Joseon Attorney: A Morality | Historical Korean Drama Perfect For Fans of Woo Do-Hwan

Joseon Attorney: A Morality is a historical Korean drama series that stars Woo Do-Hwan. Fans of this popular South Korean actor are very pleased with his performance in this webtoon adaptation as the Joseon attorney Kang Han-Soo.

For Money, Revenge, or Justice?

Kang Han-Soo (played by Woo Do-Hwan, “My Country: The New Age”; “The King: Eternal Monarch”) was supposed to be dead. His father was falsely accused and executed. The false accusers then went to his home and killed his mother by hanging her, making it appear as a suicide. The people behind the brutal murder of his parents believed that he had died when their home was burned down. But he survived, grew up, and studied to become a lawyer.

He has a childhood friend who helps him with various court cases. Initially, he creates the impression that he is only practicing law for the money. The reason he takes certain cases is that the noblemen he is fighting against had something to do with the unjust deaths of his parents. His plan is to make money and get his revenge.  However, when he takes different cases to defend commoners and slaves who have been wronged by greedy corrupt noblemen and wins, the people praise him for his noble efforts.  He turns his focus to exacting justice.

• Kpopmap.com supplied an excellent summary of this K-drama series:  “Originally by Sim Gun and Writer Jeong, “Joseon Lawyer” is a hugely popular historical webtoon about a manipulative lawyer who orchestrates lawsuits and takes advantage of the victims but accidentally gets hailed as a savior of the people, which leads him to reflect upon himself and grow as a true server of justice.”

The Attorney Gets a Female Assistant

Lee Yeon-Joo (played by Bona) is a young woman who runs an inn and uses the money she earns from running her business for charitable works. She is very impressed with Kang Han-soo’s legal prowess and persuades him to allow her to work alongside him. She wants to learn the law but has both a hidden agenda and a hidden identity. In actuality she is a princess, and her brother is a weak and powerless king with a noble heart. He wants to fight against the powerful court officials and apply the law to protect and defend the citizens of Joseon. The princess tells her brother that Kang Han-soo is the perfect man to help the king serve the people.

Timelines and Lifelines Cross

Before her brother became king, Princess Lee Yeon-Joo was the daughter of the king. She believes her father died under suspicious circumstances and the person she suspects is her future father-in-law.

• When the princess grew up she lived outside the palace and presented herself to the public as an innkeeper. Only the loyal servants who were close to her knew her true identity.
• Kang Han-Soo did not purposely hide his identity. It’s just that since many people believed he was dead, he let them believe it. They would come to know his true identity eventually.

It is no coincidence that her father and the father of Kang Han-Soo died about the same time, when they wer both very young. It is a coincidence that they met each other after they grew up. They were not looking for each other and hoping to meet. The information Kang Han-Soo gathered also points him in the direction of the future father-in-law of the princess. As Lee Yeon-Joo and Kang Han-Soo simultaneously dig for the truth behind the death of their parents, they realize that their timelines and lifelines have crossed.

The love life of the princess also gets crossed.

• The man she is betrothed to marry, Yoo Ji-Sun (played by Cha Hak-Yeon) is the son of the man whom she believes is responsible for her father’s death.
• The man she has fallen in love with (Kang Han-Soo) suspects her future father-in-law and her deceased father. He has no reason to trust the court officials or the royal family. They might all have been involved in ordering the murders of his parents. When he discovers her true identity, he has no reason to trust her either.

Viewership and Ratings

Joseon Attorney: A Morality is 12 episodes, currently streaining on Rakuten Viki. Viewers have rated it 9.5 out of 10 stars. I agree. The high rating is totally expected. Whether he plays the main character or is cast in a supporting role, Woo Do-Hwan always gives an outstanding performance and never disappoints his fans.