Beyond the Bar

Great show but... Just want to reinforce what folks said about the ending - WHAT THE HECK?

Good story, check.
Great acting, check.
Decent music, check.
Epic fail ending, check.

What the heck??? I've seen Korean dramas limp to the finish line before, but this was just like getting hit on the head with a shot put ball.

Although this was a really, really good show, it is hard to recommend this given the ending. If they had stuck the landing, this would be a 10 rating drama. As it is I'm pretty bummed at giving it an 8. If they do a second season I'll almost certainly upgrade this to a 10.

Sorry for the dumb sports metaphors, they just kinda came out on their own.

Read More

A legal drama that pleads its case but refuses a verdict

When I first pressed play on Beyond the Bar, my expectations were decidedly modest. Yet episode by episode, the series drew me in, not only through the depth of its performances, but also via the intriguing legal cases and the quietly simmering romance between its leads. The glances, the silences, the near-telegraphed complicity: all suggested a love story unfolding in slow motion.

To be clear, I would have had no qualms had the series chosen to forgo romance altogether. But once a narrative dangles breadcrumbs, once it invites us to imagine a possibility, it cannot simply turn its back on that promise. The ending, with its abrupt refusal to acknowledge what had been so carefully planted, proved a bitter disappointment. It is a peculiarity of certain K-dramas to veer into endings that feel closer to tragic Russian cinema of the mid-20th century, inconclusive, open-ended, almost wilfully opaque. Sometimes such ambiguity is refreshing, but here it felt like a betrayal of the emotional contract established between script and audience.

This unease was compounded by a certain narrative convenience. Many of the cases, while initially engaging, demanded a suspension of disbelief so great it verged on indulgence. Too often, courtroom conflicts seemed to echo the protagonists’ emotional states with uncanny precision, a structural coincidence that strained credibility. Moreover, the FL’s tendency to disclose work details to friends was ethically implausible, not to mention legally questionable in many jurisdictions. It jarred in the same way as imagining a psychiatrist recounting patient histories over drinks, or a head of HR casually relaying dismissal details at lunch.

Then there is the matter of communication, or lack thereof. The ML’s backstory with his ex-wife, in which a seismic personal decision was apparently never discussed, rang hollow. Are there marriages that implode in silence? Certainly. But the notion that a high-profile lawyer, whose career depends upon words and negotiation, would never articulate his grief or reasoning to his spouse felt dramatically thin.

The secondary couple, though popular with some viewers, barely registered for me, consistently overshadowed by the leads. The closing shot, marked with the cursive "Esquire," fails to deliver closure, leaving viewers with a lingering sense of incompleteness.

The series’ main flaw lies in the director’s uncertainty over the romance, which created a tonal imbalance and left a promise unfulfilled. Yet the leads’ compelling performances carry the drama throughout. Would I welcome a second season? Absolutely. Likely? Uncertain. The series offered the carrot, only to hand us a handful of weeds.

Beyond the Bar delivers strong performances and gripping storytelling, yet its open ending leaves a sense of incompletion. After investing in the characters and their journeys, one can’t help but wonder: can leaving a story unresolved ever truly satisfy the audience? In this case, the answer feels clearly… no.

Read More

They got lost in the genre

In 12 episodes you'll see: Drama, family, romance, violence, laws, Melodrama, corruption and some other genres.

But for me, they wanted to put all the genres together, but they didn't focus on any of them, but rather brushed them up. It seemed to me that drama was everywhere and nowhere at the same time.

The stories in each chapter were well developed, but the overall story seemed to me that none of them were properly developed as a whole and this don't give me satisfation.

I didn't know what to expect when I started watching, but I was a little disappointed. I would have liked them to develop the main stories as they did in the chapters.

Read More

About that ending....

This drama is the perfect kind of “brain in a jar” watch for when you’re tired at the end of the day and don’t want to think too hard. It does all the thinking for you—telling you exactly what to feel with its intrusive score, stock characters, and black-and-white moralism, hammy acting included.

At times, I found its agenda disturbing. We’re asked to cheer when tormentors themselves are tormented, with no compassion, no learning, no recognition that wounds shape behavior. Growth is absent; the goodies are rewarded, the baddies punished, justice neatly served. All is right with the world—or at least with the script.

The one place a sliver of ambiguity sneaks in is between the leads. How are we meant to read their intimacy? Friends on the edge of something more? Fate nudging them closer when a blind date pairs them up? But the ML is explicit when he calls the agency—he wants companionship from someone of similar age and experience, not a romance. Even the taxi scene, when their hands fall side by side but never touch, feels symbolic. Lines are drawn, and he knows it.

The ending, however, is a cop-out. Cutting off mid-sentence feels like the writers couldn’t decide—were they leaving space for a sequel, dodging backlash about workplace power imbalance, or simply shrugging at love as an ongoing negotiation? For me, the disclosures between the leads felt intimate, but not romantic. I rooted for the ML, but not for him to be with the FL.

