This review may contain spoilers
The Most Important Law K-Drama of 2025 (and to date?)
much like user @/eighthsense, i feel that many of the ratings have been lazy, hateful slop. i want to promote more critical analyses and media literacy that don't come from a point of hate and close-mindedness.
if you are turning on a show called PRO BONO and hoping for anything less than a raw fight for marginalized communities, i really don't know what to say other than to please learn about the world around you..
what should the law and those expected to uphold it stand for if not human rights? that is the very essence of what a pro bono lawyer fights for. i do not want to engage with anyone who does not have basic empathy and tries to cut down this show using terms like "too woke", genuinely refers to the lgbtq+ community as the "alphabet community", etc. and there's been way too much of that in this review section. and no, i will not have a discussion with someone that believes using very clearly harmful language is a human right lmao.
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Pro Bono is a show that does well in many aspects at confronting social issues and injustices affecting South Korea. I do not believe that it is a perfect show, and I actually do have quite a few issues with it—but many of the things it stands up for, and how strongly it does so, in comparison to many of the other law dramas I've seen—is something that i can get behind despite its imperfections.
i have never seen a more outspoken law drama than this one and that goes to how it has brought attention to not only marginalized communities, but the social issues/injustices plaguing them.
the sheer amount of representation (while it is not perfect) of communities like: the physically disabled, Deaf and HoH community, immigrants and foreign workers, abortion and reproductive rights, teenage mothers, impoverished individuals and families, family abuse & violence, sexual abuse against children and adults, predatory contracts and business practices, child workers and unfair wages, the list goes on and on! ^i personally believe that it is commendable to see such a wide variety of people represented, but that is Not to say that we should settle for what we got. Pro Bono was successful in many ways, but also fell short in others. I personally agree with @/eighthsense in that they presented progressive ideals and abandoned them in a way that may have upheld neutrality as the aim. as someone who is well-educated on the topic of abortion, i was not personally swayed by such "neutral" resolutions, and i agree that it is important to see such ideas through-- that a teenage girl forced to give birth is not a throwaway plot point, but also something that deserves a real fight. much like the lgbtq+ representation, which was something i was excited about- only for it to barely be featured despite repeated visual references. i would have greatly enjoyed and appreciated a case on lgbtq+ rights, but i can acknowledge the minimal representation it did receive.
representation matters. and stopping here would be foolish. Pro Bono is a great stepping stone for the fight for marginalized communities in South Korea. in recent years, we have seen a bold increase in media representation and depiction of marginalized communities, yet still so many Koreans (and people internationally) shiver at the mere mention of "lgbtq+" of "women's rights". not to mention that same-sex marriage is not even legal in South Korea, further outlining the need for the acknowledgment and protection of queer people under the law-> something this drama highlights on a mainstream stage such as Netflix with famous actors.
continuing the fight, appreciating the effort that was made to uplift such communities, and to be able to engage in productive conversations as to how it can be improved, is how we can take strides forward. forward to a day where it is not seen as a "too woke agenda" for literally just people being shown on screen. (and people who use woke as insult are just 🤦 .... another conversation)
Pro Bono is a great drama that skillfully spotlights those in the dark. In a way that calls us out of passiveness and into action, especially in Kanghoon and Kaya's respective cases. They are my personal favorite cases simply because of how real they are for many people. They are very dynamic cases and I could tell that Pro Bono did not run from illustrating the huge mental toll that these issues cause and perpetuate.. I could rave about them so much for great storytelling and a raw confrontation of how things really are, But also! they sre Not devoid of their flaws (such as: the aforementioned instance of abortion rights for a teenage girl playing only a minor part in the case).
I was truly feeling alongside the characters. Such real and unfortunate events are not things that exist only in media. There are countless people who face these hardships every single day and are forced to accept them, because they are not receiving the attention, respect and justice they deserve. Shows like this that work to destigmatize such communities and their lived realities, is how we can begin to draw that attention. Aaand continuously fighting for them, making media that properly highlights them—without pulling any punches—is how we can maintain and expand that attention.
I highly highly recommend this show in sincere hopes that those who watch are able to interact and engage in such media without sacrificing empathy nor critical thinking. many of us are so extremely privileged who see the problems depicted as nothing more than a show, it is something we can turn off, and for some, it is even something that can be reduced to some kind of "shady agenda."
