Extraordinary Attorney Woo (ENA, a Korean cable channel, 2022) is a drama that follows Woo Young-woo, an autistic lawyer who graduated from Seoul National University Law School at the top of her class. She achieved a remarkable score of over 1,500 points on the bar exam, significantly surpassing the average passing score of about 900 points. This exceptional academic and professional prowess earns her a position at the prestigious Hanbada law firm. Despite her intellectual brilliance and unique approach to legal cases, Woo Young-woo faces significant social challenges and prejudice due to her condition.
While the series is lauded for its engaging narrative and sensitive portrayal of autism, its premise raises questions about real-world feasibility. Graduating from a top law school and achieving a record-breaking bar exam score are extraordinary accomplishments for anyone. For an individual with autism, who may face additional social and communication barriers, these achievements are even more improbable. The legal profession demands high levels of interaction, negotiation, and the ability to handle intense pressure—areas where autistic individuals might encounter more challenges than their neurotypical counterparts. The series thus seems to serve as an inspirational, albeit idealized, portrayal of overcoming adversity rather than a reflection of typical real-world scenarios
For actor Park Eun-bin, portraying Woo Young-woo was an opportunity to feel the weight of responsibility that comes with her role. So the first priority in acting Woo for Park Eun-bin was to consider not the feasibility, but the message her character would convey to the audience. She remarked in a media interview (m.khan.co.kr), “I don’t live to change perceptions, but I am always aware of the influence I have as an actor.” Park added, “I felt a moral responsibility for this role. After hearing the consulting professor say that a person like Woo Young-woo probably wouldn’t exist in real life, and while researching the diagnostic criteria for the autism spectrum, I wanted to create a character to convey the drama’s message. Mimicking the intonations or behaviors of real autistic individuals was definitely something to avoid.” When asked about the show’s impact, Park stated, “If the show has brought attention to the issues of autism, what counts important are the real changes that could start after the end of the show.”
Sometimes the real is less important. Park Eun-bin successfully created a character on the autism spectrum who embodies the message of the drama, summed up in a line by Woo: “My life is unusual and quirky, but it’s also valuable and beautiful,” from episode four. There are numerous blog posts under the title “Memorable Lines of Woo,” where audiences share Woo’s words that resonate with them. One of the most frequently cited lines across the Internet is Woo Young-woo’s courtroom statement: “Autistic people like me were deemed not worthy to live 80 years ago.” Woo utters this hard-to-swallow fact in defense of an autistic man falsely accused of his brother’s murder. This statement highlights the ongoing struggle against old prejudices and ignorance, reminding us that while we may believe we have moved past such biases, the reality is that much work remains to be done. It takes a character as unique as Woo Young-woo to jolt us into this realization.
Extraordinary Attorney Woo reached a high rating of 17.5% when broadcast on ENA. This is a remarkable achievement for any drama these days, especially considering that audiences spend much more time on their mobile devices for entertainment. Viewers across the globe also enjoyed the drama in various languages. The English dubbing production team made a notable choice by selecting a voice actress on the autism spectrum for Woo’s voice, while using Korean actors for the main characters, thereby respecting the cultural sensitivity of the drama. The message of Extraordinary Attorney Woo, which emphasizes seeing the beauty and value in everything, may have found sympathetic ears worldwide.
