Why Her? | Series Review

This drama screams women empowerment! Seo Hyun-jin is perfect as the lawyer-turned-professor Oh Soo-jae. Her legal prowess knows no bounds and being at rock bottom only motivated her to break her enemies’ wings. The drama also made sure that all the crows flocking towards the heroine are, you guessed it right, men. Influential personalities from important sectors – politics, law, private corporations – all ganged up on Oh Soo-jae just to bring her down. It’s amusing the moment I realize it, and oddly satisfying at the same time.

Girl boss Soo-jae was a morally gray character. Started from the literal bottom of the legal world with no connections and impressive educational background. Years ago, she met Gong Chan (Hwang In-youp) during her stint as a public defender. Chan was the prime suspect for the murder of his stepsister – and was still using his original name, Kim Dong-gu. Despite losing the trial, Chan was acquitted a year later because the prosecution found a new suspect who “admitted” to the killing. The drama started with Soo-jae wanting to reclaim her top position at TK Law Firm, but somehow it deviated into a who-dun-it route and interlaced the characters’ goals and secrets altogether.

Chan’s case opened a can of worms, which all pointed down to Soo-jae’s boss Choi Tae-guk (Heo Jun-ho). It was a messy fight, typical legal drama, but the acting was superior. Seo Hyun-jin and Heo Jun-ho went head-to-head in such an astounding fashion. The plot twists were also meticulously laid down, but the events towards the finale somehow almost breached tragedy porn (especially on Soo-jae’s end). I didn’t think she needed any more heartbreak to beat her opponents, but at least she had Chan and her friends by her side to support her.

Why Her gave a decent perspective on the world of lawyers and how they make sure not to let their clients end up in prison. People may come to Soo-jae for her bad decisions, but she’s still a lawyer, and she is bound to protect her clients.