Korean shows have been taking the global audience by storm. With the recent increase in fame with movies like Parasite and shows like Vincenzo, people are becoming more aware of K-pop shows and movies.
The K-Dramas have a unique approach which is represented well in the shows. There is a wide range of genres for every fan. Out of all these genre shows based on attorneys and legal dramas is a go-to for anyone who is looking for something profound and detailed.
Some of the shows on this list reflect the true face of society and the corruption in which we reside. Some other shows have thought about the expression of law and order and how one can get into it and bring out peace. This is a good genre; it shows how one can rely on the law to take down injustice. One Dollar Lawyer is another such legal K-Drama starring Namkoong Min, Kim Ji-Eun, Lee Je-hoon, Lee Chung-ah, Choi Dae-hoon, and Gong Min-Jung.
The plot revolves around Cheon Jihun, whose lawyer skills are a bit unusual. He only charges 1 Dollar, which is around 1,000 won, for his service, but I do not think he is cheap; he is one of the top lawyers. He fights with most rich clients and expensive lawyers who break the law.
Baek Ma-Ri is a graduate of the Judicial Research and Training Institute and works as a prosecutor’s assistant. She is quite confident and has good self-confidence. It is a good fun show that is entertaining.
If you have already watched One Dollar Lawyer, then this list has other dramas like One Dollar Lawyer. The list is in no particular order. Just look for your favorite show and get into the details of the judicial world.
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Divorce Attorney Sin
Divorce Attorney Shin is a courtroom Korean drama directed by Lim Jun Hyuk and Lee Jae Hoon. The screenplay is penned by Yoo Young Ah. It is an adaptation of a webtoon of the same name published by Kakao and written by Kan Tae Kyung.
It stars Kim Sung Kyun, Cho Seung Woo, Jung Moon Sung and Han Hye Jin. The drama revolves around Shin Sung Han, who has a major in piano and is a professor at a German university that teaches exclusively music.
But the tide turns due to a situation; he comes back to Korea and prepares to become a lawyer. He is working hard to become a divorce lawyer due to the reasons that are related to the situation (no spoilers).
In his journey, he is also joined by his childhood pals – Jo Jeong Sik and Jang Hyeong Geun, who considers themselves as youth who are 40 years old. It’s a courtroom drama with just the proper amount of comedic relief. Divorce cases are the main topic, as the title indicates. It contains the typical Korean clichés, yet they are tolerable.
It is a cup and plate drama; all the core drama elements are present such as the acting by all the actors is top-notch, they are expressive, and punches of humor are present in the episodes. The music is light which makes the whole drama light and easy on the eyes. The plot is executed aptly, making it a pleasure to watch.
Extraordinary Attorney Woo
Extra Attorney Woo is a Korean drama written by Moon Ji Won and directed by Yoo In Shik. It stars Kang Tae Oh, Park Eun bin, Baek Ji Won, and Kang Ki Young alongside other people.
The plot of the series focuses on a lawyer suffering from a disorder known as autism spectrum as she handles her life at a top law firm. She finds it tricky in social situations, but she is skilled and solves the cases assigned to her with a unique approach. This show is for someone who likes to watch how a lawyer manages things and takes control of a case.
But Eun-bin Park’s performance is the real deal-breaker. She persuades us that her character is struggling. However, she also gives us hope that she will be able to find a solution that does not go against her autism. You support her throughout the entire series. She was able to give us those feelings while also portraying a character who battled with them.
The main character is written thoughtfully; making way with a disease is not an easy task; thus, the writing of the show makes it an exciting and fun experience. Other characters around her also cope with the screen smoothly. It may feel a bit stretched out in some scenes, but it makes up with the fun and attorney element.
Law School
Law School stars Lee Jung eun, Kim Myung min, Ryu Hye young and Kim Bum. The premise of the show is based on Hankuk University Law School, where everyone is a suspect after a dead body of a professor emerges.
Now everyone is a suspect, and to prove their innocence, the gang begins to find out the killer by themselves. In the process, they discover the filthy secrets of many, and by exploring deeper, they get their suspect. Who is the killer? A student or someone else?
