Phantom Lawyer

 Like most of you, I like to think I am realistic.  "Phantom Lawyer" (2026) is not realistic, but it is very funny and perhaps makes a few realistic points.  Science fiction is said to use tools to make a point.  This is more a fantasy, inside reality to give another perspective.  The dead can't testify, although science allows some information.  This series is the one I felt most addicted to this year as I found waiting for the next episode very anxious.

This series allows a lawyer to get a different view of a crime and pursue new clues.  Another lawyer wants to know how come he knows some critical facts.  Ghosts are really a tool that are used in different ways in the 16 episodes.

I-Rang graduates from law school, but finds it difficult to find a law firm as his father died with a corrupt reputation.  I-Rang gets an office that used to belong to a shaman.  

He is greeted by a ghost that at first scares him.  Over the initial episodes we learn the ghosts tend to be above ground until after they contact the lawyer.  They can pass through solid objects, but cannot move objects.  At first they have a fuzzy memory, but it turns out they are usually involved with a crime.  Only I-Rang can see them and, at least once in an episode is possessed by them, often voicing their frustration with no memory recall afterwards.  Eventually his brother-in-law, his mother, a rival attorney and a priest all become aware, but unable to see.

The romance starts out as competition between two lawyers, both with good ethical standards.   Han Na Hyun is recognized as a very talented lawyer, but with a win at any cost boss at the Taebaek firm.  Na Hyun is stunned by how I-Rang is able to know things no one else does. 

The ghost tool is used cleverly to emphasize tricky situations.  The final episode (number 16) helps resolve another tricky situation and is very touching.

This series required some deft handling and here are some of the contributors that made the unbelievable engaging.

Jon Hun Shin was the director.  He has 2 directing credits, 11 for assistant directing and 1 for writing.

Kim Cheol-gyu was the writer.  He has 14 directing credits, 2 for writing and 3 for producing including "Flower of Evil" (2020),  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2022/10/flower-of-evil.html

Dapalan handled the music.  He had been a member of both heavy metal and electronic bands.  He has 70 music credits including "The Good the Bad the Weird" (2008), "The Thieves" (2012), "For the Emperor" (2014), "Assassination" (2015), "The Wailing" (2016), "My Name is Loh Kinan" (2024) "Killer Paradox" (2024) and "Romantics Anonymous" (2024). See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2025/10/romantics-anonymous.html  see also http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2024/03/a-killer-paradox.html

 Yoo Yeon-seok played Sin I-rang, the male lead.  He has 40 acting credits and 1 for the sound department including "Oldboy" (2003), "Werewolf Boy" (2012), "The Beauty Inside" (2015) and "When the Phone Rings" (2024).  See  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2025/01/when-phone-rings.html

Esom plays Han Na Hyeon.  She has 30 acting credits including "Because This Is My First Life" (2017).

Kim Mi-kyung played I-Rang's mother.  She has been involved with a theatre group.  Mi-kyung has 83 acting credits including "Secret Sunshine" (2007), "It's Okay Not To Be Okay" (2020), "Trolley"  (2022-23), "Doctor Cha" (2023) and "Welcome to Samdal-ri" (2023-24).  see  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2021/03/its-okay-not-to-be-okay.html  Also http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/02/the-trolley.html  and http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2024/06/welcome-to-sandal-ri.html 

Kim Kyung-Nam played the CEO of Taebaek, the opposing law firm.  He has 13 acting credits including "Strongest Deliveryman" (2017). 

Choi Kwang-il plays the co founder of Taebaek and father to the current CEO.  He has 54 acting credits including "The Glory" (2022) and "When the Phone Rings" (2025)

Jeon Seok-ho, played the brother in law.  He has been with a theatre group since 2003.  He has 40  acting credits including "Misaeng" (2014), "Hyena" (2020), "Love Next Door" (2024) and "Squid Game" (2024-25).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2025/01/squid-game-season-2.html

Son Yeo-eun played I-rang's sister.  She has 21 acting credits including "The King's Affection" (2021).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2021/12/the-kings-affection.htm

Jeong Seung-gil played a former shaman turned priest.  He has 56 acting credits including "Tunnel" (2016), "Agency" (2023) and "Our Unwritten Seoul" (2025).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2025/06/our-unwritten-seoul.html

 When you watch any film, in the back of your mind it is a pretend world, but you enjoy the well done ones.   Using ghosts as a tool there are more plot moves. see  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2014/12/my-favorite-ghost-movies.html  

"Phantom Layer" is available subtitled on Netflix.

