Law and the City- Episodes 1-2

A Case of Truth, Drinks, and Mysterious Glances

The premiere of Law and the City kicks off with An Ju-hyeong, a lawyer nine years deep into the grind and clearly running on fumes. A voiceover lays it out plainly: being a lawyer means being perpetually exhausted. And Ju-hyeong’s not alone. We quickly meet his crew: Ha Sang-ki, Cho Chang-won, Bae Mun-jeong, and Yu Dong-wook; each working at different firms stacked in the same building, bound together by work, war stories, and lunchtime therapy sessions.

Through quick flashbacks, we get a taste of Ju-hyeong’s eight-year legal slog, dealing with manipulative clients and slowly learning a hard truth: a lawyer doesn't need to be a client’s friend. Present-day Ju-hyeong is older, sharper, and knows when to keep his distance. He gives a rookie some quick-and-dirty wisdom, then gets back to work.

His newest case comes in the form of Park Kyeong-heon, a visually impaired accountant who once pled guilty to assaulting a client, Kim Seung-guk. Park wants to appeal the case, claiming the original charge was a setup and that he took the fall to avoid causing a scandal. Ju-hyeong is intrigued but skeptical.

At their go-to lunch spot, the lawyer squad gathers. Banter flies, paychecks are compared, and Ju-hyeong casually drops that he has a blind date later. Everyone chuckles... apparently, Ju-hyeong has a history of hating his dates. Spoiler: this one doesn’t break the streak.

Later, Ju-hyeong digs into Park’s case. He listens to the supposed assault recording, stakes out Park’s office to confirm his blindness, and hears a full breakdown of how Seung-guk allegedly faked the whole thing, self-inflicted bruises and all. The deeper Ju-hyeong goes, the messier the story gets.

Meanwhile, the show introduces Kang Hee-ji, a sharp, determined young woman interviewing at Dong-wook’s old firm. The managing partner, Kang Jung-yoon, is instantly sold on her and hires her without hesitation. Going through Dong-wook’s files, Hee-ji stumbles across the contact list for his lunch group. One photo of Ju-hyeong catches her attention, she clearly recognizes him. From where? We’re not told... yet.

Back on the case, Ju-hyeong discovers Park and Seung-guk once lived together. Confronted, Park admits they were romantic partners. He initially accepted the charge to protect Seung-guk’s identity, but now risks losing his accounting license and wants to fight back.

In court, Ju-hyeong treads carefully. He doesn’t out Seung-guk but crafts a smart argument built on facts, calling them "roommates" and steering clear of anything personal. After the ruling, Park thanks Ju-hyeong for believing in him. Ju-hyeong’s reply? Brutal honesty: he didn’t believe him, he just presented the best facts.

Elsewhere, a new player enters the game: a sharply dressed woman steps into a room full of law firm execs, radiating serious antagonist vibes. We don’t get a name, but we definitely get a threat.

The episode wraps with another round of drinks for the lawyer crew. And then, she walks in, Hee-ji. Ju-hyeong sees her... and there’s a flicker of recognition in his eyes.

Office Politics, Legal Battles, and a Kiss from the Past

Episode 2 of Law and the City wastes no time stirring the pot. It opens with Kang Hee-ji joining the gang for dinner and immediately sending Ju-hyeong into deer-in-headlights mode. She claims they met a decade ago in Hong Kong. He was a law student; she was in college. According to her, he told her they should meet again in Seoul. But Ju-hyeong shrugs her off and plays cold. Hard to tell if he’s bluffing or genuinely drawing a blank.

Meanwhile, the queen of the tower, building owner Kim Hyung-min, calls a meeting with the heads of all the law firms. She pitches a bold move: merge every firm into one mega-office under the name Law Firm Hyungmin. At first, the partners are skeptical. Then Hyung-min drops the hook, firms keep their own cases and identities, but get prestige and permanence. And for her? Long-term tenants and tighter control.

