[light music playing]
[beeps]
[light music continues playing]
[Myeong-jin] Happiness Road is a highway
that Gyeonghae-do and Dongbang Land and Housing
have jointly pledged to bring forward as a response
to future transportation demands.
For the planned city of Hamun,
this is the full stretch of Happiness Road.
And here's what Happiness Road will look like in Sodeok-dong.
GYEONGHAE-DO, KIYOUNG-SI, SODEOK-DONG
[indistinct chatter]
Wait a second!
That's crazy!
The proposed highway route isn't just passing by Sodeok-dong,
it's cutting right through the center of town!
Is this a joke?
Are you trying to split our neighborhood in half?
Look at that! You just drew the line right through our community, really?
[clamoring]
Everyone, please.
Gyeonghae-do is responsible for the proposal.
We at Dongbang are simply operating on their behalf.
[clamoring]
I'm here as a representative of Gyeonghae-do,
in the construction division.
We are obligated to notify residents of the planned route.
However, we cannot discuss changes to the plan
at a residence meeting.
The route was established after a great deal of consideration.
-[clamoring] -[man] Yeah!
-Listen… -[man] We don't want this road!
I am Choi Han-su, head of Sodeok-dong!
How has Gyeonghae-do treated Sodeok-dong up until now, huh?
The… the… What…
-We're talking about subway line ten. -That's it!
You kicked residents out of Sodeok-dong,
and then proceeded to dig up the entire town
to build subway line ten!
[clamoring]
And what has Seoul done for Sodeok-dong in that time?
Huh? Huh?
-Huh? -The incineration plant.
Right, the incineration plant.
It's not even for our trash.
They built a garbage incineration plant in Sodeok-dong for Seoul's trash!
No matter how hard we fought it,
neither Seoul nor Gyeonghae-do would give us the time of day!
What makes that relevant?
Happiness Road is what we are discussing here today.
This is about Sodeok-dong and all that's been done!
The subway was just finished, and the trash incinerator before that!
And now, there's more?
The… Wha…
Happiness Road!
Do you expect us to welcome this into our town?
Can't you give us a break?
For once?
The hardworking people of this town have had enough!
[clamoring]
HAENGBOK-RO ROAD CONSTRUCTION ROUTE
CASE 7 A TALE ABOUT SODEOK-DONG I
[Hyeon-u] The fact that they planned a route like this,
means they want us to leave our town.
Can you imagine cars driving up and down your neighborhood?
Our lovely community will be assaulted by all that noise, exhaust, and dust.
When we discussed all this, Dongbang offered to put a, uh…
Uh… What was it?
-A soundproofing wall. -[Han-su] Oh, yes.
They said a soundproofing wall will solve it.
But if they do that, it means having a massive pieces of…
Um, what do you… What do you call it?
-Soundproofing wall? -No. No.
-Hey. -Retaining wall. A retaining wall.
[Han-su] Ah, right. A retaining wall as high as an apartment building
with seven, or eight floors splitting apart the town.
So, each part is isolated.
Um, have you spoken to Gyeonghae-do or Dongbang in regards to compensation?
Sometimes they will make up for any difficulties that they caused financially.
Oh, please.
They hardly even paid anything to the people whose land they took away.
You think they'll bother with the people still living there?
Uh, people had their land taken away unfairly?
Sodeok-dong's a green belt area.
The compensation offer is much cheaper.
[Hyeon-u] When they built subway line ten, everyone whose land
the government confiscated took a hard financial hit.
Some had to surrender all their land,
but the compensation was much lower than the land value at the time.
Where were these people supposed to go,
when you can't even afford a small apartment in Seoul
with that kind of money?
We've tried everything you can think of.
We've submitted petitions, created a community board,
asked everyone to make phone calls,
and even protested at the provincial office.
Nothing helped.
It's clear Gyeonghae-do doesn't respect us at all.
Our only option…
Uh… What is it?
[Hyeon-u] A trial. A trial.
Yes, a trial, yes. But what's the… The thing…
You want a lawsuit?
Seeking to revoke the zone choice for Happiness Road.
Whoa.
That's right. We wanna do exactly that.
[Atty. Jung] I see. We understand your wishes.
However, since road constructions not our area of expertise,
it will take time to look into Happiness Road.
Can we research this on our own before we accept?
Of course.
Just make a decision quickly, please.
They're already working on that new city…
So… What is… What is it, the…
-A shovel? -Hydraulic excavator!
It's a… a digger.
[Han-su] Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Uh, it won't be long before the digger's coming
for our own neighborhood.
Yes, all right. You'll be hearing from us.
[Han-su sighs]
Uh, I appreciate it.
Thank you.
Come on, let's go.
Take care.
[sighs] Thoughts, anyone?
Why would they construct the road this way?
There are all sorts of routes that avoid bisecting the town.
That's probably because of costs.
If the road is built straight through instead of around,
that will require less materials.
If costs alone were responsible for the decision,
we can claim the Principle of Proportionality was violated.
An administrative agency is required
to utilize the method that infringes on the other party's rights, the least.
Here, we see they did have an alternative,
but the option was rejected entirely on account of its cost.
A violation of the principle of minimal harm.
If we calculate the damage in terms of social costs,
then wouldn't it exceed the benefits of constructing the road?
