Following the success of global hit ENA series “Extraordinary Attorney Woo,” local broadcasters have been coming out with additional series revolving around lawyers and the stories of their clients.

In the currently airing KBS2 drama series “The Law Cafe,” actor Lee Se-young plays the role of a lawyer at a big-name law firm who quits her job to open up a cafe to accept clients that she wants to help, aided by her childhood friend and ex-prosecutor portrayed by Lee Seung-gi.

Called The Law Cafe, the customers who come to the pair for aid suffer from mundane difficulties which may seem petty, but still take a toll on their lives. For the price of a cup of coffee, the clients pour out their worries — ranging from noisy neighbors to bosses who just can’t take a hint — and the pair thinks of a solution using the thing they know best: law.

The series is based on the Naver Webtoon of the same title which was released on the platform from 2019 to 2020. The narrative also centers around the romance between two childhood friends Yu-ri, portrayed by Lee Se-young, and Jung-ho, portrayed by Lee Seung-gi. The latter has a crush on his friend of 17 years.

The character of Yu-ri is peculiar in the sense that despite being in a big-name law firm, she has a clear-cut definition of what is just and what is not and does not hesitate to put her thoughts to action. When her purpose doesn’t align with her job, she has the guts to quit and pursue her own ideals.

One of the highlights of the show is how the pair smoothly throws around legal terms to resolve their clients’ worries.

According to Lee at an online press event for the series on Sept. 5, she took reference from past legal drama series.

“I’ve watched them, and I also met lawyers in person to break the prior prejudice I had, such as in their intonation,” Lee said. “Director Lee Eun-jin boosted my confidence by telling me that some aspects of myself are definitely inside Yu-ri.”

After a short break since the popular MBC historical drama series “The Red Sleeve” ended on Jan. 1 this year, the actor was quick to get back on her feet to try an entirely different role. “The Red Sleeve” centers around King Jeongjo (1752-1800) of Joseon, portrayed by singer and actor Lee Jun-ho, and his beloved concubine Uibin Seong (1753-1786), portrayed by Lee Se-young. It was the first drama series from the local broadcaster in nearly three years to have double-digit ratings, which ended with 17.4 percent. The series was made available on streaming platforms such as Coupang Play and Wavve and ranked high on most-streamed charts even after the series ended, with local viewers moved by the heart wrenching palace romance between the king and his concubine.

If the concubine Lee portrayed was devoted to yet independent of her king in the conservative Joseon era, her character Yu-ri is comparatively more determined to carry out her actions.

“Although my prior series was such a success, I tried to focus on the entertainment and message that my current project has,” she said. “I’m doing my best to show sides of myself that I hadn’t shown before but that are very close to who I am in reality — like how Yu-ri can get fired up or how aspects of her may seem a little crazy to outsiders.”

Lee, who debuted as an actor at the age of 5 in April 1997 through SBS television series “The Brother’s River” (1996-97), already has a 25-year career with dozens of drama series and movies under her belt.

She is known to be an active and diligent actor, continuously appearing in new projects year after year. She is known to have only taken breaks to focus on her studies, such as from 2008 to 2010 during high school. She took the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) to major in media image acting at Sungshin Women’s University.

She is also known by her fans as one of the best-looking celebrities in hanbok, Korean traditional dress, which she flaunted in “The Red Sleeve” and tvN’s “The Crowned Clown,” adapted from 2012 film “Masquerade.” She portrays a queen who falls in love with the king’s regent, a clown put on the throne for the king to escape the intense power struggle at the palace.

“The Law Cafe” airs on KBS2 every Monday and Tuesday at 9:50 p.m. The series is also made available on streaming platforms such as Wavve, Coupang Play, Viu and Rakuten Viki.



Lee Se-young


Date of Birth: Dec. 20, 1992
Zodiac sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Seocho District, southern Seoul
Debut: April 1997 through SBS television series “The Brother’s River”
Agency: Prain TPC


Lee debuted as a child actor in April 1997 through SBS television series “The Brother’s River” and has proven to be a diligent actor in the local entertainment industry. She successfully transitioned to roles as an adult particularly through KBS2 drama series “The Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop” in 2016. She features in television series more frequently than films, and her iconic roles include those from tvN’s “The Crowned Clown” (2019), SBS’s “Doctor John” (2019) and MBC’s “The Red Sleeve” (2021-22).

This information was confirmed by Prain TPC on Sept. 30, 2022.

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr]