With only a couple of episodes left, “Law and The City” is taking a turn from a fluffy, comforting show into a more serious K-drama than expected. Leaving aside a bit of the romance between Kang Hui Ji (Mun Ka Young) and Ahn Ju Hyeong (Lee Jong Suk), this show is digging deeper in different subjects such as work inequality, family matters, and personal values, which proves that even when nothing major seems to be happening, life can be really hard at times. Here are some of the moments that showed us this!
Warning: spoilers from episodes 9-10 ahead!
1. Bae Mun Jeong juggling work and pregnancy
Being a working mother is never easy, but Bae Mun Jeong (Ryu Hye Young) is trying her best to show that just because she is pregnant doesn’t mean she has lost her passion for her job. Even when her boss is slowly trying to push her to quit, even before thinking about a maternity leave, she demonstrates that she is an ace when it comes to being in court. She gives it her all, going from one place to another despite her discomfort, gathering evidence to prove her client, a restaurant owner, is about to lose her business after her former part-timer stole her recipe and the concept of her restaurant.
Although she wins the case, which confirms her desire to keep on working for as long as possible, she gets a wake-up call after that. Scared of suffering a miscarriage, she takes a day off from work only to come back and find out her boss is already preparing to replace her. This not only enrages her but forces her to consider that, despite her own wishes, keeping her current position as an active attorney might be a little more complicated than she thought. Even if it is hard to watch her having to choose between her family and her career, it must be one of the most realistic yet unfair things shown in this K-drama so far.
2. Ha Sang Gi wishing to pursue a new school degree
In terms of career, Ha Sang Gi (Im Seong Jae) has been experiencing an interesting transformation as well. He might not have been openly interested in pursuing his career as a teacher, but his talent for education isn’t overlooked by his boss. She nonchalantly points out an opportunity for him to get a doctorate degree, which will give him the opportunity to become a professor in the long run. Naturally, given his personality, he even refuses the mere idea of going back to study; however, the constant encouragement from people around him gives him the confidence to give it a try.
Sadly, as much support as he receives from his friends and colleagues, he faces a harsh reality once he looks for advice back at school. His professor doesn’t directly discourage him, but he does show him a less optimistic view. Ultimately, he decides to abandon his plans after seeing his aging mother ill and thinking about who will take care of her if any situation should arise. Even though it shows Sang Gi is used to facing such disappointments, it is still heartbreaking watching him make that decision. But knowing how and when to let go of certain dreams, at least for the time being, to seek a more stable future is also part of being an adult.
3. Cho Chang Won doubting his job as an attorney
If there’s someone who has been getting the short end of the stick, it’s definitely Cho Chang Won (Kang You Seok). His situation is truly pitiful, seeing him not only being mistreated by his father and boss but also seeing him lose all his confidence in his ability as an attorney. When Kang Hyung Min (Yeom Hye Ran) asks his law firm to take on a case of attempted murder, his first instinct is to plead guilty in order to reduce the sentence, despite his client being just a minor who has constantly suffered bullying and has solid evidence that it was a case of self-defense.
Nonetheless, as he gets to know more about his client’s circumstances, he pushes for his case and pleads not guilty to the charges, finally winning parole for the boy. Unfortunately, against his own conscience, Chang Won has to defend a bully forced by his boss. The interesting thing is that this drives him to analyze his motivations to be an attorney and whether he is fit for the role or not. It would be sad to see him stepping out as a lawyer, but seeing him fight for those in need or prosecuting the bad guys as a future prosecutor would be so much more satisfying than watching him endure his current situation.
4. Kang Hui Ji and Ahn Ju Hyeong disagreeing with their managing partners
In these couple of episodes, we’ve seen that every boss has different perspectives when it comes to their work ethic. Most of the time, they are motivated by money, which is, although disappointing, very credible. But this approach starts to make Kang Hui Ji and especially Ahn Ju Hyeong have doubts about whether they can continue working under their management. After all, deep down, both of them wish to make a difference and become good lawyers—not just robots who follow orders, but real humans who can listen to their hearts and do what they believe is the right thing.
Although it is surprising to see this new development so close to the end, it makes us hopeful for what’s to come for them in the future. Having each other and their friends’ presence seems like a good incentive to stay at Hyungmin Law Group, but will that be enough for them? It appears the whole squad will have to make definitive decisions that could potentially change the course of their lives and this story in the upcoming and last episodes of “Law and The City.”
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Andy zar is an avid drama watcher, from K-dramas to C-dramas, she believes any weekend is a good weekend to enjoy 12 hours of binge-watching dramas. She loves romance, web comics, and K-pop. Her favorite groups are EXO, TWICE, Red Velvet, and BOL4.
Currently watching: “Law and The City”
Plans to watch: “My Girlfriend is the Man!“
