Esquire: A Tale of Love, Scars, and Redemption in the Legal World

The latest episode of JTBC's weekend drama 'Esquire: Lawyers Who Dream of Being Lawyers' (hereafter 'Esquire') revealed a poignant story of love and healing. The episode, which aired on the 17th, showcased the comforting words of Yoon Seok-hoon (played by Lee Jin-wook) and Kang Hyo-min (played by Jung Chae-yeon) to a client scarred by love. The episode garnered a viewership rating of 8% in the metropolitan area and 7.7% nationwide.

A client approached Kang Hyo-min, seeking to file an assault charge against an ex-boyfriend who left her with indelible scars after demanding a sadistic relationship. However, since all actions were consensual, proving the client's mental incapacity was necessary to nullify the consent.

Kang Hyo-min posed an unexpected question, "Can't love also be considered a state of mental incapacity?" Deep love can cloud rational judgment, leading to impulsive decisions, thus potentially being seen as a state of mental incapacity. Yoon Seok-hoon found this argument intriguing and explained to the client, "In the face of love, anyone can become irrational and vulnerable," suggesting that the greater the love, the more one can become a victim.

Though the case concluded successfully, the client's emotional wounds remained deep, leaving Kang Hyo-min feeling unsettled. Observing her turmoil, Yoon Seok-hoon pointed out that the client's decision to file a lawsuit was driven by emotional scars rather than physical ones. He emphasized that when meeting clients seeking healing, one must look beyond monetary compensation to truly address their inner wounds.

This insight resonated with the confession Kang Hyo-min heard from the client during the settlement discussion. The client revealed that the most challenging aspect was not the scars but the self-blame. The notion that "love can also be a state of mental incapacity" alleviated her guilt, and she expressed gratitude to the lawyers for lightening her burden.

Kang Hyo-min conveyed warmth to the client with a heartfelt message, "Even if physical scars remain, I hope the emotional ones do not." The narrative left a poignant reminder that deep love can lead to losing one's rationality, and such vulnerability is not a fault. Instead of self-blame, one should find closure in past love, leaving a touching resonance.

In the firm, Yoon Seok-hoon's mentor, Kwon Na-yeon (played by Kim Yeo-jin), was appointed as the new representative. With ongoing internal political strife, attention is focused on whether Kwon Na-yeon will become a steadfast support for Yoon Seok-hoon, who has been a target.

Additionally, Heo Min-jung's (played by Jeon Hye-bin) past was unveiled. A client revealed herself as the mistress of Heo Min-jung's ex-husband, who is also preparing for divorce for the same reasons. It was also disclosed that Heo Min-jung faced ridicule from her mother-in-law and husband due to her past weight issues.

'Esquire' airs every Saturday at 10:40 PM and Sunday at 10:30 PM.

By Tae Yuna, TenAsia Reporter youyou@tenasia.co.kr