Law School (2021)

A gem of a Legal drama

Short: A very clever legal drama, if you enjoy the legal dramas where it's all about winding your way through the "devil in the detail" clauses and exceptions, the machinations and maneuverings of the various characters as they try and achieve their goals and all on the legal stage then you will absolutely love this. I think it comes off really pretentious, but is perhaps justified through its quality. "We Are" sound track still going around and around in my head too!

Detail:
I'll start by explaining the use of the word "pretentious" above. It was the first thing I was thinking as the drama starts, wow, this one is taking itself SUPER seriously... deep voices, stern comments, powerful people, important phrases and people reflecting sternly and importantly on the statue of Lady Justice. In the first episode especially, it's almost too much, I remember thinking "oh geez just get over yourself and get on with it". It does lighten up, but this tone persists throughout.

Now that i've finished it however, I think it earns the right. There's a lot of detail and effort gone into the story and some really clever twists and turns as the characters fight to gain the upper hand through the use of the law. It definitely feels like you're watching a chess game played by experts.

Characters are great, they have flaws and strengths. Sol-A was definitely my favourite - she's the complete underdog, the under achiever, she barely belongs in the university at all and is struggling to keep her grades high enough. But what she lacks there, she over compensates with her drive and passion and when the genie is unlocked proves that she at least as good as everyone else.

I thought that Sol-B's issues were also nicely done too, there's a common thread in many dramas about how the wealthy are often driven horribly by parents who place unreasonable demands on them, and I liked how this one was handled. It was a well played character and must have been quite challenging to both write and embody, she's cold and has flat expressions and constant tone but she's not uncaring or unfeeling and she's there for her fellow students and friends.

There was one scene that I thought just felt really off, and it was another "oh here we go taking ourselves too seriously again" moment, in the court, one of the characters is in the defense and the professor is her defense council. At a key moment he announces sternly and proudly, that he we will be resigning as council, shocks and gasps from the viewing gallery... and then he says he will allow his student (the defendant) to use her write to defend herself and proceeds to turn the whole thing into a lecture, even at one point rebuking the prosecution when they object to something by saying "in MY lectures, there are no objections", completely ignoring that this is actually a court room and a real proceeding... but it's ok because the judge also forgets that too, so we carry on with the "lecture" :) I mean it's not the end of the world, it worked for the character development very well, allowing him to empower the girl to find her strength and stand up for herself in a situation where she'd otherwise been on the receiving end of everyone elses manipulations.

Overall it's a superbly written story, if you like the legal maneuverings and careful interpretations of phrases, all that super detailed stuff that's the essence of the law, then you will find that in spades here. There's some great twists, great characters, fun moments too, and a nice sound track (the song "we are" is still going around in my head and will be for some time i'm sure!).

Definitely recommended.

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Well built, but with an uninteresting villain.

Somehow the legal plots have always attracted me, the construction of its world, its mysteries and entanglements are interesting to see.

The series portrays some little-seen topics in Korean series, at least within the mainstream, including sexual abuse and harassment, manipulation of the media, corruption of the authorities, murder, among others.

I would especially like to talk about how the issue of sexual abuse is approached, from the beginning we see that Jeon Ye Seul and Ko Young Chang maintain an abusive relationship, although as a spectator we realize this, it seems that for the environment in which that the characters exist, these abuse problems are not so clear, until the physical effects of the abuse (blows) are seen. The situation that Ye Seul lives is unfortunately the situation experienced by a large number of women, who under the idea of ​​being "loved" endure being in a relationship where they are damaged; when the problem escalates to sexual abuse and manipulation through an explicit video and everything goes to trial, one of the topics discussed is the public scrutiny that her character receives and how the defense thinks to justify the whole situation by a alleged infidelity in their courtship, which speaks very deeply about how society (in this case Korean, but actually appeals to practically all societies) is more willing to judge women and blame them for the problems of abuse that can lead to live in your relationships.

This theme is one of the best explored in the series and Go Yoon Jung's performance is brilliant, the evolution of his character is brilliantly well treated, although we see moments where his character suffers and doubts and makes bad decisions, in the end we see how he overcomes all obstacles, and how he has found his own path both personally and professionally and even how he found the strength to help people who live the same situation that she once lived in their own flesh.

