[Drama 2018] Miss Hammurabi, 미스 함무라비

[star2010]

MH is really a thought provoking drama which  poses so many philosophical questions.

 

 

On 6/21/2018 at 12:50 PM, bebebisous33 said:

@ohani

1. And that's exactly my problem. I don't agree with that principle "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" as it is too simple and archaic. A judge should be impartial. OR might have compassion and feel empathy for others, yet she lacks impartiality which is exactly what she reproached to the other judge. She considers herself better and superior, nonetheless she is just the product of her environment (lower social class). But she is not really different, it is just that she defends different kind of people. While the judge has been influenced by the people from Gangnam, she is influenced by people living in poverty. She has the preconception that "poor people" are good people who got tricked and abused by rich and powerful persons. But let just face it: even poor people are not a synonym for good people.

Moreover, the media can have a negative influence on people. I am French and each time I come home, I am so bothered by the news on TV because they lack objectivity. The news are too focused on France, they lack deep analysis and self-reflection/criticism. The problem is that nowadays people tend to judge people very quickly due to the new technology. In the last episode, it was clearly pointed out how a single person can manipulate others (protests) or the media can manipulate people's opinion. And that's a dangerous thing to do: react on emotions... Before any action, people should try to get more info and analyze. That's why it is important not to let the new media and technology influence you, take your time and think things through before judging anything.

 

 

 

@bebebisous33

I would like to defend the author, Judge Moon, and OR for the role of emotions in legal reasoning.

 

To most of the general public, we should treats law as a science, legal reasoning as a purely deductive process, and emotion as the enemy of reason. Thus, emotions are individual, arbitrary, unanalyzable, and ultimately a threat to the proper functioning of the legal system. The traditional assumption that those trained in the law should not traffic in emotion; hence judges, and lawyers, are viewed as emotionless practitioners of pure reason. However, with the limited exposure to legal reasonings (mostly US constitutional law) that i have got over the years, i feel that judges are not always impartial, in fact their rulings are mostly in line with their personal/culture/political/religious beliefs. If we should treat law as a science and judges should be impartial, then we would have only one conclusion to a case regardless who is a judge. Nevertheless, it is hard to have an unanimous rulings because different judges have different emotions and ideologies to interpret the laws.

Thus, It’s hard to act according to law without emotion. It’s easy said than done.

 

As @mojobobo said, justice/law without compassion/emotion is tyranny. I would like to use the current refugee situation in the States as an example. What the Trump’s administration does is not illegal. They found a loophole and took full advantage of it. However, they acted without compassion for those young children, and now it is a mess; it is inhuman way to treat human beings. If we follow the traditional legal reasoning that we should not mix emotion with law, then why are there so many people protest about this? The law has been there for long time, the Obama’s administration faced the same challenges in 2014, one may or may not agree with how the previous administration execute the law, at least they put on enough emotions and compassion into the issue that they did not separate young children from their parents and they did not put children in cages. I agree that emotion alone with not solve the problem. Nonetheless, those emotions are a trigger point that make people try to find solutions. If we do not express our angers, people would assume that we are fine with the status quo. Hence, nothing will change.

 

 

===========

@ohani

About OR as a mythical figure, i would like to think that she is IBR’s alter ego. OR is what BR wants to be but can not. He has the same opinions about most issues like OR but unlike her, he has never taken any actions; hence he creates her to fill in his inaction. From the first ep, when he wanted to help the old lady whose son died during the surgery, but he did not because he reasoned that it would result in nothing. It is OR who steps in and helps the old lady. He is angry about PJ plagiarized his idea, but he does nothing until OR pushes him to report it to the chief. Then it is OR again and again tell him about the value of family and how women feel about sexual harassment.

If we think that OR’s is alter ego, it is easier to accept that a young woman who has financial hardship can be an ace in her class and even smarter than IBR. I just hope that we would not get the ending where everything happens in 16 eps is IBR’s dream.

