No.159 / Sep 5, 2022
Everyone would agree that the latest Korean TV drama Extraordinary Attorney Woo was one of the most popular dramas this summer. It made a splash not only in Korea but also worldwide, topping Netflix’s Global Top 10 list as the most watched non-English drama. The drama portrays a rookie genius lawyer with the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), who takes up challenging cases and overcomes various personal and professional difficulties in a big law firm in Korea. This is not the first time that a protagonist with ASD has become popular. Another Korean TV drama, Good Doctor, which aired on KBS in 2013, was so popular that it inspired a United States (U.S.) remake, The Good Doctor, which became one of the most watched dramas in the U.S.; its protagonist is a surgeon with savant syndrome. His stream of consciousness speaks the language of anatomy, and organs and veins float above his head as illustrations ripped from a medical school textbook. With these dramas having a protagonist with ASD, the current debate is about their effects, and whether the dramas’ portrayal of ASD is realistic.
The positive effects
Most people agree that the two dramas did spark Koreans’ interest in ASD and its symptoms. It made ASD more familiar and non-threatening to the general public who did not have much understanding of it; for instance, people learned that people with ASD are extremely sensitive to noise, and also that “autism” is followed by the term “spectrum” because of the great variety of conditions the disorder encompasses.
The concerns
There are concerns that this may end up imposing an unrealistic standard upon those with ASD. This is because the two dramas’ protagonists display relatively mild symptoms of autism. Savant syndrome appears in only 10% of the people on the autism spectrum, and these individuals have exceptional abilities. Both protagonists are described as a genius who can memorize entire books and analyze complex sets of information easily. The problem is that it is realistically unlikely for a person with ASD to have a high Intelligence Quotient (IQ). Another concern is that people may make fun of people with disabilities. Makers of some videos have already come under fire for imitating the character Woo Young-woo—several YouTubers uploaded videos enacting the character’s different traits, including suddenly talking about whales, widening her eyes, and eating kimbap vertically. Viewers are especially worried as the videos might influence children.
As mentioned earlier, experts and family members of people with ASD agree that the portrayal may be unrealistic. However, they hope it can serve as a stepping stone to raising awareness in Korean society. The success of the two dramas is meaningful as it has set an example for the further representation of people with disabilities in the media. People should remember that every person on the autism spectrum is different. Also, the makers of dramas and movies should try to portray more realistic characters with disabilities to break stereotypes. We still have a long way to go, but hopefully, in the future, we will all become a “spring sunshine” for each other.
By Kim Ji-yeon, AG Reporter
jykim0502@ajou.ac.kr
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