OhMahaZeeya

Is a law drama that tackles a new case every other episode something new? Not really. We’ve seen plenty with the same premise. But what makes Beyond the Bar stand out is how unique its cases are. This show goes beyond simple law and justice; it dives deep into human morality. Each case makes you question your own beliefs; what’s right, what’s fair, and whether there’s more than one way to achieve justice. Often, both parties aren’t truly to blame, sometimes, it’s just life happening.

Lee Jin Wook was good in his role, but it’s Jung Chae-yeon who truly shines. Her character feels like the audience’s lens into the story, we see and feel everything through her perspective. The supporting cast is great too. I love that every character had their own arc, rather than just revolving around the leads. The show also deserves credit for its strong female characters throughout. The second couple was adorable as well!

I especially appreciated that there was no forced romance between the main leads, it would have felt unnatural given the age gap. I’m glad the writers avoided that route, though I did find it annoying that they hinted at it a few times (definitely made me go “eww”).

The office politics subplot was boring and lacked depts. It only seemed to exist to push the story along. Also, not every case was equally interesting; a few definitely fell flat compared to others.

Despite a few flaws, Beyond the Bar is a great show; emotional, thoughtful, well-written, and well-articulated. The cases linger with you long after the episode ends.