The viewer is prompted to reflect on their own viewpoints on issues such as appropriating another person’s intellectual permissions granted or revoked, the seemingly insignificant rules we break and the potential repercussions, and whether we will ever truly understand the world that generations other than our own lives in.
Every student has problems that surface, and they all get entangled in murder and corruption situations. The series has excellent acting and is, at times engrossing and fascinating, although it sometimes feels disconnected.
Law School is a good suspense drama that involves bright thinking and a granular scattering of the plot. For the core suspense watchers, it may become predictable, but they will too enjoy the chatter of the characters.
The series’ tension is maintained by the director. It’s a classic high mystery. The viewer is kept in suspense by the tense editing and music.
Stranger
Stranger is another high-tension drama that involves Choi Mu Sung, Cho Seung Woo, Jeon Hye Jin, and Bae Doona. It has two seasons on the air. It shows the story of a professor who doesn’t feel empathetic emotions; he teams up with Han Yeo Jin, an eccentric Police Lieutenant, to uncover the mystery of a murder and find out the killer.
The drama’s scene organization is complemented in an artistically pleasing way by the composition, which manages to be both understated and stunning at the same time.
The Stranger is your conventional killer murder mystery with a main character who is very efficient with the job. You may have seen other dramas like this, but what makes it special is the delivery and screenplay.
It keeps throwing punches your way, and the suspense and anxiety of the events almost never cease because of how the tale unfolds, how everything is related, how you may be easily distracted from the real offenders, and how everything starts to make sense all of a sudden. Stranger also explores the world as it really is, the conflict between serving the public and serving the law, and how justice always wins out in the end.
From the get-go, it feels unique and thoughtful. Each and every element in the plot looks well laid out for the viewers. Be ready to examine morality, intentions, and ethics as you torture your brain by anticipating what will be presented to you in the upcoming episode. Be prepared for tense, heartbreaking times.
Hyena
The show stars Ju Ji Hoon and Kim Hye Soo, and both of them have shown how two opposite personalities are serious about their profession and personal lives.
The female character in “Hyena” is intelligent, powerful, and incredibly avaricious; she believes that any ways of obtaining more money are wrong. The male lead is also powerful, smart, and haughty.
It is a show that will tell you the real benefit and side of being focused on life. It will also tell you how to prioritize things and navigate your life. Hyena is a good watch; the two main characters around whom the whole plot revolves complement one another well and balance the flow of the episodes.
There are zero dull moments; there is always this tension and cold fight in order to succeed. Overall, it is a good watch for someone who is looking for a competitive drama.
Witch At Court
Witch At Court is a drama that revolves around Ma Yi Deum, played by Jung Ryeo Won, who is a fierce lawyer and is willing to go to any length to win the case.
Any lengths such as tampering with evidence, faking the evidence, faking the witness, or any other malpractice will help her win. She has a sad childhood and has a trauma; she has her personal goals and just wants to make big money in life by being successful.
Yi-Deum believes she has nothing to lose when she learns that her boss lied about giving her a promotion, so she spills the beans about what she witnessed him doing to the female journalist. Because of this, she is given a position in the unwelcome special task team for sex crimes.
She is sent with Yeo Jin Wook, a newbie lawyer; when she gets deep into the web of sex crimes, she gets serious about everything and now wants to punish all the people behind these evil crimes and bring justice to the people who suffered.
It is a well-balanced show; it showcases some of the most gruesome parts of society that no one wants to talk about.
The screenplay is light and revolves around the main character, who is tackling the situations and is stuck in her life choices. The supporting characters also keep the plot moving.
Lawless Lawyer
Lawless Lawyer stars Ye Ji and Lee Joon Gi with Choi Min Soo and Lee Hye Young. The plot of the show is based on a lawless city that is handled by equally lawless lawyers.
The two lead characters are driven by their individual goals but have contrary viewpoints on the law. To take down Cha Moon Sook, who is a corrupt judge, the two of the characters join hands.
Cha Moon Sook is the reason behind the tragedies caused in the life of both characters. They grew up seeking help from the law, and by the law, they will seek revenge from the judge.
Lawless Lawyer is a fierce show; from the characters to the dialogue, everything about the show is sharp and on point.