Pro Bono is an amazing drama and I have so much love for those represented, so many feelings and a deep and renewed sense of inspiration to fight for others, but it is also a drama with its shortcomings--none of which are for being "too woke" but for actually not being woke enough.
very brief definition of "woke" to clarify what I mean when I use it: (woke originates in AAVE meaning to be aware and alert of racial injustices against the African American community, and has expanded/ been co-opted(?) to include a broader scope of social injustices--which is the context in which I use it in this sentence above.)
other things that rubbed me the wrong way that i have not seen mentioned by others, random unnecessary parts of the script such as: ["Dawit? Are you from Israel or something"] --rough quote-- and the random inclusion and presentation of AI-generated/altered videos as a good tool? among other glaring issues mentioned by users like @/eighthsense
needless to say, Pro Bono is not the show to turn to for a "fun", "lighthearted" legal drama. And for those who only look for that, I ask you to re-evaluate yourself and your priorities.
it is impressive that people will turn on a law drama and not only expect, but demand only palatable, "non-heavy" topics that reinforce their privileged ability to ignore real world issues and stay in their bubble of "tis folly to be wise".
they hide behind statements like "intense division is not what i want to watch in a kdrama, i'd rather see neutrality" when in reality they're uncomfortable with the mere idea of representation for marginalized communites, much less a deep dive into the REALITIES of how they are treated in the same korea they routinely consume and expect 'mild', 'lighthearted' media from.
it is one thing to want an escape from reality, a silly show you can turn on to laugh at and mindlessly enjoy. but it is another to bash on one that sheds light on the same ideas you refuse to acknowledge as MILLIONS of people's realities.
i ask those of you living in your koreaboo fantasy, expecting korean media to cater to you and your ignorant worldview, to wake up. South Korea is not all rainbows and sunshines, and yes! there are Queer Koreans, there are disabled Koreans, there are muslim Koreans, there are Koreans who are the bad guys you so badly want to ignore, and there are Koreans who dedicate their whole lives to fighting for the world you wish to ignore and boil down to "K-Dramas".
I have many many many thoughts on this drama and as an inexperienced reviewer, I apologize if my thoughts were a bit all over the place, but I hope it was clear that: I stand by the overall positive message of always fighting for human rights, but not the specific ways in which it was poorly executed and the backpedaling that was employed to pacify certain audiences.
Pro Bono was a big step forward in many ways, but there are still countless steps to take!! Do not turn a blind eye to injustices and always carry empathy and kindness in your heart. before accepting a review's words, please first reflect on whether or not it is centered on humanity and compassion.
if you are turning on a show called PRO BONO and hoping for anything less than a raw fight for marginalized communities, i really don't know what to say other than to please learn about the world around you..
what should the law and those expected to uphold it stand for if not human rights? that is the very essence of what a pro bono lawyer fights for. i do not want to engage with anyone who does not have basic empathy and tries to cut down this show using terms like "too woke", genuinely refers to the lgbtq+ community as the "alphabet community", etc. and there's been way too much of that in this review section. and no, i will not have a discussion with someone that believes using very clearly harmful language is a human right lmao.
•
Pro Bono is a show that does well in many aspects at confronting social issues and injustices affecting South Korea. I do not believe that it is a perfect show, and I actually do have quite a few issues with it—but many of the things it stands up for, and how strongly it does so, in comparison to many of the other law dramas I've seen—is something that i can get behind despite its imperfections.
i have never seen a more outspoken law drama than this one and that goes to how it has brought attention to not only marginalized communities, but the social issues/injustices plaguing them.
the sheer amount of representation (while it is not perfect) of communities like: the physically disabled, Deaf and HoH community, immigrants and foreign workers, abortion and reproductive rights, teenage mothers, impoverished individuals and families, family abuse & violence, sexual abuse against children and adults, predatory contracts and business practices, child workers and unfair wages, the list goes on and on! ^i personally believe that it is commendable to see such a wide variety of people represented, but that is Not to say that we should settle for what we got. Pro Bono was successful in many ways, but also fell short in others. I personally agree with @/eighthsense in that they presented progressive ideals and abandoned them in a way that may have upheld neutrality as the aim. as someone who is well-educated on the topic of abortion, i was not personally swayed by such "neutral" resolutions, and i agree that it is important to see such ideas through-- that a teenage girl forced to give birth is not a throwaway plot point, but also something that deserves a real fight. much like the lgbtq+ representation, which was something i was excited about- only for it to barely be featured despite repeated visual references. i would have greatly enjoyed and appreciated a case on lgbtq+ rights, but i can acknowledge the minimal representation it did receive.
