Skip to main content

12.12 - Podcast Review of Episode 12 of Extraordinary Attorney Woo

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 12 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 Hyun-young as Dong Geurami, Kang Ki-young as Jung Myung-seok, and Joo Jong-hyuk as Kwon Min-woo. We discuss:


  • The songs featured during the recap: “One Two Three Young Woo” by Jo Byeong Hyeon and “H” by Roh Young Sim. The first is quirky, while the second is melancholy.

  • The political and ethical complexity of Hanbada’s involvement in drafting a policy that led to mass layoffs of married women.

  • The fierce and principled attorney Ryu Jae Sook, who champions women’s and labor rights, and who offers a thought-provoking contrast to Hanbada's corporate approach.

  • The idea of generation names in Korean clans, and how these were used to explore the relationship between Judge Ryu Myeong Ha and Attorney Ryu Jae Sook.

  • Attorney Jung’s jarring statement that attorneys are not meant to make the world a better place, but to defend their clients, no matter who they are.

  • Woo Young Woo’s internal conflict as she receives a job offer from Attorney Ryu and wrestles with what kind of attorney she wants to be.

  • The damaging but clever tactics of Kwon Min-woo, who secretly mails a legal memo to the opposing counsel in an attempt to frame Woo Young Woo.

  • The brutal emotional toll of litigation, as personal and irrelevant information (such as fertility treatment) is dragged into court to discredit the plaintiffs.

  • The bittersweet conclusion to the case: the women lose in court but win in the court of public opinion and in moral conviction.

  • The evolving relationship between Woo Young Woo and Lee Jun-ho as they try to navigate differing perceptions of what it means to be a couple.

  • The quiet decline of Attorney Jung, whose stress and physical deterioration hint at serious underlying health issues.

  • A linguistic and cultural deep dive into the Korean pronunciation of family names such as Choi, Park, and Yun, and the surprising differences when romanized.

References


###

K Drama Chat is a weekly podcast where we take one Korean (K) Drama each season and and recap and analyze each episode. K Drama Chat is available on Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyAmazon Music, and Pandora.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

5.4 - Review of Episode 4 of Mr. Queen

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 4 of Mr. Queen, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Shin Hye-sun as Kim So-yong, Kim Jung-hyun as King Cheojong, Seol In-ah as Jo Hwa-jin, Na In-woo as Kim Byeong-in, and Choi Jin-hyuk as Jang Bong-hwan. We discuss: Then songs we played during the recap: Conspiracyby Kim Deuk-su  and Lost Memory by Howl.  Last week’s episode was so funny, while this episode is really dark and there are bad guys everywhere.  The Queen has figured out that it was the King who tried to kill her in the alleyway.  The King is still desperately trying to figure out what the Queen knows.  The many plots to frame someone for the Queen falling into the lake.  The Queen accuses the King of going after her because she’s weak; this makes him wonder if the Queen is plotting against him or if she really is someone different.  Jo Hwa-jin goes to Grand Dowager Queen to confess they she pushed the Queen into the lake When the King tries to defend Jo H...

11.14 - Podcast Review of Episode 14 of When Life Gives You Tangerines

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 14 of When Life Gives You Tangerines , the hit K Drama on Netflix starring IU as Oh Ae-sun and Park Bo-gum as Yang Gwan-sik as young adults, then Moon So-ri as Oh Ae-sun and Park Hae-joon as Yang Gwan-sik as older adults. We discuss: The songs featured during the recap: “A Rock that never erodes in the sea of my heart” and “Just be a good son, that’s all,” both by Park Seong-il, whose work captures the sad, wistful tone of the episode. Our guest Kim Soomin from Virginialicious shares her passion for Korean food and the stories behind her food tours. How Eun Myeong’s storyline takes center stage, highlighting the painful dynamics of favoritism, ambition, and parental regret. The cultural and historical context of buncheong stoneware, how Eun Myeong’s life was turned upside by a single buncheon statue. Pawnshops, especially during the IMF crisis in Korea. The heartbreaking reasons Eun Myeong started his business, and his desperate need to be...

12.1 - Podcast Review of Episode 1 of Extraordinary Attorney Woo

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 1 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 Hyun Young as Dong Geu Rami, Kang Ki Young as Jung Myung Seok, and Joo Jong Hyuk as Kwon Min Woo. We discuss: The songs featured during the recap: “Brave” by Kim Jong Wan and “Beyond My Dreams” by Sunwoo Jung-a. Kim Jong Wan is the lead of alternative rock band Nell; Sunwoo Jung-a is a prolific indie artist and producer in South Korea. The episode title in Korean, 이상한 변호사 우영우 (“Strange Attorney Woo Young Woo”), and how the English title "Extraordinary" reflects her character more positively. Woo Young Woo’s first words: quoting the Korean criminal code after her father is attacked, marking both her autism diagnosis and her path toward becoming a lawyer. The careful, touching portrayal of autism spectrum disorder through Woo Young Woo’s sensitivity to stimuli, love of ord...