Beyond the Bar

Disgusting

Show was super amazing including ep 4 but everything that came after that so far is complete garbage
Not just that we have a ton of women assaulting men but now ep 8 has a non guilty verdict for a woman that almost killed her husband by beating him. Yes he abused her but a non guilty verdict? For attempted manslaughter is crazy!!!!!

And I am hella disappointed in FL. Watching the video of the assault and giggling with her friends is the most disgusting thing I have seen in a while considering this is a show about law.

Women can do whatever they please in this day and age and get away with it. No punishment, no justice, just the privilege of being female.

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This drama showcases types of love not just one

I really enjoyed the characters lives we were put into and the cases that the lawyers were taking on. I will say the plot of the law firm and the cases they took kept me interested and coming back every week.

I was disappointed with the ending, I see the directors and writers intention with the ML and FL romance. it was a slow burn, and a big emphasis on the connection the were building and emotional intimacy. By the end they were very close to each other and learned and learned from each other. I just really wish we atleast knew if they were heading in the direction of starting a romance.

None the less if it got a season 2 I would watch because I loved the story and the characters.

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I Got Suspicious...

I didn't know I was watching the final episode until after it was over. I typically jump ahead at the end and go straight to the "Next episode" button...only it wasn't there. Huh? Only then did I go back and notice that the credits scenes were showing the cast members and then the whole production team. Like an earlier reviewer said, I thought "That's it?" also. Candidly, I got bored during all the "love is this, love is that, what is love, marriage is that" etc etc. and jumped ahead 10 seconds at a time. Shoot, I've been married for 44 years and I wasn't too interested in what some writer thought on the subject. I did have an inkling that the long speeches about love etc seemed out of step with where I was thinking the series was heading. Then to realize that the entire series was basically building a soapbox to present said views on love and marriage? Fortunately the show was pretty entertaining even if it was a bait and switch final episode. Certainly the ending fail doesn't come close to Iris level ineptitude, but I feel cheated out of watching the ML/FL relationship grow. The secondary couple's courtship was so rushed and the proposal so lame that I wonder if it got thrown in as a nod to the romantics, knowing full well that we weren't going to be happy with the ending. Unless....unless...they were hoping for a Season 2 and didn't put a pretty bow on it for that reason. If that's the case, then all is forgiven. Otherwise, enjoy the series and stop the final episode at the hour mark and write your own ending. I'm sure you will like it better than this one.

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Persi in un bicchiere d’acqua

Ho guardato Beyond the bar per i casi che venivano presentati, tutti sempre molto interessanti. Ad un certo punto della serie però mi è iniziato a sembrare che tutto dovesse essere concluso nell’immediato, l’ultimo episodio ne è il perfetto esempio: la rincociliazione tra la madre di Hyo Min e la sorella, la proposta di matrimonio, l’appuntamento di Seok Hoon e Hyo Min con cui ci hanno illusi che potesse svilupparsi qualcosa di più. Senza considerare che molti personaggi erano superflui, considerando che non era dato loro spazio, o comunque, lo sono divenuti nel corso della serie
(esempio? tutti i colleghi associati di Hyo Min). Inoltre, a volte Hyo Min sembrava del tutto inespressiva e un po’ troppo bambina per la sua età.

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Beyond the Bar: Guilty of Great Acting, Charged with Predictability

Overall, Beyond the Bar offers a compelling drama. It's fun to watch as new cases unfold in each episode that are engaging to watch. But more importantly, it makes the viewer think about moral and social issues that everyone hears and sees in their everyday lives. Regardless of whether one agrees or disagrees with the judgements and decisions, the point of the series is that law, ethics and morality are surrounded by grey areas that extend beyond a simplistic division of good and evil.

What is probably the strongest element of the series are the actors. Charming, thoughtful, intelligent, but also serious and occasionally fuelled by anger and intensity. They give the main characters authenticity and a fresh perspective on their humanity as opposed to robotic lawyers playing by strict playbooks.

While the episodes are interesting in their own right, the second half of the series suffers from overlapping subplots that aren't as interesting , diverting attention to diverse plots happening at the same time. As a result, the drama plays catch-up towards the end, wrapping up plot points very quickly , just not as compelling as it could have been.

That raises an important issue. The good guys win, but at what cost? Beyond the Bar positions itself clearly on the question of how the cases are to be processed. Even though the stakes are high, the main characters ultimately have the upper hand and seem to overcome every obstacle. The main lead is portrayed from the outset as an adept who can immediately take on the more experienced lawyers. Although her character develops as a lawyer, her side seems too good and uncontested, which makes the cases predictable. Therefore, the drama suffers from a formulaic approach that missed the opportunity to raise the bar in the trials

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Memorable characters

It's been a while since I enjoyed a law drama. Most tend to start interesting t hen drops off after 3 episodes. This one I wish I didn't start until all the episodes came out because it feels like a LONG wait for every episode.

