Miss Hammurabi (2018)

Underrated drama of the challenges/decisions of Court Judges

8/11/2021

I am pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoy watching this drama. I don't think this drama is recommended enough. First and foremost, this is NOT a crime or legal drama about court cases. You will be disappointed if you are expecting well-thought out criminal investigations or legal battles. The court cases serve as a means to tell the stories of court judges. This is why the drama is so unique, as we don't often hear the behind-the-scene career crises that judges face, whether you are a rookie judge or a senior judge.

The cases are those that happen in real life for normal people. Trigger Warning - the drama covers sexual assault/rape cases, as well as depression, family expectations, inheritance battle, custody battle, and teen drug use. I read that this drama is written by a real life court judge. No wonder those challenges faced by the judges felt so real.

I really like the character development of our ML. He went from an introverted, anti-social, logical and rational judge, to be come a more "human" judge through the influence of FL and his colleagues. I like the FL fine but find her character a little unprofessional and immature to be a judge in the beginning of the series. And this is why I didn't give this drama a 9 rating instead of a 8.5. Even though I understand her character has to be unique and vastly different from our ML and other judges to make a difference, it's still unrealistic for her to be that emotionally unprofessional in the beginning. I also love the bromance between our ML and 2ML. They are frenemies to start but really develop a strong bond throughout the show. They are so funny together. The supporting cast of judges, court employees and aunties provide many comedic moments as well.

Romance plays a very small part in this drama, so don't expect a rom-com/fluffy romance from our main leads. Instead it's a slower romance that develops naturally and very understated. I do love seeing the shy smiles from our ML. He's such a cutie with those adorable pimples! He's the reason why I chose to watch this drama to begin with. The second lead romance is a lot funnier and fluffier. They provide such good comic relief.

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La jeunesse idéaliste peu parfois faire bouger les lignes et avancer les choses !

Ce que j’en pense :

Eh bien, beaucoup de bien !! Tout est dans la confrontation d’une jeune idéaliste à la réalité, à la fois de la Justice qui n’est que ce qu’elle est : humaine, donc faillible, et de la hiérarchie administrative, avec deux lourds handicaps : elle est jeune, elle est femme !! Il n’y a aucun travail d’enquête dans le drama, l’affaire arrive bouclée devant les juges et à eux de se dépatouiller avec le dossier et leur propre lecture dudit dossier.
Par le biais des procès et de la vie des juges on va avoir un aperçu de la persistance tenace du sexisme, malgré, soyons juste une bonne tendance à l’amélioration, à la difficulté de sortir de la fameuse morale « suivant que vous soyez puissant ou misérable les jugements de cour vous ferons blancs ou noirs »
Des amitiés se nouent, des amours commencent, des haines s’installent ,des rancunes se tissent, la vie, quoi ! Juste ce qu’il faut de romance pour éclairer tout ça, mais ce n’est clairement pas le but de l’histoire !
La fin, belle et bonne, ne tombe pas dans le bisounours grâce à un départ, et à la tonalité générale plutôt nostalgique des dernières scènes.

Les acteurs sont excellents, justes, sincères, ils nous font croire à leur personnage (un méchant peut-être un poil caricatural ?? Mais si peu ! ) et un grand bravo au juge Han, Sung Dong Il est vraiment génial, Go Ara pleine de sensibilité et L(je déteste ce pseudo ridicule ) est parfait, donnant une belle profondeur à un personnage en demi-teinte qui ne s’impose pas en « jeune premier » classique.
Je ne me souviens pas de chansons sauf une seule que j’aimais bien, donc de ce côté-là c’est tout bon !

Drama à voir pour sa chaleureuse humanité !

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Miss Hammurabi is a Korean legal drama about the life judges in the courts of Seoul with both serious and comedic notes. It is about a fair cool-headed judge, and a newly appointed overly sympathetic judge who is always on the lookout for injustice and has trouble keeping herself level headed at times who work together at 44th Civil Affairs Department at the Seoul Central District. This drama tackled various important issues including corruption in the justice system, abuse in the workplace, drug addiction, sexual harassment , etc. The cast of this drama was great. Kim Myungsoo and Go Ara were great at playing the cool-headed judge Im Ba Reun and the newbie justice seeking judge Park Cha Oh Reum. My favourite character is the wise, caring, and emotional Chief Judge Han who is their mentor. The soundtrack fit the drama well. Overall, I would totally recommend this drama.