Now speaking of the main theme of the series, it is also very well treated, from the beginning it generates intrigue, and the way in which Yang Jong Hoon, Kim Eun Sook, Han Joon Hwi and Kang Sol [A] are involved in the conflict at times does make you doubt their intentions, but as the series progresses and we get to know them better it is impossible not to become fond of them, I think my only complaint in itself is with respect to Ko Hyeong Soo, since this character is the typical bad guy, we don't know so much about him beyond his ambition for power and we never really see an evolution or internal struggle, so it seems to me that he is the least interesting character in the whole series, perhaps I would have enjoyed more than the conflict would have included a "villain" with more nuances and with whom the public could feel more connected.

Another of the conflicts I have with the series is Kang Dan, we really don't know much about her and when she returns we don't see her solve her conflicts with her family either, when she is supposed to run away from home and has not maintained contact with them in a long time; which initially seemed to be a conflict for her sister, but afterwards she is given absolutely no explanation and serves more as a “deux-machina” to solve the plot of the series, it is an easy resource to give her a solution in the last episodes.

Han Joon Hwi and Kang Sol [A] are the most interesting characters in the series, because the two of them are just innocent students when all the conflict begins and they are involved, many of the things they believed are broken, little by little they even come to doubt the course of the laws, however they never give in to all the bad things that are happening around them, they trust that the only tool they have to fight is the law and they cling to that ideal, their convictions become every stronger, until they truly become top lawyers, following the example of their mentor Yangcrates.

The last topic that I would like to explore is the manipulation of the media, it is well known how important image is when we talk about politics (especially in societies like Korea, where reputation and appearance are more important than achievements) and what some people are able to do to get good comments from them in the media (even if they are not true), I found it very interesting how we see that on the show, the basements with people who dedicate themselves day and night to producing content and comments false in order to harm or benefit one or the other, and how this seems to be so easy to control if you have the appropriate amount of money.

It is possible to combine in a very good way, the fact that most of the characters are university students, so despite being surrounded by a world of corruption, they still have to deal with the normal things of any university: grades, exams, friendships, loves, parents, etc; and within what is possible, it is possible to maintain a certain youthful spirit, especially with characters like Min Bok Gi and Jo Ye Bum, on many occasions, they lighten the emotional load of the series.

The main advantage of Law School are the performances, the entire cast does an incredible job, they are truly committed to their roles and they achieve a good mix between the seriousness of their occupations and the situations that you are living and the normality of being students trying to survive a little longer, especially Kim Bum and Kim Myung Min did a spectacular job, they felt so comfortable in their roles, and despite using a lot of legal terminology the show does a good job of explaining well the necessary points to understand what happens in court and in his studies.

The series, in its quality, does not disappoint in any aspect, the direction, the photography, the script, the montage are very well done and create a show with a more compelling atmosphere.

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I heard about Law School when it came out, but was never really interested since it gave me How to Get Away With Murder vibes. But then one day my boyfriend and I were just looking for a show to watch and I'm glad I gave it a shot!

Right at the beginning of the show, a professor gets murdered and a lot of the plot revolves around figuring out what really happened and looking at all of the possible suspects / getting to know the backstories of different characters. It's a show that hooks you in and keeps you guessing, and I think all of the characters were really well fleshed out and interesting. As the audience, you keep questioning the motives of people and if they are the bad guys or not but I also liked seeing the friendships in the show as it progressed. The study group of law students truly became friends and supported each other, and there is a very subtle kind of romance between Sol A and Han Joon-Hwi although it never really gets explored.

The show has this murder case at the heart of the plot, but along the way explores the relationships between people, how good people can make terrible mistakes and conversely, how people are also capable of doing the right thing even when it's not easy.

I found the ending a bit weird in that I would have liked more details on what happened to the villain of the story and I would have liked to have seen more of Kang Dan, but I enjoyed the show and would watch a second season if it came out. And I haven't seen Kim Bum in what feels like forever, but he still looks so young! I still remember him from Boys Over Flowers, so it's nice to see him in a drama again.

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It'll keep you on the edge of your seat

I didn't really have high expectations coming into this drama because it's not the type of genre that I usually watch. To be honest, the first few episodes were quite slow and it was a little difficult to get through. However, the drama really started to pick up speed and became much more interesting towards the end.

Story:
The story was written really well and was filled with plot twists and unexpected turns. However, I would have liked to know what happened with Jin Hyung Woo at the end.

Acting:
The acting throughout the drama was excellent. The characters were cast really well, especially for Professor Yang, I really enjoyed his acting throughout the drama. The other characters were great as well and the acting was quite natural.

Overall:
It was a great and very enjoyable drama. It definitely gets better towards the end, so don't give up in the beginning!