It is so interesting that Judge Moon challenges the sexism, but i think this is true anywhere. I remember how the media praised a male politician when he cried, but criticized a female politician when she did the same thing. When a male lawmaker cries, he shows humility. When a female lawmaker cries, she is not tough enough to be a leader.

Also, thanks so much for providing the reaction from SK viewers

 

 

============

Regarding the situation in ep 9, i feel it normal for OR to feel bad about that nice judge. She is angry about his action but not him as a person. Also, i do not think the OR expects a big outcome. Like what happened in ep 5, she may think that the chief may ask the nice presiding judge to stop but not a public punishment. This sentiment is also the theme of ep 9. Not all the poor are underprivileged, and the only one who struggle with life/work. Yet their voices and opinions are mostly overlooked, more than the middle working class. Those who protest against Judge Han and BR do not expect the rosy outcome, all they want to have is to express their grievances. Similarly, OR must be surprised that the chief takes action into the corruption. As @ohani said that judge Moon created OR as a character after the Sewol Accident, OR is a character that expresses the anger of society to people in power, yet at the same time, OR like majority of Korean public do not expect rosy, disney-like ending, because like OR, most people believe that those who are in power would do anything to protect themselves.

[bebebisous33]

@ohani @star2010 First of all, I am not criticizing the author nor I am disliking OR. Actually, he is illustrating the reality of the justice system. Then I would like to point out that I am well aware that the impartiality I mentioned is difficult to achieve. However,  I wanted to indicate that OR is not different from the other judge she harshly criticized. Like I said, she is the product of her environment, just like he is. Sure, the latter represent the rich ones hence his ruling reinforces the inequity. Since I am living in Europe (France/Germany), I can only say that the middle class is usually often overlooked by government, hence the middle class contributes the most to the social system (health care, unemployment insurance, ...), while the high society can escape from paying excessive taxes by committing tax evasion. However the middle class is little by little suffocating from the number of taxes, especially in France which results in this:  the middle class is getting smaller, the gap between rich and poor is widening.     

Our actual justice system shouldn't be perceived as a synonym for real justice because laws are not connected to emotions and empathy. The wife cheated on her husband, yet she had the children custody because it is often connected to the idea that children should be raised by their mother. Since he spent little time with his daughters, he had no idea what his children wanted. If the mother hadn't received the custody in the first place, maybe this wouldn't have happened... Right now, my own brother is fighting for custody and I can tell, even if the children express that they want to live with their father, even with evidence that the mother is not taking care properly of the children (noticed by the social workers), the children are still with their mother. Emotions and even reason have nothing to do with ruling and laws. 

[celebrianna]

@bebebisous33, I agree.  I think it would be quite scary to be judged in a court of law by emotional points of view. It’s a double-edged sword. 

[bebebisous33]

22 minutes ago, celebrianna said:

@bebebisous33, I agree.  I think it would be quite scary to be judged in a court of law by emotional points of view. It’s a double-edged sword. 

Well, during the middle-age (in Europe) the populace was quite easily overwhelmed so that lynch justice often happened. F. ex. during the pest (1347-1348), in many european cities jews got persecuted and executed because they were seen as responsible for the pest. Christian thought that they had poisoned the wells because jews were less affected by the pest. Emotions are quite dangerous.

We were shown that IBR can lose control of his emotions, he is not a robot and due to his emotions, he committed a wrongdoing which he realized afterwards. OR had a good impact on IBR and Han as she forced them to pay more attention to the emotional aspect, hence they have started getting closer to the cases they are dealing. Yet, they are able to keep a certain distance. OR is still lacking in that aspect.  

[celebrianna]

@bebebisous33, even with paying more attention to the emotional aspect, that can also lead to opposing opinions based on an individual’s belief. It’s like how the US Supreme Court judges clearly have differing values and many times those values affect their judgment. I find it quite scary even then because right and wrong are affected by people’s beliefs and objective truth is hard to get at nowadays since the judges ignore it quite a bit. I say follow the law.

