Good Partner

Presentation

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Overview

Synopsis

Cha Eun Kyung is a 17-year veteran star lawyer specialized in divorce. She believes that her clients’ interests prevail. She works with rookie lawyer Han Yu Ri who doesn’t tolerate injustice. These differences often cause disagreements. While working together, they experience changes in their lives.

My Opinion (No Spoiler)

If I had to make a top 5 legal dramas that are absolutely fantastic, Good Partner would definitely be on the list. First of all, the female duo is extraordinary. Jang Na Ra and Nam Ji Hyun’s characters have great chemistry. They are in perfect sync together. Though their personalities differ – you have the idealistic and empathetic rookie vs. the cold and pragmatic mentor – both have the same purpose: help their clients. I really loved seeing their relationship evolve throughout the drama and turn into a real friendship in life and partnership at work. Second, the plot is dynamic, alternating between melodrama, cliffhangers, action, legal sessions and slice-of-life advice. You get to see Cha Eun Kyung and Han Yu Ri’s personal lives intertwined with divorce cases on a broader scale. Third, the other characters are also extremely good. The male duo matches the female duo’s vibe and complements it. The ending makes me think that there may be a second season, but who knows. Good Partner is an excellent drama – it’s not surprising that they hit 15% viewership ratings – that I really recommend you watch.

Analysis

Characters
Han Yu Ri, the idealistic rookie
Cha Eun Kyung, the cold senior partner
The female duo
The male cast
Han Jae Yi, the little Cha Eun Kyung
The adulterers

A good partner
At work
At life
In a marriage

The divorce cases

Ending and potential season 2

Characters: The success of the drama lies mainly in its relatable and moving characters, especially the main quartet. Even the ‘bad guys’ are complex and you somehow empathize with their situation. I really liked how characters are not all black or white, but rather a real color chart of grey that makes them more humane.

Han Yu Ri, the idealistic rookie: Han Yu Ri (Nam Ji Hyun) didn’t want to join the divorce team at first. When she’s hired by the law firm, she’s convinced that she’s about to join the corporate team to which she applied. Call it an unfortunate twist of fate or not, top student Yu Ri ends up working on divorce cases. This specialty is a game-changer for Yu Ri. Not only does it help her work on herself – she suffered from her father’s affair and parents’ divorce as a child – but it also gives her a clear understanding of what being a lawyer means. At the beginning of the show, Han Yu Ri is an idealistic, very ethical, upright and by-the-book rookie. Her conception of law is either black or white. Her personal background makes it also hard for her to empathize with clients, especially those who have affairs. She’s also too emotionally involved in her cases which is dangerous for a lawyer. However, Han Yu Ri grows more mature while working on divorce cases alongside Cha Eun Kyung. Little by little, Yu Ri gets to really understand the work of a divorce lawyer and what her main goal should be: helping clients. Even if you’re not entirely aligned with their decisions, you should fight for what they believe is best for them. By the end of the drama, Han Yu Ri has grown into a real lawyer, the ace of the company who defends her clients ruthlessly with her arguments and even comes to par with Eun Kyung. This of course doesn’t mean that Yu Ri has lost her essence. She remains the same humane and empathetic lawyer, but is better equipped to know how to use her emotions and where to direct her energy. Han Yu Ri is still herself but she has better weapons. That’s why she even ends up having to form the next generation of lawyers who turn out to be just like her. Now that she’s in Cha Eun Kyung’s position, she understands the challenges of teaching rookie attorneys what being a divorce lawyer means. I honestly believe that Han Yu Ri’s development is one of the best of the drama. She goes from a larva in her idealistic cocoon to a ruthless and determined butterfly who has spread her wings magnificently and joined other aces of her species. She also has a bubbly and happy personality, she’s resilient and tolerant. These qualities make her a top character to watch.

