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Our Hanbada team switch things up by taking a business trip to Jeju Island for their next case. In the process of doing their usual with the trials and court hearings, they also bond and learn more about one another. As the team will experience and witness, not everything is as it seems. Everyone has a story that they’re hiding.

Note: The commentary for this episode will be combined with the commentary for episode 14 since episodes 13 and 14 are connected to each other :]

Extraordinary Attorney Woo Episode 13: Case 13 – The Blue Night of Jeju Pt. 1

The episode starts off with Young-woo and Dad at their gimbap shop. They receive a visit from two customers – an elder man, Mr. Kim Yeong-bok and his daughter who is also their landlord. On a recent trip to visit her father, the daughter was required to pay a cultural heritage admission fee as dictated by a temple called Hwangjisa. Even though she wasn’t going to visit the temple and was rather making her way to Hanbaek mountain, she still had to pay as she was told that it was legal to collect admission fees. Our intelligent attorney Young-woo comments that it is indeed legal to do such a thing, but Mr. Kim still wishes to file a lawsuit against the temple. Even if it’ll cost him more to file the lawsuit than if he didn’t, he wants to go through with it. He finds the collection of the admission fee ridiculous. So where exactly is this temple? It’s located up in Hanbaek mountain.. in Jeju Island. Young-woo grows excited at the thought of Jeju-do. Did anyone say dolphins?!

Attorney Jung visits the hospital to get a check-up after coughing out some blood the night before at work. After his visit, he returns to his office for a meeting with the Hanbada team. Young-woo joins a little shortly afterwards and requests for a business trip to Jeju Island. She excitedly explains the case to Attorney Jung and how she was approached by Mr. Kim and his daughter at Dad’s restaurant. After the details, Attorney Jung agrees with Young-woo’s idea and suggests that they all go to Jeju Island together. Our Jun-ho from the Litigation Team can join as well. Woo hoo, we love field trips!

Another day of work means another lunch date. Young-woo rambles on again about dolphins, but Jun-ho interrupts. He’s still a bit upset about her comment last time about them not dating. When they do go to Jeju Island, they can visit his sister Seung-hui and her husband, Jeong-nam, who also resides there. Meanwhile, Attorney Jung shares the news with CEO Han about the Jeju Trip. Although she approves the trip, she suggests that maybe she can hand it over to another attorney instead. It seems a bit out of hand for them to go to Jeju Island focused on a case over a mere 3,000 won (the price of the admission fee). But Attorney Jung is fine with it. CEO Han senses that something is up with Attorney Jung, but he playfully plays it off. Oh noooo.

Young-woo visits Dong Geu-ra-mi and Min-sik at their restaurant. She’s not so sure what dating exactly is. She’s been on a few dates with Jun-ho and they walk home together after work, but she’s not so sure what comes next. Does it include meeting Jun-ho’s sister and brother-in-law? When Young-woo brings that up, Dong Geu-ra-mi’s interest peaks even more. Wait, Young-woo is going to meet Jun-ho’s sister and brother-in-law on a business trip to Jeju Island? She then gives Young-woo a few tips on how she should act, like how she should compliment the interior of their house or the food they cooked or even volunteer to peel fruits. Young-woo also shouldn’t talk about whales or request for gimbap. She has to enjoy the food that they cook for her. With that, Dong Geu-ra-mi is interested in joining the Hanbada team to Jeju Island. She also wants to go on the trip.

So our wonderful Hanbada team reunite at the airport in preparation for their flight. Young-woo and Jun-ho are there first and they are joined by Min-woo and Soo-yeon not too long afterwards. However, the party doesn’t get started until Attorney Jung arrives and it’s his presence that gets everyone’s attention. Unlike the others, he is dressed a bit more relaxed. It’s as if he’s going on vacation. Haha. But it’s not just our Hanbada team who’s going to Jeju Island. Dong Geu-ra-mi and Min-sik also show up a few seconds later and Attorney Jung agrees that they can all go together. It’ll be fun. So Dong Geu-ra-mi, Min-sik, and Attorney Jung sit together while Soo-yeon is stuck with Min-woo. Meanwhile, Jun-ho helps tighten Young-woo’s seatbelt and places her headphones on her as the airplane takes off. Aww, I love how he looks out for her.

