Young Woo’s character in this show was so realistic. She is self-aware and doesn’t take offense when people doubt her due to her autism diagnosis.
One of her most remarkable cases involved an individual charged with abusing a handicapped girl. This case shed new light on autism while challenging westernized conceptions and prompting us to question those who abuse handicapped persons.
The first meeting
Woo Young-woo is gifted with both an exceptional memory and creative thought process, possessing both a high IQ and creative thought processes that allow her to solve complicated legal cases; however, she often struggles with everyday interactions; often counting to three before entering a room and tightening both hands together tightly when nervous. She frequently uses whale analogies when explaining client scenarios while being adept at picking out minute details like mispronunciations or round statistics that would otherwise go undetected.
Even though her social anxiety prevents her from communicating her love to those who seek her assistance, it’s evident that she cares deeply for those she helps. Despite her discomfort with leaving the comfort zone and facing outside challenges to become an effective lawyer for Joon Ho despite not being able to express it directly via physical touch or verbal expressions of affection, it remains apparent that she loves him deeply.
Young-woo first demonstrated her prowess through an emotional case. Even though she could see all the telltale signs that her client was lying, she still defended him and later felt terrible for it.
The second meeting
Extraordinary Attorney Woo stands out among other shows by placing Woo’s autism at its heart. This show does not shy away from confronting stereotypes of disabled people as nuisances rather than useful forces; yet does so in an emotionally responsible and sensitive manner.
One of her first cases involved an elderly couple she knew from childhood and managed to win it thanks to her detailed approach and impressive whale knowledge (one of the few things she can read fluently).
She takes up another heartbreaking case involving an individual accused of abusing a mentally handicapped girl. Through detailed research into this matter, she discovers how those who commit such abuse often misinterpret the law, making innocent parties seem guilty based on false accusations made against them. It’s an emotionally taxing situation which shows her commitment to fighting on behalf of those who need her assistance.
The third meeting
At her first case hearing, she encountered an old neighbor of hers who had experienced sexual assault. When asked her opinion about it, she began reciting criminal laws on inflicting bodily injury verbatim – making this actually her very first speech ever! Unfortunately she became so overwhelmed she began panicking and regurgitating legal terminology instead.
As such, she’s often underestimated by those around her who perceive her as an eccentric caricature and assume she won’t be able to fulfill the job requirements. Yet she remains fiercely determined, working tirelessly to prove that disability doesn’t need to be insurmountable.
Choi Soo Yeon, her competitor at Hanbada Law Firm, soon took an interest in Young-woo and mentored her as an attorney. Far from being the stereotypical workaholic boss she’s depicted to be, Choi encouraged Young-woo to do well and supported her potential; it is deeply satisfying watching her advance her career.
The fourth meeting
Woo’s caseload includes cases that range from intellectually disabled women to companies that prioritize firing female employees. She excels at empathizing with each client and has proven herself an outstanding advocate in each situation she has faced off against.
Woo’s skills were again on display during her successful defense of an autistic woman accused of murdering her husband. Woo firmly put her client’s interests before anything else, even when there were clear indicators that the individual may have been lying.
Extraordinary Attorney is distinguished from other legal dramas by how accurately it portrays autism spectrum disorder. The show’s attention to detail is particularly noteworthy; for example, Woo’s repeating words (an echolalia characteristic) is identified and her food pickiness explained away due to sensory overload when trying new foods. Furthermore, Extraordinary Attorney features other disabled characters who are treated with dignity and respect despite less-than-optimum functioning – something rare on Korean television.