representation matters. and stopping here would be foolish. Pro Bono is a great stepping stone for the fight for marginalized communities in South Korea. in recent years, we have seen a bold increase in media representation and depiction of marginalized communities, yet still so many Koreans (and people internationally) shiver at the mere mention of "lgbtq+" of "women's rights". not to mention that same-sex marriage is not even legal in South Korea, further outlining the need for the acknowledgment and protection of queer people under the law-> something this drama highlights on a mainstream stage such as Netflix with famous actors.
continuing the fight, appreciating the effort that was made to uplift such communities, and to be able to engage in productive conversations as to how it can be improved, is how we can take strides forward. forward to a day where it is not seen as a "too woke agenda" for literally just people being shown on screen. (and people who use woke as insult are just 🤦 .... another conversation)
Pro Bono is a great drama that skillfully spotlights those in the dark. In a way that calls us out of passiveness and into action, especially in Kanghoon and Kaya's respective cases. They are my personal favorite cases simply because of how real they are for many people. They are very dynamic cases and I could tell that Pro Bono did not run from illustrating the huge mental toll that these issues cause and perpetuate.. I could rave about them so much for great storytelling and a raw confrontation of how things really are, But also! they sre Not devoid of their flaws (such as: the aforementioned instance of abortion rights for a teenage girl playing only a minor part in the case).
I was truly feeling alongside the characters. Such real and unfortunate events are not things that exist only in media. There are countless people who face these hardships every single day and are forced to accept them, because they are not receiving the attention, respect and justice they deserve. Shows like this that work to destigmatize such communities and their lived realities, is how we can begin to draw that attention. Aaand continuously fighting for them, making media that properly highlights them—without pulling any punches—is how we can maintain and expand that attention.
I highly highly recommend this show in sincere hopes that those who watch are able to interact and engage in such media without sacrificing empathy nor critical thinking. many of us are so extremely privileged who see the problems depicted as nothing more than a show, it is something we can turn off, and for some, it is even something that can be reduced to some kind of "shady agenda."
Pro Bono is an amazing drama and I have so much love for those represented, so many feelings and a deep and renewed sense of inspiration to fight for others, but it is also a drama with its shortcomings--none of which are for being "too woke" but for actually not being woke enough.
very brief definition of "woke" to clarify what I mean when I use it: (woke originates in AAVE meaning to be aware and alert of racial injustices against the African American community, and has expanded/ been co-opted(?) to include a broader scope of social injustices--which is the context in which I use it in this sentence above.)
other things that rubbed me the wrong way that i have not seen mentioned by others, random unnecessary parts of the script such as: ["Dawit? Are you from Israel or something"] --rough quote-- and the random inclusion and presentation of AI-generated/altered videos as a good tool? among other glaring issues mentioned by users like @/eighthsense
needless to say, Pro Bono is not the show to turn to for a "fun", "lighthearted" legal drama. And for those who only look for that, I ask you to re-evaluate yourself and your priorities.
it is impressive that people will turn on a law drama and not only expect, but demand only palatable, "non-heavy" topics that reinforce their privileged ability to ignore real world issues and stay in their bubble of "tis folly to be wise".
they hide behind statements like "intense division is not what i want to watch in a kdrama, i'd rather see neutrality" when in reality they're uncomfortable with the mere idea of representation for marginalized communites, much less a deep dive into the REALITIES of how they are treated in the same korea they routinely consume and expect 'mild', 'lighthearted' media from.
it is one thing to want an escape from reality, a silly show you can turn on to laugh at and mindlessly enjoy. but it is another to bash on one that sheds light on the same ideas you refuse to acknowledge as MILLIONS of people's realities.
i ask those of you living in your koreaboo fantasy, expecting korean media to cater to you and your ignorant worldview, to wake up. South Korea is not all rainbows and sunshines, and yes! there are Queer Koreans, there are disabled Koreans, there are muslim Koreans, there are Koreans who are the bad guys you so badly want to ignore, and there are Koreans who dedicate their whole lives to fighting for the world you wish to ignore and boil down to "K-Dramas".
I have many many many thoughts on this drama and as an inexperienced reviewer, I apologize if my thoughts were a bit all over the place, but I hope it was clear that: I stand by the overall positive message of always fighting for human rights, but not the specific ways in which it was poorly executed and the backpedaling that was employed to pacify certain audiences.
Pro Bono was a big step forward in many ways, but there are still countless steps to take!! Do not turn a blind eye to injustices and always carry empathy and kindness in your heart. before accepting a review's words, please first reflect on whether or not it is centered on humanity and compassion.
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