Eight Must-Watch Legal Dramas for the Fans

Stuck on what to watch next? Check out below a list of recommended legal dramas for binge-watching.

Imagine attending a court hearing – the judge was Im Ba Reun (Infinite’s L), the prosecutor was Yoo Jae Chan (Lee Jong-Suk) and the plaintiff’s attorney was Seo Jin Woo (Yoo Seung Ho). Would you still want a court recess?

Recently, we saw a trend in legal dramas. Series after series we saw prosecutors and attorneys pursuing bad guys and bringing justice to everyone. With this, we bring you a list of legal dramas recommended for Korean drama fans.

1. I Can Hear Your Voice (2013)

This is perhaps one of the best Korean dramas so far, but then, there are lots of wonderful dramas, right?

I Can Hear Your Voice tells the story of Hye Sung (Lee Bo Young), a lawyer who doesn’t hold the virtue of her profession at all, and Soo Ha (Lee Jong Suk), an exemplary high school student with the ability to read other person’s mind.

What We Love About This Drama

From the storyline to the characters, there is nothing to hate about this drama (except maybe the villain, Min Joon Gook, but still, the character was well delivered). It was an A+ rom-com, which even as the story progresses to a more serious, life-threatening tone, didn’t lose its humor.

2. Remember: War of the Son (2016)

Watch this and tell us how many times you cry while watching this drama.

Remember: War of the Son is about Jin Woo (Yoo Seung Ho) a lawyer who has Hyperthymesia, a condition that allows him to remember almost every situation in perfect detail. His father has been wrongfully accused of the death of a young lady. Because of this, Jin Woo decides to become a lawyer. But as they struggle to prove his innocence, his father begins to lose his memory due to Alzheimer’s.

What We Love About This Drama

Despite the sad feeling the drama brings, it is hard to put this drama down. The outstanding performance of the actors in delivering the characters makes this drama compelling. When Jin Woo cries, it’ll be hard for you not to cry as well. And like Min Joon Gook, you’ll also hate the villain of this drama, the manipulative Nam Gyu who has an anger management problem.

Although the ending was something you will not hope for, this drama is surely worth your time and tears.

3. Suspicious Partner (2017)

If you’re a fan of Ji Chang Wook, you probably have seen this already.

Suspicious Partner tells the story of Bong-Hee (Nam Ji Hyun), a judicial apprentice who had worked for Noh Ji Wook (Ji Chang Wook), a talented prosecutor. Bong Hee had been wrongfully accused of murdering her ex-boyfriend. The prosecutor of the case is Ji Wook, who is convinced Bong Hee is innocent. He finds evidence of her innocence and sets her free.

Due to the incident, Ji Wook quits his job as a prosecutor and begins working as a lawyer while Bong Hee graduates and becomes a lawyer. With the help of Ji Wook, she searches for the person who killed her ex-boyfriend and made her a suspect in the crime once.

What We Love About This Drama

The blend of romance, comedy, and thrill makes this drama a must-watch (other than, of course, there’s Ji Chang Wook). What makes this drama interesting are the back stories of every important character. The drama’s plot seems rooted in those stories, creating a solid overarching story.

4. While You Were Sleeping (2017)

Another legal drama for Lee Jong Suk’s fans and of course, for the Suzyholics.

While You Were Sleeping follows the story of Nam Hong Joo (Bae Suzy), who has the ability to see the future deaths of people through her dreams. She tries to stop them from happening until she dreams of her own death. She is saved by the rookie prosecutor, Jung Jae Chan (Lee Jong Suk), and together, they solved a number of cases.

What I Love About This Drama

First, it’s Lee Jong Suk and Bae Suzy, two of the most handsome and beautiful faces in South Korea. Second, because of Attorney Lee Yoo Beom (Lee Sang Yeob) and Police Officer Han Woo Tak (Jung Hae In). Third, there’s Choi Dam-Dong (Kim Won Hae) and of course, Nam Da Reum (who played the young Jae Chan). Plus, the cameos of Lee Sung Kyung, Kim So Hyun and Yoon Kyun Sang. It was superb casting!

