.png)
Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 6 of Extraordinary Attorney Woo, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Park Eun-bin as Woo Young-woo, Kang Tae-oh as Lee Jun-ho, Ha Yoon-kyung as Choi Soo-yeon, Ju Hyung-young as Dong Geu-rami, Kang Ki-young as Jung Myung-seok, and Joo Jong-hyuk as Kwon Min-woo. We discuss:
The songs we featured during the recap: Overture and Girl Dad (It Takes Such a Long Time) by Roh Young Sim.
Our delightful Zoom meet and greet with listeners, where many shared their love of Extraordinary Attorney Woo as their gateway into K Dramas.
The varied opinions on Lee Jun-ho, from the fantasy of a perfect green-flag partner to the critique that he’s bland or too idealized.
The heartbreaking case of a North Korean defector, Gye Hyang-sim, and how it highlights issues of motherhood, justice, and societal prejudice.
The dangerous and emotionally devastating journey of North Korean defectors and how the South Korean government processes and supports them.
The emotionally raw parallels between Gye Hang-sim's pain and Woo Young Woo’s deep empathy for Gye Hyang-sim, especially Woo Young Woo’s moving whale metaphor, where she likens Gye Hyang-sim to a mother whale who refuses to abandon her child even at the cost of her life.
The shocking moment when CSY and WYW barge into the judge’s chambers, and how their family pedigrees become unexpectedly relevant to the judge’s view of them.
The meaning of bongwan (ancestral clan origin), and how it reflects deeply ingrained class and social cues in Korean legal and elite circles.
The surprise ending of the case, where the judge suspends Gye Hyang-sim’s prison sentence due to her confession, lack of a criminal record, and unfamiliarity with South Korean law.
The subtly developing triangle between Woo Young Woo, Lee Jun Ho, and Choi Soo Yeon, fueled by Kwon Min-woo’s manipulative suggestion that Lee Jun Ho likes Choi Soo Yeon.
The emotional theme of mothers throughout the episode, culminating in the poignant department store scene where Tae Soo-mi almost crosses paths with her daughter WYW.
Our admiration for Attorney Jung, who quietly supports his junior attorneys and upholds justice, even at the cost of corporate clients.
References
I remember this episode so vividly—it was both endearing and touching. I’ve always loved a good mother–child story, and this one beautifully sets the stage for the Tae Soo-mi and Woo Young-woo storyline.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, Joanna, I actually have “Maria” in my name, so Irma is technically my second name. My sister, on the other hand, has “Marie” in hers.
Oh, and I managed to secure a ticket for Park Bo Gum’s fan meet here in Bangkok tomorrow! After seeing all the clips from the Manila fan meet yesterday, I couldn’t resist—I was lucky enough there were still a few available tickets.
Hi Irma! I’m so jealous, because he is perhaps the most multitalented actor right now. I watched all the episodes of “The Seasons, Park Bo-Gum-Cantabile” on Viki. He hosted, sang and played fantastic piano on every episode, and obviously loved doing it. Highly recommend to all you guys. Enjoy and let us know how it is!
DeleteThis is Ellen, from my phone
DeleteIrma, thank you for sharing that you're also a Maria! Awesome!
DeleteI can't wait to see your photos from the Park Bo Gum fan meet. I saw photos from his fan meet in Manila. What a gift to his fans. No wonder people are crazy for this guy. When you show your fans this type of love, they give it right back!
I'm hoping to go to the Philippines next year. Maybe there will be a fan meet when I'm there! I want to go with Shine!
"E.A.W" is such an amazing drama that successfully tugs at our heartstrings, but to those who do not also recognize the great moments of comedy in this show, I say "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!"
ReplyDeleteOne line in Episode 6 gave me my single biggest LOL moment this week. It's very DRY and also completely unexpected:
Woo has exasperated the judge to the point where he loses his temper and chastises her, saying "anyone who wants to talk from now on will have to raise their hand!" On the next court date, Woo immediately interrupts her boss speaking to the judge, explaining under her breath that he must now raise his hand in court before speaking. Understandably confused, he asks his young attorney why the judge would make such an unusual demand.
"I think it's because his family is the Ryu family of Pungsan." (a quick shot of her boss now DOUBLY confused!) LOLOLOL
OK, so why is this funny? (if you simply READ it, it's probably not) It's funny because we know the character and her sometimes unusual (and occasionally naive) way of seeing the world. We recall the previous court date, and imagine how she processed this irrelevant discussion of families and who's from where (as you touched on the podcast), followed by the judge eventually losing his temper and yelling at her. It's funny because we can imagine Woo taking "everyone must raise their hand!" EXTREMELY seriously as marching orders with no expiration date, until his honor declares otherwise!
Therefore "I think it's because his family is the Ryu family of Pungsan" is an almost-reasonable hypothesis for Woo, while being completely nonsensical, out of left field and super confusing for her boss.
This is character-driven comedy (rather than plot driven). The beauty of E.A.W. is we are not "laughing at her autism" -- at this point, we have absolutely embraced the character, her strengths and even her quirks -- which is surely a tribute to the great writing and the incredible performance from Park Eun-bin. This is no easy feat, and just one reason this is an EXTRAORDINARY show.