[Veronica Park]

https://ahjummamshies.com/2018/06/21/k-drama-reaction-miss-hammurabi-episode-8/

[0ly40]

Real-life judge behind ‘Miss Hammurabi’

source: http://www.koreaherald.com

 

Judge Moon Yoo-seok’s first attempt at script writing has so far been well-received by local viewers for its fresh perspective.

Moon, a senior judge of the Seoul Central District Court, wrote the script of the drama series “Miss Hammurabi,” which airs Mondays and Tuesdays on JTBC. Rather than dealing with large corporate cases or gruesome murders, the series features stories of desperate ordinary people, from the perspectives of three different judges.

Despite being a late-night series on a cable channel, the pre-produced series has seen an average viewership rating of 4.5 percent. 
 

A poster for “Miss Hammurabi” (JTBC)

The script is an adaptation of a best-selling novel of the same title originally published as a serial novel in a local newspaper. Moon, who wrote the original serial novel, is widely known for his written works, but this was his script writing effort.

“I was sorry that I couldn’t sufficiently tell the characters’ stories due to the limited space (when writing for the newspaper). Talking about making the series into a drama in spring last year, I decided to write a longer version of the story in a script format, regardless of whether it would be used or not,” Moon said, in a statement released by the drama‘s agency.

To Moon’s surprise, the production company suggested going with his script, without a co-writer or a sub-writer. Moon recalled, “I guess the company understood the ‘story’ that the script wanted to tell, despite its crudeness,” he said.

Through “Miss Hammurabi,” Moon is learning the joy of cooperation.

“The ideas and individualities of the director, the production company, the actors and the staff members make my insufficient writing much more abundant and lively,” he said.

As it was his first time writing for a production, Moon was not aware of the technical details of script writing.

“It is hard to use pop songs or jazz tracks as music royalty is very expensive. Not being aware of the fact, I included a lot of songs to express characters’ emotions and some scenes that connect with music. But it was hard to use them in reality. Thankfully, the music director wrote great original songs,” he said.

While working as a judge for some 20 years, Moon has been writing consistently, publishing best-sellers such as “Individualist Declaration” in 2015.

“I am a story addict, who imagines absurd stories even while walking. I have liked comics, novels and films since I was young. I sometimes forget to get off at my stop on the subway, imagining stories,” he said.

“For me, writing is play and leisure. I frankly write stories because I like to read what I wrote. Whether it’s corny or boring, what I write is to my taste.”

The judge also acknowledged the hard work that goes into writing.

“I am sorry when I think of many writers and would-be writers putting in a great amount of effort. In my case, I am being favored for having a profession that the story deals with,” he said.

[ohani]

My dear fellow Soompiers,

Thank you all for all the scintillating discussions we have here.  The debates we have here testifies that Miss Hammurabi is one-of-the-kind drama. At first, I thought this drama is the legal version of Misaeng , which is my perennial favorite, but this drama cuts deeper and wider into the established gender, cultural, social and political structures while refusing to provide a finite, correct answer--because there is none in reality. (It is not to say that this drama surpasses Misaeng--they have different purposes). 

 

DDOBOJA has translated the responses from the latest episode.  https://ddoboja.blogspot.com/2018/06/spoilersmiss-hammurabi-roundup-episode_21.html

 

It's obvious that episode 9 has sent a shock wave to the audience and forced them, (like us), to reflect upon why we feel uncomfortable about OR's actions. And this self-awareness of this particular discomfort is the purpose of this drama. How many TV shows are there today, American dramas included, that invite you to think? Most of the shows or movies just stop at "revealing" or "exposing" the problems, but this drama treats its audience as intelligent people who can think and empathize. This is the reason why I find MH a standout, even though the show isn't perfect with its own issues. 

