Autism awareness has grown internationally in recent years and Extraordinary Attorney Woo has made strides to portray neurodivergent characters accurately and responsibly. Although not everyone’s lived experience is represented accurately and sensitively onscreen.
Young-Woo’s autistic traits – such as her need for counting before entering a room and difficulty with revolving doors – are presented more as part of her character than as cute quirks.
1. She has a unique skill set
Young-woo is an extraordinarily smart lawyer with an exceptional IQ and impressive memory, who also demonstrates creativity while quickly processing information.
She approaches each case differently and finds solutions that stretch or establish new laws – which is one reason she has become such a gifted attorney in spite of still being relatively inexperienced in the field.
She may be autistic, but she’s very self-aware about her differences and understands her lack of social skills as an obstacle; however, she doesn’t let that deter her. Instead she likens herself to a narwhal, likening her uniqueness with how beluga whales coexist alongside these marine mammals in one ocean despite looking different; refusing to allow others to see her as “pitiful” disabled woman.
2. She is a good team player
Though she can be distant at times, Young-woo clearly cares for her colleagues and is always willing to go the extra mile for them. Unfortunately, some of her peers resent her success and attempt to take control of her cases; but Young-woo is adept at seeing through their ulterior motives and making the necessary adjustments accordingly.
Self-aware about her autism, she’s not surprised when people express reticence around her due to it. Furthermore, she uses her unique perspectives and photographic memory to solve cases by pushing or setting new legal limits in each situation.
Park Eun-bin’s performance was extraordinary and makes her character come alive as someone we can relate to on an intimate level. She makes mistakes but learns quickly as time progresses – which goes a long way toward dismantling stigma surrounding mental disabilities.
3. She is a good communicator
Even though she cannot show physical affection through skinship or verbal communication, she does have an acute sense of empathy and can express her emotions well – taking special care with Joon Ho to ensure he understands her emotions.
She understands how others perceive her and is unsurprised when people view her differently due to her autism. She compares herself to a narwhal living alongside beluga whales in an unfamiliar ocean – saying both species must learn how to coexist and adapt together.
At the outset of the series, she handled a suspect who was low functioning on the autism spectrum and unable to speak. She successfully took charge of his case and deflected prosecution attempts at portraying her as pitiful by showing how strong and assertive she really was.
4. She is a good listener
Woo is an adept listener who is adept at picking up on details others miss, something which proves invaluable when dealing with client concerns and their feelings. She can also come up with innovative solutions outside the norm.
Though some of her coworkers view her with suspicion due to her autism, she quickly disproves their doubts through her intelligence and knowledge of law. Furthermore, she recognizes that autism is both part of who she is as an individual as well as something unique to herself.
Extraordinary Attorney Woo is an important show because it illustrates that autistic individuals can thrive in professional fields like law. Additionally, this show highlights how vital support from colleagues is in helping someone with a disability thrive at work.
5. She looks them in the eye
Extraordinary Attorney Woo is an engaging drama featuring Park Eun-bin in a charismatic lead performance, perfectly bridging multiple genres without going over the top. Working closely with autistic professors, it also shines light on real issues related to autism while avoiding stereotypical depictions; Young-woo sincerely emulates social anxieties, natural interests and other characteristics (from whale-love to echolalia) without falling into stereotypes.
Hanbada law firm and her romantic interest offer her constant encouragement, while challenging cases prove her skill as an outstanding rookie lawyer. Despite autism, she never gives up pushing herself beyond her comfort zone to achieve excellence – knowing when it’s best to look people directly in the eye or listen quietly in response.
