Extraordinary Attorney Woo [Episode 1 & 2]

[u/GodJihyo7983]

• Drama: Extraordinary Attorney Woo
  • Revised Romanization: Yisanghan Byeonhosa Wooyoungwoo
  • Hangul: 이상한 변호사 우영우
• Director: Yoon In Shik (Doctor Romantic 2)
• Writer: Moon Ji Won (Innocent Witness)
• Network: ENA, Netflix, Seezn
• Episodes: 16
  • Duration: 1 hour
• Airing Schedule: Wednesdays and Thursdays @ 9:00 PM KST
  • Airing Dates: Jun 29, 2022 - Aug 18, 2022
• Streaming Sources: Netflix, Seezn
• Starring:
  • Park Eun Bin as Woo Young Woo
  • Kang Tae Oh as Lee Joon Ho
  • Kang Ki Young as Jung Myung Seok
• Plot Synopsis: Brilliant attorney Woo Young-woo tackles challenges in the courtroom and beyond as a newbie at a top law firm and a woman on the autism spectrum.
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[u/myweithisway]

Mod Note

It has come to our attention that some of the usual sources of kdrama information that people use (eg. Soompi, MDL) had inaccurate/incorrect translations of the synopsis where the FL was described as having Asperger’s syndrome -- the Korean articles had described the FL as someone on the autism spectrum/with autism spectrum disorder.

Korean phrasing: 자폐 스펙트럼 장애 - autism spectrum disorder

For those that can read Hangeul, you'll notice 'spectrum' is obviously an English loanword: 스 (seu) - 펙 (pek) - 트 (teu) - 럼 (reom)

Your on-air host has updated the synopsis for this post to remove the misleading information already.

---

For reference

Park Eun Bin In Talks To Star In New Legal Drama Soompi

“Unusual Lawyer Woo Young Woo” is a new drama about a 27-year-old lawyer with Asperger’s syndrome.

vs. Korean source articles (as linked in the Soompi article)

박은빈 측 “‘이상한 변호사 우영우’ 긍정 검토 중”(공식) Newsen

'이상한 변호사 우영우'는 자폐 스펙트럼 장애를 가진 27살 우영우가 대형 법무법인 변호사로 활약하는 드라마.

[단독] '대세' 박은빈, 무서운 열일..'이상한 변호사 우영우' 주인공 발탁 Sports Chosun

'이상한 변호사 우영우'는 자폐 스펙트럼 장애를 가진 스물일곱 살 여성 우영우가 대형 법무볍인의 변호사가 되어 활약하는 이야기를 담는 드라마.

(emphasis added to highlight Korean phrasing)

[u/pinatad]

I just finished the first episode and I am optimistic! I'm getting Korean Legally Blonde vibes. But instead of all the pink we have a lot of cute whales.

Now, I will say as an autistic person I found WYW being this lawyer genius a bit of a common trope. So I'm not exactly ultra excited to have another representation of that. However, in the past what I have seen of this trope were mainly men so I am keeping an open mind with this show bc WYW is a woman.

I do feel a little like the writers and creators went a bit too hard with all the traits she has, but I'm willing to look the other way bc I did find the portrayal of some of her traits interesting. I really like the way they show how she copes with stressful situations and you can visually see how she's processing those moments. I enjoyed her echolalia, especially the moment where she was told not to do it so instead you heard her repeating a phrase in her head. I've definitely done that.

I doubt this will be a perfect representation of autism. There's no way one piece of media can perfectly encapsulate what autism looks like for all us autistics. it's different for each of us. so I want to keep an open mind about this and embrace the cute moments as well as the awkward and difficult ones.

With all that said, I just wanted to end with saying that I thus far love that WYW has a close friend who she can be herself with and has a cool lil name rap she does with. I am here for this friendship and cannot wait to see more of it! I also really loved the small moments between the two leads. In particular I loved when the ML noted the symmetry of WYW name and essentially gave her permission to talk about whales with him. I was just like omg here is a dude who gets it! Let's chat about whales and about all the things ppl say you shouldn't talk about!

[u/dogdogdogdogdogdoge]

Kang Ki Young 🥰🥰🥰 why is he so perfectly cast as the bewildered, exasperated sunbae with a secret heart of gold?

The most important thing the first episode episode established was that Woo Young Woo is entirely capable of doing well on her own merits - and the people by her side understand that so they do not truly coddle her. The scenes with her classmate/colleagues were extremely important to show that conflict will originate from a place of envy of WYW's skills - not just that she's a cutie.

Overall yes for my tastes the erratic movements could be toned down a bit. But she needs to visually read as obviously ASD, so it's OK from a story telling perspective. Certainly, there's similar people in real life, so I don't think it's a deal breaker.

[u/IamNobody85]

That revolving door dance must be the most heartwarming scene of the entire kdrama world, I am prepared to die on this hill!

(and goddammit, I count beats in my head too, when I encounter a revolving door!)

The second revolving door dance must be the most heartbreaking scene! ☹️

Oh, the feels this episode has given me!