 

1. [+946, -16] Today's episode was really crazy. Seeing Park Cha Oh Reum after she reported the department head for soliciting, I saw myself thinking: "But he was still a nice person, did you have to go that far.. she did the right thing but weirdly, I hate her" and I felt quite odd. And also, it doesn't seem like there are people who are completely good and who are completely bad,,,, This is a drama where you learn a lot of things 

 

2. [+563, -11] The only thing Oh Reum-ie did was doing the right thing but in reality, the stinging looks treat her as if she did something wrong 

 

3. [+542, -6] Im Ba Reun is just a reflection of us. With every case, take a step back and think rationally because it's not our problem, but if it approaches me, I'll be like Park Cha Oh Reum and be like the corrupted judge, and it feels like doing even more is what makes you human. I hope you think more about what Im Ba Reun did at the hospital. The emotions of a human are so complex and on top of that, there's reason. There can be one answer and conclusion or you can say it was an accident caused by a dichotomy. 

 

4. [+393, -10] She did what she had to do but my heart hurts... I really like this drama

 

5. [+173, -11] I wish there were a lot of judges like Park Cha Oh Reum     

 

@star2010

I LOVE how you treat OR as BR's alter ego. Your analysis of the dynamics between OR and BR is so spot-on that I want to hug you!   This also explains his affection towards her.  Compared to the earlier episodes, BR really likes OR in her present state than the one living in his memory. To add to your analysis, in episode 8, he just completed a case on how collective conformity and parental pressure force an introvert worker to commit suicide. Then, when they went out together with their coworkers to dine in an Italian restaurant, their seniors still decide for the entire group on what to order, resonating to the case. Again, it is OR's bluntness that breaks away from such a suffocating collective pressure and asserts her individuality. Go Ara really has a knack for comedy. The way she nonchalantly "sings" the dish's name is so hilarious and adorable that brings a big smile to L/ BR's face.  Then, he follows suit and asks for the menu himself. LOL. (Compared to the elevator scene in episode 4, he disallows her from existing the elevator). For me, such a moment, made up by ab-lib performance and reaction, is GOLDEN It also speaks for BR's becoming more like OR in expressing himself. (To use a Freudian psychoanalytic term, OR might also be his id, which he suppresses for a long time). 

 

On the side note, the scriptwriter Judge Moon said at the very beginning of the interview, he thought the rating will only be 1.8 %, but it turns up to be double. He said it is the cast's performance that makes up for his mediocre script (really? Judge Moon--you are being too humble). He said that the key to success from episode 1 is Go Ara's ab-lib performance of imitating dog-barking sounds in the subway scene. LOL (It's true though. The novel reads a tad boring to be honest).

 

Anyway. I have confidence in Judge Moon's script. If MH continues its winning streak like this, it will be definitely one of the best dramas in 2018. The drama will certainly become a turning point for all three leads. L finally proves himself to be an actor, not an idol, with a lot of potential, and Go Ara, after a long slump, reaches another new height after the success of Reply 1994,  but with a big step forward to a more mature career through taking upon a controversial role like BR. Contrary to the popular bias against her, I never found her terrible to begin with. She certainly has limits, but she can shine with a good project--and she certainly shines brightly in this drama. I am just so relieved that she left SM and entered Artist Company. Lastly but not the least importantly, it is Sung Dong-il who holds the gravitas of the entire drama. I LOVE him to pieces. His impeccable comic timing, the way he emotes in episode 8 towards his daughters, and how he yells at the other judge for mistreating his pregnant worker in episode 5.... Sung Appa is simply the BEST.  The only complaint I have up to now is that Ryu Deok Hwan is seriously underutilized in recent episodes. He's such a tremendous actor, and he is obviously Judge Moon's favorite from the interview. Hopefully, Judge Jung will join the revolution of department 44 in later episodes like in episode 4-5. 

 

Miss Hammurabi, department 44, fighting!

[jl08]

New bts... 

