Law and the City: No Charm, No Chemistry, No Case
The first two episodes were so unbearable to watch to the point that I almost dropped the drama. Continued only because of Lee Jong Suk and the hope it might improve (spoiler: it didn’t). The boredom was so intense I hit the skip button at least 15 times.After that, every episode felt like a filler episode. The cases? Bland to the bone. The story tried to juggle so many aspects at once that it ended up being messy and unfocused. With no clear direction and numerous aspects to address, it also creates a lack of time to create any depth for the story.
Honestly, I had high hopes from Lee Jong Suk to carry the drama with his acting but his character was so painfully flat. Instead of being a cold male lead that creates drama and tension due to their nature, especially towards the female lead, Lee Jong Suk's character was just an indifferent and nonchalant man who had no layers of personality to himself. His acting was not bad but just painfully mediocre and miles away from his energy in his previous hit dramas.
Also, chemistry between the leads? Non-existent. People call it slow-burn but all it was burning was my will to continuing to watch the drama because of how fast paced they had made the relationship that had no spark throughout. It's just something that had to be added to align with the romance tag. Mun Ga Young herself had no charm as a lawyer. Her acting and character just made me think she is not suited to take up lawyer characters because she had no presence in the drama. Just felt like a side character who had nothing much to tell.
The drama had food in every single episode 2 or 3 times. It felt as if food was the main character (honestly, had more charm than the acting.) To conclude, even if this drama was supposed to be of a wholesome slice of life genre, it did not appeal as so. It's a one-time watch only if you’re desperate and out of options and has nothing fresh to offer. Even the soundtrack failed to make an impression.
Watching Law and the City was like eating plain toast for 12 hours straight.
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Unlike typical legal thrillers, the show shines through its grounded storytelling and heart—each character feels real and their friendships, anchored around casual, food-filled lunches, bring warmth and humor to the narrative .
While pacing is deliberately slow and deliberately calm, for fans of character-driven drama it’s a comforting and mature watch that delivers emotional nuance without melodrama . Audience reactions echo this sentiment: one viewer called it a "mature slow burn + slice of life," noting that the friendship dynamics feel deeply relatable , while others praised the thought-provoking moral dilemmas lawyers face, making each case feel personally meaningful .
In short: Law and the City is a well-acted, emotionally subtle legal drama that captures both professional pressures and the tender power of friendship—best enjoyed by those who appreciate realism and warmth over high-octane thrills.
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a slice of life show with no drama and good food
this one had the feel (and plot points) to be a 10 season sitcom. there is no big plot or conflicts, just a group of lawyers coming together to eat. it was a true slice of life drama with a very calm and almost realistic lifestyle. none of the cases were dramatic. even the most emotional or sensitive things were dealt in a logical way which makes sense for lawyers. i would honestly have loved for this to be multiple season sitcom with each episode being like a day with all of them dealing different cases and de-briefing during lunch and dinner. many other plots could have hit differently if this was released in that way, all of them leaving at the end, their realizations to what their dreams are, the romance building up, the resentment and uncomfortable-ness in the familiarity. the romance was very weak here as it was only lightly touched. again, the romance would have paid off more if there were a few seasons of them working together and then finally getting together.i love that each one has their own dreams and passions in the same field and how they are supportive of each other. them being such perfect friends might the most unrealistic part imo.
the food in this was amazing to look at!!!!! i was so hungry after the first few episodes that i started to watch this only while i eat.
i would say this might not be a great series to binge but it sure was a comfort watch for some weeks
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undercooked, unseasoned chicken breast becomes series about lawyers in THE City.
The best thing about this series? Lee Jong Suk’s face card—and the way it complimented his co-star’s looks (her name escapes me). Visually, they looked beautiful together on screen. Unfortunately, that’s where the magic ended. Neither the acting skills nor the emotional depth that LJS is capable of were ever given a chance to shine.Across twelve episodes, there was shockingly little excitement. Every moment felt so flatly delivered that I found it hard to care. Instead of storytelling, we got endless shots of fancy meals in pretty restaurants, an eternal subway ad, and the occasional product placement coffee candy. It felt less like a drama and more like a lifestyle commercial on repeat.
