My first KDrama experience was during my MFA Summer ESL at CCA, when I watched the drama “You’re Beautiful” in Korean with subtitles in the YouTube Channel. It was quiet frustrating for me. I was interested in the drama because, it was close to our Indian movie which included songs.
This was a nice mix of better versioned Indian serials with music. Since it was boy bands and cross dressing, a fad that I fell for in Shakespearean play starting with “The Twelfth Night.” The female lead’s struggle to hold a male identity was excitingly nervous for me.
Back as a student, I didn’t decern whether there were any messages. My entire focus was on learning the cadence of the language. When I returned to Chennai, my TV viewership was minimal. I was selective as to what I watched.
Viewership Began as Language Learning
While learning language in schools are two dimensional but when you try to learn through enacted drama it more diverse. The idioms, turn of phrases, facial expressions, and nuances of the language are best learnt.
So, during my initial viewing from the free portal DramaFever dotcom. I only tried to understand the language, the people, the customs, and the dialects. In almost three years stay in the US I had 350 hours of Language and Culture exposure.
Sometimes, it was so addictive that, I had used them as research materials for my writing. Some dramas had slow start and quicker follow-on, while some dramas had a newness of understanding a different culture altogether.
The surprising thing was the Asian roots of the past made it easy to resonate with the drama themes. Though the villains and vamps were a little scary for me not scarier than Tamil serials.
Slow and Steady Ramp Up
There was a break in my viewership due to lack of proper streaming channel. The YouTube videos were snippets. So, in 2013 when Rakuten hooked up, I subscribed to the streaming platform.
Because of work my viewership was just a few half-hours to a maximum 2 hours per day ration, maybe a little more in weekends. Now, I don’t know if my being in Chennai environment or lack of time, my interest shifted to scanning and to gatekeeping each show.
I began to read drama synopsis, ratings (not a deciding factor!), or check for known actors. Sometimes, the fun is to go with the support actors in selection of dramas to view. Then, one gets a nice mix of comedy.
Careful Viewership Adventures in Netflix
When Tata Play offered Netflix options along with Viki OTT, now the collection of dramas increased with Television viewing. Here also, I tend to pick drama post reading up synopsis in the My Dramalist dotcom.
The drama series in Netflix are much bolder than in Viki. Programs are more socially conscious and meaningful with a touch of panache. The series “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” (2022) had loads of panache.
Central Theme | Extent of Social Inclusivity
박은빈 | Park Eun-bin: This versatile actor plays the role of Woo Young Woo with Autism. The entire pack of actors who performed either major or minor roles all of them did justice to their characters, while all strived to keep it authentic.
All the lawyers with specific quirks were convincing. While tracing Young Woo’s career map and life, the plot explored autistic genius Attorney Woo’s efforts to be taken seriously without the negative social view on the condition.
The mix of her passion for whales and how each case was woven into the series that they could stand alone and yet be a character growth arc. With each case Attorney Woo overcomes her hurdles in life and her career.
Whales and Whale-Talk
I found her affection for whales are endearing. The scriptwriter’s buildup this as a specific character trait, as a refrain. These show up as her comfort zone and as breakthrough for her case, in an often visually chaotic world around her.
Her dating place and activities are quiet appealing to understand her more. Her love interest Joon-oh, Lee played by Kang Tae-oh was well orchestrated to show how it affects their relationship.
Their disagreements are adorable and disarming preset expectations. Joon-oh and Woo Young relationship slips and slides into acceptance while kissing scenes were beautifully woven into the plot progress.
Ending Was Done with Finesse
The revolving door was the first time that Lee Joon-oh and Woo Young Woo meet and the series ends at the revolving door when she experiences the feeling of achievement being able to enter her office.
I liked the fact that they did not stereo type ending with a wedding scene. Her struggles in life were not about being bullied for being different from others. But it is also about good friends she makes along the way to living a happy fulfilling life.
Each episode of this series was an eyeopener for me. There were many mini endings throughout the series with the completion or winning of the case. Not all cases ended on happy notes; but they are growth pointers for the characters.
Changes That Endure Differences
It is not just the main leads who undergo change, the support characters also have a good arc of completion. I always felt when series depend only on one character or characters effort then, it is not wholesome viewing.
There are many good dramas with plots that place importance on support characters’ arc of progress too. To achieve this the plot may need to be prolonged but in short episodic series the is dispensed off.
The various characters come to an understanding of their own personal struggle with Attorney Woo. Be it acceptance, their relationship with her, or faith in her skills. It is not centred around just the female lead.
360 Degrees View of the Series
I found this series interesting and concerned for the Woo Young Woo. Keeping the infotainment factor at optimum level to explore human emotions of a person with autism spectrum disorder.
It is a social commentary of life and lifestyles that people assume is the accepted norm of the society. While showing there are different kind of lifestyle and life for the person whose communication might be different from the average person.
My takeaway from this series is that there are different kinds of people. Discrimination based on their external appearance and behaviour should stop. The hope is that the non-special schools would bring out students with an open mindset.
Understanding leads to acceptance of someone is who a special human struggling to be understood. When humaneness is a lesson taught to children at a young age then, maybe change is right around the corner of the next generation of young people!
Sources and Research Assistance:
Case summaries and contextual explanations for Extraordinary Attorney Woo were supported by insights from ChatGPT (OpenAI), retrieved on May 7, 2025.
Additional details referenced from:
Itinerant Storyteller 