Many viewers are moved by ENA's "Extraordinary Attorney Woo", which depicts the survival of a lawyer with autism spectrum disorder at a large law firm.

After episodes 1 and 2 aired, drama fans noticed the reviews posted by a Filipino man on an international drama review website.

The reviews, which were written in English, highlighted details that can only be discovered by those with the same autism spectrum disorder as the protagonist in "Extraordinary Attorney Woo".

Therefore, Sports Seoul contacted JC John Sese Cuneta and conducted an interview via the website where he posted his lengthy drama reviews.

Actress Park Eun Bin's portrayal of Woo Young Woo is currently a topic of discussion. What do young people with autism spectrum disorder think about this?

She is doing very well! Her acting is so natural that I am beginning to wonder if she is an autistic patient who has not yet been diagnosed. It was so natural that I could not tell whether she was acting or not.

Park Eun Bin's Woo Young Woo is incapable of controlling her fingers. Her eye movements in Woo Young Woo are identical to those in reality. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder exhibit distinct behaviors.

However, we can all agree that autistic people find eye contact uncomfortable. In addition, her walking style. Some may argue that it is a "unrealistic" characteristic. Autism is a very broad spectrum, so few autistic individuals walk like Woo Young Woo.

In fact, I walk like that on occasion. Park Eun Bin portrayed Woo Young Woo's autistic characteristics with such accuracy.

Your reviews have demonstrated that "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" is unique and realistic for those unfamiliar with the characteristics of individuals with autism spectrum disorder. What do you think of the drama, which was written from a novel perspective and focuses on autistic individuals?

It was a welcome alteration. I do not know how Korean media have portrayed autism over the past few years or decades, but films and television series with well-researched and accurate portrayals of autism spectrum disorder are uncommon.

The film's focus on autism makes "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" even more extraordinary. In the majority of other works featuring autism, autistic characters played secondary or supporting roles.

Autism, as stated by Woo Young Woo in episode 3, is a spectrum. There are common and uncommon traits, and each trait influences the individual to varying degrees. In the third episode of "Extraordinary Attorney Woo", they demonstrated this.

I did not anticipate that the production crew would cover this story so early, but they did so flawlessly. This is the aspect that many drama and film producers overlook when creating autistic characters.

You stated in a brief review of episode 3 that the story was emotional and tragic. What portion of the drama most broke your heart?

The words that the prosecutor said during the trial. He took advantage of Woo Young Woo’s autism disorder and forced her to leave her position.

Roughly speaking, I was expecting this to happen to the Young Woo in court, but the scene still shocked me. The message delivered through the scene is that autistic people are guilty of being born with autism.

Episode 3 illustrated the spectrum of autism spectrum disorder in its various degrees. Some individuals on the autism spectrum are still able to work effectively as attorneys, such as Woo Young Woo. How varied is the spectrum of autistic individuals, including yourself and those you've observed?

Woo Young Woo, a fictional character, possesses a number of autistic traits. According to some reviews written by autistic individuals, Woo Young Woo does not exist in reality.

Because an autistic lawyer with all of these characteristics cannot exist. I agree with them fifty percent, but I do not believe this character to be completely implausible.

In addition, I believe the screenwriter drew Woo Young Woo's character intentionally unrealistically. I believe they wanted to create a character who could reach as many people as possible, while also emphasizing Woo Young Woo's autism traits.

Woo Young Woo's behavioral traits may not be realistic, but I believe this drama portrays the core characteristics of autism spectrum disorder through her.

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Hyun Bin is finally addressing the long-standing "ddongcha" (poop car) theory surrounding his character from My Name is Kim Sam-soon—and he's not holding back!

In an interview on the 19th with Star News, the beloved actor confessed, "I was wrong," responding to the reevaluation of his iconic role as Hyun Jin-heon from the 2005 hit drama. The "ddongcha" theory has been a subject of online debate for years, with many viewers critiquing Hyun Jin-heon’s character as overly arrogant and entitled.

Hyun Bin, who first rose to fame in My Name is Kim Sam-soon, took the time to reflect on the character that made him a household name. He shared, “I was just following the script; there were no personal opinions added to the character of Hyun Jin-heon. At that time, I knew Hyun Jin-heon was portrayed as a ‘bad boy,’ and the way it was expressed was different from today’s standards.”

With My Name is Kim Sam-soon now being re-released as part of Wavve's "New Classic" project, fans are revisiting the 2005 drama, and the character of Hyun Jin-heon is under fresh scrutiny. Director Kim Yun-cheol even admitted that the "prince on a white horse" and "bad boy" tropes that once worked in 2005 don’t quite match today's sensibilities, leading to edits in the 2024 version.

Hyun Bin humbly acknowledged his gratitude for his successful career and hit works, saying, "It’s wonderful and I am grateful to have so many hit works. I’ve been fortunate to work with amazing writers, directors, and actors. Thanks to them, I’ve received a lot of attention and love." He also shared a sense of humility, noting, “But I never know when that luck will come again."

Despite the dramatic shift in perspective on his character, Hyun Bin’s charm and dedication remain strong. Fans are eager to see him in his upcoming film Harbin (directed by Woo Min-ho), set to be released on the 24th.

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