Extraordinary Attorney Woo

Extraordinary Attorney Woo is a 2022 South Korean television drama centered on Woo Young-woo, a rookie attorney with autism spectrum disorder who joins the Seoul law firm Hanbada. Park Eun-bin plays Young-woo, whose exceptional memory, strong logical reasoning, and fascination with whales shape both her legal work and her daily life. The series follows her first months as a lawyer as she handles unusual civil, criminal, and corporate cases while navigating prejudice from clients, opponents, and colleagues.

The drama was written by Moon Ji-won and directed by Yoo In-shik. It aired on ENA from June 29 to August 18, 2022, with 16 episodes, and became widely available internationally through Netflix. Its Korean title is 이상한 변호사 우영우, literally “Strange Attorney Woo Young-woo.” The program’s success was especially notable because ENA was a relatively small cable channel before the series became a major ratings hit.

Young-woo works under senior attorney Jung Myung-seok, played by Kang Ki-young, who initially questions whether she can function in a demanding legal environment but gradually recognizes her ability. Her coworkers include Choi Su-yeon, portrayed by Ha Yoon-kyung, a former law-school rival who becomes a supportive colleague, and Kwon Min-woo, played by Joo Jong-hyuk, an ambitious attorney who often treats Young-woo as competition. Kang Tae-oh plays Lee Jun-ho, a member of Hanbada’s litigation team who develops a romantic relationship with her.

The show regularly uses Young-woo’s deep knowledge of whales and dolphins as a visual and narrative device. Whale imagery appears when she has insights during legal arguments, and her interest in marine animals is connected to memories of her childhood with her father, Woo Gwang-ho, played by Jeon Bae-soo. He raised her as a single parent and runs a gimbap restaurant.

Among the series’ major storylines is Young-woo’s discovery that her biological mother is Tae Su-mi, a prominent politician portrayed by Jin Kyung. Tae Su-mi gave birth to Young-woo while she and Gwang-ho were students, but chose a political career instead of raising her. The revelation complicates Young-woo’s relationship with both parents and becomes important during a case involving Hanbada and Tae Su-mi’s political interests.

Extraordinary Attorney Woo combines courtroom stories with workplace comedy, family drama, and romance. Its cases address subjects including disability discrimination, corporate disputes, inheritance, environmental issues, and criminal responsibility. Park Eun-bin received major recognition for her performance, including the Daesang, or Grand Prize, at the 59th Baeksang Arts Awards.