On another note, the Deaf representation was clumsy at best. Lip-reading is nearly impossible for most, yet here it’s treated as easy. The idea you could become fluent in sign language from a book is laughable—it takes years of use, just like any language. And the trope of a parent sending a Deaf child to “live with their own kind” is an outdated stereotype, not reality for most families. As a sign language user myself, I rolled my eyes more than once. Did no one think to consult Deaf advisors?

Overall, this is a drama best held lightly. Enjoy it if you want something simplistic and moralistic to zone out with, but don’t expect much warmth, growth, or depth.

Read More

What was that ending?

No doubt I loved this, but it is such a missed potential. I really wished they focused even slightly more on the fl's twin sister, like if you are including that in the plot add something to it, they just left it there.
The ending was so open like what was the point? I loved the cases, it was really interesting, the other couple was amazing too, but the ML and FL relationship was just touched upon, given the age gap and everything I get it, but they left it open without a proper closure. It could have developed a little or maybe not have started at all, since they started it I think q little progress couldn't have hurt.

Overall, the cast and plots I loved it.

Read More

Beyond nonsense

Messy!
These days it feels like every time I decide to delve into a K-drama I am just left with regret. This drama was just another one to add to a list of the ever crumbling state of K-drama writing.

What on earth was up with the writing of this drama? It was so poor and the continuation of the plot lines were just non existent. The cases tried to be different and diverse, but each one was so easily handled with no real depth despite the subject matters that it brought up.

1. The case with the genius special needs artist
- Her mother refusing to register as a person with a disability was ridiculous. This should have been a commentary on how South Korea views disability and call awareness to it. Did they do that? Nope. Did they discuss how the girl's father left her and her mother but she still misses him even though we are left to understand that he never bothered to ever contact his daughter again? Nope. Did this make sense? NO!

2. The case with the contract marriage without love
- This one was had so much potential to explore marriage as something that has evolved as a concept and an actual contract that can work outside of the context of romantic love. Instead we are left with a judge on her high horse talking about how marriage can only exist in society if it's based on romantic love. It was so outdated and completely biased.

My issue is not that a drama can't stick to traditional values, my issue is that if you choose to do so then don't be daring enough to bring these topics up. You're bringing nothing but half-baked writing to your audiences and telling us that sure things can change and evolve but here in South Korea we remain in the dark ages happily.
Oh, and no K-drama is complete without violence right? You have the male lead lawyer assaulting anyone he wants, you have the managing partner of the law firm slapping a lawyer, and you have the rookie female lawyer conveniently forgetting that she witnessed school violence and walked away from it. Violence should never be the way forward, except in the case of the news anchor who was physically abused for over 10 years by her husband and then found a wonder drug combo that turned her into the hulk and she beat up her abuser. However, when she's divorcing him and he says "I'm sorry" like it was no big deal what he did and she just gives him a smirk smile? What was that??

The romance or lack of it between the main leads was a non issue for me. Of course they liked each other, I didn't need them to hold hands or kiss to know that. Their actions spoke more than those gestures ever could. The second couple was a nice touch, but again where is the continuity with the writing? Jin Woo clearly liked Min Jeong and I loved that she was 10 years older than him. However, I have questions...
1. After their "mistake" Min Jeong was avoiding Jin Woo, but suddenly by the next episode they are dating? Where was that conversation?
2. The fat suit?? Are we still here K-drama writers???? Must we always be thin to achieve our goals in life? What are you actually telling us in your most irresponsible messaging clunky way?
3. Has Min Jeong not seen her daughter in years? Why would she be ok with not seeing her own kid all this time?
4. Jin Woo's sister obviously would not be on board with him and an older woman and I'm assuming she speaks for the family, so where was this conversation or confrontation between Jin Woo and his large family before his proposal?

Kang Hyo Min's parents and their decision to give away their deaf child????? Okay first of all, what is with the twin/hearing impaired trend of K-dramas? Hyo Ju served zero purpose in this drama. I have questions...
1. How did Hyo Min's mother communicate with her own sister who is hearing impaired if she only learned sign language later so she could one day speak with Hyo Ju? Didn't you grow up with your sister? How did anyone in your family communicate with her if she was deaf?
2. If you gave your child away to your sister, why would you never visit that child? You didn't give her away to a stranger and she wasn't living outside of South Korea. So what is this??
3. The double acting of Jung Chae Yeon was also a waste and utterly ridiculous because Hyo Ju was born deaf so how could she know how words would sound to be able to speak out so clearly? Again, what gives? You could have just had her speak in sign language right? Why are you portraying disabilities like this?