Aside from that, you will also be hooked by the perfect blend of romance, comedy, and thrill. There was no wasted scene. The first and second episodes are a total hook and the drama ended with a nice feeling.

5. Switch: Change the World (2018)

'Switch' is about the con artist, Sa Do Chan who was asked by Oh Ha Ra (Han Yeri) to pretend as Baek Joon Soo, a prosecutor. Played by the same actor, Jang Geun Suk, Sa Do Chan, and Baek Joon Soo joined hands together to put criminals behind bars.

What We Love About This Drama

It’s the type of drama that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Every episode is thrilling and fun. Jang Geun Suk’s acting is really remarkable, playing two different characters with different personalities. The mischievousness of Sa Do Chan and the seriousness of Baek Joon Soo are well performed that you may think the characters are played by two different persons with the same face.

And if you are a fan of the SBS drama I Can Hear Your Voice, you must know the actor who played the villain, Min Joon Gook. He plays another villainy role in Switch as Geum Tae Woong and you may just get so worked up with his character again.

6. Suits (2018)

'Suits' is the Korean remake of the American series with the same title. The drama tells the story of Go Yeon Woo (Park Hyung Sik) who has a photographic memory and dreams of becoming a lawyer. To cover his grandmother’s hospital bill, he takes a job to deliver a drug to a son of an important person, but later on, discovers it’s a trap. He has been saved by Choi Kang Seok (Jang Dong-Gun), the best lawyer in the prestigious Kang & Ham Law Firm. Kang Seok takes Yeon Woo in as his associate, despite without a license to practice law.

What I Love About This Drama

“Solve the cases outside the court,” is what seemed the motto of Kang Seok, so you may not see a lot of court trials in this drama. Yet, it’s amazing to watch how the two main characters resolve cases they hold. The banter between the two is also fun to watch, creating a light mood in the serious tone of Suits. Although a remake, it has still been shaped into a story of its own.

7. Lawless Lawyer (2018)

As we wait (and pray) for the Season 2 of Scarlet Heart to happen, let’s first enjoy Lee Joon Gi’s gangster-slash-lawyer role in this tvN drama.

Lawless Lawyer tells the story of Attorney Bong Sang Pil (Lee Joon Gi) and his plan to bring down Judge Cha Moon Sook (Lee Hye Young) and An Oh Ju (Choi Min-Soo), the persons who killed his mother when he was little. Sang Pil went back to their hometown in Gisung and started a law firm there. He seeks the help of Attorney Ha Jae Yi (Seo Ye-Ji), the daughter of the woman who saved him during the night his mother was killed, and together they uncover the dirt of the two most powerful persons in Gisung.

What I Love About This Drama

Other than the oozing coolness of Lee Joon Gi whenever he has to fight the bad guys, whether using the law or his fists, the drama is perfect with the right ambiance of a legal-political plot and a sprinkle of humor at the right moments. It gives a vibe of a ‘70s gangster film.

8. Miss Hammurabi (2018)

Miss Hammurabi is Judge Park Cha O Reum’s (Go Ara) nickname in the courthouse because of her strong sense of justice. She follows the principle, “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth”. Her personality has somewhat stirred her colleagues, most especially the right-seated judge, Im Ba Reum (Infinite’s L).

What I Love About This Drama

Based on a novel written by the incumbent chief judge of Seoul Eastern District Court, Moon Yoo Seok, Miss Hammurabi cleverly presents important issues in our society, such as sexual harassment, gender discrimination, depression, suicide, etc. In every episode, viewers are guaranteed to take something to ponder upon.

Aside from that, the perfect blend of different characters gives color to the drama, and thanks to the powerhouse casting every character is delivered well – from the presiding judge with an anger management problem, Han Se Sang to the mysterious court stenographer, Lee Do Yeon.

But make sure to have something to hold on to whenever Judge Im smiles because it will surely make your knees weak!

First published on Chuutalk.com in 2018.