Woo Young-woo becomes a skilled lawyer despite facing challenges; she's hard-working and willing to make sacrifices. Her family and some of her co-workers are exceptionally supportive and go out of their way to make her feel welcome and comfortable.
Positive Messages
some
It's OK to be yourself, even if you do things a little differently than others. Compassion and kindness go a long way. It takes courage to make your way in the world.
Diverse Representations
some
Woo Young-Woo has many characteristics of a person on the autism spectrum: She is a savant, has a hyperfixation, has difficulty with eye contact and other tics. Some may find her character over the top, while others may appreciate the representation of a person with a disability facing many challenges.
Parents need to know that Extraordinary Attorney Woo is a Korean series about a young lawyer with autism. Each episode follows a single case that Woo Young-Woo (Eun-bin Park) works on. The representation of Woo's autism can be seen as somewhat over the top and played for laughs (for example, when she repeatedly gets stuck in a rotating door). But it's also heartfelt, as when she faces the challenge of riding the subway with the help of whale songs on her headphones. Language includes "bastard," "whore," and "damn." There are some violent moments, like when a character hits another with a heavy iron.
Initial few episodes were suitable for elementary kids.
Then it started getting into topics like suicide and sexual assault.
In one episode, Woo defends a man accused of assaulting an intellectually-disabled lady
with liberal discussions about sexual assault and intercourse.
I think that this is fine for what i have watched with my 11 +10 year old ( Episode 1+2) The only thing that i thought was ''bad'' was that a woman in her Seventies Killed her husband with a metal iron. my 11 year old liked the fact that the main character was autistic :]
What's the Story?
In EXTRAORDINARY ATTORNEY WOO, Woo Young-woo (Eun-bin Park) has just graduated law school at the top of her class. She also has autism and savant-like abilities, including a hyperfixation on whales. When she starts her first job as a junior attorney at the Hanbada firm, responses are mixed. With the help of her supportive single dad, her friend Dong Geulami (Joo Hyun Young), and her law firm co-workers, Young-woo finds her own extraordinary ways to succeed in the world.
This charming Korean series is a great introduction to the courtroom drama for teens and tweens. Extraordinary Attorney Woo brings to life an inner world we don't see very often on-screen. The portrayal of Young-woo's autism does start out broad and cliched, to the point that some viewers may find it stereotypical. But as the show goes on, it becomes considerably more nuanced, and we see Young-woo as a well-rounded and lovable character who's finding her way in a sometimes harsh world. Beyond these issues of representation, the series holds its own as a very entertaining courtroom procedural with lots of twists and turns. Much like Sherlock's "mind palace," the world of whales often helps Young-woo solve cases and process ideas.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about resilience and courage. How does Woo Young-Woo deal with challenges every day?
What do you think is "extraordinary" about Young-woo?
Do you think this series offers a good representation of a person with autism? Why or why not?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Polly Conway
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