Upon arriving in Jeju, the group pick up their rental cars. Team Hanbada’s vehicle includes their usual van. But Team Hairy Pub (as Dong Geu-ra-mi would call her and Min-sik) has a mini-convertible with an open roof. Their car seems a bit funner. It’s so cool that Attorney Jung joins them in the car ride to their lunch destination: Haengbok Noodles. They’ll have to pass the location where the cultural heritage admission fees are collected anyways so they can take that time to focus on the case as well. So with that, Team Hanbada all focus on getting some work done in the car while Team Hairy Pub sing their hearts out. Wow, I would want to join Team Hairy Pub too. Haha.

Eventually, the two groups arrive at the Hwangjisa ticket booth where the cultural heritage admission fee is to be paid. The employee approaches Team Hanbada’s van first for the fee. While Soo-yeon records the transaction in the back of the van, Jun-ho and Young-woo do all the talking in the front. They argue that they won’t be visiting the temple anyways so they shouldn’t have to pay. But the man is insistent that they pay the fee. They’ve been permitted by the government to do so, the guy isn’t so sure that Team Hanbada won’t be visiting the temple, and as it’s not as if he’s going to follow them around. If they don’t like the fee, they can always turn back around. Just when it seems like things aren’t bad enough, the man discovers Soo-yeon secretly recording in the back of the van and gets upset. He confronts Soo-yeon about it, but Min-woo interjects and places his hand over the camera that Soo-yeon is holding in her hand (hMmmMmmm I see what the drama is trying to do here and it’s not working for me). Eventually, the employee moves on to Team Hairy Pub’s vehicle and repeats the same procedure. Attorney Jung pays the fee, but he does admit that it’s a bit tricky. Unless you pull an illegal u-turn, there’s no way to get through unless you pay.

And so the team admires the beautiful scenery and view as they drive to Haengbok Noodles. On the way to the restaurant, they pass by another restaurant named Haengun Noodles which Attorney Jung notes is quite popular with customers. When the group arrives to Haengbok Noodles, they discover that it’s closed. It seems as if it’s been closed for quite a while. Attorney Jung is reminded of the sweet memories he had at the restaurant, but they must move on. They agree to eat at Haengun Noodles which they drove past by not too long ago.

It’s the first day of the court trial. Footage from the recording is played in court and Young-woo argues that Mr. Kim did not need to pay the fee as he had no intentions of visiting the temple. However, the defense attorney for Hwangjisa shows a map of the area and all the locations that is under Hwangjisa’s control, including a large portion of the Hanbaek mountain. Because of this, they are allowed to collect cultural heritage admission fees. The two sides go back and forth, but the presiding judge eventually concludes the trial. They’ll set up their next court hearing. After the trial concludes, the defendant – the Abbot of Hwangjisa – visits Attorney Jung and Young-woo. Since they have yet to visit Hwangjisa, he invites them over to the main temple.

And so our group pay their respects at the main temple. They participate in some bowing and prayers, but they struggle to keep up. They either just fully quit and stand (as seen with Min-woo) or they start busting out some dance moves (oh Dong Geu-ra-mi LOL). After the visit, the Abbot explains to them the purpose of the prayer rituals that they just participated in. He also takes them to another temple to visit one of Hwangjisa’s cultural treasures: the Gwaebultaeng of Guanyin (a large Buddhist hanging painting). When they arrive, the Abbot points out to them the box where the Gwaebultaeng is located. However, they’ve stopped removing it from the box in fear of it getting damaged. Dong Geu-ra-mi’s a bit bummed that the Abbot didn’t show them the national treasure, but the Abbot points out that he never said he would do such a thing. All he said was that he would take them to where the treasure was located. He adds,

What you see isn’t everything. Don’t be blinded by what you see. Keep in mind the essence of what lies beyond that.

Later on that night, our hardworking Hanbada team put in some overtime work on the case. But Attorney Jung’s heart breaks at the sight of his team working late into the night and he decides that they’ll just celebrate and eat some dinner instead. No more working. So with that, Min-woo and Soo-yeon go out to grab some alcohol and drinks for the special dinner. On the way back from the store, Min-woo pitches the idea of making a pit stop at a pretty, shiny bridge. Though Soo-yeon initially objects, she gives in and the two take a stroll on the bridge. At one point, Min-woo volunteers to take a photo of Soo-yeon on the bridge and she even poses for the camera, but she quickly wakes up and stops herself. Haha. It’s also during that time that Min-woo receives a phone call from his father. Min-woo’s a bit stressed with the phone call and it’s another side to Min-woo that Soo-yeon’s never seen before. Compared to Soo-yeon, Min-woo has to make a lot of money to look out for his aging parents. They’re dependent on him. With that, the two make their way back to the vacation house.

