Beyond the Bar follows the compelling journey of two lawyers Yoon Seok-hoon (Lee Jin-wook) and Kang Hyo-min (Jung Chae-yeon) whose paths inevitably cross as Kang becomes an associate under Yoon at the renowned Yullim law firm.
As the two work together to solve crimes and disputes, they find themselves tackling their own life problems with each other’s help. While it is uncertain if love exists between the two lawyers, their shared experiences foster familiarity as Yoon searches for his true definition of love beyond work and as Kang finds her own identity as an up-and-coming legal mind.
Beyond the Bar
- Starring: Lee Jin-wook, Jung Chae-yeon, Lee Jin-woo and Heo Min-jeong
- Lowdown: Lawyers come together to solve cases and in the process discover lessons about the their own lives.
- Rating: TV-MA
- Streaming on: Netflix
It is a deep, thought-provoking and well-written journey that leaves a lasting impression. Through relatable stories of love, tragedy and redemption, Park Mi-hyun delivers a narrative that allows its audience to reflect on their own life’s choices.
Below are five life lessons highlighted in Beyond the Bar:
READ MORE: Upcoming New Korean Dramas Releasing in 2025
Never allow your selfish ambition get in the way of doing the right thing
While this lesson plays out several times throughout the series, the most clear example is with Kang Hyo-min’s mother and the extreme school bullying incident. Out of fear that her daughter might not be the top of her class, Mrs. Kang never stepped up to challenge the power.
Many years later, the school bully would be killed by the same girl whose life she ruined.
Mrs. Kang would later admit her regrets for how that situation ultimately unfolded. However, how would everything turned out if her desires for her daughter’s success didn’t stop her from helping someone else’s child?
Past practice doesn’t justify present practice
Yullim’s practices of rewarding employees created a workplace environment that rewarded alliances over work ethic. Toward the end of the series, Kwon Na-yeon (Kim Yeo-jin) and Yoon deconstructed those harmful measures of success.
Disruption in customs can lead to new discoveries in success or different ways of thinking.
What’s meant for you will happen – for better or worse
Life will work out the way it is supposed to.
When the convicted felon suffered a heart attack on the plane, his family’s accidental death lawsuit gets thrown out against the doctor that attempted to treat him in-flight. The doctor that performed emergency work on the place is the same one that denied treating him years before after he attacked one of her child patients.
Avoiding responsibility in the short term does not mean you won’t face that accountability in the long run.
“…Just because you wrote a short story doesn’t mean it is a failure”
This specific advice from Kang to Yoon comes after their failed blind date.
“Some loves are epic tales, and some are short stories. Just because you wrote a short story doesn’t mean it is a failure.” – Kang Hyo-min
Sometimes, your short is more than enough. There are lessons to be learned in every journey, and although Kang specifically said this related to love, this can truly apply to all aspects of our lives.
- xoxo Jourdy 💕
If you enjoyed this content, consider supporting the content by sharing a post or dropping a follow.
