Time for a badass law duo to give us a break from the prim and proper, book-abiding Attorneys we’ve been seeing. Lawless Lawyer is here to give us a fresh take on the Vigilante-esque Lawyer during a reign of Crime and Mystery dramas.
About Bong Sang Pil (Lee Joon Gi) who witnesses the tragic death of his mother as a child at the hands of Ahn Oh Joo (Choi Min Soo) as he forcibly tries to obtain evidence revolving around a case Sang Pil’s mother worked on as a Lawyer. Managing to flee her killers, Sang Pil finds shelter and family through his uncle, Choi Dae Woong (Ahn Nae Sang) a Gangster who raises Sang Pil and teaches him how to fight.
Keeping his promise to his mother, Sang Pil becomes a Defence Lawyer using the law in the courtroom but his fists and wits outside of it, reinforcing the belief that, “one should know the law, to break the law.” Moving back to his hometown, he sets up his own firm, wishing to unravel the case surrounding his mother’s death in order to exact revenge. He hires Ha Jae Yi (Seo Ye Ji) as an Office Manager and Partner after she gets demoted from attacking a Judge (literally punching him in the face) but Sang Pil knows far more about her than he lets on.
I have to hand it to the dramas that have been premiering recently, they’ve done nothing but impress and Lawless Lawyer is definitely one of them. Unlike the Lawyers we’ve been seeing in dramas like Suits or Prosecutors in previous shows, this one is extremely entertaining with its rule-bending propensity.
The pacing and scenes are timed perfectly, really utilizing the action scenes in conjunction to the courtroom and law-firm setting. In other words, there’s never a dull moment and the drama can only be defined as snazzy since it’s engrossing with a high production quality, interesting content, and great script. It’s sleek and glossy, with a story that moves at a speed we can digest although you have to pay close attention otherwise, you might miss something vital.
As far as casting in concerned, the main cast is like a gift from K-dramaland. I can’t express enough how I’ve kept tabs on this ever since the casting was confirmed. We have two veteran actors who excel at whatever roles they take on but Lee Joon Gi and Seo Ye Ji have come out of previous projects gaining praise and great reception from the impressive acting they’ve displayed.
And I have to give it to them, their scenes are simply captivating because the chemistry is sensational, from the intense banter to light flirting. Out of all the law dramas that have come out recently, focusing on crime and courtroom affairs, this couple is a powerhouse duo that will have others make a run for their money. I’ve had to gradually warm-up to other main leads or overcome any form of dissatisfaction I might have, weighing my pros and cons, “do I like the leads or the script more?” And usually, a drama would fall flat from either but Lawless Lawyer gives me everything I want from a Law series and more.
The action aspects are fluid, giving us great thug fights and Gangster meet-ups while the law elements aren’t severely time consuming since our leads don’t spend so much time muddled in paperwork and documentation. What makes this drama unique is how it combines various genres instead of solely focusing on ‘law’ because the revenge arch and corruption scandals all come back full circle to Gangster affiliation and the Judges and Lawyers who wash their hands clean of blood while being master puppeteers behind closed doors.
I was patiently waiting for Choi Min Soo to show up and when he did, you bet I had chills running up and down my spine because the man is simply terrifying when he’s playing a villain! As a veteran actor, he’ll be a complete scene stealer so I’m excited for a sizzling antagonistic atmosphere between him and Lee Joon Gi. Our screens just might crack from all the intensity. Or who knows, maybe the Writer has a bloodbath in store for us since Ahn Oh Joo has gone from Mobster to being the head of a large corporation – the higher up they are, the more gratifying it is to see them fall.
I absolutely love our main leads and was proven wrong because I thought Sang Pil would be a lot more outlandish and violent but he only ever uses his fists to defend himself, never throwing the first punch. Ironic, considering the fact that our female lead doesn’t mind throwing punches at people who use her status as a woman against her. She’s feisty and up-right and overall, extremely likeable and admirable. Ha Jae Yi doesn’t bend for anyone, upholding her morals so it’ll be interesting to see how she accepts Sang Pil as a Lawyer who works outside of defined lines.
With a solid premiere and enthralling premise, Lawless Lawyer is sure to be an entertaining watch. We’ve all been dying to see Lee Joon Gi back onscreen in a modern drama to wash away our blues from Scarlet Heart Ryeo (that did a number on all our souls). And he’s definitely back to break a few hearts and have you falling in love with his bad boy persona with a sprinkle of wholesome savagery. My expectations were high to begin with, but after a great premiere, they’re even higher than before.
Anonymous
Can't wait to check this drama out now that the episodes are being subbed on Viki!
Debra.J
Exactly! They apparently had some sort of delay but are trying to catch up and sub asap which is great because fans are dying to see this <3
Josie Gardiner
Josie Gardiner (me). The collector of things I like
So this is my opinion based on my feelings not facts. Lol!” I’ve finished watching the whole thing now.
Have watched up to the 14eps. It has been so fast moving and exciting a quality product. Love it and LJG is so fine and lead actress excellent. Can’t wait for every new episode. The main actors are so cool. LJG is so skinny but it suits the role he’s playing makes him look so hardcore – Thuglike. His past movies showed him as a flower boy beauty soft and feminine in appearance but he needs to look older and more masculine to pull off a more gangster image so I think his thinner more wiry figure in the drama does that. He acting too is superb and his fighting stances suits the part that he is playing here. He need to leave behind his baby boy soft good looks to progress in his career of choice, so he is faceting his more masculine image yet still appearing warm, kind and skilled like a highly polished gem. He has refined himself into a highly experienced ferocious martial art actor. He reminds me of Bruce Lee but more unrestrained. Not everyone is going to like LJG new sharper and skinnier frame but I love it for this drama. I recommend that you watch this it will keep you watching and longing for the next episode.
On a more fangirly note, Lee Jun Ki looks fantastic and very, very sharp, in this show. I concede he’s a lot leaner in this than I personally think he needs to be, but he’s obviously in fantastic shape.
It’s clear that Lee Jun Ki does all of his own fight scenes and stunts, and even though it must be extra tiring to film those, he just kills it, every time. He looks so lean and compact that I sometimes half expected him to have a.. milder screen presence during the action sequences, but he’s consistently explosive in the energy that he brings and the impact he creates, and I was suitably impressed.
Also, check out his eagle jump. Woah. And, wheee~!
It’s been a while since I’ve felt Lee Jun Ki had excellent chemistry with a female co-star, so I’m extra pleasantly surprised by the chemistry between him and Seo Ye Ji. The chemistry between them feels sparky, natural, comfortable, unforced and organic.
I love that they feel like equals onscreen. He’s not overshadowing her even though he is the more experienced actor, and it feels like they bring equal amounts of presence to my screen. As bickering adversaries, and then as partners in law, Sang Pil and Jae Yi feel equally matched, and as a couple, they feel equally attracted to each other, and I feel like the romantic connection between them feels believable and real.
I actually really liked that despite the romance brewing between Sang Pil and Jae Yi, they never let that romance become their entire world. They take it in their stride and keep on fighting the baddies together, and I love that through it all, in love and in war, they are partners – equally matched and equally invested.