Actor Kang Yoo-seok from 'Seocho-dong' rescued Jeon Jin-seo, the victim of school violence and the assailant charged with attempted murder.
Actor Kang Yoo-seok leads the narrative with restrained expressions and deep emotional connections in tvN's 'Seocho-dong'. Portraying the role of the associate attorney 'Jo Chang-won', he delicately depicts the inner turmoil of a lawyer oscillating between ideals and reality, emotion and reason, capturing viewers' immersion.
Recent broadcasts depicted the ironic situation where Jo Chang-won takes on a case involving both the victim and the perpetrator of school violence. The conflict unfolding within Jo Chang-won amidst these contrasting cases illustrates that he is not merely a legal practitioner handling cases, but a figure who deeply empathizes with clients' suffering, drawing viewers' sympathy.
The new client Jo Chang-won takes on is Mun Chan-young (Jeon Jin-seo), a student indicted for attempted murder after resisting an assailant armed with a knife during repeated bullying. Although conditions for claiming self-defense were strict, fellow associate attorneys commented that they must naturally assert self-defense to prove their client's innocence.
However, Jo Chang-won had previously felt acutely aware of the limitations of his profession when his client, Do Mi-kyung (Hwang Jung-min), was wrongfully convicted of aiding voice phishing and was unable to pay the fine, ultimately serving a labor sentence. This experience left him with a sense of disillusionment, and in this case, fearing that asserting the client's innocence might lead to greater harm, Jo Chang-won maintained a passive stance.
Yet, as he began to prepare for the defense more earnestly, Jo Chang-won devised a strategy to reduce the sentence by considering the traces of violence, statements, and family circumstances submitted by Mun Chan-young. The line, "This could be my last case," conveyed a complex mix of sincerity, responsibility, and uncertainty about the future.
Kang Yoo-seok portrayed a complex inner world in an understated manner throughout this process. A scene where he silently witnesses the defendant's tears and gently pats their back resonated more than words could express. Particularly, during the investigation scene regarding the school violence perpetrator, he deeply portrayed Jo Chang-won's psychology as he grappled between professional ethics and personal conscience. The performance, which condensed emotions into silence and revealed fractures with just a gaze, effectively communicated Jo Chang-won's psychology while sending a strong message to the audience.
Ultimately, Jo Chang-won's efforts were recognized in court. The prosecutor sought a suspended sentence, and the ruling followed suit, allowing the client to avoid imprisonment. A scene of Jo Chang-won gazing thoughtfully at the prosecutor hiring notice upon returning to the office hinted at future changes, piquing viewers' curiosity.
In this way, Jo Chang-won from 'Seocho-dong' is not just an associate attorney, but a character who grows and transforms through each case. He serves as a window showing viewers the harshness of reality while simultaneously presenting the possibility of change. Kang Yoo-seok authentically embodies this three-dimensional character, proving his acting prowess and emotional design ability once again.
Kang Yoo-seok firmly establishes his presence by portraying Jo Chang-won's restrained emotions and balanced performance, capturing the complexities of a conflicted character's feelings and narrative. His contributions build anticipation for the next stories in 'Seocho-dong.'
[Photo] Seocho-dong
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