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I AM ON A LITERAL HIGH THIS WAS SO GOOD UGH
i remember when berrii watched this when it was airing and she was always screaming about the episodes in her stories and now i get the hype omg this was so good aaaaaaaaaa
the story starts with sei byungju being murdered and from there in starts a string of other cases / truths being untold until all the knots in the story are let loose. i loved how soo many cases led back to one man. also the way they always kept us in iur toes like ud be swooning over a character in this episode and he would be betraying everyone un the next. i like crime dramas anyways and this was just fabulous
the cast was so good i fell in love with all of them. like only han joonhwi, seo jihoe and kang soo were nown actors other than them everyone else was unknown and their acting was so too notch. i loved sunjae and was pretty bummed cuz he didnt have much scenes. also seo jihoe >> i have only seen him in bad roles and assumed he would do one like that again lmao
all in all this is a really good crime drama, will always keep u in ur toes like literally the flow of the cases change every 10 mins or so lmao.

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THE BEST LEGAL DRAMA EVER!

Legal dramas are a hit or miss, usually. It caters to a specific type of audience and definitely not everyone’s cup of tea. You would seldom hear someone say, “Let’s watch a legal drama for healing or to past time.” It requires your full attention, and it can’t be played in the background while you’re doing another task. That’s why when a legal drama receives so much attention and praise, you know it’s ~that~ good. And yes, long story short, Law School is worth checking out!
Yang Jong-Hoon (Kim Myung-Min) is a former prosecutor. He is now a professor at a prestigious law school. He is straightforward and tends to unleash biting remarks. Students don’t like him because of this, but Yang Jong-Hoon does not care what his students think of him. Yang Jong-Hoon is focused on cultivating personnel for the law field, members who will be able to contribute meaningfully. Professor Kim Eun-Sook (Lee Jung-Eun) is his only colleague that he can speak openly.
Kang Sol (Ryoo Hye-Young) and Han Joon-Hwi (Kim Beom) are first-year law school students. Kang Sol barely got into law school. She comes from poor family background. At school, she is surrounded by students who are smart and come from wealthy backgrounds. She feels insecure and even shameful due to her background. Kang Sol slowly learns about the true legal profession. Han Joon-Hwi is at the top among first-year law school students. He is an attractive young man with leadership qualities, but he has a secret.

I thought they would take the episodic route of taking case studies per week, but they did not. Instead, they focused on the main characters’ background stories, incorporate them into the main premise, and built a solid story from there. It’s also unexpected for me to ship a non-OTP this much that I am shaken.
Murders and corruption aside, the drama is actually a slice-of-life drama about the life of law students. Everyone in the freshmen squad is relatable in terms of how they handle their academics. Of course, Kang Sol A (Ryu Hye-young) leads them as the most kindred spirit in the study group. She struggles in both finances and academics – but she never gives up. She barely passes her exams, yet she pulls through with the help of her reliable friends. Aside from her good nature, Sol A is also a filial daughter and sister. She genuinely cares for her family without hesitation.

Anyway, as a character, Joon-hwi had so much depth, and Kim Bum portrayed him convincingly. He was an orphaned boy whose beloved uncle got killed by an unknown murderer. He was even one of the prime suspects but he managed to prove himself innocent while still attending his classes. Whew! Joon-hwi didn’t even have the time to grieve in silence because he was too busy balancing his academics and solving his uncle’s untimely death. I’d like to think that this was also why SolHwi never materialized because it’s just too much for a student to handle these overwhelming emotions all at once. Even though there was no legit confirmation of SolHwi, deep in my heart, I know that Prosecutor Han and Lawyer Kang was the endgame.

My favorite Yangcrates moment was when he was able to break Ye-seul’s wall by effectively questioning her in the witness stand – law school style. Ye-seul was deeply hurt and in a state of denial and shock. She couldn’t even identify the difference between love and abuse, but Prof. Yang was able to shake her and let her realize what she’s fighting for and whom she’s fighting against.

To be honest, the drama felt dragging halfway and the revelation of Lee Man-ho (Jo Jae-ryong) as the real killer with Assemblyman Ko Hyeong-su (Jung Won-joong) as the main bad guy were underwhelming. Or maybe because I expected this to be an over-the-top whodunit series when in fact, it’s just a simple story with complex characters. What do you think?

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Law School (2021) - The law is imperfect justice. But when you teach law, the law must be perfect. And when you study law, it must be synonymous with justice. Because unjust law is the most cruel violence. - Yang Jong Hoon.

