The first thing that comes to mind about Divorce Attorney Shin is its unusual vibe. The drama feels very different from regular shows we are used to. It blends humor and drama in a legal genre setting, resulting in a show that excels sporadically.

ABOUT

Cho Seung Woo plays titular Shin Sung Han, a divorce lawyer who was formerly a music professor in Germany. He returns to South Korea to study law, in order to find out the truth about his sister’s death. We see him tackling diverse divorce cases. We also meet his two best friends, Jang Hyeong Geun (Kim Sung Kyun), a paralegal in his firm and Jo Jeong Sik (Jung Moon Sung), who runs a real estate business.

REVIEW

Divorce Attorney Shin is imbued with humor. Be it the moments involving the main three best friends, or the law firm shenanigans. The tone is sea-sawed between comedy and drama. The court cases are serious in nature and tackle some critical and tough themes. The drama is episodic but the cases are not rushed. They are actually interesting and quite different from each other.

The moments between the 3 friends are the pièce de résistance — some of their antics provide laugh out loud moments. They are full of warmth and contain a soothing, realistic vibe. You can tell they have been friends for so long!

Shin Sung Han is eccentric, intelligent and thoughtful. Cho Seung Woo masterfully brings maturity as well as quirkiness to the role. He is the main force behind making the show so good. His love for trot songs adds to making his character so colorful.

I like how Han Hye Jin‘s character is introduced through a case — I almost thought she is in a guest role. She plays a radio jockey who starts working at Shin’s firm. Loved her character — she’s so sweet and thoughtful but also assertive and sometimes unpredictable. Her relationship with Shin is so precious — it has maturity and understanding which is rare in dramaland. Han Hye Jin is charming, delivering an understated performance.

New lawyer Choi Jun adds so much to the frolicsome energy of the show. He is so funny and cute. Han Eun Sung has amazing comic timing.

Restaurant owner Kim So-Yeon is another delightful character. The scenes at her restaurant are full of affection and jocosity. Her surprising romantic arc with Hyeong Geun is adorable. Kang Mal Geum gives a sterling performance.

Kim Sung Kyun is perfect as a man who pathetically can’t let go of his love for the wife who fell out of love with him. He is a strong support system to his friend. Jung Moon Sung plays a man who is unsophisticated but means good. He excels with his comedy.

THE MINUS POINTS

The drama has a slow pace and there are many unnecessary elongated scenes which could have been better with proper editing. It lingers too long in certain scenarios. The antagonists are boring and lame too. Also, the journey that the main lead started in the beginning — its conclusion didn’t land as effectively. I also feel like the plot kept going round in circles in the end with Shin and his sister’s in-laws.

IN A NUTSHELL

An unusual legal drama that’s funny and warm with amazing moments of natural, grounded friendships. It has its flaws but overall, a satisfying ride.

MY RATING: 7.5 out of 10.