Positives:
Strong characters setup from supporting characters to the leads.
ML: cold but not overly cold. This to me is hard to do as over doing it could cause the character to be bland
FL: Perfect mixture of Sassy, Honesty, Clumsy & Loveable. She's not overly perfect but definitely outstanding.
Supporting character: Heo Min Jeong. She's divorced, overcoming her low self-esteem ex fat self to this highly competent lawyer. I absolutely love this supporting character.
Supporting character: Lee Jin U, the younger male lawyer who likes the older Heo Min Jeong. This is a great pairing IMO. Compliments make a fun relationship in dramas.
Cases: Fast pacing for cases so you get the instant gratification of justice in every episode.
Acting: From minor characters to lead characters, the acting's great!
Slow burn building relationships: Mature relationships (maybe not for everyone)

Not for everyone:
Some may feel like the cases a bit too fast. If you like more unfolding every episode like onion layers then... yeah this is not it.
Romance lacking: 7 Episodes in, no kissing with only hint of romance with supporting characters. I personally like this because this is a law drama focused. Subtle romance is nice imo.

Hope the series finish strong!

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Beyond the Expectations

There’s something quietly captivating about Beyond the Bar. With just four episodes out so far, the drama already feels like one of those rare shows that knows exactly what it’s doing. It invites you into its world with a gentle touch and slowly pulls you deeper with each passing scene.

Set mostly in a quiet, understated law office tucked away from the busy Seoul streets, the show explores not just the lives of the legal team but also the stories of the strangers who seek their help. Each episode introduces a new case or client, making every installment feel like a short story of its own while still threading in the deeper arcs of the main characters and their personal lives outside of work.

It’s this layered storytelling that really stands out. On the surface, you get these beautifully told, self-contained narratives—stories about grief, guilt, forgiveness, and connection. Beneath that, there's a slow-burning exploration of the lawyers themselves: their pasts, their struggles, and their attempts to heal and move forward. The way these two elements intertwine is honestly one of the show’s biggest strengths.

Episode 4, the most recent one as of writing this, is my favorite so far. There’s a depth to the emotions in that episode that hits differently. You really feel the characters—how they carry their pain, how they try to connect despite their flaws. It’s the kind of episode that lingers long after it ends.

This is only the second office drama I’ve watched, and my very first Korean office drama, and I can already tell my standards have been raised. The natural, grounded storytelling paired with the acting—especially from the main leads—sets a new bar. Every single character feels lived-in, believable, and fully human.

If you’re into slow-paced, character-driven dramas that balance episodic storytelling with emotional arcs, Beyond the Bar is absolutely worth your time. It doesn't rely on big twists or high drama. Instead, it trusts its characters, its writing, and its atmosphere—and it works beautifully.

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Show Falsely Promotes Unproven Wives' Tale of Freezer Death

Misinformation and conspiracy theories are wrecking havoc the world over and meanwhile this show is promoting a completely unproven wives' tale about a man freezing in a refrigerated container because he believed he was freezing when in the story's telling the freezer was not on and he shouldn't have died. They site the nocebo effect which is a real phenomena but does not prove this story true. This is actually an old wives tale with no basis in fact whatsoever, yet the story falsely promotes it as true and uses a trusted psychiatrist within the story to promote this lie, and goes on to have the characters themself remark that they can't believe this old wives' tale is actually true, when it in fact is not true at all. This is so irresponsible I can't see past it.

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WORST DRAMA IN THIS DECADE !!!!!!

This drama makes me fairly angry.What strated as average drama ended in total horror.Well where do i start? Firstly the FL and ML lead for me from the start the FL has challenged kind of vibe she seems Autistic.ML is "cold hearthed" to me seems like childish man that somehow got to high position at law firm.The characters are simply written verry purely.But the 1 episode wasn't so bad it was actualy decent, episode 2 was the same case with small bad written scenec and acting but it was watchable, but then i got to episode 3 which is where i stopped watching it.Reason 1. child gets almost hit beacuse men drank alcohol before driving small truck (i know he didn't know there was alcojol in it but it was his responsibility, he was driving, if he didn't almost hit a child that would be different but even than he could hit somenone other) but the drama made it seem as if he was completelly innocent.They made the mother guilty (which i'm not saying she has not any kind of doing in the traggedy of the child but that is not my point) another problem is WHY would so rich people allow the case to be losen ?? We all know that if son of famous docor in korea what have been almlst hit that media and everybody would kill the laywers that defend the monster that almost hit the child but that wasn't the case in fact the media was completly ignored and we all know that famous doctor would have manny conections everywhere but that is completly ignored AGAIN! Reason2. The ML trauma is not hinted troughout the whole episode it is just thrown at us in court.The fact that he done what he done in courtroom was shown as good was mental !!! Reason3.His ex KILLED their KID but the ML acts as if it's normal and his fault for being upset he even said that he understand her which is AGAIN baaad writing but the FL schowing completly no emotion is horriebly writing and the whole episode was acted out verry badly screaming was taken as good acting and acting challenged was taken as acting smart.I have thousand more reasons but i dont want to rant here for a week.

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Smart, wise, kind and functional FL for a change; and professional and other respect btwn ML and FL

This kdrama goes on the same old sexist trope as usual - he is cold and she melts his heart... but it is different bc the FL is a competent individual and actually HELPS the ML, he doesnt have to babysit her or save her from her own stupidities.
They work well together. She earned his respect by being an excellent professional, and he gained her respect by being excellent too.