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Since we live in a world where people always look into shows and talk about it, the issue brought by "Miss Hammurabi" it's extremely important. Important themes as sexual harassment and the role of women in the work's place need to be approached, and this drama does this in a soft but remarkable way.

As I said before, Im Ba Reun (Kim Myung Soo) was a male lead that did his job letting the real protagonist shows up. The story didn't about him, but about Park Cha Oh Reum (Go Ah Ra) and her boldness to change everything around her, and this was shown a lot here. The most impressive thing to me was the fact that nobody of the characters was perfect. Ba Reun starts as a rigid and insensitive judge that had to learn to make a balance in his point of view, and the same happens with Oh Reum, that was pure emotion and had to learn to see the processes with more impartiality. It was amazing to see all characters learn and grow with each other.

A low point for me was the romance, unfortunately. For me, see their relationship growing up was amazing and I loved the fact that Oh Reum didn't fall for Ba Reun immediately because this made the process be more real. But I really missed more of their relationship being showed in the drama. Ba Reun was so cute and they were so cute together... I just wanted to see more. My empty was filled with Jung Bo Wang (Ryu Deok Hwan) and Lee Do Yeon (Lee Elijah), the cutest second couple that I had seen these days! I had to contend with their relationship and be frustrated with ReunReum couple.

Besides the important issues approach in this drama, I have to say that the script wasn't one of the bests in my opinion. Many times I got confused with the episodes and the drastic changes of posture in some characters from nowhere. The edition also didn't bring my attention. The idea of put the thoughts being narrated was interesting in the beginning, but, with the following episodes, I started to get tired with so many narratives and conversations just happening in the mind of the characters. The OST, in another way, was pretty beautiful, even just one song being played in the most part of the time (I think this is an issue in dramas with heavy themes).

To finish, I'll put this one as a "pretty good one" (★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★). Some things in the production and script could be better, but the message and the way how the story shows the weakness and strongness to be a human and to follow real justice made this drama worth it.

Honorable mention to the explanation of the meaning of the expression "apple of my eye". I never heard an explanation like that and made me think a lot! I loved it!

I just finished "Tale of the nine-tailed" and I'm recovering now. I'll write about it later! Wait for it!

See you soon!
XOXO, Mari.

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A drama that depicts issues in society!

The male lead and female lead do have amazing chemistry because they are polar opposites in their personalities. The FL is head-strong, impulsive, passionate while the ML is reserved, introverted, and prudent. Their romance story is portrayed well, but it could be a lot better. The drama mostly revolves around social and other issues in society, and romance comes secondary to that! As the plot progresses there is comedy added through supporting characters.

The secondary couple in this show OUTSHINE the main couple, and there is basically no comparison between the 2 couples. The secondary couple is the best! Lee Elijah did a phenomenal job and her chemistry with her partner is outstanding! They deserve more screen time, but due to the drama's primary focus of social issues, etc it's not possible to give the 2nd couple as much screen time as one would like!

Overall the drama is amazing with great OST, acting, & plot! The ending is really nice and touching! Enjoyed watching it! The plot progresses well and there aren't many parts where you feel like you're watching filler episodes to kill screen time!

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I really dislike giving an opinion when I didn’t finish entirely a drama.
But I really love dramas about the judicial system even when they’re portraying impossible situations like in « Your Honor ».
But Go Ara’s character and the way she interpreted it... i just couldn’t.
Obviously in a lot of dramas, because it is not reality, you can see how humans feelings and « sense of justice » are important even when facing the law.
And I get it, it’s a drama, not a documentary on the judicial system.
but Miss Hammurabi is going too far, Go ara’s character is constantly crying and whining, thinking about the victim’s Feelings instead of being objective.
How can she be a judge ?
And Go ara’s acting didn’t make it better.
In conclusion, If you wanna watch a legal drama, I do not recommend this one.