The drama itself isn't something amazing but it worked out and stood out among the dramas I have watched. First time to see a drama in a law school setting, with students and all. Though the drama doesn't really revolve around the school but I like it they also showcased the pressure and hardwork of the students studying law.

Yang Jong Hoon is my favorite character. He was a fit actor for the role and I think the last time I watched him being in a strict role is from the korean drama A New Leaf, and to think that he was not totally serious throught out that drama. This drama though, he is consistent with his being strict and I really look forward to seeing him among others.

The one character that I am not so attached with is Joon Hwi, I find him awkward with the role. I don't see him as that character.

Both Sols' in the drama are new characters for me. I am not familiar with them both that is why I find them interesting as well more than the others. There are questions that have not been answered and was not seen in the drama but I felt pretty satisfied with the ending.

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Law school's cinematographer is really good!

Okay so the story is a bit unrealistic because of some scenes but it was interesting.
The cinematography is really good. I mean I started watching this drama for ryu he young, but I finished this drama for the cinematographer.
The story is interesting and even the acting is good but for me the cinematography was the bestttt!
The osts are great as they match the theme of this drama.
The chemistry between the leads is so good that I've watched some of the compilations on YouTube.
Well I gave it a low re-watch value because this is a thriller and it becomes boring if you already know who did it.

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I started the drama on a whim because I was bored and may or may not have been persuaded to watch it for Kim Bum (hehe). The drama was interesting from the get go with the whole concept of a murder taking place within a law school (kind of juxtapose-y irony which is cool), but the timelines were definitely confusing to keep up with initially and the way they talked about law seemed a bit advanced for people out of the field to grasp (had to rewind and replay). However, it got better with time and as the show progressed, I began to look forward to Wednesdays & Thursdays as the plot became more gripping. The law school squad became very endearing, feeling like my own friends as we get insights into their backgrounds and stories, become personally involved in the murder case and with the concept of law. Do not expect the drama to be thrilling in the way the murder case is explored because the show focuses more on how law can be used to reach the truth and ensure justice rather than giving goosebumps in a thrill-laced plot. Also, do NOT expect romance especially if you have watched edits on YouTube and that brought you here lol...it does have its cute moments but the focus is more on friendship. It's a relatively good watch and you will be compelled to binge so I would definitely recommend this show!

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one the best law dramas ive watched !

i really loved this drama the cast was really well done everyone played their character really well ! i also loved the chemistry between sol a and joonhwi even though no relationship was formalised , it didnt need to be spoken because how they acted with each other said enough… id love a season 2 with them all now they are finishing their degrees and taking on more legal work !

at first the ost bugged me but now im obsessed with it hahaha ,, i also liked that it was set with uni students since im also a uni student

one of my fave lines is the closing line;
“because unjust law is the most cruel violence”

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confusing beginning but pays off later

I was thoroughly confused for the first 3/4 episodes. It only started to make sense later.....and then I really enjoyed watching it. The fast pace of the storyline, the constant drama, the characters ...all had me hooked. Then towards the final episodes I started to lose sense of what and how everything was unfolding lol.

But I have to say the episodes in the middle really made up for anything I didn't like about the first and end bits of this show.

Prof Kim Eun Sook was an interesting character...I liked that I couldn't figure out whether she was 'good' or 'bad'...refreshing!

Pretty Jeon Ye Seul (as her number was saved in Sol A's phone) was another refreshing character. I am glad she had a happy ending. I felt portrayed vulnerability as well as quiet strength really well. There wasn't any need to have a big, dramatic action to show realisation or need for catharsis. The writers did a good job writing her character.

Yangcrates with his majestic voice and screen presence was perfect for this role. I don't believe I've seen his work before and I am really interested to dive into his body of work.

I am only familiar with Kim Bum from his Boys Over Flower days. He did good.

Really enjoyed Kang Sol B...she was frustrating to watch...but I could sympathise with her and could see where she was coming from. The mother was annoying AF!!! Anyway, I was so invested in Kang Sol B that when she smiled at the end, I almost rejoiced alongside King Sol A.

Ah, Kang Sol A.....where do I start? I loved the scenes where she stepped up to confront problems even when Han Joon Hwi was trying to protect/defend her. It was shown in such a casual, matter of fact way, too. I liked that she was a smart person, not necessarily book-smart or top of her class, but intuitive and clever.

I'd recommend to anyone who is interested in a fast-paced legal drama.

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