Then this planned route inherently has a conflict of interest.
"The Principle of Proportionality."
"A conflict of interest."
Mm. They're good ideas.
The Judicial Branch will typically avoid a judgment
on the Executive Branch.
Especially in cases like this where it gets technical.
It's too much pressure for a judge
who doesn't know much about the subject to make this kind of ruling.
It could be due to the reasons you just said,
but it's rare to take a case like this to court and expect to get a settlement.
I don't know of any previous cases like that, either.
Let's consult some professionals and get their opinions.
[Atty. Jung] To figure out whether this route is the best option,
or what alternatives exist.
We have to know that
before we can decide whether we'll be able to take the case or not.
Civil engineers in Korea are simple-minded.
They completely ignore the shape of the land and draw a straight line
from one end to the other.
In Europe,
engineers consider the scenery when they map out a route.
So they never just draw a straight line.
They consider the natural curve of the land
and use it to make winding roads.
They want people to enjoy the journey.
This creates a pleasant experience
that's in line with the image of the whole country.
This is ridiculous.
From a civil engineering perspective, this route could be worse.
I know this neighborhood.
My students used it for their urban design assignments.
[sucks teeth] The first time I heard a road
was being constructed here was 2016.
That's more than six years ago now.
And what if Happiness Road were designed
to go around Sodeok-dong instead of through?
Circumventing it?
That Happiness Road would have to be constructed
next to Peaceful Road, the highway below Sodeok-dong.
Or right above here, next to subway line ten.
To put it near Peaceful Road means a lot of excavating for tunnels.
And creating an intersection is tricky.
So it would be better near subway line ten.
However, the University for Defense Security is here.
[civil engineer laughs] So that would be difficult.
[architect] If those routes are too difficult, there is another way.
Go below the town.
It would work. You just underground the road.
Would it be cost-efficient, though?
I don't see why not.
In expensive areas, they're taking roads underground all the time,
and it saves a lot of money and construction fees
compared to above ground.
And if you build the road underground,
the town can still use the land on the surface.
If we consider the land's utilization value,
that amount can offset the additional expense
of undergrounding the road.
Without much difference in terms of money,
why hasn't Dongbang given consideration to going underground?
Well, because…
these people all have civil engineering majors.
[architect] Civil engineering is only about the surface.
Undergrounding is an architect's purview.
It saves the surface for future use.
[civil engineer] No, no, no. That's not true.
You have to think objectively.
Is the land in Sodeok-dong valuable enough
that building an underground road is worthwhile?
The answer is no.
Sodeok-dong is on the outskirts of Seoul, but with this military function,
its green belt zoning won't change.
There's no chance it will turn into a planned city.
[Su-yeon sighs]
[Hyeon-u] So what you're saying is,
we should abandon the lawsuit idea entirely?
Based on what we've found out,
it's difficult to claim that there's a surefire alternative
to the route as it's currently planned.
So, the chances of winning the suit are quite low.
In this sort of civic matter, reaching a verdict
takes three months at minimum and could take up to a year and a half.
We're concerned about putting that much time and energy
just to lose ultimately.
[clears throat]
I really didn't want to say this yet.
But I'm pretty well-off.
-Huh? -[Hyeon-u] He's a man of wealth.
His reputation is well-known in our town.
His family's been in Sodeok-dong for generations.
The land he's inherited spans far and wide.
Not only in Sodeok-dong, but all over Kiyoung.
-If you take a step anywhere in Kiyoung… -All right, now.
[clears throat] …you will be standing on his property.
Ah.
This lawsuit…
Uh, what was it?
You know, that famous saying.
Eggs…
Don't put all your eggs in one basket?
That isn't it.
Hitting a boulder with an egg.
That's it.
I know this is hitting a boulder with an egg,
but we're going with it.
Even if we lose, even if it's only me,
whatever commission you want to charge,
so please stand with this little egg.
Uh…
I have an idea! You should all come to Sodeok-dong.
-What? -[Hyeon-u] Well, I mean…
How can you decide about taking the case
without visiting Sodeok-dong at least one time?
Uh, no. The materials you showed us are sufficient.
We've got so much to do and not enough time.
Hey, Sodeok-dong is really close by. It's only an hour drive from here at most.
Yes. You can turn us down in Sodeok-dong if you must, yeah?
No, we have something after this,
-so we really should finish up. -Attorney Jung, let's go.
-Wait. Let's go. -We should…
It won't take long.
Right here.
-Hello. -Hello.
-Please, go ahead, have a seat. -Thank you so much.
-Hello. -Hello.
-Is Mr. Jung ready? -Yes, he's on his way.
[Han-su] We're still waiting for one more.
[Hyeon-u] Got it.
[Min-woo] They're such an equal match.
Don't you think that Jun-ho has a thing for Attorney Choi?
Want to trade places with me?
An equal match should really sit side by side.
-What? -Uh…
What?
[quirky music playing]
[Min-woo chuckles]
Ah, great minds do think alike.
[Min-woo] Yeah.
You see all those red flags by the roadside?
[Hyeon-u] Dongbang just had a crew here putting them up.
They're marking their construction route before they break ground.
[clicks tongue]
[Han-su] And now, we're in Sodeok-dong.