The fighting sequences were well-planned, musical, and rhythmic, never skipping a beat and perfectly capturing the audience’s admiration and awe. The character explores the convoluted plot ideally, which makes the drama a bit more likely and easy to absorb.
The courtroom is the subject of innumerable schemes from both sides, but this one goes beyond the realm of the law. It has fantastic action, retribution as its overarching theme, fabulously complicated antagonists, exquisitely rendered supporting characters, and a terrific main duo that brings the whole relationship to life.
Ms. Hammurabi
Ms. Hammurabi puts the spotlight on the inner happenings inside the Korean judicial system and the problems that they face on a daily basis highlighting the compassion, empathy, and understanding of the truth of what goes behind delivering justice.
The show focuses on Park Cha oh Reum, who is an idealistic and passionate man about his profession as a judge and will not overlook injustice. Two other judges join her, Han Se Sang, an old judge with a tonne of experience, and Im Ba Reun, who was a prosecutor.
All of them together explore the complexities of the system, balance other cases that test their moral character, and question their belief systems.
As they pass the final verdict on each case, they must also confront their inner self and tackle their own prejudices and biases. It is a good watch; you see the three characters working in tandem while handling their individual lives and personalities.
My Lawyer, Mr. Jo
My Lawyer, Me Joe, is adapted from a webtoon from Korea by Hatzling (Kim Yang Soo). The show features Kang So Ra, Park Shin Yang, Park Sol Mi, RyubSoo Young, and others.
The plot of the drama follows Jo Deul Ho, who was the best prosecutor on the rise in the country. But when he tries to report corruption on his own firm, his life turns upside down.
The higher authority, of course, wants to save the firm, brings the fight to Deul Ho, and tries to take down his career for the crime her never did.
Years pass by. He meets Lee Eun Jo, who is a novice lawyer and is working for Deul Hos’s ex-father-in-law’s firm and trying to find the true balance and justice for himself.
Vincenzo
You must have heard this phrase that the best source of protection is now a weapon; the best source of protection is your brain. The same ideology is followed by Vincenzo Cassano. The character is played by Song Joong Ki; he is a mafia lawyer and is making a pit stop in South Korea, his home, for some unattended business (taking huge amounts of gold and returning back to Italy).
But his plans see obstacles when he meets some ragtag tenants who are not allowing the demolition of the building they live in. As he joins their cause, he gets stuck with the situation he meets Hong Cha Young, played by Jeon Yeo Bin, a fiery lawyer.
The two of them join hands to take down mammoth conglomerate Babel and are fighting a tough villain boss Jang Jun Woo played by Taecyeon. Vincenzo has his own methods to bring justice, but he is satisfied with the fact that evil can only take down evil.
We see his transparent loyalty towards the tenants of the plaza, and Hong Cha Young shows that he is the guy who is willing to go to any lengths to satisfy his hunger and needs.
The show is a rollercoaster ride; it gets violent and is filled with suspense and thrill with multiple cliffhangers. It has humor and wit that keeps the audience hooked. The momentum shown by the duo keeps the show fresh and exciting.
The Devil Judge
The premise is set up in a dystopian aura where hate is dominant, there is chaos everywhere, mercenaries and evil politicians prey on the common man, and a ruthless judge named Kang Yo Han, played by Ji Sung, thoughts to start his own courtroom trials and punish the culprits mercilessly on the basis of votes gathered against him from the citizens.
Kang is an extremist who likes to make his own rules and settles the affair as per his liking. He eats the citizens to use the rights provided to them and wants to convert them into national heroes.
Another character Kim Ga On, played by Jinyoung, who is a rookie judge with a positive attitude with a rough past, somehow gets in conflict with Yo Han.
He has had a dark past. Still, his views are uncorrupted, and his ideology is totally contrary to Yo Han, but Ho Han sees potential in him and tries to show him the true color of injustice in society.
The Devil Judge has an intriguing plot that shows modern society’s true colors and the slow corrosion of the political fabric. But the performance of each character is what drives the show; the characters of Jinyoung and Ji Sung’s on-screen presence are powerful. Despite their differences, the two of them give good scenes and moments one show does not miss.