 

 

@ohani

Thanks for sharing Go Ara's ad-lib scenes. I wasn't aware of it. I agree that she has a knack for comedy. With regards to the background of why the writer created her character, after the Sewol tragedy, it helps me to understand her pain and anger better, and why she is so protective over the weaker ones. She is a voice that they could identify with and turn to, for help.

 

Perhaps if there were some thoughts or time taken to show some conflicting emotions that O Reum faced before she brought up the case to Judge Han or even after she confided in Ba Reun, the audience might resonate with her better even if the outcome had been the same.  Just like O Reum empathizes more with the poor and weak ones, people want to see her empathy for the judge because he's a nice person and has helped her. If only she was shown to be regretful and not defiant and in a hurry to report him, I think we can better accept her character. We will not associate her with being hasty and heartless, even if she had done the right thing. I'm not sure if it was due to the time constraint that it wasn't explored further, 

 

I like both O Reum's feisty character and Ba Reun's cool logic mode. The contrast is so stark yet adorable and necessary. They definitely complement each other beautifully and I look forward to seeing both grow together. I have no problem with ep 9 - maybe a little discomfort that she reacted so strongly yet someone has to be the whistleblower. 

 

The question that is likely to be raised is - why was she so surprised about the outcome? If she wasn't expecting disciplinary action to be taken, then what motivated her to report him? Or did she not expect such a serious outcome at all? Which means that in future, she would need to explore all possible scenarios of her actions so that she's not shocked at the end.

 

In effecting change and being the catalyst for change, she has also to change herself to cope with her emotions better and like Ba Reun said, to be selective about the underprivileged as not all are good. She needs to know that she can't protect every one of them or she'll burn out soon. That's why I'm glad that she has Ba Reun there for her to slow her down and change her as well, just like she's changing him. Isn't that wonderful? We need this scenario badly in reality. How often do we get colleagues changing each other for the better? 

 

This drama is awesome and I believe too, that it's a breakthrough for the 3 leads, especially for L. He is not only charismatic but has immersed himself so well in his role that he brought it to life even in Knowing Brothers.  Coupled with his voice change as a result of the drama and his awesome acting, it's a bonus that he's cast as Im Ba Reun. As for Go Ara, I've known her from "Who are you" and have liked her since then. I've seen her sing and dance in "Papa" and she not only dances well, she has the voice of an angel. I was also pleasantly surprised by her playing the piano in MH. L playing the guitar was also nice. These 2 beings are talented and beautiful.

 

Judge Han - Sung Dong-il, well, he's the pillar in this drama and he's like a gem in MH. I'm so glad to see him getting along so well with his juniors and they respecting him totally. He and Ara would be perfect in a comedy together. It's the awesome dynamics of the 3 judges, onscreen and offscreen, that brings to life, the cases and court actions. They are the reason why I can't wait for Mondays and Tuesdays. I can't resist saying that I'm attracted most by the inexplicably beautiful chemistry between L and Ara, which I never thought it would be possible.   

[ohani]

2 hours ago, jl08 said:

 

Perhaps if there were some thoughts or time taken to show some conflicting emotions that O Reum faced before she brought up the case to Judge Han or even after she confided in Ba Reun, the audience might resonate with her better even if the outcome had been the same.  Just like O Reum empathizes more with the poor and weak ones, people want to see her empathy for the judge because he's a nice person and has helped her. If only she was shown to be regretful and not defiant and in a hurry to report him, I think we can better accept her character. We will not associate her with being hasty and heartless, even if she had done the right thing. I'm not sure if it was due to the time constraint that it wasn't explored further, 

 

The question that is likely to be raised is - why was she so surprised about the outcome? If she wasn't expecting disciplinary action to be taken, then what motivated her to report him? Or did she not expect such a serious outcome at all? Which means that in future, she would need to explore all possible scenarios of her actions so that she's not shocked at the end.

