[비즈한국] 'Shin-irang Law Office' is enjoying immense popularity. The recently aired 6th episode recorded a nationwide viewership rating of 10% and a peak per-minute rating of 12.8%. In the FunDex popularity rankings, it reached 3rd place in the drama category, and lead actor Yoo Yeon-seok ranked 4th among drama performers (as of March 24). Excluding '21st Century Grand Princess,' which has yet to air, 'Shin-irang Law Office' is arguably the most talked-about drama following 'Climax.' Why do people like this drama?
'Shin-irang Law Office' is a strange yet heartwarming adventure story about a 'possessed lawyer,' Shin-irang (Yoo Yeon-seok), who joyfully resolves the grudges of the dead, and Han Na-hyun (Lee Som), a 'cold-blooded elite lawyer' who stakes everything on winning. Amidst a flood of legal dramas, its differentiating factor is the incorporation of irrational and unscientific shamanism. Of course, it isn't entirely groundbreaking, as last year's comic fantasy action drama 'Labor Attorney Noh Mu-jin,' featuring a labor attorney who sees ghosts, already aired.
The decisive difference between 'Labor Attorney Noh Mu-jin' and 'Shin-irang Law Office' lies in the 'possession.' When the desires of ghosts are maximized and they spiral out of control emotionally, they possess Shin-irang's body. The highlight is the scene where a synchronized Shin-irang vents their grievances. In the process, there's even a hilarious scene where Shin-irang is possessed by a high school girl idol trainee and perfectly performs the choreography to IVE's 'LOVE DIVE.'
The second reason for its popularity might be that while it appears to be a genre piece mixing legal drama and occult, its core is a human drama focused on family. The main story revolves around victims of unjust deaths appearing as ghosts and Shin-irang uncovering the truth behind their demise, but the drama seems to focus more on the family stories intertwined with the truth of their deaths rather than the thrills of a courtroom. From the first ghost client, a former gangster-turned-taxi driver Lee Gang-pung (Heo Sung-tae), to the idol trainee ghost Kim Soo-ah (Oh Ye-ju) and the famous scientist Jeon Sang-ho (Yoon Nam-woo), it is impressive how they all mourn the pain of their left-behind families more than their own deaths.
Therefore, Shin-irang's mission is not only to uncover the truth behind his clients' deaths but also to take on the role of easing their emotional burdens. He helps the young daughter of Lee Gang-pung, who has been in seclusion since his death, to step out of her room; allows Kim Soo-ah's mother, who faces blindness, to receive a cornea donation from Soo-ah; and lends his body to Jeon Sang-ho to succeed in developing a cure, bringing peace to Jeon's family. While it is similar to the SBS hit 'Taxi Driver' in providing catharsis by punishing criminals, 'Shin-irang Law Office' stands out more for its warm human narrative that heals and encourages moving forward through the family, going beyond mere catharsis and resolution of grievances.
The family-centered narrative is expected to continue. The story regarding the death of Shin-irang's father, which is tied to the exceptionally close-knit bond of his family, seems to be intertwined with the mystery of how Shin-irang began seeing ghosts. Additionally, the narrative of lawyer Han Na-hyun, who carries a sense of guilt over her late sister, and the family story of Yang Do-gyeong (Kim Kyung-nam), the managing partner of Law Firm Taebaek, who has a completely different vibe from Shin-irang's family, are expected to serve as pillars of the story.
Another popular element is its ability to handle heavy stories in a light way. Although it primarily deals with murder cases caused by the desires of others, the process of investigating them is not overly heavy. Since, on average, one case is resolved every two episodes, it maintains a fast pace. While the plausibility might get thin, there's no need to be too serious as the comic touch compensates for it. The comedic relief provided by Catholic priest Mateo (Jung Seung-gil) and Shin-irang's brother-in-law, minor actor Yoon Bong-soo (Jeon Seok-ho), is great, and above all, the 'possessed performance' of Yoo Yeon-seok, who plays Shin-irang handling various faces of the ghosts, is top-tier.
Most of all, the charm of 'Shin-irang Law Office' is that it is a 'good drama' that one can watch with ease, a welcome change from dramas solely focused on provocative elements. Isn't poetic justice what Koreans are truly enthusiastic about? The process of realizing the fantasy—that good people are rewarded and bad people are punished, a simple truth that isn't always fulfilled—through the unorthodox presence of a possessed lawyer is both predictable and extremely comforting. In this harsh world of war, high exchange rates, and even the difficulty of finding standard garbage bags, people want to feel, at least through a drama, that 'yes, the world is still a place worth living in.'
What kind of ghosts with stories will Shin-irang meet next? There is much anticipation for what kind of extraordinary performance the flushed-faced lawyer Shin-irang will display. If this popularity persists, it seems highly likely that it could be franchised like 'Taxi Driver' in the future.
Who is author Jung Soo-jin?
I have written and reported on movies, travel, and popular culture while working for various magazines. I don't want to fall behind on trends, but I've become an old-school person who predicts nothing but tired clichés for the next scene while watching the latest dramas. I am currently trying to regain my sense of intuition while drifting through the vast OTT world, and my current wish is for a unified OTT subscription plan.