What happened to storytelling? These shows used to inspire—sparking creativity, purpose, even life itself. Now they’re flat, beige, and bland, dressed up with elevator jazz. Actors like Lee Jong Suk have the range of fifty people, yet he was boxed into playing a one-dimensional city lawyer. Throw in a recycled pregnancy trope, some economic/socialite melodrama, and somehow it’s still—yes—boring.
We can do better. We should do better. Here’s hoping for a return to dramas that challenge actors, captivate viewers, and give us stories worth remembering. God bless us all until then.
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No, ty.
This wont be a full review, there's no need for that. And with that, I'll start the first point by saying the synopsis is a bit wrong. She's not a social butterfly (unless the definition changed), they are not building solid friendships (they already are good friends).Next. This is not about law, or even romance. Its more like a slice-of-life thing. Lots of eating, some legal jargon, some fake drama and problems, and thats it.
Ok, now to point a fake-decent thing. The moral problems. Some good questions there. It feels like that was the main point of this show, raising awareness (as if no one knew about that) and some story-like around. Empty episodes, full of fluff (thats what I call the stuff thats there only to help an episode reach the target time length), flashbacks (even from 5 minutes earlier?, wtf) and such. Every episode (or two) have a problem to talk about so a lawyer happens to get cases that focus only on those aspects. Or different problems resulting from not talking (otherwise the episode would end too quickly, I know).
But what I meant by fake-decent is the fact that what started as an interesting thing, quickly changed to "even though you have more experience and raised some good points in the first episodes, let me teach you stuff about the law and ethics and morality". Coincidentally, that was also when I started wishing for this series to end already. Especially the last 2 episodes were a drag. Most of the endings were easy to guess and I kept checking the time, nothing on the screen made me care anymore. In fact, I even started being critical over every spoken word. "blah blah blah, because someone listened to her". "wait, what? Wasn't she the one who said she doesn't wanna talk? That she's guilty and wants to get punished? Since when people never wanted to listen to what she had to say?? WTF?!" Or "Hello, its been a while." "Oh, hey. Omg. And congratulations!" "Wait, what?? You're her coleague but you never visited?? WTF?!" Yeah, I hit some lows, I'm ashamed... OK, not really.
Anyway, thats all there is to it. Eating, fake drama, eating, moral things, eating. I wont bother with the plot, script, character development, soundtrack and such... It gets a rating of 4, for the (sometimes) decent acting, some decent cinematography, and sometimes decent dialogue.
Have a lovely evening.
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I will never understand why a drama like this is rated so low.. Yes 8 is low.. I am not saying the drama blew me away, but I was entertained and completely engrossed.. These are the kind of dramas that deserve 16 episodes.. No unnecessary drama, no love triangles.. Just friendship, love, personal growth and food.. Lots and lots of food.. Might even feel like one big ad for the Korean food industry..The story unfolds in an uneventful yet remarkable way.. With a screenplay that feels raw, personal and utterly engrossing.. It focuses on the mundane lives of five characters.. The drama lingers, never too quick and never draggy.. Some might find the lack of build up disappointing.. But the slice of life approach works wonders here.. Honestly, it reminded me of Hospital Playlist..
Everything about this drama feels authentic.. The characters, their relationships, the world they live in.. Nothing is forced or sloppily arranged.. It all just works so well that I couldn’t help but grow attached to them.. Rather than leaning on sappy dramatic moments and sentimentality, it focuses on developing its characters in a natural, unhurried way..
I loved all five of them, they were all great.. And their stories were just as good.. Mun Jeong and her husband?? I absolutely loved their story.. He is the perfect husband.. Chang Won and Sang Gi’s stories were good too, though I feel they didn’t have quite the same impact as the other three.. And Ju Hyeong and Hui Ji?? I adored their relationship.. They didn’t overdo it.. The romance was subtle, but that worked perfectly because I loved their interactions.. They weren’t forced into a relationship because of their past, it just felt natural..
Overall, it’s a really good drama.. It doesn’t rely on big, dramatic twists.. Yet it never once feels boring.. I could nitpick moments in the script where it skips over sensitive issues a bit too quickly, but I don’t want to.. I just wish it had 16 episodes.. I would have loved to spend more time with them..