Why Her
Soo Jae, played by Seo Hyun Jin, is a partner and lawyer at one of the biggest law firms in South Korea. She is a focused woman and has worked hard with all her will to get to the posting she is now.
She is a sharp tongue witty woman and can do anything (legal or illegal)in order to win a case. After mistakenly allowing Kim Dong Goo played by Hwang In Yepp, to suffer the punishment for a crime that he did not commit, Soo Jae accepts the mistakes and faces the consequences.
She gets suspended from the law firm and is set to a law school to teach the students and improve her tarnished image. But there also her past follows her, and to her surprise, she meets Kim Dong Goo, the same guy she mistakenly sent to jail.
She realizes that making everything right for her is far more tedious than passing a statement. Why Her is a not light-hearted fun series, it balances some serious issues like rape, murders, child abuse, and suicide.
Seo Hyun Jin shines; she carries each scene she is into the top. Soo Jae also accepts flaws and vulnerabilities and doesn’t look for empathy from anyone.
The drama doesn’t make her the hero of the story. Rather, it shows how things pan out because of a misstep. All in all, it is a well-balanced show with thoughtful characters, a detailed plot, and a story that feels granular and fresh.
I Hear Your Voice
I Hear Your Voice is one of the top-rated shows and is one of the fan’s favorites on this list. The show has increased viewership by every season and also was extended by two new episodes.
The plot focuses on Park Soo Ha, played by Lee Jong Suk, who is a 19-year-old and has an inborn ability to read someone’s inner thoughts just by looking at the person; he got his ability while witnessing the murder of his father when he was a child.
The murder got overlooked as an accident, but Jang Hye Sung, a teen, testifies against the culprit, who is put into prison. This leaves a deep impression on Soo Ha, who promises to protect Hye Sung.
Time passes by, and both of them are grown together, an adult Hye Sung played by Lee Bo Young, is now a sole public defender who is not interested in the lives how her clients, Soo Ha stands with her with total loyalty and admiration to fight a murderer who is let out of prison and is planning for revenge.
I Hear Your Voice shows many plots blended with the main story; different cases and stories show how the law made by humans are not absolute and show be questioned from time to time.
Lee Bo Young is a skilled, versatile actor, just like Soo Ha. Both deliver a good performance by complementing each other on screen. The courtroom scenes are an example of their chemistry and tandem.
While You Were Sleeping
This K-drama combines the legal, romantic, and fantastical genres, albeit occasionally, the romance takes precedence over the other two. Three primary characters—a reporter, a rookie prosecutor, and a police officer—are the core of the program.
We watch the team attempting to avert tragic occurrences before it’s too late since Nam Hong-Joo has the capacity to see them.
It demonstrates how the individuals you encounter during your former lives may have an impact on you in the present and maybe in the future. It demonstrates how your decisions and deeds may have an impact on your life and that of your friends, family, or even someone you pass on the street.
It is highly heartwarming because of the chemistry between Nam Hong-Joo and Jung Jae-chan. The team’s efforts to uncover the mystery and the mystery itself, however, are what makes the show unpredictable and grip the audience.
It is emphasized that most drama is so realistically shown that it virtually accurately reflects how Koreans behave. If, as in this scenario, they are indeed subject to popular opinion. It’s astounding how certain individuals try to sway public opinion through the media.
Whisper
Whisper, which has a great emphasis on legal corruption, mixes a determined investigator with a forgiving judge to expose the truth about Taebaek, the largest law practice in the country.
However, the novel goes well beyond only highlighting large corporations and those battling against injustice to explore the human aspect of these individuals.
The show takes use of the opportunity to appeal to the emotions of the audience by highlighting the financial struggles Shin Young-Joo (Lee Bo-young) and her family are facing.
After a few episodes, when all the major antagonists have been thoroughly established, and we get a better understanding of how convoluted their connection is.
The viewing experience may be enhanced by slowing down the pace, spending more time developing some intrigue, eliminating certain ridiculous maneuvers, and giving some antagonists a more complex personality. At the end of the day, this is fantastic entertainment.
As it raises the argument that not everyone in these industries comes from rich origins, it also makes the narrative more realistic.
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