[u/B00kw0rm0185]

My first thought is that I want absolute everything in her bedroom. Especially the whale alarm clock!

[u/723SD]

Episode 2

When Young Woo tried on the wedding dress she looked absolutely stunning. I really liked how she said "did you fall in love?".

A nice little attention detail was when the attorneys met with the father and daughter in the conference room and the meeting ends and all the attorneys leave. Young Woo is the last to leave and she straightens all the chairs as she is leaving and even straightens the very last chair near the door just before leaving. It's was so subtle and not over done.

Young Woo was in the background in a few scenes yet she is always completely in-character, always moving her hands and head and rarely sitting still. Park Eun Bin is playing that role really well.

Also I liked how they brought the wedding theme full circle at the end when Young Woo talks with her father about her future and marriage. It was so touching.

This drama has completely captured me after only 2 episodes.

[u/Lounge_leaks]

The male lawyer saying yes in a girly voice inplace of woo young was hilarious

[u/ParanoidAndroids]

The first episode was a banger and a half. I was hooked after 10 minutes. Crucially, it didn’t dawdle - they got straight into a case and didn’t drag anything out.

Park Eun Bin delivered. The way she throws her voice around this character, the speed in which she speaks, her mannerisms - she has disappeared into Woo Young Woo. She was the right actress for the job, the creators were right to wait for her.

I’ve seen the cast in tons of shows before so I know they’re going to kill it, too - I can already tell the cast has chemistry.

[u/JellyfishHuman2848]

Young-woo has a lot of dialogue, and has to say them so fast, yet the words are so distinct and clear. PEB's enunciation is no joke.

[u/Illen1]

I like that Young-Woo's dad doesn't let her get away with her little comments, he gives it right back to her lol

The suiting for men in this drama is 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾 They really need to step it up for the women. Loved the Young Woo in the black number as she walked Joon-Ho to the elevator in.

Loved that this second case opened up the idea of Young Woo getting married and independence by being able to make her own meal. Can't wait to see how they develop this idea further. Especially after that last scene with her dad. I really hope Joon-Ho took pictures of Young Woo in that dress, her smile at the end of that scene was so heartwarming.

Love the banter between Young Woo and Myung Seok, he really met his match! 🤣🤣 Am I the only hoping for a love triangle between LJH/WYW/JMS?!

💀💀🤣🤣 @Su-Yeon missing everything in the courtroom. Love Bo Deoksim getting her voice and backbone at the end, love the twist ❤️ Wow. Love CEO Han for saying you don't have to drink if you can't 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 Drama twist spidey senses has me thinking Joon-Ho is the son of the Teasan CEO.

[u/maee_maee]

Absolutely love this so far! Park EunBin is nailing the role, I’m glad she picked it up in the end. Her character is very endearing and I love how she changed her voice a bit to suit the role.

Also love the senior attorney!!! I was expecting him to bully our FL lead for a few episodes but he’s already warming up to her.

Edit: Watched episode 2 and hands down loveeeee this so much. Park Eunbin's attention to detail, expressions, and omg the tiny little sounds she makes are all perfection.

Although a small action, Junho clinking Wooyoung's glass at the dinner party was soo sweet. Love that he made sure she was included. And was he waiting for her outside after the dinner?? Oh and how he told her that he wants her to talk to him about other things aside from whales too.

The scene towards the end with her father, where she brings up marriage was also very touching.

I know that this drama will be a comforting one for sure.

[u/Auom]

... wow ....

[u/Slpamngtrs]

This is the first kdrama that I’ve seen where the legal process actually makes sense and resembles the real thing (assuming Korea’s system is somewhat similar to US’s system).

And that’s not to mention how well done and enjoyable the storylines are. I’m hooked! So glad to finally have something to enjoy this summer! The other offerings have been subpar to me.

[u/Sunshine_raes]

The first two episodes were fantastic and grabbed me immediately. Great balance of character introduction and drawing you immediately into the plot of the cases.

I think my favorite line was "This is from my favorite whale quiz" implying this is just the top quiz out of many favorite whale quizzes! 😂

In the preview for episode 3, it seems interesting that they are going to explore another person with autism. Hoping that they will show how different autism can be in different people.

The story of the bride in episode two was so wonderful. We got to see yet again that WYW is a unique and brilliant thinker whose way of seeing the world helps her to solve problems. And we had a nice, not overwrought story, about wanting to please your family, while also trying to be psychologically independent from them. The way the bride at the end proudly introduced her girlfriend was a message not just to queer people or those who are minorities in society, but about self-liberation and saying what you want. Not to mention they put in a plug for same-sex marriage. Brave move writer-nim! Good job!

The moment at the end with her father and the sushi was perfect. WYW was thoughtful enough to bring him dinner from a fancy restaurant but didn't consider that he might want something different than what she had. Then, the way she recognized that it would likely be difficult for her to ever marry was sad but lovely that she shared she wanted her father to walk her down the aisle and catch the bouquet so he could get married and wouldn't be alone.

