This review may contain spoilers
Verdict: Guilty (Pleasure)
This is my junk-food drama; I know it’s imperfect, but it’s MY imperfect drama. Objectively speaking, this is probably just an okay drama, but for me it’s strangely a favourite -- a guilty pleasure, if you will. I’ve rewatched it more than any other drama I’ve seen.I would say it begins a little trope-ish, the characters are almost gimmicky. Such as Eun Bong Hee being ditzy or Noh Ji-wook having... to put it lightly, the worst temper. But the law and crime aspect twists it into something quite entertaining. The court room scenes are good (even if not super accurate), the cases are interesting and the unexpected (if you didn't read the description like me) murder plot keeps you entertained. Thankfully, they do develop the characters and give us some great dynamics later. For example, Bong Hee does gain more skills and tact as she progresses. She went from arguing her client wasn't a stalker essentially based on vibes (and ignoring the fact that he previously had a VALID restraining order placed against him) to playing a vital role in catching a murderer and solving other cases!
The interactions between all the characters were always a delight to watch too, we have some good tension between Ji-wook, Ji Eun-Hyuk and Cha Yoo-jung. The characters are the back-bone of this show, they’re almost all likeable. For example, Mr Bang is an absolute gem! He and Mr Byeon were comedy machines! Moreover, even though I am admittedly an extreme amateur in judging acting quality, I think the cast is excellent!
I can recognise the care that went into crafting Noh Ji-wook's role in particular. The actor who played him (Ji Chang Wook) seems to have specific mannerisms for the character that are very clear, but still natural. For example, when he’s thinking of how to answer a question he’ll touch or open his mouth, he also touches the bottom of his nose sometimes. Another thing he’ll do is, if he’s shy about saying, he’ll touch his ear, or if he’s holding his suit case he brings it close to his body in a defensive manner. And if he’s lying, he smiles —which i noticed he also does when interrogating people very often. Usually I can never notice what actors are really doing, so this stood out to me (and also makes me sound a little deranged, to be frank). Though… it’s probably attributable to rewatching this like four times. In general, I would say the show improves substantially from the beginning in most aspects, including production and writing.
I can also understand how this show can get frustrating, the first time I watched it there were plenty of things that irked me. After all, It’s essentially a situationship drama since they’re really in a situationship for more episodes than they’re actually in a *relation*ship for. Not to mention, when they’re actually together, someone's busy getting killed. Something that irked me in particular, is that Bong Hee is ridiculously oblivious --or even arrogant at times-- when the drama starts. She is very avoidant when dealing with issues, and that’s something she doesn’t entirely shake. A prime example is Bong Hee’s decision to lie to Ji-wook about why she didn’t want to be with him yet. It was selfish and compensating for her own guilt. I don’t agree with Ji-wook lying to Bong Hee about Jung Hyeon Soo either, but I especially hate that Bong Hee blamed it on him and then gets mad at him for doing exactly what she’s doing. She makes both of them feel equally as bad or worse for no reason. Though, I wouldn’t say it’s far off from what many other dramas used to do. If you’re someone who enjoys healthy communication in your dramas, this one will have you pulling your hair out.
However, one thing I will always hold a grudge for, is the unnecessary fight about a client hitting her husband over the head. That sounds strange out of context but this will make sense if you’ve seen it. It straight up feels like an assassination of the character they built up for Bong Hee. They had already brought back some avoidant and annoyingness towards the end, then they gave the the most unreasonable thing to be upset about. Then she asks: “why did we fight?!” that was you, that was literally 100% your fault. It frustrates me that they turned that moment into some “women are mysterious creatures, just say sorry or whatever!” stereotype (perhaps even bordering on misogyny) moment. Seriously, it shouldn’t have been like “why are all women like this?” especially when it was *one* specific person being "like that". Arguably, that also portrays some valid feelings as trivial. Sure, all the guys are caught out on it, but it was plain unnecessary. It added nothing, it just chipped that ceramic bowl of character development. Sure, the bowl's still usable, but the chip will always be there.