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Food & The City
Hmm I honestly don't know what to say about this drama. I have never rated a drama this low 😔Trust me, I would've rated it even lower BUT it has 2 of my favorite actors AND I absolutely adore them ❤️❤️
This drama is more like a Mukbang to me because they're eating 90% of the time and the remaining 10% involve little-to-no interaction between ML & FL plus cases.
Now that I think of it, they should've made it a variety show where they explore various restaurants daily. Then I would've rated it an 8.
Anyway, the 6 is just for my favorites Mun Ka Young and Lee Jong Suk.
MKY is always pretty and Lee Jong Suk looks so handsome here I can't stop staring at him 😍
Wish this drama had a story which was well connected because here, the cases plus the little interaction between the ML & FL are just fillers and the main character of this drama is Food.
It feels like the makers wanted to create a love story between ML & FL but they didn't have much of a story so they added some legal cases in between to fill the void and then the cases weren't very interesting so they brought in Food, which somehow became the main character.
I'm sorry for putting it like that but that's just what I feel when I watch this drama 😔
I would still say it is a one time watch and you should go for it.
I have only watched 2 episodes and I hope it gets better but I feel like it won't.
But I will continue watching it because of 2 very important reasons Mun Ka Young & Lee Jong Suk ❤️
P.S. Food & The City would've been a more appropriate title.
Also, please don't @ me because I honestly love Mun Ka Young & Lee Jong Suk so much. I was waiting for LJS return as well but I'm just so disappointed because the script is just not good.
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‘Law and the City’ seems to draw clear inspiration from the ensemble warmth and slice-of-life storytelling that made ‘Hospital Playlist’ so beloved. However, where ‘Hospital Playlist’ balanced character depth, organic humor, and emotional resonance, ‘Law and the City’ struggles with uneven writing, underdeveloped arcs, and a lack of genuine chemistry among its cast. The result feels less like an homage and more like a shallow imitation that never quite finds its own identity.
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“Law and the City is realism over drama — and that’s its biggest charm.”
Law and the City isn’t a drama for everyone. If you’re expecting fiery courtroom battles or shocking twists, you’ll probably find it too slow. The pacing is calm, almost slice-of-life, which may feel boring to some viewers.But that’s exactly its charm — it focuses on the real, human side of being a lawyer: the exhaustion, the friendships built over late-night meals, the ethical struggles, and the quiet romance that grows naturally.
Lee Jong-Suk makes a strong comeback with a restrained but heartfelt performance, and Moon Ga-young balances him perfectly with her warmth and idealism. Their chemistry isn’t explosive, but it feels real and mature.
👉 Honest Verdict: Law and the City is a slow but meaningful legal drama. It won’t suit everyone, but if you enjoy thoughtful, realistic stories about work, relationships, and life’s quiet battles, this is one of 2025’s hidden gems.
“A nostalgic coming-of-age story that captures the sweetness of youth, first love, and friendship. Some pacing flaws aside, it’s a warm and emotional watch for slice-of-life lovers.”
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A Complete Hit or Miss- Not Worth Exploring!
This show was a mixed bag of emotions for me!The reason why I waited for the show to get over before publishing this review is that I was unsure of how I felt about it. The legal drama could be very well described as a slice of life, with lovable characters who share meals and their problems closely. Boasting an ensemble casting that includes Lee Jong Suk, Mun Ka Young, Kang You Seok, Ryu Hye Young, Im Sung Jae; the show focused on their individual growth as attorneys. Each of them have their own paths to follow and discover; the only point of countenance being that their law firms are housed in the same building. As acquaintances, these five lawyers share weal & woe during their lunch breaks, no matter how busy they are. Things begin to change when all the four law firms in the building are merged and a new attorney joins them as a replacement of their old friend.
Read the complete article here-
https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2025/08/12/law-and-the-city-series-review/#more-2028
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How many dodgy lawsuit does it take to break a lawyer’s back?