As usual I have bolded the first mention of films I have seen.  Some of them are among my favorite Korean films and a big part of my Korean obsession.  If you follow the links you should be able to determine if any film is worth following up. 

When the Phone Rings

"When the Phone Rings" (2024-25) started with a different sort of premise.  A woman who is supposed to be mute is sending threatening messages with a man's voice to a man we learn is her husband.  Over the next 12 episodes we learn of secrets and misunderstandings and deal with evil.

For the previous 6 weeks "When the Phone Rings" (2024) has been one of the most compelling series.  When I grew up my family would watch a lot of story series, notably "I Love Lucy" and "Perry Mason" and we were quite used to waiting a week for the next adventure.  Many of the series I now watch are already totally available and I admit I sometimes binge to one degree or another.  With this series I got hooked early, but they are rolling it out over 12 episodes spread over 43 days.  I usually try to spread out my viewing, but with this series I felt compelled to watch each new episode right away, disrupting other things.  As I write this I am very anxious to find out what happens next as there have been so many twists.

The main female lead, Hong Hee-joo is not deaf,  nor mute but acts mute and becomes very adept at sign language to the point of getting high government posts.  Her marriage seems extremely platonic and not acknowledged for most of his acquaintances.  Apart from her husband she has obtained a smart phone that allows her to speak while the voice transmitted is that of a male and she threatens him, mocking him with information that almost all insiders would not know.

Paik Sa-eon, the husband is the son of a powerful politician  and well regarded (and feared by some).  He was originally supposed to marry the elder sister, the daughter of an important media owner.  When the intended bride took off,  Hee-joo was a desperate last minute solution.  He treats his wife very platonicaly, even verbally abusive.  They sleep in different rooms.  Almost all his contacts do not realize he is married.  One of her mocking calls, laughs that he has never seen her naked and she has a mole on her thigh which he abruptly verifies.

The mystery boils down to how they both ended up like this and what happens next.  As in films and life, outside events intrude to create more havoc.  At heart they are both basically decent people who got off on the wrong foot.  The secrets and misunderstandings lead to a lot of tension.  For viewers there are almost endless twists.

To create and maintain this level of engagement a lot of people were essential.  Here are some of them.

Ji Woon Kim was the writer.   He has 3 writing credits including "Melancholia" (2021).  see http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2024/07/melancholia.html

Park Sang Woo was the director.  He has 2 directing credits including "Melancholia" (2011).    

Yoo Yeon-seok played the leading man, Paik Sa-eon.  He has 36 acting credits including "Oldboy" (2003). "The Werewolf Boy" (2012) and "The Beauty Inside" (2015).

Chae Soo-bin played the leading lady, Hong Hee-joo who was very professional at sign language.  She has 20 acting credits.

 Heo Nam-jun played a psychiatrist  Ji Sang-woo who had been friends with Hee-joo.  He has 6 acting credits.

Jang Gyu-ri played a broadcast colleague with Ji Sang-woo.  She had been a member of the girl band Fromis.  She has 23 acting credits including "It's Okay not to be Okay" (2020).   See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2021/03/its-okay-not-to-be-okay.html

Han Jae-yi played Hong In-ah, the sister to Hee-joo.  She has 20 acting credits including "Something in the Rain" (2018), "See You in my 19th Life" (2023) and "Mask Girl" (2023).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/08/mask-girl.html

Im Chul-soo played Kang Yeong-woo, a close friend of Paik Sa-eon.  He has 17 acting credits including "Crash Landing on You" (2019-2029), "Vincenzo" (2021) and "Queen of Tears" (2024).  See  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2020/02/crash-landing-on-you-very-addicting.htm and http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2024/05/queen-of-tears.html  

"When the Phone Rings" is available subtitled on Netflix.  You will have the chance to binge and enjoy without the unnecessary waiting. 

As usual I have bolded the first mention of films I have seen.  They are not necessarily a recommendation, but generally I found them worthy of my time.  If you follow the links you should be better able to determine if a particular film is worth following up.