“Law School”-April 14-June 9, 2021 jTBC-16 Ep.

https://mydramalist.com/62623-law-school

Plot:

This story is one for the books; law books. At Hankuk University Law School the mock trial for 1st year law school students is starting. However, during the trial law professor, Seo Byun Joo, is found dead. To put another kink into the case, law professor known by his students as “Yangcrates” (due his harsh tone and strict teaching method) is arrested and charged with the murder. This shocks the school and a set of 1st year law students; 7 of them infact. These 7 students set on a course to find out if Yang Jong Hoon, aka ‘Yangcrates’, killed professor Seo Byun Joo. Like with any K-dramas there are twist, secrets, and shady dealings that will be uncovered. For example, some of the 1st year law students are considered suspects or accomplices of the crime that took place during the mock trial. Watch “Law School” to find out how 7 law students first year at law school will end.

Staring:

Kim Myung Min as Professor Yang Jong Hoon (Stared in ‘White Tower’, ‘Six Flying Dragons’ and ‘Detective K: Secret of the Living Dead’)

Yang Jong Hoon is a former prosecutor who turned professor after a certain event that happen during his career as a prosecutor. He teaches criminal law at the prestigious law school, Hankuk University. He has former ties with professor Seo Byung Joo.

Kim Bum as Han Joon Hwi (Stared in ‘Boys over Flowers”, ‘Tale of the Nine Tailed Fox’ and ‘Detective K: Secret of the Living Dead’)

Han Joon Hwi is a 1st year law school student who gets top grades and is at the top of his incoming law school class. Not only is he smart and good looking, he is an easy going person who is able to lead his class with ease. However, he has a deep secret and a connection to the law school that may change his perfect qualities.

STUDENTS:

The two Kang Sol’s:

Kang Sol [B]

Kang Sol B (Lee Soo Kyung plays this role): Smart, cold, and star top student comes from a wealth family. All that shines may not be gold with Kang Sol B. She also has a deep connection to the university and a secret that may knock her off as the top student of her law class.

Kang Sol [A]

Kang Sol A (Played by Ryoo Hye Young) : went to law school off a whim. She is not the smartest student or the best when it comes to studying. She is either last or at the near bottom in ranking in her law school class. She got into law school on a special scholarship. She comes from a poor family who has struggled. She has two siblings, a younger sister and a twin sister. She too has a connection to Hankuk University and a past that may affect her future as a lawyer.

Seo Ji Ho

Seo Ji Ho (David Lee plays this role): Smart student and top of his law school class. He came to law school to get revenge for his father’s death. He became a law student to use the law to help him expose the corruption in the unjust prosecution of his father that lead to his father’s death. He specifically picked Hankuk due to the connection with his father’s death. He has a connection to Kang Sol B.

Jeon Ye Seul

Jeong Ye Seul (Played by Go Yoon Jung): A pretty girl who is also fashionable with her style. She has a habit of showing up late to class. She always has an excuse as to why she is late to class. She is not the worst student but not in the top of her law class; she is somewhere in the middle. A bright student who harbors a secret she does not want to be exposed. She is dating the son of assemblyman Ko Hyeong Su. Due to her secret she has a small connection to the university and that secret could affect not only her but the whole law school.

Yoo Seung Jae

Yoo Seung Jae (played by Hyun Woo): is a former medical doctor/medical student who switched to law school. However brilliant, he has a dark secret that could derail his law school plans.

Min Bok Gi

Min Bok Gi (Lee Kang Ji plays this role): is one of the bottom law school students in his class. Determine to become a lawyer; however, not as bright as his other classmates. He is the comic relieve of the group. He has a huge crush on Jeon Ye Seul.

Jo Ye Beom

Jo Ye Beom (Kim Min Seok plays this role): An average law school student who is part of the 1st year study group with Han Joon Hwi, both Kang Sols’, Seo Ji Ho, Yoo Seung Jae, Jeon Ye Seul, and Min Bok Gi. He is very quick to pass judge on people without having all the facts; which is one thing a lawyer will need when trying a case, facts right? He also is quick to jump on the side that seems to be wining even if he does not have all the facts or follows the majority of what the crowd thinks. He prefers to not make waves and get through law school even if he has to bounce back and forth between sides.

Law School Faculty

Kim Eun Suk

Kim Eun Suk (played by Lee Jung Eun) is a former judge who turned professor and works at Hankuk University. She teaches civil law and runs the law center at the university. She has a connection to Seo Byun Joo and Yang Jong Hoon. She is also one of Yang Jong Hoon’s supporters and friends.

Seo Byun Joo

Seo Byun Joo (Ahn Nae Sang plays this role): Is a law professor and alumni of Hankuk University Law School. He has done some shady illegal acts during his time as a prosecutor and professor which were done prior to his death. These actions surface not only due to his death but due to the connection with Han Joon Hwi and Yang Jong Hoon.

Dean Of the Law School

Sung Dong II

Sung Dong II (Played by Woo Hyun): he runs the copy center at the law school. He at times gives advice to the 1st years and provides the 1st year law students a space to study or take a break.

Vice Dean of the law school

Vice Dean Kang Joo Man (Played by Oh Man Seok): his family has serious personal issues that he himself covers up. He does his best to not let people know about his family personal issues and he hides the fact he is Kang Sol’s B father. Most of the personal issues comes from his wife who is extremely disappointed that Kang Joo Man is the only one out of his family who did not become a judge. His wife is so disappointed that Joo Man is just a mere professor, she takes out her disappointment on Kang Sol B. This has cause severe issues within the family. His wife and Sol’s mother is overly pushy, controlling, and planning each move in Sol’s life. This spills over into the law school.