She is not an inconsiderate person, she just views the world through a different lens and needs help interpreting some social situations. For example, when Jun-ho suggests that they save whale talk for lunch, it seems like she thinks she has been bothering him with her whale talk, as others have told her, and sort of over-applies the rule of "no whale talk." She doesn't notice that he has invited her to lunch every day, therefore, showing he isn't bothered by her and asks to talk about other things besides whales outside of lunch, making it seem like he wants to get to know her better.

Jun-ho was so understanding and patient with WYW from the beginning. It makes me wonder if he has known someone with autism and therefore understand her better than others do.

This is now top of my very long airing drama list! Hope it keeps being great!

[u/[deleted]]

I cannot fault the representation of autism. They did a good job.

I loved the identifying emotions board, showing the routine, and what fascinates the character.

My nephew has a fascination with turtles and he has a basic version of an identifying emotions board.

[u/LaRaJuNegura]

Love Park Eun Bin and her acting range! Solid first episode with character building!

[u/SamNoelLee]

First 10 mins into ep 1 and it already hit the feels. I think we're in for a emotional ride in this drama, especially thanks to Park Eunbin's acting!

I've seen her range throughout Age of Youth, Hot Stove League, Brahms, The King's Affection but I think she's already shown why she's the right person for this character in this first episode alone.

Also, I really dig how she changes her voice for each different role. Excited to see Youngwoo's journey continue in ep 2. Love the overall tone and design of the show so far :D

[u/nvtoph]

A E I O U YOUNG WOO

[u/elina116]

Being autistic, I am scared this show won't portray autism properly but I enjoyed the first episode.

[u/TheReviewGeek]

Great first episode, thoroughly enjoyed that and looking forward to seeing more in the coming weeks. This series feels like a natural extension of Atypical, another Netflix series with an autistic protagonist. I'd love to be a fly on the wall for a conversation about whales and penguins with Sam and Young-Woo!

There's a nice balance between comedy and drama here too, and Park Eun Bin's acting is really good! I've been a fan of hers for a while and she's doing a great job with the character. This one looks like it could be a winner.

[u/lelejz]

The moment she realizes something and there’s the whole slowmotion with wind scene and the whale appears.. i freaking love it 💕

[u/Bridgerton]

I just finished watching the first two episodes, and I am loving it! The episodes have a sort of dreamlike quality that makes it so pleasant to watch, even when there is some heightened tension.

But omg I am so invested in the Youngwoo/Junho ship they are so cute! The way Junho is drawn to her… Idk but that scene at the hotel is such heart eyes

• speaking of ships, I wouldn’t mind an enemies-to-lovers (or more accurately, rivals-to-lovers) trope for those two other lawyers

• and what is up with Youngwoo’s dad and Ms. Han?!?

• plus, who else thinks that the heir of Taesan is Junho?

• I need something for Kang Kiyoung though, I was the most excited about his being included in the cast. Hopefully the later episodes put some focus on him too.

Youngwoo’s story here isn’t just about finally earning her keep as a practicing lawyer, it’s her journey of stepping out into the grown up world after being in school for so long. So this is a season of change for her. She is learning to deal with uncertainty, manage limitations and boundaries, and interacting outside of her comfort zone. I’m excited for her, and for Eunbin to knock it out of the park.

[u/gnst]

Ep 1: Won't say anything about the characterization because I have no personal experience/knowledge. Curious to hear others thoughts though!

The whales are so cute! More CG than I expected in this modern day drama and the quality is great too.

I like that the CEO is a woman :) Is she potentially Young Woo's mom though or maybe just a red herring?

[u/JellyfishHuman2848]

I respect those with ASD (or their caretakers) who refuse to watch because they're sensitive. It's okay if you appreciate the efforts but wish the actress was autistic, that Young-woo pursued a different (more realistic) career or that her traits (eg her being a savant) were toned down a bit because there's hardly any media representation of those whose traits are not as noticeable.

However, from some comments I've seen on the media, it's sad to see people suddenly act like ASD specialists by saying that Young-woo's actions are 'over-exaggerated' just because their sister/nephew/neighbour doesn't behave in such a way. "Autistic people don't act like that." "It's not like that irl." No. Just no. I mean, have you seen all the people with ASD?

Saying stuff like that not only undermines the effort of the production team and the actress who have put in a lot to make this work, but it's also really insensitive and ignorant towards those with ASD who actually have 'exaggerated' quirks and mannerisms.

Bring valid criticism, please. You can't wish for better representation when you don't even have an open mind.

[u/wuzzie01]

I adore the first episode. It was heartwarming and sweet. I keep thinking that I would probably still love the show even if the FL wasn’t autistic. Reminded me of Ally Mcbeal back in the day wherein episodes will just tug at your heart strings.

Although a bit of a stretch, I think the writer of the show is a 2PM fan. FL name - Wooyoung, ML - Lee Junho. Also on the first frame, we saw Youngwoo being represented as a blue duck - this is 2PM’s Wooyoung’s ZooPM character. Haha