Law School (2021)

The characterisation alone makes this drama worth watching

This drama is not a light watch and requires great concentration especially in the first few episodes, otherwise you will get confused. Choosing to present the main plot in such a scattered fashion was something of a gamble on the part of the directing team as it inevitably cost them casual viewers. However, if you carry on watching this drama, you will come to realise that everything falls into place fairly quickly as the story progresses. (Worry not, the feeling of confusion shall pass rapidly. You might not even feel it at all!) Having such an intricate plot allowed each character to have their own subplot which made them all relevant to the story. Some subplots were more thought-out than others but, overall, they were all significant and added depth to each character.

What makes this drama stand out in the crime genre is the fact that it wasn’t so much about finding who the real killer was — at first —, but more about proving that those wrongfully accused were innocent. Therefore the emphasis was put on the trial process which I found really informative for someone who doesn’t know much about law. (The drama title takes on its full meaning, doesn’ it?).

I won’t dwell on the plot as I want this review to be spoiler-free.

Now let’s get onto the characters which are, by far, my favourite part of this drama. It’s been so long since I’ve watched a drama with such a brilliant and accurate characterisation. Every character in “Law School” is fleshed-out, humanely flawed, and relatable. The fulfilling friendship between the Law School gang enables them to feel confident in what they’re doing and also acts as a constant reminder of their own flaws (and qualities). Indeed they won’t hesitate to call people out if need be — including themselves — and they will always find a way to talk (and think) things through.
They have a true spirit of friendship and so instead of bearing everything on their own, they all come together so as to help each other and whoever is in need. It doesn’t come easily nor naturally to all of them — seeking and offering help I mean — but it comes nonetheless.
Their warm and close friendship is definitely one of the reasons as to why I’d recommend this drama.
Special mention to Yang Jong Yoon who didn’t fall into the trap of being yet another archetype of the cold-hearted and stone-faced male lead. His relationship with his students was very wholesome and I loved the dynamic he had with Kim Eun Sook — you could see a whole other side of him when he was with her.

I can’t write a review about “Law School” without mentioning the relationship Kang Sol A and Han Joon Hwi have. I was thankful for this drama for not being romance-centric, however, I still think there were some romantic elements, but those were subtly incorporated to the story which I greatly appreciated. It followed, in a way, the “show, don’t tell” maxim in literature.
Kang Sol A and Han Joon Hwi are undeniably close, but they don’t seem to realise that they know each other on a much deeper level than the others. They never once questioned their feelings and so they’re not fully aware of what they mean. Joon Hwi’s love for Kang Sol A is genuine and selfless: he is always there for her and, when he can, he tries to cut short her self-doubt which helps her build self-assurance (Don’t worry, she does so on her own as well but Joon Hwi is of great help). Out of the two, Kang Sol A is the most oblivious of their feelings. Her trust in him is complete and she is most vulnerable when she is with him — he is the only one she confides in. Kang Sol B seems to have understood that — the innermost feelings they have for each other — since the way she sometimes looks at them is quite telling.
If you’re not convinced of the implied feelings these two harbour, then just pay attention to the way Joon Hwi looks at Kang Sol A and the way he looks at other people: his gaze never fails to soften when he speaks to her (so does his voice).

As for the OST, I believe it successfully captured the overall mood of the drama and was very fitting. I liked how the lyrics were in keeping with the whole story.

Now on to my closing statement (see what I did there ?). The first episodes aren’t the best ones as I felt the drama was trying too hard to enthral and impress the viewers. The timeline was overly confusing and some comparisons initially felt forced or were clumsily introduced — i.e Yang Jong Yoon’s obsession with puzzles. The whole puzzle metaphor left me a bit skeptical at first because of how emphasised it was, but Yoon Hoon himself convinced me. (You’ll see what I mean once you’ve watched the drama). However the characters make up for that given how engaging they were. The plot is pretty well-crafted and strengthens as the story progresses. Each character was able to play a part, which some people might have thought was too much of a coincidence — every character was somehow connected to the events which were unfolding — , but I, for one, appreciated the fact that the side characters weren’t just there to help the main ones: they were equally as important.
The beautiful friendship the Law School gang develops throughout the drama makes it even more enjoyable, and I can safely say that they will definitely grow on you. I also loved how professors and students helped one another in their own specific ways. It was refreshing to see! This drama’s characters are truly gems!

On that note, I rest my case.

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