Should we get out and walk a bit?
[Atty. Jung] Uh, sure.
[soft music playing]
The town is so… so beautiful.
The people who live here,
they are even more beautiful than the land.
[Han-su laughs]
Oh, look.
Right there, that's the Kim Jang-hoon of Sodeok-dong.
Hey!
[grunts, laughs]
[all laugh]
Why is he the Kim Jang-hoon of Sodeok-dong?
Ah, that's his name because he's basically an angel.
[Hyeon-u] Every year, he makes a huge donation of rice to City Hall,
to help feed the less fortunate in the area.
[Hyeon-u laughs]
-Shall we? -Yeah.
[birds chirping]
[laughter]
[Han-su] Ah!
Heung-min!
-Is it Son Heung-min this time? -Yes.
Sodeok-dong's Son Heung-min.
[Han-su] The thing in Kiyoung…
What's the word? Like this…
-[Hyeon-u] Athletic competition? -[Han-su] Yes, that!
Whenever we have these competitions,
Sodeok-dong always wins the tug-of-war in all these events.
But for whatever reason, we could never get past the first round in soccer
no matter what we did.
So, we got a team together. Practice, practice, practice.
And last year… Wait, what was it?
-You won! -Not first place,
-but we got to the semifinals. -[Han-su] Yeah.
It was Heung-min who was responsible.
-Oh, there he is. -Yeah.
-Soccer! -Yeah, yeah.
[Han-su laughs]
Hi.
So, want an autograph?
[laughs]
-No, you fool. -What?
You said "hi," now get back inside.
See you later.
[Heung-min grunts]
[laughs]
[Han-su] Let's go.
[Heung-min grunts]
[Atty. Jung] He's very light on his feet.
Sodeok-dong is full of characters.
Kim Jang-hoon, of course, and Son Heung-min.
-Well, hello there. -[woman] Hello.
-Nice to see you. -Hello!
Ah, this house is where the Mother Teresa of Sodeok-dong lives.
Come on. Come on!
As in Mother Teresa?
Yes, Teresa. President of the women's association.
-Ah, the women's association. -Hello there. Teresa.
How wonderful!
And you must be the attorneys. [chuckles]
[Teresa] Thank you for coming. [chuckles]
Unfortunately, Sodeok-dong doesn't have a public bathhouse.
So, once every month, President Teresa
takes all the town elders to the one in the next town over.
She scrubs their backs and even takes them for ox bone soup afterward.
[laughs]
To be fair, I use the town dues.
Now, don't sell yourself short.
Making an effort to do it properly every month.
It only happens because you're our Mother Teresa.
Really, stop it!
[laughter]
Counselors, please take care of Sodeok-dong.
Thank you very much.
-[Young-woo grunts] -[laughs]
Take good care of us.
Thank you. Thank you.
[Atty. Jung] So do the two of you have nicknames as well?
[Han-su] Of course.
I'm the, uh…
-"What Is It of Sodeok-dong"? -Uh, no.
[exclaims]
-The Bill Gates of the town. -What's that?
As I mentioned, I'm quite well-off.
[chuckles] And what about you, Chairman?
I'm the Sodeok-dong undercover Brad Pitt.
What?
[laughter]
[Han-su] Why are you surprised?
A handsome guy with those strong features.
Whenever the single women of Sodeok-dong walk by his house…
What was it? Um…
Ah, they make sure their clothes are straight.
Where do I find all these
young single women who are straightening their clothes for me?
The average age of a resident here is 65.
Ah, okay.
So, that's why you still haven't gotten married yet, is it?
[Hyeon-u grunts]
Okay, okay, okay. You've met enough residents.
Should we go see the town's crown jewel?
We can walk to the hackberry tree on the hilltop.
Whoa.
[light music playing]
[Han-su] That is Sodeok-dong's national monument.
Is it actually designated a national monument?
No, no. Just to us here in Sodeok-dong.
Like, Brad Pitt of Sodeok-dong.
[all laugh]
[Han-su] Uh, when was it? 2016.
We asked the provincial office just in case.
But when they checked it out, they said it's not enough to qualify.
[Han-su laughs]
They said it doesn't count as a national monument.
It looks so majestic.
[Atty. Jung] You'd think it would at least be a protected tree.
-What a shame. -Whether it's official, it doesn't matter.
Everyone from Sodeok-dong as a child has climbed upon its branches.
[Han-su] Whenever there's a grand celebration,
it's beneath its leaves.
And in times of hardship, the tree has heard our prayers.
It might not be official, however, it's the town's own…
What was it? Um…
Hackberry tree!
-The guardian tree. -Ugh.
But once Happiness comes along, our old relative will be chopped down.
[soft music playing]
[Han-su] Come with me.
We're going to the top of the hill. Just a bit more.
[Han-su grunts]
[Young-woo whines]
-[groans] -Attorney Woo!
-[Jun-ho] Are you okay? -Uh, yeah.
[Young-woo sighs]
Just a moment. Ooh.
Your jacket's torn.
Ah.
Here, why don't you put this on?
Uh, no, I'm okay.
You're in the middle of work
and you shouldn't have to wear something torn.
Mm.
[chuckles] Ah.
[mellow music playing]
Mm.