Cha Eun Kyung, the cold senior partner: Cha Eun Kyung (Jang Na Ra) is the best divorce lawyer you can find. She has an enormous schedule, works on 70+ cases, does interviews and even participates in TV shows. She’s respected and admired, but also feared by her peers and colleagues. Before Yu Ri’s arrival, a few other rookies tried to work under her, but eventually quit due to pressure. Indeed, Cha Eun Kyung is not the friendliest mentor. She’s cold, strict and strong-minded. At first, it seems like she doesn’t care about her juniors nor want to teach them. But this couldn’t be further away from the truth. Behind her distant façade, Eun Kyung is actually very warm. She has her juniors’ success at heart, but she knows that the path ahead is a tough one. That’s why, she makes them jump into action right away. Hence Yu Ri’s overwhelming first days when she ends up with a ton of cases to work on and a trial to go to on day one. Cha Eun Kyung’s transformation in the drama is a very nice one to see. She gradually softens up and questions her past life choices. For instance, she devoted her life to her law firm, but realizes that her loyalty is not mutual (she’s fired by her boss at the end) and that it cost her family time as well. Little by little, Cha Eun Kyung removes the barrier between herself and her colleagues, especially Yu Ri. She opens up to her and sees an equal in this rookie lawyer. Her divorce also makes her question her capacities as a mother as she realizes that she has sacrificed her life as a mother and wife for her work. She doubts and fears now that she will lose her chance to bond with her daughter. The more episodes we see, the more humane, vulnerable and warmer she becomes. She makes efforts and tries hard to reconnect with her child, promising her never to lie again. At the end, she also has overcome a lot and starts a new chapter of her life by opening her own law firm. She even goes to trial and mediation against Yu Ri. She’s proud of her junior and appreciates their verbal jousts at court. She raised her into a decent lawyer and is very happy to see Yu Ri grow even bigger, like a proud mama bear.

The female duo: The female duo embodied by Jang Na Ra and Nam Ji Hyun was just fantastic! They have amazing chemistry and their stories and relationships perfectly intertwine. Both are very strong female leads and together they are invincible. I really appreciated the fact that they each have something to bring to the other. Han Yu Ri and her idealistic view on life and people melts Eun Kyung’s cold heart, while the mentor teaches Yu Ri everything she needs to know in order to become an excellent divorce attorney who listens and cares for her clients and their desires. Throughout the drama, the two of them also become friends, confidents and real partners. There is mutual trust in the other’s decisions, though one of them is constantly present to remind the other not to stray away too much from the right path. Using Cha Eun Kyung’s divorce as a connector, Yu Ri and her mentor both teach and learn from each other a lot. This divorce is what binds their friendship and excellent partnership. I sincerely loved seeing these two on screen. Even when they are against each other, they still manage to respect the other party and play fair and square. I love this energy that transpired through the drama.

The male cast: As the female cast is quite strong, we needed to have a softer male cast. And that’s what we got, which is perfect to balance relationships. Jung Woo Jin (Kim Joon Han) has been friends with Cha Eun Kyung for about 15 years. They’ve built together the divorce department and worked hard to make it successful. Thus, they are like the parents who oversee every case and give a helping hand to their rookies whenever it’s needed. They also share the same vision of their work: the main goal is to help clients during one of the hardest times of their lives. They are not greedy for money or fame, people come first. I believe that’s one of the main reasons why they get along so well. They are on the same wavelength professionally. Hence their perfect compatibility at work. Apart from that, Woo Jin has had a crush on Eun Kyung for years, but he’s never dared to confess. Nevertheless, he still supported her in her marriage and rejoiced whenever Eun Kyung went through happy moments. He also encouraged her through tough times, like her divorce for example. This character was so tender and warmhearted. He’s benevolence embodied. He’s never pushing his feelings or thoughts on anyone. On the contrary, he has a certain quiet and calm side of him that is reassuring. He’s a great teacher as well, and though his style is different from Eun Kyung’s, his guidance leads rookies on the right track when navigating their cases. When it comes to more private matters, he always has good advice to share and confronts people with reality using simple and soft words. Jung Woo Jin is a kind and clever character with a high emotional intelligence. I think he developed this personality because of his personal life. By the end of the drama, you discover that he lost his mother quite early on in life and was thus raised by his step-mother. She was kind and considered him her own son. His father was however a bit stiffer and harder to get along with. All along in the drama he has high ambitions for his son. As the CEO of the law firm, he wants Woo Jin to take over by using the same means as him aka making deals with powerful people and hide their misdeeds if needed. Woo Jin felt the pressure from his father all his life. Yet, he never bended and remained true to his values. Even at the end, he refuses to follow in his father’s footsteps and takes the company in another direction that is more sustainable for everyone. Though he doesn’t like it, Woo Jin has quite a good number of personal challenges. But he never burdens anyone – not even Eun Kyung – with them. He doesn’t share anything out of fear of unloading too much on his friend. I think Woo Jin is an absolute green flag that would be the perfect partner for Eun Kyung. Not only is he entirely head over heels for her, but he’s also got this protective, benevolent and warm aura that would embrace anyone.

