Tearjerker / Extraordinary Attorney Woo

• In Episode 3, the accused is a young man with autism, leading to Young-woo taking this case especially personally. In a monologue, she reflects on how as recently as eighty years prior, she and the accused would be considered inherently unworthy of life and possibly made victims of eugenics. Even now, ableism and eugenic ideals run deep in society. Made worse by how unusually somber she sounds during this speech.
  That is the weight those of us with this disability bear.
• Also in Episode 3, Young-woo is heartbroken by ableist comments she reads online, and by the prosecution invoking her autism as "proof" she's mentally incapable.
• The ending of Episode 5.
  • Young-woo wins a case for a client she knew was dishonest—but because they never admitted as much to her and she never looked too hard for solid proof, legally, she's in the clear. Ethically, however, she knows she compromised herself just to win and feels great shame because of it. Even Jun-ho can't comfort her. To make matters worse, the plaintiff sends Young-woo a letter asking her if she wants to be an attorney who lets her clients perjure themselves so she can get money and glory, or an honest attorney who plays fair and defends the law. Young-woo hangs his letter on her office wall and gets teary-eyed as she reflects on this Pyrrhic Victory. Roll credits!
  • As Min-woo notes, he didn't get a letter, implying the plaintiff reached out to Young-woo specifically because he could tell she actually does care about the truth, and expected better from her.
• Gwang-ho reveals the truth to Young-woo, and we found out he told Young-woo her mom was dead, but she learned the truth years ago from her grandmother, who said Young-woo's mom abandoned her daughter and ruined Gwang-ho's life. Gwang-ho sadly reveals that, due to his family being poor, Soo-mi didn't feel she could settle down with him, and she only agreed to have the baby when Gwang-ho said he'd raise it and never bother her again. True to her word, baby Young-woo was delivered to him mere hours after being born, without a word from Soo-mi. The flashback also heavily implies this was no easy choice for Soo-mi, as she's in tears when Gwang-ho begs her to let him raise their child, and he mentions she lived in seclusion for her whole pregnancy so no one would find out.
• Young-woo revealing her identity to Tae Soo-mi is utterly devastating. When she tells her who she is, the camera lingers on Soo-mi's face for a long take, where we see her expression gradually shift from confusion, to shock, to grief, and she begins silently weeping while Young-woo continues to calmly explain that this means she cannot accept Soo-mi's offer of employment. Soo-mi only has one question: does Young-woo hate her for leaving? Young-woo doesn't answer, but says she's glad the two had a chance to meet. She then leaves, while Soo-mi breaks down into tears.
• When the opposing team loses the gender discrimination lawsuit. They had a solid case and they should have won - but because it's strongly implied the judge leans socially conservative, they lose the case and Young-woo is left feeling conflicted about the work she's doing for Hanbada.
• When the court erupts into panic and chaos in episode 15 "Saying and Doing Things Not Asked" after In-cheol ingests the cyanide capsule Lee Jun-ho sees Young-Woo having a meltdown in the corner of the room, but is conflicted as whether to go to help her following the hurt from their break up.