Gather around. Sit right over here. This way.
Rest your legs, good job.
Now, please.
Careful. Yeah.
[Hyeon-u] I'm sure you're all winded from that climb.
Everyone, have a cup of iced tea to cool down.
-I'll do it. -Teresa made this for us.
-Here. -[Han-su] It should be delicious.
[Han-su laughs]
Uh, so, who is that?
[Han-su] Ah, the Eugene Park of Sodeok-dong.
[laughs] I asked him to come play
the violin for us today since you're visiting.
He's our most talented musician.
Uh, the… Where is it?
-Provincial office. -That's right!
He works at the Gyeonghae-do office. [Han-su laughs]
Please.
[classical music playing]
Now.
Take a look over there.
[Han-su] I put a lot of thought into what would be the right way
to show you the magic of Sodeok-dong and all its value.
Truth is,
if you just look in terms of numbers,
Sodeok-dong isn't worth a whole lot.
'Cause it doesn't have that many residents and the price of land is cheap.
But once you come, see it for yourself,
it's an amazing neighborhood
where Mother Teresa and Eugene Park live.
And have you ever seen a…
more beautiful tree, despite not being a national monument, hmm?
This neighborhood shouldn't be something they can split into two like that.
It shouldn't just evaporate.
[elevator dings]
Our priority is to become experts on everything we can about Happiness Road.
Starting with the decision to construct it,
to the choice of the route.
I want it organized.
Regulations, precedents. Look through everything.
-Yes, Attorney. -Yes, Attorney.
Jun-ho said he put the case materials in my office,
so divide them between yourselves.
It shouldn't take too much time to read because it'll be a…
a group effort.
[tense music playing]
This is all information on Happiness Road?
I don't suppose our group effort will even make a dent.
This won't be done quickly at all.
Go on.
You got this!
[upbeat music playing]
[sighs]
Wow.
[paper rustling]
[alarm beeping]
[groans]
[yawns]
[knocking on door]
[door opens]
[sighs]
[Jun-ho] Did you eat? You must be tired.
[Su-yeon chuckles]
Don't tell me that's for us.
I think we've had our fill of material today.
Just a little more material.
[sighs]
These are the documents and complaints made by the residents.
And these are the responses from Gyeonghae-do.
[mellow music playing]
-Keep up the good work. -Okay.
[Su-yeon sighs]
[door opens, closes]
Are you just pretending or do you really not know?
Huh?
From what I can see, I think Jun-ho has feelings for you.
Oh.
He doesn't. I asked him myself.
You asked him?
What was the question?
Lee Jun-ho likes Attorney Woo Young-woo.
Is this true?
[Su-yeon] So…
an interrogation?
And his response was?
[Jun-ho] That is…
too hard of… too hard of a question
for Director Hwang Du-yong to answer.
Jun-ho avoided answering me on the matter directly.
Are you two in the middle of a trial? Is love a trial?
What do you even mean he avoided speaking on it directly?
He changed the subject without giving me his answer.
Of course, he did!
"Jun-ho likes Young-woo. Is this statement true?"
How did you expect him to answer?
"Yes, it is under penalty of perjury." Like that?
Even I wouldn't speak openly like that.
Hmm…
What are your feeling?
Do you like Jun-ho or not?
Hmm…
[sighs]
It's not easy.
It's not easy for someone to care for me like that.
What?
I know that at least.
You're an attractive woman, and I?
I'm just autistic.
Cut it out!
Mm.
You really shouldn't say something so weak-minded, huh!
What do you mean by that, anyway?
[scoffs]
[door opens, closes]
[paper rustles]
[Geu-ra-mi sucks teeth] Okay.
So, you want me to help you find out if you like him or not?
Mm.
I don't know. You should be careful who to trust for dating advice.
She's an expert now?
Oh, please, in this neighborhood?
I'm the femme fatale of Ganghwa-do.
-Keep focused! -Mm.
Now.
Think of Jun-ho's face.
-[Geu-ra-mi] How do you feel? -Mm.
[Jun-ho] One, two, three.
-One, two, three. -One, two, three.
-One, two…
-One, two… Here we go. -One, two, three.
-Two, three. -One, two.
[light music playing]
[Young-woo] Jun-ho is…
very kind.
You're in the middle of work
and you shouldn't have to wear something torn.
He's a good person.
[chuckles]
What about when you're around him, your heart,
sometimes, does it start beating like crazy?
[soft music playing]
[waves crashing]
I would hope that maybe you…
wanted to be on my team as well.
Yes, at least once.
[gasps] Oh!
Look, you're totally blushing!
You definitely like him!
Hmm…
If you're not completely sure, why not try a little bit of touching?
What?
Measure your heartbeat at the moment you touch him
to see if it starts pounding.
At 150 beats per minute, it's a crush,
but if your poor heart starts beating madly, like it's going to explode,
like you've been running like crazy for miles,
well, then, you really like the guy!
Hey!
What's wrong with you?
Stop talking about touching him, okay? What about consent?
Huh?
He's right.
You shouldn't touch other people without consent.
Well, then, ask permission.
[playful music playing]
Huh?
Finally, a chance to go head-to-head with Taesan kids.
Who's the kid here? Suddenly, you're the adult?