In general, the ending had some undue friction, their initial friction led to chemistry because it progressed into a tease. The friction they added later, was just watching a couple fight and feeling like you’re third-wheeling. I'm not entirely sure I want to feel like I'm uncomfortably seated at a restaurant watching the main couple's trivial fight, desperately trying to come up with an excuse to leave. It also just didn’t make sense. You’re trying to convince me a prosecutor can’t read facial expressions to figure out if his girlfriend likes an outfit? Meanwhile he’s been reading other facial expressions left and right the entire show? Next you’re gonna tell me I’m an optimist. Overall, they could have done with some editing down. That’s coming from someone who would watch a second season in a heart beat.
On another note, there were some thoughtful details I appreciated more after rewatching. Notably, I realised there was an overarching theme of (love and) loss in this, we are given examples of all the different ways loss affects different people. Some deal with loss with anger and violence like Jung Hyun Soo (of course, that is not to say he was justified at all. It just works as an explanation for how he got there). You could even say Bong Hee fits into this category initially. Some have reservations and push people away like Ji-wook. Others, like the psychic seeing his lover one last time, had optimism. There are also instances of hope, and regret, sprinkled in dynamics such as Cha Yoo Jung and Ji Eun Hyuk.
(❗️This part refers to more specific scenes of the show. If you have not completed the show, I especially recommend skipping this part❗️)
They also tend to directly parallel scenes. For example, Ji-wook’s “plead” for Bong Hee to like him was basically the exact opposite of the circumstances in Bong Hee's confession. In which, she ran to him in the middle of the night, unintentionally blurting out her feelings, and he responds “don’t fall for me”. In this later scene, he runs to her as the sun shines on the leaves foliage, casting shadows. He hugs her, and says “please like me now”; It’s the exact opposite. This happens again later when Bong Hee broke up with Ji-wook. Before that he said “even if I ask you to leave me, don’t leave”. Bong-hui breaks up with him by saying “even if you ask me to stay, I’m leaving”. Additionally, these pivotal moments (like his plead, the break up, then the proposal) often happen in the same spot, on that street filled with trees. I thought these were nice details to add, and really solidify how the characters themselves contrast each other.
There are some random things though, like… introducing a psychic then immediately killing him off? Hilariously unnecessary and unfitting in retrospect, but they definitely used it for some good comedy moments. I would say they also provide us with a lot of unintentional comedy. That includes:
1. Bong Hee fondly looking back on a memory of utter distress saying: “he tried to prosecute me ☺️ he demanded that I spend 15 years in jail 🥰 I keep falling for him 😍” I just can’t help but ask, they… couldn’t pick a different scene???
2. For some reason, there’s a theme of using worse versions of things they have better versions of. E.g., sleeping on the (squeaky grandpa) couch or a chair… right outside your bedroom door, watching tv together… on your laptop, when he probably has a tv. Why?
3. Speaking of that grandpa couch, IT’S EXTREMELY SQUEAKY!! I’m shocked they didn’t edit that out.
4. Also for some reason he seemingly has a star wars storm trooper in his house?!? Never mentioned in any capacity, I had to pause to double check what it was, but I promise it’s there. If I recall correctly, it’s most visible in the episode where he’s reinstated as a prosecutor and goes to get the robe out.
5. “Let’s never break up” and in the same episode “let’s break up” almost comical.
6. There’s a weird amount of fridge organising in this show, like both Bong Hee and Ji-wook do it??
7. The intro really does not fit this show because we go from this cutesy “and I know love… is stupid 🥰” song, to someone getting murdered
Overall, it’s an entertaining drama and I would say it’s very reminiscent of the time it was released. Trying to speak objectively, I think it’s quite enjoyable even if it is flawed. At the very least, you’re likely to enjoy the characters (especially the comedic relief characters) and the main murder storyline.
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