When Min-woo and Soo-yeon get back, Young-woo and Attorney Jung catch them up on their dinner conversation regarding Attorney Jung’s divorce. He was divorced about 8 years ago, but their trip to Jeju Island reminds him of the honeymoon that he and his wife went on. As an attorney, he had so much work to do he couldn’t afford to leave far from Seoul. And as it will turn out, work was his priority. He neglected his wife. Whether over lunch or visiting tourist spots or celebrating their marriage, he always forgot because work was always first for him. Reflecting back on it now, Attorney Jung questions why he was like that back then 😦

Later on that night, Young-woo has some trouble sleeping and she also wakes Dong Geu-ra-mi up from her sleep, haha. The clock in the living room is a tad bit too loud for Young-woo so the two besties go together to turn it off. After turning off the clock, the two ladies catch Attorney Jung sitting outside in the backyard rocking back and forth in his seat. It seems as if he’s in pain and he drinks some tea from his cup to calm himself down. Though Young-woo wonders if they should go check-in on him, Dong Geu-ra-mi feels otherwise. It might be best to just leave him alone.

The next morning, Dong Geu-ra-mi and Min-sik prepare some breakfast. Jun-ho and Min-woo also return to the house with some flowers that Min-woo bought which Soo-yeon isn’t so thrilled about upon learning that it was Min-woo who bought them. Haha. Min-woo settles down in the living room and catches a news show talking about Attorney Tae’s run for candidate for Minister of Justice. Of course, he turns up the volume of the TV upon seeing Young-woo enter the living room. Thankfully, she’s too distracted searching for her phone and Dong Geu-ra-mi interrupts since it’s time to watch some Spongebob. LOL. Young-woo reunites with Jun-ho after finding her phone and shows him her outfit for their dolphin-searching adventures! Hehe. She’s so cute.

While excited for the trip, Jun-ho also updates Young-woo on their plans to visit his sister and her husband. Originally, they were just supposed to grab some tea, but turns out his sister has something bigger prepared. She’s going to cook some dinner for them including meat and raw fish. Though Jun-ho makes it clear that they don’t have to go or that Young-woo doesn’t have to eat the food his sister cooks, Young-woo accepts the plans. She’ll join them for dinner even if it doesn’t make her the most comfortable.

So it’s time to search for some dolphins on the island! Young-woo and Jun-ho spend some time on the beach, but it doesn’t seem as if it’s their lucky day. They eventually make their way over to Seung-hui and Jeong-nam’s place for dinner. Introductions are exchanged and it doesn’t take long for Young-woo to practice Dong Geu-ra-mi’s advice. She compliments the interior of their house even though they’re standing outside which makes the atmosphere awkward. But they transition to eating outside and Seung-hui indeed has cooked a whole buffet for Jun-ho and Young-woo.

Things continue to get awkward as the three watch Young-woo force herself to eat the meat and raw fish. While Jun-ho shares details about some of the fun activities they’ve gone on so far on the trip like dolphin-searching, Young-woo urges Jun-ho to not talk about dolphins or to ask for gimbap. It’s obvious that Young-woo craves for her gimbap, but she forces herself to eat the food sitting in front of her. She compliments the food and note that it’s delicious, but her face expression says otherwise. While Young-woo heads inside to use the restroom, Jun-ho and his sister get into an argument over his relationship with Young-woo. She’s hesitant in Jun-ho bringing Young-woo around to their parents. Jun-ho should date someone who makes him happy – not someone who he needs to take care of. Jun-ho’s in disbelief at how his sister could make such a demeaning and harsh comment, especially since it’s barely her first time meeting Young-woo. Meanwhile, Young-woo overhears their conversation from inside the house. Oh noooo 😦

In the next court hearing, a witness is called up to testify. He’s a Buddhist cultural heritage expert and he answers questions regarding Hwangjisa’s cultural heritage. Just when the defense attorney finishes his turn in the questioning and it’s time for Young-woo’s turn, something unexpected happens. Attorney Jung is in excruciating pain and he falls to the ground after attempting to excuse himself from the room. Everyone panics and gathers around him and Young-woo is taken aback by the sudden situation. Attorney Jung is not okay.