I came for the promised romance of our OTP plus Lee Jong-suk’s return to the small screen since 2022. While my expectation is tapered, LJS seldom disappoints so I was a little surprised that this show didn't grab me at all. At least not from the start.Some of the problem lies with the legal cases which form the backbone of this show. Sure, all our associate lawyers are hard working and dedicated, but they seem to spend more time sharing meals and trading banters. While cozy, it is hardly fertile grounds for a 12 episode run. The first few eps are really like watching “Law and the Lunch”.
Rather than dramatic courtroom scenes, the show seems to be hellbent on normalising the drama until they are just little ripples in your consciousness. I’m sure everything is close to RL, but watching someone's daily grind is not exactly riveting drama.
Thankfully, the OTP romance does provide some much-needed distraction. Our leads reconnected and give their aborted relationship a second chance. There is a blossom of skinship but then it settled down to a background hum. Their romance is sweet but hardly melting. This is a problem that hung around. The show went out of its way to divide the screen time between the ensemble cast. Who is the top star here? By the time you add the sundry cases and shared meals, there is precious little time for PDA.
I also grew concerned as the show seesaw between mundane lawsuits and office politics. Even when one of the cases hit too close to home, the process is measured and prosaic. Our Gang of Five delivered as expected. They lawyered away, day and night. There is no doubt they are smart and diligent. Most of it is still just grunt work. I'm sure this mirrors RL, but it is just not very entertaining.
We finally got some clarity in the last few eps. In essence, the show is about how the law is being manipulated by some, and the corresponding uneven access to legal representation. It is hardly new grounds for a k-drama. It is true that each situation is very grounded, but they feel (hate to say this) dull and transient.
Our leads are given more freedom with their roles at this point. Allowing them to flex their acting muscles. Better late than never as most earlier performance would be considered constrained. This is particularly true for LJS. He just looks tired and worn out. There are odd moments when he sparkles, but it is rare. As a low key fan of his, I am disappointed.
In the end, it is less about the cases, but the evolution of the main characters. They finally realised while they have the right calling, they are doing the wrong jobs. After much soul searching, they realigned their goals and reset their career paths. In that sense, the last few episodes are the real payoff. Most of what went before are just spadework. It is nice to watch our protagonists break out of their shells. They can finally breath. Just wish it happened in the beginning rather than the end of the run.
One thing I noticed while writing this review is how many times the word "entertaining" crossed my mind. This show is oddly lacking if you look from that angle. That is a shame. It just needed some Special Sauce™.
Any fans of our leads would enjoy this series. Sample a couple of eps if you are fence sitting. If it doesn't grab you, just move on. It does get better, but your patience might be sorely tested. Inner peace . . Inner peace. 😉
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Playbook/Playlist Series Knockoff
I usually don’t write reviews before I finish any show, but I had to write this because this drama just frustrates me lol.I get the feeling that this drama is trying to emulate the vibe of the Playbook/Playlist series (Prison Playbook, Resident Playbook, Hospital Playlist)—from the friend group dynamic, to the mukbangs, and the episodic plots featuring different cases. That said, it wasn’t done very well.
The entire friend group is very bland, and none of the characters are particularly interesting. Heck, I find the building owner more interesting than any of the leads. The mukbangs just look like they were added simply to copy the Playlist/Playbook series. And the different cases aren’t really moving or anything—they’re just boring.
I also have an issue with the main couple. I absolutely love LJS, but his acting isn’t doing it for me in this drama. Maybe it’s just his character? Maybe it’s the bad directing? But really, his character has the personality of a rock. MGY’s character, on the other hand, is quite annoying for being extremely nosy (also, this might sound like a personal attack but for someone who plays a lawyer, she speaks like a child). Their backstory feels out of place, and not to mention, they have zero chemistry.
While I’m at it, I might as well critique the OSTs. ‘In the End’ by 정인 and ‘Can I Love You’ by DOKO don’t match the show at all. They feel a little too heavy? ‘In the End’ sounds like it could be an OST for The Devil Judge, while ‘Can I Love You’ feels like something that would be played in DP or Weak Hero Class.
Overall, this drama is painfully boring. I’m usually into law dramas, and I think this could’ve had potential if it had the right director and writer.
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