Jang Nara chooses Nam Ji-hyun as her Good Partner

by solstices

Rolling out another teaser right before its premiere, the SBS legal drama Good Partner shines its spotlight on the courtroom, where Jang Nara (My Happy Ending) will hone Nam Ji-hyun (High Cookie) into an ace attorney.

The teaser opens with a word of wisdom from our veteran divorce attorney Cha Eun-kyung (Jang Nara), who advises the naive newbie Han Yuri (Nam Ji-hyun) to separate her work persona from her actual personality. “Why should I?” a bewildered Yuri asks in response. While Eun-kyung has 17 years of experience informing her pragmatic strategies, Yuri is driven by the righteous idealism of her moral compass.

Yuri may have good intentions, but it isn’t her job to mete out justice; she has a responsibility to represent her clients regardless of their moral standing. Eun-kyung says just as much, chiding Yuri to focus on her duties as a lawyer rather than acting like a judge. When Yuri attempts to defend herself, Eun-kyung retorts that she has an arrogant attitude. It’s not like she’s a drama heroine, tsk tsk.

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At the law firm, team leader Jung Woo-jin — played by Kim Joon-han (Anna) — sings the same tune. No one has gotten far by speaking their mind without any filter, and Yuri won’t be any different. She ought to slow down and listen to what others have to say. Even if her client is a nasty piece of work, as Yuri’s fellow attorney Jeon Eun-ho — played by Pyo Ji-hoon (Mouse) — points out. That might be a tall task for the headstrong Yuri, but as it turns out, she may not be as different from Eun-kyung as she thinks. In fact, she’s just like Eun-kyung was back in the early days.

Perhaps Eun-kyung sees the similarities too, beyond her initial astonishment at the comparison; despite her criticism of Yuri, she eventually takes the rookie lawyer under her wing. As for Yuri, she may have firmly-held beliefs, but she’s far from prideful. Recalling a tip that Eun-kyung once gave her, Yuri applies her mentor’s teaching to an actual court case — and though Eun-kyung can’t help but wince at Yuri’s nervously tentative delivery, there seems to be a hint of pride behind her faint smile.

“Your trifling sense of duty and justice — I like that about you,” Eun-kyung tells Yuri, who can barely believe her ears. Unfazed by Yuri’s astonishment at her sudden turnabout, Eun-kyung points out that Yuri wanted her guidance and admonishment; she’ll grant her wish. Yuri can’t contain her curiosity, and she asks why Eun-kyung chose her in particular. Eun-kyung’s reason is simple: because Yuri is different from her.

Helmed by PD Kim Ga-ram (Nevertheless) with scripts written by divorce attorney Choi Yoo-na, Good Partner is slated to premiere next week on July 12.