10/04/2025
Remember the “Woo to the Young to the Woo” trend that took over in 2022?
This was from the K-drama, Extraordinary Attorney Woo, which was largely accepted for its positive portrayal of an attorney with Autism Spectrum Disorder. It follows Woo Young Woo, a brilliant attorney on the spectrum, as she navigates a legal world not designed for neurodivergent individuals. Despite graduating at the top of her class, she faces skepticism due to her atypical mannerisms—avoiding eye contact, echolalia, and difficulty with social cues. However, her exceptional memory, attention to detail, and strong moral compass make her an outstanding lawyer, emphasizing that autism is just one part of her identity, not its defining feature.
A powerful moment in the show is when Young Woo is assigned a case involving a client on the spectrum, and her boss assumes she’ll relate to him. She quickly corrects this, reminding him that autism is a spectrum—every individual has unique communication styles, social skills, sensory sensitivities, and intellectual abilities (just like whale families, as she sweetly points out). The client, with limited speech and a mental age of 5–6, has vastly different experiences from hers. Yet, the opposing counsel weaponizes this difference, questioning her competence.
It’s a striking reminder: neurodivergence is not a monolith.
Creative Credits: Ananya Krishna
