Extraordinary Attorney Woo is a Korean legal drama on Netflix. It was first released on June 29 and aired the last of its episodes on August 18.
The drama follows Woo Young-woo (Park Eun-bin), a lawyer on the autism spectrum. She is incredibly gifted in her career—even her first words were a recitation of the law. However, she’s not as strong in her social skills, which makes it difficult for her as she navigates her job at a major law firm.
Extraordinary Attorney Woo quickly became one of my favourite shows, and here’s why:
it features a lawyer with ASD
Throughout the drama, Young-woo faces prejudice and discrimination from different people: clients, opposing lawyers, judges, random strangers, and even her own co-workers. The drama sheds light on the experiences of someone with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and it really forces you to take a moment and reevaluate your own actions and internal bias. The show also shows someone with ASD making friends, falling in love, and succeeding. Every episode, Young-woo learns new things and you get to see her grow as a person and lawyer.
whales and dolphins are prominent
Young-woo has a fixation with whales and dolphins, and their presence is significant all throughout the drama. The way whales and dolphins are included—whether in the background or through conversations—is creative and flows well with the story. The whales and dolphins feel like other characters in the drama, and I looked forward to seeing them every episode.
The cast of characters is amazing
Young-woo is not the only awesome character in this drama. Everyone else is lovable, and it’s really hard to pick a favourite. From her boss to her best friends, everyone in Young-Woo’s life is a well-loved character. Even the villain of the group is sufficiently redeemed at the end!
It has a Happy ending
Bonus? The show has the most heartwarming and happy ending! We all know the pain of falling head-over-heels with a drama, with everything going great before major plot twists take the story to a dark side. There’s nothing worse than hoping for a happy ending only to end up sobbing uncontrollably at a heartbreaking one. Thankfully, Extraordinary Attorney Woo does not suffer from this and instead delivers a bright ending consistent with the hopeful tone of the drama.
get ready for a second season
If you’re like me, then 16 episodes of this drama probably aren’t enough. So, it’s good that a second season will be made—even if we have to wait for 2024! Although there’s a bit of a wait, I’m sure that the end product will be just as good as the first season.
Extraordinary Attorney Woo not only starts an important conversation, but the show itself is also addictively good. It topped Netflix’s Global Top 10 for non-English series, and was the most viewed foreign-language show just after its initial release. With a strong cast of characters, intriguing storylines, a heart-warming romance with the most green-flag man to exist, and amazing visuals, this drama has topped my own list of all-time favourites.
With phenomenal acting, cinematography, and storyline, Extraordinary Attorney Woo needs to join your Netflix list. It has some mystery, laugh-out-loud moments, and even some heart-wrenching scenes where I shed a tear or two. What are you waiting for? Get to watching!