If Woo Jin is made for Eun Kyung, it’s also clear that Jeon Eun Ho (Pyo Ji Hoon) is Yu Ri’s match. Just like his male mentor, he’s kind, benevolent and devoted to his woman. He falls for Yu Ri first, and it will take a long time for Yu Ri to realize that she likes Eun Ho, but she comes around in the end. Eun Ho is a sociable butterfly, who turns out to also be a skilled negotiator. Most of his divorces don’t go to trial because he manages to end them at the mediation meeting. Hence his speed and capacity to go home early. He never slacks off work. On the contrary, he’s very productive. At the end of the drama, Eun Ho starts doubting about his future. Everyone around seems to be evolving, but he remains at the same spot. He doesn’t feel like working at Daejeong Law Firm is his calling, but likes divorce cases. He never wanted another specialty. That’s when Woo Jin comes into play and recommends him to Eun Kyung for her new law firm. Eun Ho is a skilled, motivated and energetic worker who loves building things from scratch. So, he decides to join her and help her make her firm well-known. When it comes to his relationship with Yu Ri, Eun Ho is an excellent listener. He’s also a good shoulder to cry on. Yu Ri relies on him a lot without even realizing it. She shares a lot of her frustration, happiness, difficulties with Eun Ho while eating. And yet, he never reciprocated. He’s genuine and straightforward. When he leaves the firm, Yu Ri loses her ally, food buddy, confident and best friend. That’s when she understands how much she likes him and asks him out on a date. After that, it just flows naturally between the two.

Han Jae Yi, the little Cha Eun Kyung: One of the best characters of the drama – or at least one of my favorite – is definitely Han Jae Yi (Yu Na) aka Cha Eun Kyung’s daughter. She’s very bright and clever for her age and extremely mature. She doesn’t like how people lie to her to supposedly protect her. On the contrary, this annoys her and makes her feel like grown-ups can’t be trusted. Sometimes, you even wonder who’s the adult and who’s the child, because it’s clear that Jae Yi can comprehend things better than her parents. Though her bond with her mother is fragile at first, she loves her and wishes to give her a chance to grow closer. She adores her father and knows very well that he’s the one who raised her while her mother was working. Nevertheless, she’s also aware that his affair is wrong and that he should be punished for it. Considering their strong attachment, Jae Yi finds the one and only way to punish her father and that’s by cutting ties with him for a time. That way, he can understand how he wronged his family, how much he betrayed her and her mother and he can reflect on his misdeeds. If he wants to see Jae Yi again, he first needs to atone and think back on what he did. One point that I found super interesting regarding this character is that the plot emphasizes her strong bond with her father, but also shows that her entire personality is that of her mother. Even Han Yu Ri calls her ‘Little Cha Eun Kyung’. And the more episodes you see, the more you realize how similar mother and daughter are. They are both stubborn, they want to protect each other, they have a strong sense of justice. It was so heartwarming to see these two walk on eggs around each other and try to build something. They are endearing and I was more than happy to see these two women succeed in becoming a happy family.