So then the personal romance starts. The tea analogy was phenomenally well used.

WHAT IS ROMANCE? TO ME ROMANCE IS ANY TIME THERE ARE FEELINGS OF BEING PULLED TOWARDS ANOTHER. It comes in many intensities - you may flirt with someone on the other side of the restaurant just looking at them, or you may talk and be happy, or you may end up in bed - it is all romance to me......

The audience bickering if there should be any romance in this drama since it is not labeled as romance in the MDL summary, and since it is a "legal" drama, then bickering that FL is too young for the ML, ... was just ... wtf wow how can anyone think in that direction, in such limited ways.... ??? Very MENTAL audience.

Life is romance, thriller, bickering, politicking, horror LOL comedy tragicomedy all rolled into one, and I really APPRECIATE that kdramas mix it all up and produce really fun things to watch.
Any lawyer has a private life and hopefully has some love life so why not include that in a legal drama??? It affect the legal issues.

Haunted Palace drama was about an imugi and a competent shaman working together to bust some monsters, and falling in love in the process, and it was such a great, FUN, kdrama.

I think this drama will be like that. ML and FL are a good match, both smart, educated, kind, with integrity, hard workers, team workers, really capable people ... who will do great cases together...

AND that tea of ep 2.... the tea theme of the entire episode... the tea used in such a PERFCT way, the script was so masterful.... that tea is the opening of a personal and intimate connection between them two.

the romance is brewing already. It might take time to express in physical world, and I expect episodes of them healing their past love traumas, overcoming office politics blaming them for dating and favoritism, etc - but I think they are ALREADY a solid couple energetically, the tea hooked them up forever, and they will be pulled into each other more and more until they become an official couple in "real life" of this kdrama LOL A partner and a star new hire in love. That will be a scandal but also not so much since HE had no gfriends ever :) it will be clear this is serious :)

then I wish then many successful cases, their own law firm, becoming rich and famous, and living happily ever after :)

adn the lawsuit cases... lets not make them soapy like in ep 2... giving birth to a child just bc they resemble you is so narcissistic, destroying the child, so i thought the case in ep 2 was totally fake.
the usefulness of it is that it raised the issue of loyalty and ML and FL got closer bc of it

The romance here is so subtle... !!! and so clever... and so wordy...
FL is so smart and an excellent reader of character... she saw though her boyfriend immediately....

and then ... ML stayed after 6pm and invited her for a tea... and asked her how she was doing. THAT is not his typical behavor. It is already a sign he noticed her as a woman.
and she asked questions on his personal opinions, what HE would do, and that means she already noticed him as a person and as a man... she really asked him personal questions and you dont ask such questions unless you are interested in that person...... which he answered in a way that made her respect him and NOTICE HIM

What he answered was very ... short and very potent, he answered a life dilemma in just a few powerful words... and helped her to see some profound concepts of life.... He answered as a wise smart and reliable person... so she realized she was talking with someone on her level

so yeah ..... this is going to be a love between two capable, functional and very perceptive and wise adults of high integrity.

so that will be fun to watch, how a mature love like that can take two people so much further

I think the few words they exclanged while drinking tea are life changing words, they talked about some profound life CONCEPTS and both reflected and communicated and LEARNED from each other

I am looking forward to more of that

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The ending is appropriate bc they are two very mental and egoistical people and also lawyers so they try to THINK about everything and make sure to make "contracts" - so they are gonna need a LOT of time to melt down, IF that even happens...

THE JUST DO NOT LET GO AND LISTEN TO THEIR HEART. Actually ML and FL turned out quite pathetic LOL and need another 20 episodes to melt down...

They are so... robotic... There is attraction, they enjoy each other's company, but they do NOT explore their feelings, they always stay SAFE. Staying safe is good only for assassins. If you are going to love, you have to step forward and RISK IT.

THEY ARE UNWILLING TO RISK.
meanwhile they are just losing time in loving each other and having a good time together
They should have hooked up and went walking the dog every day and on the weekends, just having a good time

BUT THEY CANNOT LOVE
that was disappointing to me to see at the end - both of them are too stucko in their heads and their own little shells and will NEVER come out of it bc it is inconvenient and they dont want to risk
That is the price of their posh life and their feeling like they "made it" -
THE ARE EMOTIONAL COWARDS
Nah there was attraction pull and she really liked him, she was feeling it - the smell on his hankie, touching his hand in the taxi, etc. SHE KEPT HER HAND THERE NEXT TO HIS TOUCHING HIM
BUT she is dead inside and doesnt pay attention to her feelings and her body and heart...
and she cannot, that is her boss..

He is a lot worse, he is essentially impotent. To believe that you can go for a year without intimacy in a romantic relationship and that it definitely disappears after a while.. well, ... he is just unhealthy and frozen inside.

So their love may never happen, they are too frozen, too egoistical and cowardly :)

Maybe if there is season 100, they might make it by then :) But I doubt it, honestly. I really think they are not human. They are robots.

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