 

 

 

This is what happens when you adapt a case-based "novel" to a drama.  Each chapter of the novel discusses a civil court case while the three characters represent the three perspectives.  So the novel is rather dry--it's definitely not Dickens or Austin's novel that draws you in. It's more like a philosophical treatise. When adapted to a drama form, the writer needs to flesh out each character more. As I say it before, the only real "complete" character is BR, who is more like you and me , "a reflection of us," as Korean netizens comment.  We know how he perceives, processes, interprets, and feel every minute happening in the drama. (Therefore, this definitely will be a life character for L since it's so well-written).  The show though have problems in uneven character developments and pacing. For instance, Bo Wang's character is completely pushed to the background while he used to serve great function of providing much-needed insider information (Bo Wang means "intelligence")  and share camaraderie, and OR's heart-warming makeshift family also disappears. I find it strange though because her "new" family is what gives her strength and optimistic outlook in life. 

 

But then, the promotion of  Miss Hammurabi describes Miss Hammurabi ( OR's character ) as a "a judge that can't be found in this world."  She embodies the writer's ideal that can't be realized. That's why I hesitate to analyze her motives too much.

 

With regard to why she is so surprised, I think that's because normally a judge should have received internal disciplinary action and investigation first.  However, remember Ahn Nae-sang character made a phone call?  This is not a correct procedure. He should have gone consulted with Chief Judge first (Chief Judge is the one who insists on letting OR speak in front of the assembly) My guess is that Ahn Nae-sang's character used Judge Gan as a scapegoat to distract the real, bigger corruption in the court. That's why in the preview the real conflict escalates between OR and Ahn Nae-Sang's character. I was so excited when OR says to Ahn Nae-Sang,  "If there will be bloodshed, I will shed the blood." Finally, the problems left unresolved in episode 5 have to be dealt with. 

 

[Mrs_JCW]

https://ahjummamshies.com/2018/06/23/k-drama-reaction-miss-hammurabi-episode-9/

 

[jl08]

@butterflysaga

I think you meant ep 9?  

 

Yes, O Reum is a very controversial whistleblower. She makes us crack our brain to justify her emotions and actions and where we can't find justifications,  we let it out here and see if somebody else can do the job of justifying.  

 

[evie7]

On 6/21/2018 at 6:05 AM, celebrianna said:

OR being surprised about the logical conclusion of her complaint against the judge in episode 9 showed me that she might not have thought this through. I thought she was prepared to face the consequences but it seemed she really didn’t realize this was how it would end. 

I was surprised that she didn't realize the consequences of her actions. She was right in reporting the judge but she clearly didn't think it through. She has a tendency to run around like a bull in a china shop, just doing what she feels is right. There's nothing wrong W/her views, it's just that she has to realize people will not change if you are always in their face demanding that they change. That no matter what her views are, she has to follow the laws that are in place. She's not in the right profession to actively work to change the law.   I have a feeling her helping that poor lady that lost her son in the beginning episodes is going to get her in trouble because she did ask Yong Joon to help her. That was clearly tampering by a judge for a case she presided over. Her hearts in the right place but her methods are not going to get her very far.   

 

@bebebisous33 She is really blind to BR's situation, she does not try to understand or even see what he's going through in his life. You are right it seems like she only thinks injustice can only happen to the poor. I agree that the Gangnam judge was just as corrupt as the judge that took a bribe.

[star2010]

@bebebisous33

Do not worry, i like that you question the role of emotion in OR’s character and how it influences her judgment. In fact, i like this kind of open debate. I agree with you that OR is a product of her environment, in which that she is bias toward the poor.In fact, most of us have our own paradigms, and it s hard for us to look outside of the box.

I live in the States, and i can say that politicians here use the middle class as political tool all the time. However, like it or not, the middle class has more political capital than the poor.