I remember going to school with that attorney.
[Min-woo] Which means he's a rookie.
And the other one doesn't seem like he's any older.
Mm. You're right.
Will it be just those two without a senior attorney?
[tense music playing]
Attorney Tae Su-mi's here?
-Why'd the king come herself? -"King"?
That woman's the king?
Up until recently, she was the CEO of Taesan.
[Su-yeon] She resigned and works as a regular attorney now.
I didn't expect her to show up personally in court like that.
Right?
I heard rumors she's a candidate for the Justice Ministry.
All right, that's more than enough gossip. Come on. Focus.
The defendant's proposal for Happiness Road's route
cuts through Sodeok-dong, the plaintiffs' place of residence, splitting it in half.
Consider these other options.
[Atty. Jung] Happiness Road could go around Sodeok-dong,
on either the south side, or the north side.
Or it could go underground.
All of these alternatives would work.
However, the defendant underestimated the plaintiffs' rights,
and consequently overestimated the benefits of the road,
leading to a decision that presents a conflict of interest.
That is all.
PLAINTIFF
Defendant, is the plaintiffs' claim true?
Did you fail to thoroughly review alternate routes?
We did thoroughly review them, Your Honor.
And now, I will explain to the court
why none of the routes that were just described are…
suitable alternatives.
[car engine starts]
[Su-mi chuckles] I apologize.
I got you and the associate judges
to make an appearance without bothering to get your consent in advance.
Uh, those would be us?
[judge] The three bobbing heads dressed in robes?
Yes.
The weather is so nice today.
Since I'm not exactly able to bring the court outside,
we could travel Happiness Road virtually.
First, we'll drive along the first route suggested by the plaintiff.
[gasps]
If Happiness Road were built on the south, next to Peaceful Road,
the road would stretch an extra five kilometers.
It wouldn't just be the road.
[Su-mi] There's a garbage incineration plant near Peaceful Road.
Which is impossible to relocate. So what are we to do?
Tunnels and elevated roadways would need to be built.
And that's not to mention having to make a sharp curve connecting it to Seoul.
[people gasping]
This will result in construction fees amounting to 230 billion won.
And incidentally, the road is as bumpy as a rollercoaster
which is bound to result in countless accidents.
And so, what about the second route?
If we were to build Happiness Road to the north, next to subway line ten,
we'd have to pass through the land owned by the University for Defense Security.
The university would not allow this construction, which leads to this.
[gasps]
[cows mooing]
[chuckles]
[chickens clucking]
[indistinct chatter]
The plaintiffs have something to say here.
The University of Defense Security's wish to maintain its land is significant.
But what about all the residents of Sodeok-dong
who don't want to give up their land?
[Su-mi] Your Honor.
The planned city of Hamun will open its doors by June.
If this suit causes a delay in Happiness Road construction,
Seoul and Gyeonghae-do will be faced with unimaginable traffic.
Other towns that fall along the route of Happiness Road understand this
and gladly gave up their plots.
And yet,
Sodeok-dong is a town that ranks least in terms of Gyeonghae-do's populus.
And they are being very uncooperative.
Going so far as to bring up underground roads.
This seems to be a case of regional egoism that--
What do you mean regional egoism?
How can you ignore us like that?
Other towns must've received proper compensation
while our people suffer time and time again!
Ah.
[Su-mi] Ah.
Tell me, are you only bringing this lawsuit to court
to receive different compensation?
It doesn't matter if billions of taxpayer's won are wasted,
or if the whole area turns into a traffic disaster…
as long as the compensation is better, right?
Stopping this construction with a lawsuit.
Isn't that the definition of regional egotism?
-How that… -Can you not…
Please sit down, it's okay.
Honorable judges,
Happiness Road construction crews have already broken ground,
and it's on track to be completed this year.
At this point, if the project is revoked,
then billions of government won will be lost as a result.
That will be all.
[all murmuring]
[sighs]
[knocking on door]
Come in.
Hey, Young-woo. You have to try this.
There's a new bakery in the neighborhood. It's just down the…
THE GREAT CEO ATTORNEY TAE SU-MI
ATTORNEY TAE SU-MI
[solemn music playing]
What are you doing?
Tae Su-mi, do you know this woman?
She used to run the Taesan Law Firm, although, she recently resigned.
Her father founded Taesan, her husband is the president of Gangcheon,
-and she has one son. -Why…
Why are you reading about her?
Ah.
She's opposing counsel on the case I'm working on.
What?
I saw her plead her case today.
She was amazing even on the opposing side.
I want to be impressive, just like Tae Su-mi.
[worker] Come over this way!
Yep, over here!
-Stop working! -[Cheol-min] Stop!
-[Hyeon-u] Wait! -No, stop!
[Hyeon-u] Wait! Wait! Wait!
-Wait! -[worker] What is it?
You have to stop digging right now!
Come on, stop digging. Stop.
What's happening? What are you doing here?
Who gave you permission to dig, huh?
Huh?
What are you going on about?
We're building this road for the government.
-Wait! -Hey!
[Han-su panting]
We're in the middle of a lawsuit to halt work on this road!
-What was… What was the thing called? -Suspension of effect.
Right, we asked for a suspension of effect!