Back at the office, Hee-ji’s already breaking the rules. She volunteers to go with a client as a witness in a personal property seizure case, a job junior lawyers usually avoid. Her friends warn her over lunch, but she brushes it off. Over food, Ju-hyeong brings up a case he's handling: a bank suing a tenant who's defaulted on loans. Eviction is on the horizon.

Tension between Ju-hyeong and Hee-ji simmers in the elevator. He doubles down, insisting there's no way he ever told her to meet him in Seoul. She says otherwise. They’re circling something unresolved.

That same day, the tenant facing eviction, Jang Hyun-seok, shows up at Hee-ji’s firm, hoping for pro bono help. Her boss shuts it down. But when she looks at the paperwork, Hee-ji sees Ju-hyeong’s name as opposing counsel. Coincidence? This city doesn’t believe in them.

While the firm heads mull over Hyung-min’s merger proposal, Ju-hyeong’s boss offers him a partnership. He turns it down, content with staying in the trenches. A flashback reminds us: each firm needs three partners to survive. His firm might be in trouble.

Then comes the wildest legal field trip of the episode, Hee-ji joins her client on the property seizure. It’s a circus. The debtor and his wife go full chaos, even stripping to chase off the court officers. Hee-ji’s horrified and vents over lunch. She also tells Ju-hyeong she met Hyun-seok, the man he’s trying to evict. When Ju-hyeong doesn’t flinch, they clash over what a lawyer’s job really is.

In court, Hyun-seok pleads with Ju-hyeong to find a way to settle. No dice, Ju-hyeong’s client wants blood. But the law shifts overnight. A new Supreme Court precedent drops: people like Hyun-seok can’t be evicted anymore. Both Ju-hyeong and Hee-ji see it, but while Hee-ji thinks it’s a game-changer, Ju-hyeong sees a loophole, most people don’t know about it yet.

At lunch, Hee-ji tests the waters and confirms Ju-hyeong is banking on ignorance. Not for long. She visits Hyun-seok and hands him the precedent. At the next hearing, he shows up with the paperwork. Ju-hyeong spots the formatting and knows exactly who helped him.

Later, Ju-hyeong corners Hee-ji. She calls it justice; he calls it recklessness. He argues the new precedent will scare banks into denying loans to people in need. She argues she just saved a man’s home. It’s idealism versus realism, and neither side is backing down, until Mun-jeong steps in to shut it down.

Ju-hyeong’s client eventually pulls the plug on the lawsuit. But the chill between him and Hee-ji lingers through their daily lunches. And then, it happens: every lawyer in the building gets the email. The firms have merged. They’re now officially part of Law Firm Hyungmin.

The episode ends on a quieter note. Hee-ji finds a calming spot recommended in Dong-wook’s old notes, on a university walking path. She sits. Ju-hyeong, mid-run, spots her. And just like that, the mask slips. A flashback reveals the truth: they did kiss in Hong Kong. He does remember her.

DramaZen's Opinion

I’m Hooked Already

Okay, Law and the City came out swinging with its first two episodes, and I’m officially obsessed. Episode 1 pulled me in with An Ju-hyeong’s dry wit and worn-down lawyer energy, he’s jaded but sharp, and somehow still loveable. The friend group dynamic? Gold. Each lawyer has their own flavor, and their lunch chats feel like the calm in the storm of legal chaos.

Then Episode 2 cranked things up. Enter Kang Hee-ji: smart, bold, and not afraid to challenge Ju-hyeong. Their past? Messy. Their present? Tense. That kiss flashback at the end? Screamed unfinished business.

Also, shoutout to the courtroom drama, it’s not over-the-top, just the right amount of tension and moral gray zones. The show doesn’t spoon-feed who's right or wrong, which makes every argument feel real.

And that firm merger twist? Brilliant setup for future chaos. If the first two episodes are any indication, Law and the City is going to be one hell of a ride.