Extraordinary Attorney Woo is a 16-episode Korean drama that premiered on Netflix in 2022. It tells the story of Woo Young-woo, a 27-year-old rookie lawyer who has autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Despite her social challenges, Young-woo’s intelligence, focus, and memory allow her to excel in the legal field.
1. How Young-woo Lands Her First Job?
The drama opens with Young-woo struggling to find employment after graduating top of her law school class. Though extremely qualified, she faces discrimination from potential employers due to her autism diagnosis.
Young-woo finally lands a one-year contract position at Hanbada, a small law firm. She impresses the partners with her encyclopedic legal knowledge and joins the litigation team alongside attorneys Choi Soo-yeon, Kwon Min-woo, and team leader Jung Myung-seok.
Each episode tackles a different legal case that tests Young-woo’s abilities. In the first case, she represents elderly clients suing their daughter-in-law for failing to repay a loan. Young-woo uncovers a technicality that exposes the defendant’s lies and wins the case.
As the season progresses, Young-woo leverages her strong logic, honesty, and creative thinking to solve increasingly complex cases. However, she struggles to read people’s emotions and grapples with moral dilemmas when clients want her to hide key information.
2. Is Young-woo Able to Adjust at the New Work Space?
Socially, Young-woo tries her best to connect with her colleagues despite her limited emotional intelligence. She slowly builds rapport with her team leader Jung Myung-seok, who appreciates her intelligence and supports her growth.
A charming new attorney named Lee Jun-ho joins Hanbada and takes a liking to Young-woo, admiring her brilliance. As Jun-ho patiently gets to know Young-woo, she develops her first romantic feelings towards him. However, their blossoming relationship draws judgement from Jun-ho’s family and friends.
3. Bullying By Coworker
Young-woo must also contend with bullying from her petty coworker Min-woo, who feels threatened by her talent and resents the special allowances she receives as an autistic employee.
Min-woo frequently antagonizes Young-woo and tries to pit her other colleagues against her. The law firm’s rival company Taesan takes notice of Young woo’s skills and wants to poach her.
When Taesan’s CEO discovers that the legendary prosecutor Tae Soo-mi is Young woo’s biological mother, she sees an opportunity to use Young-woo to attack her mother’s reputation.
4. Young-woo’s Shady Past and Ending Explained
Outside of work, Young-woo tries to gain more independence from her loving father Gwang-ho by considering moving out of their apartment. She also discovers more about her family history and biological parents.
By the season finale, Young-woo has become an indispensable member of the Hanbada team. Through her extraordinary talents and efforts to understand others, she finds a purpose by touching people’s lives through her legal work.
The series ends with Young-woo feeling a profound sense of fulfillment and happiness from making a positive difference in the world.
The show became an international phenomenon due to its thoughtful portrayal of an autistic lead character and its themes of inclusiveness and understanding.
5. Is ‘Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ Worth Watching?
With thoughtful writing, nuanced characters, and an uplifting message, Extraordinary Attorney Woo balances levity and wisdom.
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While the legal cases sometimes strain believability, Park’s moving lead performance anchors the show’s heart. Overall, Extraordinary Attorney Woo is a sensitive, funny, and captivating series that fans of legal dramas and slice-of-life stories should not miss.