-Huh? -Complain to the judge then.
-Why are you doing this here? -This is really getting on my nerves.
Look, guy, are you going to be responsible for us getting paid
when this isn't built on time?
What are you saying?
I'm saying that we're going ahead, okay? Raise it up, come on! Come on!
No, no!
-[Hyeon-u] No! No, you can't. Stop. Stop. -[Han-su] You asshole.
[Hyeon-u] No, no, no, stop. No.
[clamoring]
You can't do this!
[clamoring continues]
[Teresa] Hey! Let go of me! Get your hands off of me!
-This is our town! -Oh, no.
Please! Do something! [Teresa sobs]
[line ringing]
Attorney Jung?
When does the suspension start?
The construction guys barged right in and they've started digging up the ground.
Everything's a mess here.
A decision hasn't been made regarding suspension,
which means there's no way to put a stop to the building as of now.
I will request that the court perhaps speed up the decision process.
Okay.
[sighs]
Was that about Happiness Road?
It seems they've started construction.
Isn't it unusual for a court's decision to take so long?
Is there any possibility they forgot?
Hmm, there's no way they forgot.
I assume this means they're going to decline,
but will hold the decision and dismiss everything at once.
Meaning when the decision comes,
there is very little possibility it will go in our favor.
Well, I imagine the magistrate must be under pressure.
Happiness Road, existing or not,
would affect the property value of the planned city of Hamun.
The government wouldn't look kindly on a reckless decision.
That's why we're looking for something done illegally.
The only way the court would defy the government is if
they've reached a judgment based on something illegal.
I found something that seems illegal.
You did?
What is it?
They violated the Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment.
Really?
I see they did the assessment, though.
Yes, they did it. However, the issue is when it was done.
According to the Environmental Impact Assessment Act,
the Strategic Impact Assessment has to be done as soon as the proposal
that would impact the environment is done.
Happiness Road was designed in 2017,
however, the impact assessment itself
wasn't actually completed until the end of 2019.
Oh, is that right?
Gyeonghae-do's in the wrong, then.
Good job. We should try moving forward with this.
Shouldn't we put more effort into how we present things in court?
It doesn't have to be a video game like Taesan did,
-however, something flashy would help. -[chuckles]
What is exactly is flashy about showing
that the Environmental Impact Assessment was done late?
There are companies that specialize in that sort of thing.
Should I make some calls to find out?
Why don't we go about things another way?
Gyeonghae-do's entire strategy involves a major law firm
using a flashy design,
so instead, we should emphasize the sincerity of Sodeok-dong,
and take a straightforward tact at it.
I mean, we're a major law firm too,
but we'll use a more humane strategy here.
An emotional strategy.
[Young-woo] Uh…
How about if we ask for an on-site verification for Sodeok-dong?
On-site verification?
Well, when they first came to us, we didn't want the case,
but after we took a trip to Sodeok-dong in person, we changed our minds.
Mm.
Yes, well, just cause might be hard to find, but even so,
we should think about it.
Very nice work. I'm genuinely impressed, Attorney Woo.
Gwang-ho.
Gosh, I'm sorry. Have you been waiting long?
How was the trip out here?
What?
What's this about?
The case…
Young-woo is assigned,
were you aware that Tae Su-mi was on it as well?
Really? And?
Don't act like you didn't know.
[chuckles] Know what?
It was strange…
that a rookie attorney who was passed over would be suddenly hired,
and personally visited by the director.
Did I visit just as the CEO of Hanbada?
I also came to visit my old colleague from law school, didn't I?
Seon-young.
If you really value me as your friend,
then don't lie to me.
When you gave my daughter a chance,
was Tae Su-mi the reason?
Considering you came here at all,
does that mean I should believe the rumor about you and Tae Su-mi?
Mm-hmm.
I'll permit this once.
What?
You may use my daughter to mess with Tae Su-mi this one time
since you gave her the job.
Use her since I gave her the job? Come on.
What makes you even say that?
You want Hanbada to be number one.
So, you have to beat Taesan.
But if Tae Su-mi gets into politics,
it's a problem for you, even more if she becomes minister.
That's why, why you hired Young-woo,
isn't it?
[gasps]
So you're saying that
I gave a job to your daughter
just to proclaim that Hanbada is the employer
of Su-mi's daughter out of wedlock?
If your tactical scheme is what got my daughter a job here,
then okay.
But just once.
Only use her once at a crucial time.
You can't put them together
in the same courtroom whenever you want to.
[Seon-young sighs]
What are you saying?
[chuckles] Gwang-ho.
What kind of father are you, huh?
If you believe I'm taking advantage of your daughter,
shouldn't you be putting a stop to it? Isn't that what fathers do?
I won't stop you because…
then you would fire my daughter.
You'll make any excuse about why Hanbada doesn't need her.
What?
Seon-young.
You know the truth. The world doesn't give Young-woo chances.
Even if she graduated summa cum laude,
and earned a near-perfect score on the bar exam,
autism closes every door.
She applied everywhere,
from government firms to private practices,
and never even got an interview.
Seeing Young-woo's pain…
with no ability to help her out…
[somber music playing]
I'll just…
be the bad father.
Even knowing it could make Young-woo resent me forever.