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PLOT: Ambitious but too idealistic
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More than entertainment, this show offers food for thought through a social critique of not only South Korean culture, but of society as a whole. It presents problems by putting the status quo on trial, allowing us to witness the protagonists fight tooth and nail to change the way we think of "justice".

Though this is an inspirational show, the overdramatization of some of the cases results in a rose-tinted version of an otherwise realistic scenario. By presenting cases in black and white, with very few shades of grey, the writers also discouraged any surprises. The show could've benefitted from some variety in regards to the cases, showing that trend they set wasn't absolute.

Other than that, however, it was an enjoyable ride.

MAIN CHARACTERS: Provocative
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One of the thing that's worth highlighting is the interactions between the two leads. This is a story of Idealism (Judge Park) meeting Cynicism (Judge Im) and striking a balance between their views. The saying "opposite attracts" is perfectly portrayed and it allowed for a lot of positive character growth.

Park Cha Oh Reum (female lead, played by Go Ah Ra): Her character is the embodiment of idealism. Though she overcame a brutal experience, she came out the other side fighting. She's passionate, justice-driven, solution-oriented, courageous and generous. But she's also bias, judgemental, emotionally-driven and reckless. She's someone who isn't afraid of her emotions and isn't easily swayed by others' opinions... but she also has a hard time accepting advice from whoever disagrees with her views. Despite her popular opinions, Judge Park risks her career and takes a stand. In so doing, she inspires those around her to join her cause, showing that change can only be accomplished when one has the imagination to think it possible and the courage to make it so.

Im Ba Reun (male lead played by L): He's the embodiment of cynicism. He follows the rules, acts by precedent, rarely questions the evidence and keeps his emotions on a tight leash. Being an introvert, Judge Im struggles to voice his thoughts and can't help dismissing Judge's Park extroversion as craziness at first. The change in his character is gradual, subtle but constant. We know about it because we get to hear his honest thoughts; those words that he leaves unspoken due to the anxiety caused by his social awkwardness. Yet despite accepting the status quo, Judge Im shows he's willing to listen to other peoples' views, even if --or especially if they contradicted his own. That adaptability and open-mindedness push him to step out of his comfort zone and embrace change. Out of the entire cast, Judge Im is probably the most relatable.

PORTRAYAL OF THEIR TEAMWORK: A match made in heaven
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The balance the leads managed to strike despite (or maybe because) of their extreme views made the show come alive. While Judge Im was prone to think rather than act; Judge Park was prone to act without thought. Her recklessness would oftentimes force him into action. But at the same time, his caution would oftentimes force some restraint on her.

So, in a way, Judge Park was like fire. Though necessary for survival, fire without a construct to keep it in check or guide it can become destructive. That's where Judge Im steps in. He's the pyramid of wood for Judge Park's fire, capable of making her fire last longer and shine brighter. The beauty of their teamwork resides in their interdependency. No part can function to its full potential without the other.

PORTRAYAL OF ROMANCE: Like a candle
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The romance between Oh Reum and Im Ba was treated as a constant sub-plot, but it never detracted from the real story. The romance isn't portrayed as a raging fire, which is the norm for many K-dramas. Instead, we get a love that burns tenuously, like a candle. The flame is small, fragile but beautiful. It lights the whole room, provides comfort and eventually guides our characters towards one another.

Here are some of the highlights:
1) The romance is in the yearning and admiration, which creates tension that never turns hostile or detracts from the narrative.
2) These two really have each others' back and I appreciated that they found their footing as friends first.
3) No unnecessary love triangle or misunderstandings, it was pretty straightforward.
4) It was gradual, so it made it much sweeter when they got there.

ANTAGONIST: Status quo
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Although there were antagonistic characters, the status quo was portrayed as the real (and more frightful) opponent. By presenting controversial subjects, the writers question whether we should let precedent dictate the solutions or if we should start thinking outside the box.

OVERALL: Recommended
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This is definitely worth watching for its powerful social critique and its unique female lead. This is a show that will make you emotionally invested, will have you thinking for days and, overall, ends on a satisfying note.

Some of the trials may hit too close to home for some, so keep that in mind if you are very sensitive, as there are no trigger-warnings. Another thing of note is that the pacing of this show slow. There's no overuse of drama to create conflict and no over-the-top romantic moments to spice things up. Even the comedy is sparse, with a serious note taking over most of the show.