So many aspects of the writing remain in the air, but let's circle the drain with Seok Hoon and his ex-wife and her petty ass new husband (why Lee Sang Yeob, why???) Your ex-wife was not for you, please move on. She did.
Lastly, the writing that was clearly written to either stay in the safe zone with Korean society or to fill the void of the nonsense plot. Seok Hoon's ex wife suddenly claiming she terminated her pregnancy because the ultrasound showed an abnormality? That's some rubbish convenient writing. Her then telling him that she'll only let him keep the dog if he gets a roommate or a wife? Say what now? This of course was to get him to sign up for that AI matchmaking service, but oh hang on do we ever find out why Hyo Min also signed up for it? Nope. So the point of this was to drive home the fact that they are suited for each other or that they are not? Wow the writers couldn't even decide on that.

K-dramas have been nothing but utter nonsense lately. It will take a lot for me to ever watch another one again.

Read More

Incomplete / Rushed ending

The drama started off on a promising note, with an engaging premise and enough intrigue to pull viewers in. In the initial episodes, the pace felt lively and the story seemed to have the potential to deliver both heartfelt moments and engaging character development. However, as the episodes progressed, the excitement started to fade. By the end, the storyline had become repetitive and rather dull, making it difficult to stay invested.

One of the biggest letdowns was the chemistry or rather, the lack of it between the lead couple. Their interactions often felt flat, and instead of sparking excitement, their conversations dragged on to the point of becoming monotonous.
Surprisingly, the second lead story was much more engaging. Their arc carried more depth, warmth, and emotional pull than the main couple. Many viewers might find themselves more invested in the second leads than in the protagonists, which speaks volumes about the imbalance in storytelling.

Another major drawback was the unresolved plot regarding the four attorneys. A big part of the narrative involved their journey and struggles to secure a permanent position, yet by the conclusion, the show left this aspect hanging without closure. This incomplete development made the ending feel rushed and unsatisfying.

Read More

Gaslighted

We were GASLIT. Tell me why you would make your FL obsessed withe ML and have the ML show his feelings for her through his actions throughout the entire show for it to end without a even a HFN!

The secondary couple, who, BTW came out of NOWHERE gets to have a HEA and the main leads get NOTHING!

I was absolutely blindsided by this show, every week waiting with bated breadth, thinking this is the week they'll kiss or say how they feel about each other.... how naive was I.

It hurts because everything else about this show was literally PERFECT.

I really feel that this has to have a second season the way this ended... like... I am not okay after this :/

Read More

Absolutely love it, just go and watch it!

As a lawyer, this has to be my favourite legal drama. Not because it was always right or anything, but just because it was so different and interesting. The cases were not a rehash of your usual situations you see in such dramas. They were actually super interesting and new. That was very engaging as a viewer! Plus just the whole slice of life feel to it.... aah, this show has my whole heart! After a very long time, a show made me genuinely happy (and sad to be ending).

I still think we deserved a better ending, but that's just because I personally do not do well with open ends. But I think in my head, I'm fine with either way it could go. Just the acceptance of love in their lives makes me so happy to see the growth of our leads and makes me so happy for them. It's genuinely one of those dramas where you see character growth, love, happiness, sorrow, raw emotions and everything that comes with it.

Stellar acting by the entire cast as well. Specially Lee Jin Wook. I've become a fan!

Have I said it before that I absolutely loved this drama? And that OST? Because I really really do.

*on my way to shed tears of joy and sadness*

Read More

I WANT MORE!

Possibly one of the very BEST dramas of 2025...and I am already mourning the loss of it now and praying (even though it is a rare thing) that the producers and actors might consider a second season....I TOTALLY CAN NOT understand HOW this amazing drama only has an 8.3 rating!!!

WHAT AN AMAZING DRAMA. So incredibly written, each episode presenting us with another truly thought provoking "case", and then watching how incredibly well the writers develop each story arc, blending in the personal stories of the cast along with the complex legal story was truly like watching an artist create a painting. I felt so satisfied after each episode!

The cast could not have been better chosen...each carried their character wonderfully. And I really have run out of adjectives for how perfectly matched Lee Jin Wook and Jung Chae Yeon were in this work! Their onscreen chemistry, and not just romantically but in every facet of this drama, was perfect. The shared support and empathy between the two was so beautifully handled and to watch their mutual respect and friendship develop was incredibly satisfying.

I am not usually a fan of open-ended finishes on dramas, but it absolutely was perfect for this series. The whole series was like "a day in the life" for me, an ongoing story inside the world of a legal firm. I felt a real connection between episodes so the end left me feeling like it would just continue on, if that makes sense...It definitely made me want more, but I think even if they had resolved the leads relationship without question I'd still be left wishing for more...it is just that good a drama. Each element is a stand alone winner that held my interest throughout...the cases, the second lead's romance, the lead's relationships, the inner complexities of legal firms...all parts of this drama shone on their own....

So in the end, I Want More!!! I miss it already, and it's only been 12 hours...

Read More