Even if I have to collude with a bad friend
who used Young-woo.
She deserves this chance.
[sighs]
[door opens]
[door closes]
[Young-woo] Huh?
Oh, Yo… Young-woo.
Father, what are you doing at my office?
Uh, well, I…
-This is your father? -Yes.
Oh. Hello, sir.
Yes, hello.
I came by to have a visit with someone that I know.
[Gwang-ho] I'm going to go.
-Ah, yes. -[Min-woo] Yes.
I'll see you at home later, all right?
Mm.
[elevator dings]
How does Hanbada's boss know your father?
What?
Well, he just came out of her office and said,
"I was visiting someone I know." So, he must know the CEO.
Huh?
How much do you know?
Hmm…
I remember you mentioning your father went to Seoul University law school, right?
Yes, I did.
That means the director went to school with your dad.
Oh, wait.
Did you use connections to get a job here?
Con…
Connections?
Wow, I can't believe this.
Something was always off.
You're obviously connected.
It all makes sense.
Wow.
[quirky music playing]
Hmm.
[coffee machine whirring]
Uh, hello.
Here, you can have this one.
That's okay. I'm gonna make one for Attorney Woo.
Oh, you and Attorney Woo are working together? Ah.
Jun-ho.
You have lunch with Attorney Woo still, right?
Yes, that's right.
Listening to her talk about whales is a good time?
Oh, um…
I wasn't bothered at first.
I thought it takes time to watch documentaries.
But how lucky for me to have Young-woo tell me instead, right?
Through blue whales, humpbacks, dolphins, it was, hmm,
fun to learn about it.
And then, comes narwhals and the Yangtze river dolphin,
well, it gets old after a while.
I'm here crying because I failed a test,
and Young-woo starts in about how the Pakicetus is the whale's ancestor.
I had never been so frustrated!
Somehow, I can't forget about that stupid Pakicetus! Ugh!
I'm not sure I really understand what you mean.
Just don't pretend you're gonna listen forever
just to give up in less than a year.
If you're going to hurt her, it's better if you don't begin at all.
Don't lead her on.
If your feelings are temporary, stop acting nice to her.
But my feelings aren't temporary, though!
Then go tell Young-woo about that!
That they're not temporary feelings!
Why are you making everyone guess?
What are you talking about?
Woo Young-woo
and Min-woo.
And me.
Ugh! We're all so confused by you!
[sighs]
[heavy sigh]
Your Honor, the defendant violated the process
of Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment.
According to the Environmental Impact Assessment Act,
the survey should've been done
as soon as the relevant proposal was established.
In the case of Happiness Road,
the road's basic and implementation designs
were made in 2017,
but the impact assessment wasn't done until 2019.
Which is not the correct timeframe.
[sighs]
Counselor, please respond.
It's true that the Environmental Impact Assessment should be done
as soon as the plan in question is being established.
And in this case, when exactly was it established?
This is the Standard Urban Planning Procedure.
Basic design, implementation design, we'll skip the complicated words.
Look here. This section clearly states
the determination of the best route
is done in a later phase of the overall design work.
[Su-mi] In the case of Happiness Road, the best route was determined
in October 2019.
And the Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment noted by the claim,
it was done in June of 2019.
It might be true that the Impact Assessment
for Happiness Road did happen a little later compared to other plans.
However, it was certainly done
before the plan that would impact the environment was established.
So, there's no legal problem.
[indistinct chatter]
[dreamy music playing]
[squeaking]
Hmm…
That is not correct!
If what the attorney said is true,
at the time the plaintiffs filed their complaint,
they should've been able to change the road construction plan,
and its route before October 2019.
However, looking at Gyeonghae-do's reply at the time,
there's a line that reads specifically, "The design is complete."
Ah, is that so? Where exactly is that phrase written?
There's just so much evidence to look through.
[papers rustling]
[Jun-ho] Just a little more material.
These are the documents and complaints made by the residents.
And these are the responses from Gyeonghae-do.
On April 3rd, 2019.
The second line of the third paragraph of the complaint's response
made by Gyeonghae-do reads…
"The basic and implementation design is complete,
therefore, the route of the road cannot be altered."
That would be the phrase!
I submit Exhibit 4,
sent in the name of the governor of Gyeonghae-do.
[sighs]
Yes, that's correct.
According to the evidence, Gyeonghae-do had approved the design
and had acknowledged the route.
This is dated here in April 2019.
Which means
the plaintiff's point that the Impact Assessment
was done after the fact…
is reasonable.
Nice work.
Your Honor.
We'd like to request an on-site verification
for the town of Sodeok-dong,
so you can see for yourself how damaging this road could be.
We feel it would be very helpful
in supplementing the wise judgement of the bench.
There's been a lot of materials already submitted.
Just take a photograph.
[judge] It's too far for me to go there personally.
[Hyeon-u] No, it isn't!
Sodeok-dong isn't very far from here.
It's only an hour by car.
So many great things about our town you'd only know by seeing in person.
Honorable judges, please, come visit Sodeok-dong. I beg you.
[whispering]
You're an attorney at Hanbada, right?
I don't think we've been properly introduced.
Tae Su-mi.
[Young-woo] Uh…
Uh, my name is…
Woo Young-woo. A pleasure.