But if you're looking for a thought-provoking narrative, complex characters, and interesting human interactions, you've come to the right place.

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This drama is honestly infuriating. I can guess where the creators were trying to take it, unfortunately it just falls short. The best way I can think of to describe this drama is 'agenda driven'. The message the show is trying to convey is too heavy-handed, and it doesn't feel natural.
First of all, what I noticed right from the start is that the show deals too much with cases concerning sexual assault and harassment. It gets very, very repetitive and the motiff of harrassment is also brought up outside of the courtoom. Not only does it seem like every other case they deal with concerns sexual misconduct, the very first scene of the first episode is the main heroine confronting a groper on the subway. One of the earlier episodes has a scene where a female court employee is harrassed by a group of men late at night. The main protagonist, portrayed by Go Ara, has also been the victim of sexual harassment in the past, not just once, but twice. The fact that sexual misconduct seems to be a heavy focus of the show really gets tiring, especially considering the fact that the show takes a very biased approach. They seem to portray this problematic matter in a very one-sided manner, that seems extremely condescending not only to the victims, because they are allways shown as weak, frail and unable to stand up for themselves, but also for us as viewers. Go Ara's characters takes these cases very personally, and is eventually able to draw the male protagoninsts onto her side, and none of them seem to take a level-headed approach. The show seems hell-bent on portraying all men as sexual predators, and every woman as a poor victim, oppresed both by society and the men around her.
Go Ara's character is very nosy, can't seem to mind her own business and is extremely emotionally invested in the wellbeing of every single one of her female co-workers. She seems to think that they all need her help, speaks of them as "weak" and "underprivileged" and this behaviour, while it may seem like the right thing to do at first, is extremely condescending. Im Ba Reun is completely unable to confront her on any of her foolish ideas, and just goes along with them, even though he should know better. He never scolds her for being too emotionally invested, and for this extreme hero complex of hers.
In conclusion, this show clearly has an agenda, and it's making it almost unwatchable for me. However, when it takes a break from that and takes a more light-hearted approach, when it deals with cases of different nature (not concerning sexual misconduct) then it becomes very enjoyable. I'm just not sure whether the good parts weigh out the bad parts. I most certainly do not recommend it. If you're looking for a great court drama, I suggest Remember with Yoo Seung Ho. That one is much, much better.

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This drama has been on my plan to watch list since it came out. I was super excited that it finally came to Viki and started it almost immediately. Unfortunately, I am not a fan of how the story *feels*. The drama doesn't have enough light/comedic moments to truly lighten the tone to have more cheerful moments. I also do not like any of the character relationship dynamics (ranging from the main characters interacting with their coworkers to their families). And one of the most disappointing aspects is that I did not find the way the characters to be written to be enjoyable even though I adore many of the actors starring in this drama.

I also found this drama to be pretty boring with nothing really peaking my interest.
I wouldn't say that this drama is bad or that it's overrated, I just did not find the drama to be enjoyable enough to hold my attention and even though I only watched the first 2 episodes, that's definitely enough time to determine if there's anything promising to encourage me to continue watching. And unfortunately, Miss Hammurabi did not have that special something for me.

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Desapontada

Adoro dramas judiciais por isso e também por várias criticas positivas vim assistir esse drama porém já no segundo episódio já me vi adiantando e desmotivada e aqui vai o principal motivo do meu desgosto e pela minha desistência desse show nada mais é que a Protagonista feminina sim ela foi a razão de estragar todo a história para mim, eu entendo que a pessoa pode ser boa e querer fazer o bem mais o personagem dela era irritante,forçada , constantemente intrometida sem ser objetiva parecia uma criança afinal diversas ações dela era infantil ela só pensava em como ela se sentia , como tudo tinha que ser feito como ela queria se não fosse assim fazia birra e chorava definitivamente ela não tinha perfil nenhum para o cargo que ocupava.
O protagonista masculino fez o seu melhor porém não me convenceu achei sem atitude meio sem vida ele era um personagem apagado.
Esse drama foi muito cansativo não conseguiu me prender, em fim não é para mim.

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