Extraordinary Attorney Woo

Woo Young-woo (Park Eun-bin) is a young autistic lawyer with an exceptional memory who graduated at the top of her class from Seoul National University. She joins the prestigious Hanbada law firm, where her unique approach to analyzing cases allows her to find legal solutions her colleagues would never have thought of. But despite her remarkable abilities, Young-woo must contend with prejudice, difficulties with social interactions, and a professional environment that is not always accommodating of her differences.

Nevertheless, she can count on her mentor, Jung Myung-seok (Kang Ki-young), his colleagues, and Lee Jun-ho (Kang Tae-oh), a member of the legal team with whom she gradually develops a romantic relationship. Each legal case thus accompanies her personal and professional growth, while her family history and her passion for whales play a significant role in her story.

Impact and Success

Extraordinary Attorney Woo was one of the biggest Korean TV hits of 2022. Starting with very low ratings on the ENA network, the series ended with 17.5 % in national viewership, setting the network’s all-time record. It also enjoyed global success thanks to Netflix: it repeatedly ranked first in the global rankings for non-English-language series, and during the week of August 15–21, 2022, its 77.43 million hours viewed made it the most-watched show on the entire platform that week.

Park Eun-bin's performance was a standout in the series: she received the Daesang (Grand Prize) for television at the 2023 Baeksang Arts Awards, while Yoo In-shik won the award for Best Director there. The series was also nominated for Best Drama Series at the 2023 International Emmy Awards.

Its success has extended far beyond its Korean audience and has helped make Woo Young-woo—and his famous references to whales—one of the most recognizable figures in K-dramas of 2022.