A journey towards self-discovery

What you see isn't everything. Don't be blinded by what you can see. Keep in mind the essence of what lies beyond that.

This is indeed a story about Woo Young-woo, an autistic trying to navigate through life while working as a lawyer in Hanbada Law Firm. All the cases and interaction among the characters help Young-woo grows and understands herself and the world around her better. Not only Young-woo, but other characters are also shown to have a better understanding of themselves by the end of the series. Though some are less noticeable.

The process of watching Extraordinary Attorney Woo had been enjoyable and enlightening. As with other shows I watch, I went in and out of internet forums to read discussions. As expected from a series tackling various controversial issues and topics, there is ongoing debate regarding the accuracy and appropriateness of the approach. And through the stories and opinions shared by autistic people or those living with them, I gained different perspectives for me to ponder on.

So, after actively engaging myself into the discussions, I can say that I'm satisfied with how it's wrapped up. All of the characters' stories are addressed accordingly. At least I don't have to wait for any issue to be resolved in the next 2 years if season 2 does happen. I personally like how the series use the cases to build a story for Young-woo and the characters to reflect on themselves. The resolution is not always explicitly shown, some are hinted at (I'll probably write a separate piece about this later), and this is what makes the watching process particularly interesting for me.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoy watching the journey of Extraordinary Attorney Woo and her loved ones, including the whale trivia.

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Storywise, there was no complicated drama nor intricate conflict. I can say that the story was extremely predictable, if not questionable. The differentiating factor of this drama was on the actors. The way they portray the characters was natural. It seems as if they were born as the characters. That’s how real their acting was. The chemistry was real. Their bond makes amend for some missing parts nearing the end of the series. The jokes and witty dialogues between the characters also make this drama a solid piece worthy of scoring high in rating. The characters were played by some renowned faces in the industry.

At first, the sole reason for me watching this drama was Yoo Seung Ho. However, once I started watching I couldn’t stop. I even found myself weeping from watching the scenes. Both Yoo Seung Ho and Chae Soo Bin have successfully breathed life into Kim Min Kyu and Joo Ji Ah, respectively.

The supporting roles really support the drama. Santa Maria team is the main source for humor and fun. At some parts of the drama they might appear as genius, but it doesn’t mean that they can’t make jokes. Their jokes can be sometimes be the lamest jokes you’ve heard. In addition, I love how natural they interact with each other and convince me that they have been together for some time.

This drama will be suitable for those enjoying light entertainment with straightforward and witty dialogues. Watching this will not strain your brain, which is perfect to pick up when you are having packed schedule but still craving for all rounded entertainment.

The dissatisfaction from me was the “empty” feeling at the last few episodes when all problems had been resolved and explanations had been given. It is rather hard for me to put it in words. I just feel that the drama lost its touch in the last moments. Their witty dialogues and the characters silly fight are absent. In addition to that, there was unsolved mystery. Who is Madam X? She is the one and only informant Kim Min-kyu trusts. I thought the answer would be given at the last episodes, but I watched until the end and I didn’t find the answer for that particular mystery. Besides the identity of Madam X which remains a mystery, I also feel like the last two episodes were rushed. Every answers were packed into an hour time frame. It sure has happy ending, but the progress towards that happy ending was too fast till the biggest mystery remains.

Despite all the emptiness I felt at the last few episodes, I found myself missing the characters so much once I had finished watching. It feels like I was left alone after attending a loud party. That is how heartwarming this drama was. The characters felt so close. The acting made the characters alive and lovable. This drama is still high on my list of favourite romantic comedy Korean drama.

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Beautiful shots, beautiful songs, but the story...

I was really excited watching the first 2 episodes, because of all the flashbacks and the FL's ability to remember all her past lifes.This feeling continues up to the middle part of the drama. Afterwards, I was really tempted to drop this drama.

IMHO, Shin Hye Sun's acting is really the soul of this drama, and fortunately the other main characters also gave a wonderful performance, so it was not at all lopsided. However, the story leaves me with sooo many questions. I personally feel the story are rushed nearing the end, especially Episode 11, with all the flashbacks (despite the scenes having the potential to be a major turning point).

At the end of Episode 12, I was asking to myself, "What's with that progression? What's the point of some of the characters at the beginning? Where are they now?" Well, though in life there are some events which are anticlimactic too, but with how the initial episodes are plotted, I expect it to have a more wholesome ending. Honestly, the tension in the initial episodes is the one keeping me seated for this drama. I guess I'll read the webtoon now for more information.

So, is it worth watching? Yes, and try not to expect much. The acting skills, the shots, and the musics are all excellent. Let's appreciate that.

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