REVIEW

KIM BUM. Enough said. He is one of my favorite actors since ‘Boys over Flowers’. I have only seen a few of his works but I can say he is great at what he does. The show that sealed my love for him as an actor was ‘Mrs. Cop 2’. The drama was not that good, in my opinion; however, Kim Bum’s role as a villain was SPOT ON! He was the reason I watched and finish ‘Mrs. Cop 2’. Then his comeback after his military services was ‘The Tail of the Nine Tail Fox’ and ‘Law School’. He even played a villain in ‘The Tail of the Nine Tail Fox’ which he did very well. Enough about Kim Bum’s acting career let’s get onto the review of ‘Law School’.

When I watched ‘Law School’ I thought this would be a straight up all Kim Bum drama. But it wasn’t which was not a disappointment. ‘Law School’ utilized each actor ability and was able to focus on telling each of the characters, big or small, story. Plus each cast of characters were part of the whole story…even if it small. That I liked ALOT. Sometimes in K-dramas or Asian dramas, the side stories are just fillers for the show. Sort of a break from the heavy or deeper main plot of the show. Or an emotional palate cleaner. But in ‘Law School’ each character played a part to the puzzle. With this great fact there was a negative to this telling of each character story; because some of the stories may not necessarily needed to be told.

The way the show moved it made you want to watch the next episode. Because at the end of each episode they left you wondering what happen? What will happen? Cliff hangers galore. This was a good idea; however, it was over used. Because of this type of format, the writers kept adding more and more and more plot twist at the end of each episode. I think it made it confusing at times.

The format was like this: episode one came out; main story professor is killed we will call plot A. Got it. Now we see it may be Yang Jong Hoon who killed professor Seo Byun Joo. But when the episode ends, we find out Han Joon Hwi is….well not going to say it if you have not watched it. But we find out a small snippet of Joon Hwi that wants us wanting to know more and makes him seem as if he could of killed professor Seo Byun Joo. We will call this plot B.

So the next episode starts and we start at the snippet but we go back into the past to figure out more information on the tiny crumb that was left for us in episode one. So half way through the episode we go back to the original story plot A, who killed the professor, then jump back to the crumb from the cliff hanger of episode one plot B. And then the hightlight…at the end of the second episode we are given another crumb about another character who may have killed the professor or something about their life that is more intriguing than the murder which is plot C. Then next episode we start the same process over again. But in the next episode we may not get too much information about plot B or plot A. Then another plot is add, plot D. So by time the show is done, almost each character has their own plot line that connections to the main story but does have it’s own main story line that has NOTHING to do with the main story. Make sense??? WOOOOSHHH…a lot I know.

I figured this format happen due to the writers or network trying to be trending and different when it comes to a K-drama. As we see in newer K-dramas a good handful of Western style drama formats or taste has been added to K-dramas. But I can say K-dramas still add their flare on Western styles. To me some of the twist could of been left out. Mainly the story of Yoo Seung Jae. I think his story was not needed. Yes, I understand a smal bit of what his role played in the main plot, but it could of been told without his WHOLE story to go with it along with the back secrets. It was too much. I even had to go back and rewatch a few episodes to remember who the killer was. That is how much they stuffed in 16 episodes. To much information from so many different stories.

Overall the story was great besides the extra plots. The main stories of most of the law students was done in a wonderful way, you as a viewer was able to learn about each student without feeling a stone was left unturned. Both Kang Sol’s stories were the best ones out of all the students. I think their stories explore deeper meanings when it comes to family, expectations, power, mental health, and money. I like how the drama kept the K-drama main elements when telling their story, but was able to add the twist that you were not expecting at all. Again being bias here, I think that the Kang Sol’s and Han Joon Hwi story could of been the main focus out of all the student stories. Again I am bias on this. I do like how the writers made the interactions with each student one of realism and not over K-drama land fake. The relationships that are built among the students and faculty of the drama was pivotal to the story. It explains why emotions ran hard when a person did not live up to certain expectations. Also, it explains why Vice Dean was having a hard time in his life and how he could of stop his wife from doing the things she did to Kang Sol B. But again in this drama it focuses on appearances. And when people come from certain backgrounds or go into certain professions, appearances are everything.

I give this drama an 8 out of 10 stars. Mainly because of Kim Bum (yes I am bias), Lee Soo Kyung, and Ryo Hye Young. The story was great with the importance of how people with do what they think is necessary to keep up appearances, to keep power, and to remain in the top of the food chain. The show also explores the oldie but goodie theme of those with money and political power will take out the little man to keep their top spot. The drama explores the law very well in this show. It helps out viewers to learn terms and gives very good realistic examples of how the law is applied to cases in Korea. One of the best parts is how Yang Jong Hoon even uses his own court cases and another case where he is an attorney as a teaching moment for his law students. Even in one episode the judge had to warn Yang Jong Hoon that the court room is not his classroom. That was great. That part help the audience understand how the law worked and did not dumb down legal workings in the court room. The ending wasn’t the worst just felt too quickly wrapped up. Like literally we went through 15 episodes of twist, turns, summersaults, to have episode 16 end so neat and simple. I would recommend this drama to those who are Kim Bum fans and those who like a good law/legal drama. However, you may need to make yourself a flow chart to keep up with all the twist and turns. You are warned.

~MJ~