The adulterers: The last characters that need to be mentioned are the adulterers. Cha Eun Kyung’s husband Kim Ji Sang (Ji Seung Hyun) is a respected doctor, who’s been married to the veteran divorce lawyer for almost 15 years. Though they seem to be living the happiest marriage ever, there are many cracks in their relationship. Eun Kyung has sacrificed a lot of her family time to work, which resulted in Ji Sang taking care of his daughter alone. Contrary to his wife, he prioritized her over his career. With time they grew more and more distant. Despite Eun Kyung’s efforts to get closer to her spouse, Kim Ji Sang became reluctant to put in the work. He turned resentful and angry. He also felt neglected as a husband and thus lonely in his marriage. That’s when he met Choi Sa Ra (Han Jae Yi). She works as a legal clerk at Eun Kyung’s law firm. She’s good at her job and has the full trust of her colleague lawyer. She’s also pretty and has all the cards in her hand to become successful. Unfortunately, her affair with Kim Ji Sang is the beginning of her downfall. Choi Sa Ra appears like the ultimate antagonist at first. She’s shameless and feels even proud that she’s managed to bring comfort to Ji Sang unlike his spouse. She firmly believes that Ji Sang is hers now and that she will finally be able to start the happy family she’s dreamed of with a reliable man and father. However, her hopes are crushed when her affair becomes known to the public. First of all, she loses her job and reputation. Second, Kim Ji Sang turns against her when he discovers that he may lose his daughter in the process. Choi Sa Ra holds on and keeps up with the shameless act, but the more she holds on, the worse Ji Sang treats her. I didn’t have empathy for her at all. She was rude, fearless, selfish and self-centered. However, her character gained in complexity when Kim Ji Sang pushed her away while pregnant. She became pitiful and that’s when you get to see her motivations and the reasons why she behaved like that. Sa Ra’s utmost desire is to have a family and be happily married. To accomplish that, she blindly relied on a man’s promises and took the fall instead. The news of having a baby should make her happy, but the reaction is way different for Ji Sang. Unlike Se Ra, he already has a child and doesn’t intend to remarry or have other children. That’s when you feel the rupture between both characters who started an affair out of carnal desire without even discussing their end goals. They got overwhelmed by their emotions and destroyed everything they spent so much time building (family and work). When Kim Ji Sang announces to Sara Ra that he won’t have another child and doesn’t want to even recognize his unborn baby, that’s when I started to feel for the adulteress. I’m not saying she was forgiven or else, nor was I thinking that Kim Ji Sang was trash for not wanting to remarry. Both positions are understandable. The main problem is that they fell into a lustful relationship without thinking about the consequences this could have on their lives or the people around. If they had talked about what they were truly expecting from this affair, they may have realized that they could not be together. Anyway, this was a necessary evil to free Eun Kyung from a loveless marriage and to allow her to question her way of life until then. After the affair is concluded and divorce is sealed between Ji Sang and Eun Kyung, Sa Ra leaves to her hometown after having a miscarriage. She goes back to get the support of her family. Meanwhile, Kim Ji Sang’s relationship with his daughter takes a massive blow. Jae Yi doesn’t want to speak to him anymore. In the end, both Sa Ra and Ji Sang are punished for what they’ve done (Sa Ra loses her baby and Ji Sang his daughter). This forces them to admit the wrongs they’ve committed and to seek forgiveness for hurting others.

A good partner: The drama explores the concept of good partner under all its forms that it to say at work but also at life and in a marriage.

At work: Surely, Han Yu Ri and Cha Eun Kyung learn to work together the more cases they take. As a senior and mentor, Eun Kyung guides Yu Ri during her training and helps her navigate the troubled waters of divorce cases. As a junior, Yu Ri receives lessons, guidance, wisdom, expertise and experience from Cha Eun Kyung. She also offers her life advice when her conscious as a lawyer is swayed by her conscious as an individual (example: you need to separate the attorney Yu Ri from the human Yu Ri, you can leave her at home). The drama shows the benefits of having a 17-year-old mentor above you to take you under his wing. We all dream of a mentor like Cha Eun Kyung who has a warm heart and wants her junior to succeed, despite her cold façade and distant behavior. Same goes for other senior partners like Jung Woo Jin who offers kind advice, support and encouragement to his juniors whether it’d be in his office on cases or on life around a drink. The will to see new joiners grow and turn into real lawyers is palpable in the entire office. Paralegals and assistants don’t pamper them, on the contrary, but as Cha Eun Kyung says “for a lawyer, cases are the best medicine“. The more you work on, the more you learn, the better you become. Working as a divorce attorney is tough, everyone knows it, but accepts the challenge. In that sense, they are good partners at work. Another team that perfectly functions at work is that of Woo Jin and Eun Kyung. They created the divorce team 14 years ago with the same purpose in mind: helping their clients go through smooth divorces and moving onto a new chapter of their lives. With that in mind, the two of them have always had an amazing chemistry and great work synergy, backing each other up, giving advice, protecting each other.