 

I wholeheartedly agree with you regarding the custody case in ep 8. Yes, parent’s expectation could kill children’s happiness. However, following whatever children’s wishes could damage their future.  Ep 8 shows two different extremes of parenting. The first case, it shows that parents’ expectation without consider their son’s feeling and opinion can make the son’s life unbreathable. The second case, from Judge Han’s ruling, it is assumed that the children’s current happiness are more important. Is it the right answer?  Of course,it it good or important that a parent would know and allow children to see BTS and Park Bo Gum. However, knowing it is enough to secure the children’s well-being in the long run. The father in this case does not know what his children want because he has not spent time with his children. However, he will have more time with them in the future, and Judge Han may not put much thought in that direction. Moreover, his ruling is based heavily on emotions (yes, i think he is too emotional here, and is not much different than OR) and bias, i.e: It’s an universal and unwritten agreement that motherhood is more important to a child’s wellbeing.

 

@ohani

I’m happy to accept your hug.

 

Since you said that the novel is like a philosophical treatise, is it possible that Judge Moon may borrow Plato’s style?

What i mean is that Judge Moon mirrors OR’s character to Socrates, who can been seen as a mythical character in Plato’s dialogues. Like OR, Socrates is deliberately irritating, funny and rude; he asks many important questions but his answers can be controversial.  Most of what we know about Socrates are from the Plato. This is the same with OR, that we know her from IBR, from her dialogues and interactions with BR and other characters.

Since drama is different than novel, Judge Moon may develop OR’s background but at the same time, he holds back to to fully expand her character as he wants to keep the essence of the original OR in the novel.

 

Unlike others, i do not want/need OR be a likeable character, as long as her character keeps challenging questionable norms in society and legal system. Go Ara must know so well that PCOR is a controversial character when she accepted the script and she did not care. Thus, i hope the drama would not forgo this opportunity and dial down her character.

 

[ohani]

2 hours ago, star2010 said:

 

 

@ohani

I’m happy to accept your hug.

 

Since you said that the novel is like a philosophical treatise, is it possible that Judge Moon may borrow Plato’s style?

What i mean is that Judge Moon mirrors OR’s character to Socrates, who can been seen as a mythical character in Plato’s dialogues. Like OR, Socrates is deliberately irritating, funny and rude; he asks many important questions but his answers can be controversial.  Most of what we know about Socrates are from the Plato. This is the same with OR, that we know her from IBR, from her dialogues and interactions with BR and other characters.

Since drama is different than novel, Judge Moon may develop OR’s background but at the same time, he holds back to to fully expand her character as he wants to keep the essence of the original OR in the novel.

 

Unlike others, i do not want/need OR be a likeable character, as long as her character keeps challenging questionable norms in society and legal system. Go Ara must know so well that PCOR is a controversial character when she accepted the script and she did not care. Thus, i hope the drama would not forgo this opportunity and dial down her character.

 

OMG!!! Can I give you another BIG hug ? I hold back for a long time by bringing up Judge Moon's Socratic/ Platonic dialectics because it might turn people off. I am truly thrilled at and grateful for the intellectual dialogues we have here in this forum. 

 

You and me are probably ones of the very few who do NOT want OR to be a likable character. Many beanies at dramabeans complain, understandably, about OR,  but OR in the latest episode piques my passion and interest again in this drama. I was lukewarm about episode 6-8 because they dialed down her character. I am just too happy that OR is still her usual self, an unpopular iconoclast who is willing to take risk in pointing out the problems in established social/cultural mores. 

 

