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Stimulating Law Series
Love Love Love this series , I wait with anticipaiton for the new episode and I love that they drop one each day over the weekend. It has never failed to engage the viewer & also show a different legal system. The story each episode has been done so well. you never quite know what they will bring out next & I am here for it. Age Gap Love seems to be a target with some viewers but get with the program Age gap love is a big part of our world these days. I am here for the age gap , the fact that he is her superior and with the other story of age gap she is his superior Don't care -- everyone deserves love and they are slow burning it & it maks their story all the more authenic He isn't attacted to her youth it is her mind & she isn't attacted to his status but his extreme kindness & character Fantastic showNew addition to this review--finished watching & I had a viseral reaction of pure disappointment because I would have loved this to be a series and go on and on. There are some pretty fantastic story lines that could have been explored, especially an age gap romance between our main leads. But they left the ending ambiguous so I prefer to think that Kye Hyo-min & Yoon Seok Hoon got together and had beautiful babies.
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Well done drama
I have to say, this drama is right up there with the best for this year so far. I wondered which drama I could rate as just as good as or better than When the phone rings. This is it. The courtroom cases are realistic, the acting is top class and the emotions are really well put over. This is one that makes the week seems so long and twelve episodes seem kinda short. Nevertheless, I am so pleased with the writership and the maturity shown in this drama. Believe it or not, this is the first drama that I rewatch over and over until the next episode comes along. I am hoping it continues like this and up to this point, I would highly recommend it.Was this review helpful to you?
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Good legal love drama without romance
If you are expecting romance, it's not a typical legal romance. It's a Legal Love without romance. Let me explain. The show does very well in terms of showcasing the legal stories with nuances. It feels realistic with emotional weight. The acting, writing and character development is well done as well. By the end of the season, you will love every character. The show focuses on love rather than romance. The ML and FL and even support characters here are not typical or socially acceptable couples for romance. That is why the show rather focuses on how these characters go and explore their own journey and understanding of love, rather than them actually romancing with each other.The show is very good and teaches many nuances of life including the meaning of real love. But if you want to see romance, you will be disappointed as the show lefts you hanging to wonder.
SPOILER: The show embraces and shows romance between a couple where female is older, but decides to keep it bland between the ML and FL of the story where the ML is older. Strange as both couple have 10-11 years gap!! Statistically speaking IRL, it is far more common to see 10+ year older male in couples than a couple with 10+ year older female. So it's just feels weird and out of touch with reality in this regard.
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Average law drama
While this law drama has its moments, it's not without its faults. The cases are interesting and the workplace dynamics are engaging, especially the partnership between Seok Hun and Hyo Min. Their connection builds slowly and genuinely, which is one of the show's better points.For me, the real stars of the show were the second couple Jin U and MIn Jeong. Their story provided a refreshing mix of humor and heart, often stealing the spotlight.
Overall, the show is just okay. It doesn't quite live up to its full potential. The pacing can sometimes feel a little off, causing the narrative to lose momentum and making it easy to lose focus. If you're looking for a consistently excellent legal series, this one might not be it. In that respect, a drama like Good Partner might be a better fit.
The series wrapped up with a finale that left a clear opening for another season, so there's hope for more to come from these characters, though the overall quality remains a mixed bag.
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I would this watch again!
Each case they worked on wasnt draggy at all. Each episode was a new case and they are very interesting. They touched on alot of different aspects of the law and I loved that.I understand the age difference between the leads and didnt matter to me if they were intimate in the series but I understand some viewers would not have liked to see that.
I would watch again.
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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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so so
i usually love law dramas but beyond the bar kinda boring??? idk i'm not interesting about the yullim's political stuff, i'm continuing to watch because the cases are good. heo minjeong-lee jinwoo's chemistry is better than yoon seokhoon and kang hyomin's lol. since each episode has a different case, some of them feel a bit meh. like, there are cases that could’ve been explored more, but since it’s only one episode, it kinda feels rushed. honestly, i’m just watching this for the cases. too bad, the drama didn’t really leave an impression on me :(Was this review helpful to you?
Suits but make it Korean and better
I was actually very impressed with this show. It had the right balance of legal and non-legal scenes. I liked that it focused on a variety of cases and stayed true to itself until the end. There was no unnecessary drama between the leads, just the right amount of romance and well-written characters.The female lead was especially interesting. She had a heart of gold, but was an absolute beast in court. The male lead was the same. Both actors did an amazing job, and their chemistry was great.
The pet storyline was my favorite.
The rest of the cast was solid too, though they didn’t have particularly standout storylines. The side plot with the law firm was the only part I didn’t enjoy. I actually skipped some of those scenes. But overall, I really enjoyed it and finished it in three days.
P.S. I loved the romantic aspect of the drama, and I’m glad they left the ending open. If they had rushed the romance, it wouldn’t have felt right.
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Easy Procedural - Contemplative on Marriage and Love
On the surface this is a legal/crime episodic procedural drama. However, oddly there are strong themes regarding love, marriage, and family relationships. I suspect that the lower than expected rating is due in part to people going in with episodic crime expectations and perhaps looking for a stronger romantic entanglement between the leads, and instead getting a healthy dose of almost at times meditative discussions on love and its evolution within a marriage.There are the promised court room cases per episode. These are entertaining with satisfying surprise twists. Of course there is a main story arc involving the two leads and this is interwoven skillfully with several plot arcs involving supporting characters, good and bad.
Symbolism is artfully placed without being too heavy handed. Also enjoyable are the contrasting relationships and character arcs that invite understanding.
A partial spoiler.....
The two 'supporting' main leads have a romantic connection. She is 10 years older than he, and they finally do get together i.e. things are consummated and we're left at the story end with marriage on the horizon. The two main leads have a similar age difference with a gender reversal but things are left open. The contrast between these two couples seems intentional with one hopefully foreshadowing the prospects for the other.
In general on one level an easy and entertaining courtroom procedural that with repeated watching reveals more subtle commentary waiting to be noticed.
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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.Was this review helpful to you?
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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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