Song, dance, and the pursuit of happiness for Neighborhood Lawyer
by girlfriday
Based on premise alone, I haven’t really been clamoring to watch KBS’s upcoming Monday-Tuesday law drama Neighborhood Lawyer Jo Deul-ho, but the teasers are definitely weird and intriguing, enough to make me wonder if the show will have an interesting farcical bent to it. The webtoon adaptation starring Park Shin-yang (Sign) and Kang So-ra (Warm and Cozy) is about a prosecutor who hits rock-bottom and reinvents himself as a neighborhood lawyer who represents the little people.
Park Shin-yang stars as the titular Jo Deul-ho, a rising star in the prosecutor’s office who’s due to marry into a prestigious lawyer family. But when he reports the corruption going on in his office, he loses everything in one fell swoop. He’ll eventually pick himself back up and start a small law practice, where he’ll help people who have no one else to fight for them.
Kang So-ra plays a new hire at a large firm, and Ryu Soo-young (Strange Daughter-in-Law) is a hotshot prosecutor and the hero’s main rival. Park Sol-mi, Kim Gab-soo, and Kim Dong-joon co-star.
The poster is pretty standard — the tagline is, “My place is by your side.” But the teasers are downright wacky, with the first featuring Park Shin-yang busting out in song and dance in the middle of a meeting, where even his rival Ryu Soo-young can’t control his own limbs and has to dance along. If only this power were real. Oh, the possibilities.
Kang So-ra’s teaser starts out with the caption that every citizen has the right to pursue happiness, but we see that she’s not exactly the high-powered lawyer she wants to be. She hangs out on the steps of the courthouse scouting for celebrities who might need representation, and in a meta-joke, she pokes through a crowd of reporters to hand out her card because she heard that Park Shin-yang is being sued for defamation.
And the last teaser points out Park Shin-yang’s 27 years of acting experience and Daesang wins, leading to footage of his drama character living in the street like a bum. If he’s really willing to make fun of himself this much, it could be a fun drama.
Neighborhood Lawyer Jo Deul-ho premieres Monday, March 28 on KBS.
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Tags: Kang So-ra, Neighborhood Lawyer Jo Deul-ho, Park Shin-yang, Ryu Soo-young
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1 genuinecity
March 17, 2016 at 10:37 AM
I like the premise, but the first teaser is indeed super wacky and makes no sense. Haven't seen the other vids yet, but I get the gist. I'll tune in because I'm a sucker for fighting for justice and underdogs prevailing. Side note: doesn't that last group poster look like an exact replica of the Misaeng one? Hm.
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Gidget
March 18, 2016 at 1:10 AM
Though the first teaser mostly reminded me of Beetlejuice (like the folks below). It also made me think of Misaeng:
"Daylight come and me won' go home."
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2 confusedturtle
March 17, 2016 at 10:39 AM
Is Beetlejuice somehow involved?
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Alessar
March 17, 2016 at 11:06 AM
Ahahaha that almost slew me. That parody was perfect!
ALSO! I see the actress who played Editor Kim in She Was Pretty is in this. I loooove her she is so good and so funny. Mama Mia! This is probably going to be a riotous comedy.
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Waiting
March 17, 2016 at 12:35 PM
That was my first thought! Beetlejuice!
Love the cast for this and the teaser was hilarious! Made my day! :)
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shalini
March 17, 2016 at 12:43 PM
The longer version's here!
youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=W5kqslb6kow
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confusedturtle
March 17, 2016 at 1:10 PM
Ha, the longer version’s even funnier
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3 Ruby
March 17, 2016 at 10:40 AM
That scene in the first teaser is from Beetlejuice.
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Blarg
March 18, 2016 at 8:05 PM
I thought I was the only one who caught that! I felt really old...
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4 soapbox
March 17, 2016 at 10:44 AM
I liked how meta the teasers were too. Especially the one of PSY needing a lawyer, it's doubly funny since this writer's previous drama War of Money was the reason why he got blacklisted in the first place lol.
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5 lovepark
March 17, 2016 at 10:58 AM
Has anyone else read the webtoon? I missed reading the last handful of arcs, but I don't understand this drama adaption. Sure, the main character's name is the same, and I feel like the writers will use the original author's cases, but this doesn't feel anything like the webtoon. Even the background story and female protagonist have me scratching my head. Hopefully, the teasers and photos are just misleading, otherwise, I wish they wouldn't have used "Neighborhood Lawyer Jo Deul-ho". I don't mind the quirkiness the production team seems to have adopted, but I wish this wouldn't sully the webtoon which actually has poignant cases and touches on societal issues.
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Y
March 17, 2016 at 1:33 PM
Hi, may I know where to read the web toon? Thanks!
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lovepark
March 18, 2016 at 11:55 AM
Sorry, I don't think I'll be of much help. I read the original version in Korean on naver. Even there, Hatchling has finished "season 1" of the webtoon, so only season 2 is free to read (you have to purchase season 1). I don't know if it's being translated by other sites since it's not a super popular webtoon on naver.
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6 twocents
March 17, 2016 at 11:02 AM
I find Kang Sora in formal attire as attractive(?) she wears simplistic design really well! Looking forward to her character's wardrobe choices in this drama! (Lol I know weird reason to watch)
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pogo - sailing HMS Queen of Tears and HMS Sailboat Lovely Runner🍉
March 17, 2016 at 11:09 AM
I thought she was perfectly dressed in Misaeng - very appropriate for her age and the character she was playing, and actually realistic-looking for a 20something newbie corporate employee. I doubt this drama will be able to top Misaeng in that department (or any department, really)
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bigwink
March 18, 2016 at 7:35 PM
Ha! That's exactly what I had in mind when I saw the teaser.. 'Yay! Another office styled Kang Sora!'.