At life: If Yu Ri receives the most from her good partner Eun Kyung at work, she certainly offers her more at life. Han Yu Ri is Eun Kyung’s best partner to help her go through her divorce and get closer to her daughter. That’s why Eun Kyung chooses her also as her attorney. She believes in Yu Ri and knows her value. As a person who’s gone through divorce as a child and a close confident of her daughter, Eun Kyung can count on Yu Ri to make her daughter feel at ease. She takes all the tips she can get from Yu Ri in order to be a mother who’s more present, warmer, doesn’t lie to her child and enjoys activities with her. She has wasted many years working only for the company and wants to catch up on that. Han Yu Ri knows it and admires her sunbae. She also sees Eun Kyung’s desire to bond with Jae Yi, so she can’t stay and wait for it to happen. Instead, she takes the bull by the horns and jumps into fire head on. There are also other good partners in the drama starting with Eun Ho. He’s Han Yu Ri’s eating buddy and confident. She unburdens her work load and cases on him. Whenever she feels down, sad, angry or frustrated, Eun Ho is her go-to person. He listens to her and comforts her. When Eun Ho decides to switch offices and is no longer available, Yu Ri feels the emptiness. She misses him and his presence. Later on, they finally start dating. Yu Ri has realized how important Eun Ho is to her and can finally get his warmth back in her life. Jung Woo Jin also occupies that same role for Eun Kyung’s except that these two are best friends.

In a marriage: The concept of good partner in a marriage is a bit more complex in the drama. Considering that the story revolves around divorce cases, you get to explore different types of partners. The best example is Cha Eun Kyung and her husband. They used to be good partners but their story degraded. Cha Eun Kyung spent her time working and neglecting her family. She defined herself as a lawyer, a mother and a wife. But the affair makes her realize that though she was doing it all, she may have done poorly in all fields. Indeed, her company fires her after 17 years of service, her husband cheats on her and she feels awkward around her daughter. Thankfully, it’s not too late for Eun Kyung to right the wrongs. Her divorce demonstrates that you can start a relationship out of love, build a family with the one you love, but time and life can make you grow apart. And when things start to get ugly, spouses turn against each other. Kim Ji Sang is willing to do anything to get Jae Yi’s custody, even if he has to claim that Eun Kyung is a bad mother who’s not interested in her child. He shamelessly tries to use his kid as leverage against his ex-wife, when he would’ve done anything to protect her in the past. Cha Eun Kyung’s case, just like the many others of the drama, are an excellent proof that finding the right partner in a marriage is necessary, yet tough because you never know what the future holds.

The divorce cases: I discovered that the drama was actually written by a real divorce lawyer, so no wonder the cases are so realistic and credible. There are many configurations that are explored in the show and the beauty of the writing comes from the fact that cases are never black or white. Sometimes, you get to see that even the law has its limits. For example, the case of domestic abuse of the chaebol on his wife is proof that it’s very hard to get away from a violent person, especially when no one is one your side and that same person manipulates judicial officers. It demonstrates that the law has its limits as well and its up to the lawyers to do their best in order to defend their clients. It’s also the lawyers’ job to understand their client’s motivations to divorce. The couple fighting each other because the husband is supposedly impotent and the wife apparently a sex addict is a great example of that. After investigation, Yu Ri and Eun Kyung find out that the desire for children is the root of their problem. They eventually choose to divorce, but at least they were honest with each other and know the real reason behind their split. And the list of great cases goes on. From fraudsters to insurance scams, from affairs to child custody, each of these stories is moving and very interesting to reflect upon. It seriously made me think a lot about what I would do in those situations and the answer is not always that easy to find. That’s where the main principle of being a lawyer strikes. Your client is your priority. You need to dissociate what you would do and what your client needs you to do. That’s also Yu Ri’s take away from working with Eun Kyung.

Ending and potential season 2: The end of the drama made me hope for a second season. Not only is season 1 incredible and had amazing ratings, but there’s a feeling that the story is not over yet. Cha Eun Kyung has now opened her law firm and there could be many other cases where she’s confronted with Yu Ri at court. Yu Ri has become a mentor to a rookie lawyer herself. But more importantly, Eun Kyung and Woo Jin have still not started a relationship. And the last scenes point out at this possibility. I would be more than thrilled to know that they have renewed the drama! So they better do it!