Whether it's read straight or flipped, it's still Woo Young-woo.
Kayak, deed, rotator, noon, racecar, Woo Young-woo.
Woo Young-woo?
Why does that name sound familiar?
[solemn music playing]
Anyway, nice to meet you.
That was great earlier. You have quite the memory.
Uh…
Yes.
[Jun-ho] I got it.
Oh, Attorney Woo, allow me.
Thank you.
Is everyone going to the office? I have an extra seat.
Shotgun. It's mine.
Let Attorney Woo take it.
Go ahead.
[quirky music playing]
Mm.
[car door closes]
[car engine starts]
Hey, I wanted to sit comfortably, you know.
Next time, give up your own seat.
People with crappy instinct shouldn't be comfortable.
What? Me? You're referring to me?
You want a taxi? I'll get it.
Oh, did you know that Young-woo's dad is an alum of Seoul University law school?
Seems like our boss is an old friend.
Oh. Is this another one of your gut feelings?
You think that's funny?
Getting a job just because your dad's connected is funny?
It should make you and everyone else nervous.
And what exactly is there to be so nervous about, huh?
Employment fraud.
What are you talking about?
Do you have proof Attorney Woo's involved in fraud?
I saw her father come out of the boss' office.
Think about it.
Hanbada and Taesan, along with all the other major law firms
all confirm employment before graduation.
Then, Young-woo suddenly joins our firm all by herself,
six months after graduating and after orientation.
Is that not weird?
It's obvious there was some fraud.
Who cares about her connections?
Are you gonna get the police involved?
Or what, report it to the audit team tomorrow?
While we're on the subject,
did the CEO become the CEO for her abilities alone?
Not because the position was passed down from her dad, Hanbada's founder?
So what?
It's more than problematic if our CEO
is using fraudulent hiring practices; that's something we can't overlook,
am I wrong?
Or do you feel guilty because your own father is a chief judge?
Are you trying to put yourself in Attorney Woo's shoes right now?
What I'm saying is,
don't act like a martyr
when this is really about bullying Young-woo.
If you insist on making an issue of fraud within the firm, speak to the CEO.
Why can't you mess with someone stronger than you?
Young-woo is stronger!
Can't you see?
You said her nickname in law school was "First Place Woo."
This is not a fair game.
Woo Young-woo beats us every day
and we're not supposed to come at her ever?
Just because she's autistic?
We always have to be considerate and help her?
We have to give up even that one empty seat in the car?
Woo Young-woo's weakness,
it's all an illusion.
[Min-woo sighs]
Hey, I…
[playful music playing]
Are…
you okay?
Uh…
It's nothing.
[Jun-ho] Mm.
[Jun-ho sighs]
You did good today, Attorney Woo.
Yes, you did good today too.
-Time to go? -Mm.
Uh, excuse me, please.
Yes?
Can I…
touch you maybe
just this one time?
Uh…
Huh?
With your permission, I would like to see whether I like you or not.
[light music playing]
Ah.
Uh, yes.
And is touching me the only way you can check?
Hmm…
I want to check my heart rate
to determine if it's beating fast when…
when my hands are touching your body.
So, um…
when you don't touch me,
your heartbeat isn't already going fast?
Even when we're together?
I'm disappointed.
[romantic music playing]
[footsteps approaching]
[door opens, closes]
Oh, you're home.
I'm home! I'm gonna go to bed early!
Hey, Young-woo.
I'm going to tell you something.
Hmm?
Tell me tomorrow.
Right now, I have to rest up for the case.
Hanbada's boss is a friend from university.
We were quite close when we were in school.
But we eventually lost touch because we got too busy.
Anyway, she had stopped in for a visit.
She offered you the job at Hanbada.
[somber music playing]
What?
I thought that you had the right to know.
So, you mean…
I got my job through connections with Hanbada's boss?
Dad…
was I employed fraudulently?
Employment by fraud or not, I'm very grateful to Seon-young.
We both suffered greatly when your applications were denied.
You'll understand when you're a parent.
How painful it is to see your child discouraged.
Hey.
There's another reason Seon-young wanted to hire you.
It's, uh--
I want to be completely discouraged.
What?
If I'm going to be rejected, then it should be…
a rejection that's on my own terms.
Because I'm an adult.
Young-woo.
Every time you intervene to make my life easier,
and try to stop discouragement,
I hate it, Dad.
So, stop doing it!
Young-woo.
Young-woo. Young-woo!
Young-woo!
[somber music continues playing]
[keyboard clacking]
[foreboding music playing]
ANONYMOUS BULLETIN BOARD
WRITE
TITLE: HANBADA'S HIRING PRACTICES…
EXPOSING HANBADA'S CORRUPT HIRING PRACTICES
[light music playing]
[elevator dings]
[Min-woo] If it hadn't been for the unreasonable request of her father,
would the rookie attorney have gotten a job?
You not being employed with your grades is discrimination and corruption.
[Su-yeon] It's only fair that you joined the firm!
[judge] Are you properly representing the wishes of all Sodeok-dong's residents?
Get the written consent before the next hearing.
I think that I do like you.
-[Jun-ho] And I… -[Young-woo] Are you running away?
-Do you have something to say? -Do you really not recognize me?