She looks great and fit for office attires. Gotta watch this show and takes notes on her wardrobe, for reference ;)
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7 john
March 17, 2016 at 11:04 AM
Yay, Kang So-ra. Hope it's funny.
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8 pogo - sailing HMS Queen of Tears and HMS Sailboat Lovely Runner🍉
March 17, 2016 at 11:10 AM
....this doesn't exactly inspire confidence, I do hope Kang Sora gets another drama soon. (and yes, I mean after this one)
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9 lasagna
March 17, 2016 at 12:01 PM
Ten plus age gaps seem to be the trend lately. At least Kang Sora could pass for 30.
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asdfasdf
March 17, 2016 at 12:13 PM
well at least there's no romance involved between the two leads here.
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10 Cozybooks
March 17, 2016 at 12:48 PM
I wasn't sure about this either, but I loved the teasers! Looks like my kind of humor. :) I'll be watching!
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11 alpha
March 17, 2016 at 12:55 PM
Hopefully there is no romance, because the hero is older than Kang Sora's actual dad.
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12 AnotherOne
March 17, 2016 at 2:05 PM
I REALLY like Kang So Ra and want her to rise. But, my gosh, her choice in dramas is tragic.
She killed it in Sunny and was in Misaeng, which was a critical and commercial success, but she needs a hit of her own to establish herself as a bonafide leading lady...I could be wrong, but this doesn't seem like it's the best way to go about it.
The teasers look like a mess and you can tell they were going for something quirky, but, if you're not a fan of these leads, the teasers are more of a turn off, not an enticement to watch this.
Also, we need to retire the lawyer, doctor, psychologist dramas for a hot second...because it's all kinda blending into one, UNLESS the plot/characters happen to be really innovative/creative.
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13 Kiara
March 17, 2016 at 3:30 PM
..Come, Mister tally man, tally me banana
Daylight come and me wan' go home..
That song is stuck in my head now lol. More humor. I've been drowning myself in serious dramas. I need to laugh more.
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14 crazedlu
March 17, 2016 at 5:51 PM
Innnnteresting. Haha.
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15 songsong
March 17, 2016 at 5:54 PM
Just love the songs in the teasers - Banana Boat Song for first teaser and Wiggle for the second.
The songs are generation apart, clever use for senior and rookie lawyers. Nicely done!
I can see why Park Shin Yang was a Daesang winner.
Guess I have to watch this drama based on the teasers lol.
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16 kathia
March 17, 2016 at 6:31 PM
Why do I see Han Ga In everytime I see Kim Dong-joon? They look like twins!!! Am I the only one who sees this similarity?
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theredsnowflake
March 17, 2016 at 8:32 PM
You're not the only one.
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17 Beng
March 17, 2016 at 8:14 PM
PSY is the teacher in the Actor School, the reality show that i really, really like! I hope he succeeds in shaping them.
I saw the trailer too in KBS, and i'm glad it's not a heavy drama =)
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18 Iris
March 18, 2016 at 3:02 AM
I am so looking forward to this drama. Thank you for this write-up with photos and teasers. They all look amazing. Like you - I was taken by surprise, from the first teaser on. Very much anticipating this drama. Looks so refreshing..
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19 mary
March 18, 2016 at 5:15 AM
What is this WTFery that draws me in.....
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20 grammar
March 18, 2016 at 6:46 AM
HWANG. SEOK. JEONG.
there, reason for me to watch.
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21 chasen8888
March 18, 2016 at 8:04 AM
It is the teasers that makes me want to watch this show, it was not on my to watch list earlier. The first 2 are funny and the last one is humbling especially for those who have what others do not.
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22 Blarg
March 18, 2016 at 8:03 PM
The first teaser with the dance and song are a spoof of beatlejuice...why? Why would the use a beatlejuice scene? Totally random if there is no correlation.
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23 whitewire
March 19, 2016 at 12:57 AM
PARK SHIN YANG!!!
YES YES YEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSS
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whitewire
March 19, 2016 at 1:07 AM
Sorry to post many comments. I just cannot help myself. This is the actual Park Shin-yang, the ratings King. He is not only a ratings king, but a chemistry generator.
I've had millions of butterflies because of him. When he paired up with Kim Jung-eun (Lovers in Paris), Park Jin-hee (War of Money), Moon Geun-young (Painter of the Wind) and Kim Ah-joong (Sign). All these dramas I mentioned won the ratings lottery, except maybe Painter of the Wind (averaging just 13%).
Park Shin-yang is too hot to ignore. He is a matinee idol God created for romcoms. I won't discredit his melodramas, but he is made for a "suave too good rich but not chaebol or maybe chaebol" type of leading man in the comedic side.
That is to say -- I'm -- all in -- 100% saying that Kang So-ra should have a love story with him. Park Shin-yang ♥ Kang So-ra. Bring it on!
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24 whitewire
March 19, 2016 at 12:58 AM
Wait a minute -- Park Shin-yang AND Ryu Soo-young?!
Can somebody please tell me we live in the BEST WORLD EVER! Sooooooo perfect. I mean, soooooooo perfect!
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