‘Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ Meets Life And The Law On Her Own Terms

When working on her first case at a law firm, rookie attorney Woo Young-woo has to visit a patient in the hospital. Her boss, played by Kang Ki-young, tells her that he wants to send someone with her. Hospital visits are hard even for ordinary attorneys, he says, and then apologizes for being rude. He should not have implied that Young-woo was not ordinary.

That’s okay, says Young-woo, played by Park Eun-bin, “I’m not ordinary.”

The Korean drama Extraordinary Attorney Woo is centered around the character of Woo-young, an attorney who has high functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Through her attempts to practice law and win cases, the drama offers a sensitive look at the ways people on the spectrum may exhibit varying abilities. While some on the spectrum may be nonverbal, Woo-young graduated from a prestigious university and passed the bar exam with perfect grades. Woo-young has a meticulous memory, but is often uncomfortable in social situations.

Some of her law firm colleagues don’t immediately recognize Woo-young’s legal skills because they are distracted by her socially awkward behavior. Ask her about whales or obscure legal statutes and she’s an encyclopedic resource, having memorized everything she ever read. But ask her to navigate a revolving door and she’s overwhelmed, paralyzed with uncertainty.

Fortunately, she gets some help at her new job from her considerate boss and the kind legal investigator, Lee Jun-ho, played by Kang Tae-oh. Both are impressed by her abilities and Jun-ho is charmed by her quirky thinking.

Young-woo is the kind of female lead that audiences love to root for. She’s a character who overcomes adversity to compensate for what she lacks—and she does it on her own terms. While the character faces challenges that are specific to ASD, it’s easy to relate to her worries about adapting to and excelling at a new job. She may initially find it hard to fit in, but her unusual perspective on legal matters offers valuable insights.

Park, who previously starred in The King’s Affection, Do You Like Brahms and Hot Stove League, creates an appealing character whose disarming bluntness is sometimes an asset. Kang Ki-young, whose comic talents brighten every drama he’s in, previously appeared in At Eighteen, My Secret Terrius and Familiar Wife. Kang Tae-oh can be seen in Doom at Your Service, Run On and The Tale of Nokdu.

Extraordinary Attorney Woo was written by Moon Ji-won and directed by Yoo In-shik, who directed Dr. Romantic, Vagabond and Mrs. Cop. Moon previously wrote the film Innocent Witness.