SBS's new Friday-Saturday drama 'Shinirang Law Office' revealed everything about the show's worldview and origin story directly from writers Kim Ga-young and Kang Cheol-gyu one week before its premiere.
Shinirang Law Office, a new SBS Friday-Saturday drama that premieres on Fri., March 13 (directed by Shin Jung-hoon, written by Kim Ga-young and Kang Cheol-gyu, produced by Studio S and Mongjakso), is a strange but warm story of catharsis featuring Shinirang, the "possessed lawyer" who satisfyingly resolves the grievances of the dead, and Hanna Hyun, the "cold-blooded elite lawyer" who stakes everything on winning. Noted for its unique combination of courtroom drama with the fantasy elements of ghosts and possession, writers Kim Ga-young and Kang Cheol-gyu revealed everything from the project's starting point to character design and the message the drama intends to convey. The following is an honest Q&A about how the unique premise of a "possessed lawyer" was born and the intentions behind a story that crosses law and the spirit world.
Q. How did the premise of a "possessed lawyer" who resolves the grievances of the dead come about?
A. This story began with the question "the law ultimately records only the voices of the living." In reality, perpetrators can hire lawyers to present their side, but dead victims cannot speak the truth themselves. I was troubled by the fact that even after a ruling, genuine feelings and stories left beyond the documents still remain. So I asked another question. If there were souls that could not find peace after death, who could speak for them? In seeking that answer, I thought not of shamans or detectives but of lawyers—those who fight in the living world with logic and procedure. Thus was born the character "Shinirang (Yoo Yeon-seok), the possessed lawyer," who argues the last stories of the dead at the boundary of law and catharsis.
Q. The structure that combines the fantasy elements of ghosts and possession with a courtroom drama is unique. What kind of entertainment did you hope to deliver with this genre mix?
A. Courtroom drama is a genre of fierce verbal battles and logic. Ghosts, on the other hand, belong to a mysterious realm that cannot be explained by common sense. I wanted to depict the moment when two completely different worlds collide and truths that logic alone could not reach are revealed. The process of cases that were hard to even indict due to lack of evidence being resolved through a ghost's testimony and the fantastical device of possession adds emotional consolation on top of the rational satisfaction that courtroom dramas provide. I hope viewers will enjoy the paradoxical pleasure of "it's absurd, but that's why it's more satisfying."
Q. If you paid particular attention to portraying ghosts not as genre devices but as characters, what did you focus on?
A. The first question I asked when setting up ghosts was "why haven't they moved on yet?" So I wanted to view ghosts not as objects of fear but as beings holding words they could not finish saying. I focused on the souls who remain not because of a simple grudge but because of unresolved misunderstandings or unexpressed sincere feelings, and I aimed to build narratives that each ghost had a life, choices, and desperate feelings while alive.
Q. Some expect it to be part of the "SBS refreshing courtroom drama" lineage. What kind of satisfaction did you want to deliver in the way events unfold and verdicts are structured?
A. If traditional refreshing courtroom dramas delivered satisfaction through a competent protagonist's powerful punishment, Shinirang Law Office starts with the power of place. When perpetrators exploit legal blind spots to escape, the bizarre cooperation between Shinirang and the dead becomes the weapon that dismantles those lies. I wanted to show the thrill of fitting together the final pieces that the real courtroom missed. Also, the ending does not simply end in victory or defeat. I wanted an ending that, even if legally a loss, provides emotional healing—that sense of peace that comes from someone listening to your story to the end.
Q. What character tone did you consider most important when designing the protagonist Shinirang?
A. Shinirang is not someone who wants to be a hero. He never wanted special powers. He only wanted to live an ordinary life. But he cannot ignore the stories in front of him. His well-meaning nosiness—his inability to pass by other people's stories—ultimately makes him the most powerful hero. Shinirang's sincerity becomes the force that breaks down the cold wall of Hanna Hyun (Esom) and opens the hearts of ghosts who have turned their backs on the world.
Q. Shinirang is also a rare example of an "on-minam" in recent dramas. Is there a reason you centered the story on this kind of character?
A. These days the world is smart enough, but it also feels cold. There are many stories where strong people win, but stories about warm hearts gradually changing the world seemed to be disappearing. So I wanted to center the story on a character who seeks to understand others to the end rather than to beat someone. Through the character Shinirang, I hope viewers can take a breath and feel a human warmth.
Q. The powerful casting pairing of Yoo Yeon-seok and Esom is complete. From the writer's perspective, how would you describe each actor's synergy?
A. As a writer, it was reassuring just to see the names Yoo Yeon-seok and Esom side by side on the script. Yoo Yeon-seok is the very heart of the drama, Shinirang himself. With warm humanity and a wide range of acting, he naturally and convincingly brought the "possession" premise to life. His "alter ego parade," moving from gangster to idol trainee, will also be a major attraction. Esom portrayed Hanna Hyun's sharp intellect and complex emotions with sophistication and firmly anchored the drama's center. The synergy created by the two actors' contrasting energies is also an important point to watch.
Q. What is the core message Shinirang Law Office wants to convey?
A. The message is simple. I believe that salvation can begin simply by listening to someone's story to the end. Even truths that the world has ignored can ultimately find rest if just one person listens to them through to the end. This work started from that belief.
Q. Finally, please point out the viewing highlights for the audience.
A. First is Yoo Yeon-seok's "alter ego parade." His performance of possessing different ghosts and transforming into completely different characters in each episode will be a lot of fun. Second is the refreshing, fantastical progression that crosses law and the spirit world. The ghost's testimony and the possession premise overturn cases in a satisfying way. Lastly, watch for the unique relationship changes that develop as Shinirang and Hanna Hyun, the two lawyers, come to understand each other.
SBS's new Friday-Saturday drama 'Shinirang Law Office' premieres on Fri., March 13 at 9:50 p.m.
[Photo] Studio S, Mongjakso
[OSEN]