit to parent. Young-woo definitely gets used, very coldly.

Sometimes aspects went a step too far out of what would be possible and the legal cases did at times feel like their authenticity was secondary, but overall it is a compelling series and I look forward to the developments in S2, even though we'll be waiting for some time.

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