Drama 'Strange Lawyer Woo Young-woo' Viewership Soars 10 Times, Overall No.1
Netflix Non-English TV No.1... US Drama Remake Proposal Also
ASD Children Parents "Few Professionals" Express Concerns
[Gyeonggi Suwon=Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] On the afternoon of the 17th, the area around a Japanese home-style restaurant in Haenggung-dong, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do was bustling with crowds. Even during the break time, a long line stretched out in front of the store, and the reason could be found on the small signboard: ‘Wooyoungwoo Gimbap Shop.’
It is the space where the main character Wooyoungwoo (played by Park Eunbin) in the drama Extraordinary Attorney Woo felt the paternal love of her father Woo Gwangho (played by Jeon Bae-soo) and nurtured her dream of becoming a lawyer.
The popularity of the drama Extraordinary Attorney Woo (directed by Yoo In-sik, written by Moon Ji-won, produced by AStory, KT Studio Genie, and Romantic Crew) has gone beyond a craze to become a syndrome. After just six episodes from the first broadcast, the viewership rating increased tenfold, there was a proposal for a U.S. drama remake, and the production company's market capitalization increased by 150 billion KRW...
According to the industry on the 20th, the 6th episode of Wooyoungwoo, which airs every Wednesday and Thursday, recorded a nationwide viewership rating of 9.6% and a peak minute rating of 11.8% (Nielsen Korea, paid households basis) last week. The drama maintained its overall number one position. The first episode on June 29 had only a 0.9% rating, so it increased tenfold in just six episodes.
Viewers cite the charm of Wooyoungwoo as the resonance and messages delivered through various episodes by the kind-hearted characters surrounding the protagonist. Kim Jeong-yeon, whom we met at the Haenggung-dong filming location, said, "It's a pity that the gimbap Wooyoungwoo ate is not sold (at the store)," but added, "The scenes where Wooyoungwoo received abundant love from her father came to mind, allowing me to feel the drama's emotion again."
Lee Joo-young from Suwon said, "I heard that Extraordinary Attorney Woo was filmed nearby, so I came out of curiosity," and added, "Although I didn't get to taste the gimbap, it made me think again about Wooyoungwoo's heart, who likes gimbap where various ingredients harmonize without losing their flavor."
In the publishing industry, the "Wooyoungwoo effect" is also evident as sales of the original essays used in the episodes, such as One Joy Overcomes a Thousand Sorrows (Jo Woosung), Why Do I Defend Them? (Shin Minyoung), and Master of the Courtroom (Shin Jooyoung), are rapidly increasing.
Fans are gathering at the filming location of "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" located in Haenggung-dong, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do. Photo by Lee Jong-gil
Wooyoungwoo is also gaining huge popularity overseas. It ranked first globally among non-English TV series in 190 countries from June 11 to 17, according to Netflix's release on the 20th. The total weekly global viewing time was 45.58 million hours, an increase of 21.63 million hours compared to the previous week, and it recorded twice the viewing time of the second-ranked show. Wooyoungwoo became the first Korean content to rank number one globally on Netflix without being a Netflix original.
As the influence of the work grows, concerns are also being raised. Parents raising children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have been secretly wiping away tears while watching Wooyoungwoo. A viewer who introduced herself as a mother of an autistic child on an online community said, "Korea ranks second in the world for autism prevalence, but due to social atmosphere, children and parents tend to hide more and become isolated," and added, "My child is not a genius like Wooyoungwoo, but there are so many overlaps that I watch each episode crying." Another viewer raising an ASD child pointed out, "Professionals with ASD do exist in reality, but people around them who treat them without prejudice as ordinary people are extremely rare."
Director Yoo In-sik expressed his feelings about the overwhelming popularity of the work as "dazed." He said, "Perhaps the viewers' hearts are much wider and more fertile than we thought, and the sensitivity toward minorities including autistic people and the craving for kind stories had already taken root in the public's hearts far more than the preconceived notions of those making the drama." He also delivered a message of request.
"In the future, as Youngwoo solves many missions, she will face great mountains in life and experience the joys and sorrows of love. However, she will bravely stand before problems with a 'wootangwootang' spirit and will seek answers alone to the unanswerable question, 'What is a great lawyer?' I hope you will continue to support Youngwoo."
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