Yes. Go Ara must have known the risk this role entails considering the Korean society remains by and large conservative, especially with regard to gender role. However, things start to shake up bit by bit after Moon Jae-in's took office.  Precisely because of the risks it involves, this role will help Go Ara shed some previous stereotypes and images about her. Go Ara, who used to be a pretty doll, as demanded by SM, is now finally able to be her own person choosing an unconventional project. Her appearance on Knowing Brothers charmed Korean audience (her name was trending for a long time on naver/nate after the broadcast). People were pleasantly surprised to find out how cordial, how "real" she is. Jung Woo-sung is famous for his outspoken and straightforward personality, and probably that's why he and Lee JungJae recruited her.   Also, although this role appears insufferable and disagreeable outside Korea, Park Cha Oh Reum in fact embodies the ideal for SK audience, feminists and intellectuals specifically, who are anxious for reform under Moon Jae-in liberal governance. My Korean colleagues, who are academics teaching in an  American institution, all started watching MH after the airing of episode 3--and they don't normally watch Korean dramas.  They all appreciate the drama to a certain extent (many complain about the the romance part being contrived and unnecessary though) In any case, the drama speaks to a different demographic and thus OR is not unanimously perceived as negative or problematic. She might be the main appeal of the drama for many since she speaks on behalf of  Moon Yeon Seok, the scriptwriter.

[philosophie]

I enjoy watching OR do what is quite a difficult thing to do in any society which is to break away from the norm. We see a consistent example of this when the hoobaes go for pasta at the restaraunt with their sunbaes and OR makes a bold move to order the food she wants rather than the unanimous order everyone gets based off their superior. This would probably be more of a power imbalance in workplace based on job position and age, but we also saw this a few episodes back with gender when her choice of clothing was picked on by the judge. I enjoy her refreshing and bold moves that takes a lot of guts to do especially in a culture that is collectivistic over individualistic. That said, I do understand that with that may be ‘downfalls’ of her bias and narrow mindedness towards issues she is passionate about like when she didn’t hear the opposite of the elder judge that overworked his subordinate. I enjoy seeing her make mistakes. If she was perfect then this wouldn’t be realistic nor the fact that as humans we are flawed. But what’s interesting is she is self aware enough that when she realizes she makes. Mistake, she is open to learn and grow from it. As long as you have that attitude, then I think it’s worth making those mistakes that have a lesson you could never learn unless experiencing it through that. I feel like at the end of the episode even I learn something new. Morals, ethics, judgement, and overall making the ‘right’ decision are something very difficult to truly know all the time because situations, circumstances, and just time (advancement of tech, society, and shifts in cultural values) can all effect this. Taking that into account, I do think one of the best ways to address the dilemma is just discussing and having conversations like now or else we really can never improve.

[chatterbox22]

Annyeong guys  I was busy with my exams last week and now I have to catch up with dramas I am watching  I also have to read your  posts Do we have two episodes of Miss Hammurabi this week? 

 

 

Preview episode 11 

 

 

 

 

 

[jl08]

@chatterbox22

Hi chingu!

Good luck to your exam results!  

 

Yes, if nothing interrupts, it should be 2 episodes this week....and from the few clips that I've seen of ep 10...my heart was beating so fast...lol. Looks tense! 

 

Thanks for ep 11 preview. I think I'm looking forward more to that cos I want to enjoy the drama, not feel all tensed up...lol. It's interesting though. I hope everything will turn out fine for our 3 beloved judges. Need Eng sub to understand what's going on...

[chatterbox22]

@jl08 Thank you chingu  Today's episode looks very emotional. I was wondering... The woman whom O Reum told about her mom today was that female judge from previous episodes? On the lighter note I see progress in O Reum and Ba Reun's relationship. I think that she is more and more into him  

[jl08]

1 hour ago, chatterbox22 said:

I was wondering... The woman whom O Reum told about her mom today was that female judge from previous episodes? On the lighter note I see progress in O Reum and Ba Reun's relationship. I think that she is more and more into him  

 

I find her familiar too. When Ba Reun grabbed that guy's shirt I was thinking "Oh no! Imagine the judges making the headlines!"...lol.

 

Oh, I just saw the part where they were by the river and the 'heart' lit up and the waterfall came on...the ambience and aura for this pair of judges is so beautiful. 

 

From ep 11 preview, it seems that O Reum is seeing Ba Reun in a different light? Hope they'll have a better relationship and greater teamwork from ep 11 onwards.

 

edited: Yes, it's the previous female judge that O Reum was talking to about her family.