There’s an immediate sense, watching Pro Bono, that the writers have something on their mind beyond case-of-the-week drama. The show wants to talk about compromise, about what the law can and can’t do, and about how easily ideals are bent once money and reputation enter the room. Sometimes it says these things well. Other times, it seems unsure how quietly—or how loudly—it wants to speak.
Set inside a corporate law firm that treats public interest work as a polite inconvenience, Pro Bono leans heavily on contrast. Big offices versus cramped spaces. Winning versus helping. Image versus intent. It doesn’t always balance these ideas smoothly, but the tension itself keeps the series watchable. You can now find it on YouCine, where its unevenness feels more like a feature than a flaw.
A Strong Concept with an Identity Crisis
Kang David, played by Jung Kyung-ho, is introduced as someone very comfortable with the system. He’s sharp, ambitious, and openly strategic. When he’s pushed out of his judgeship and reassigned to a pro bono team, the show wisely avoids turning this into instant moral punishment. David isn’t humbled—he’s irritated.
Early episodes make good use of this. David treats public interest cases as intellectual exercises. Winning still matters more to him than meaning. In one early case involving animal abuse, his legal maneuvering works, but it feels morally hollow. The series is at its best here, letting that discomfort sit without commentary.
As the season goes on, however, the show starts pulling in heavier material. A lawsuit centered on disability and “wrongful life” shifts the tone dramatically. The questions raised are serious, but the execution leans toward emotional pressure rather than reflection. It’s not that the material doesn’t belong—it just arrives without the same confidence the show had earlier.
Jung Kyung-ho’s Standout Performance
Jung Kyung-ho does most of the heavy lifting, and he does it quietly. His performance never reaches for sympathy. David remains sharp-edged for most of the series, which makes his small changes matter more. A pause before speaking. A reaction he doesn’t quite hide. Moments where calculation gives way to something less certain.
What works is that David doesn’t become inspirational. He doesn’t deliver speeches or suddenly believe in justice. If anything, he becomes more conflicted, not more righteous. That restraint keeps the character grounded.
The supporting cast, unfortunately, feels less fully formed. Park Hee-rol functions largely as a moral counterweight rather than a character with her own contradictions. Other team members are pleasant but predictable, filling roles the genre has trained us to recognize instantly.
Social Critique: Ambitious, If Not Always Subtle
Pro Bono clearly wants to engage with real social issues, and to its credit, it doesn’t shy away from them. Animal welfare, disability rights, domestic violence—these cases aren’t decorative. They shape how the characters argue, stall, and sometimes fail.
That said, the series occasionally loses trust in its audience. Themes are spelled out directly, sometimes through dialogue that explains more than it needs to. The strongest moments are the quieter ones, when outcomes feel unsatisfying or incomplete—closer to how these issues play out in reality.
Pacing and Production: Polished, with Some Slow Spots
Visually, the show is clean and professional, if a little safe. The corporate setting looks exactly as expected, which works for the story even if it never surprises.
Narratively, the pacing drifts. The opening episodes are focused, but the middle stretch slows as side plots creep in. A romantic thread between David and Hee-rol never quite settles into place and feels more obligatory than necessary. By the time the finale arrives, the show is trying to resolve emotional threads faster than they were built.
Verdict: A Thoughtful, If Imperfect, Legal Drama
Pro Bono doesn’t fully become the sharp, morally unsettling drama it hints at early on. Still, it’s thoughtful in a way many legal series aren’t. Jung Kyung-ho’s performance gives it weight, and its interest in ethical gray zones sets it apart from cleaner, more triumphant courtroom stories.
It’s imperfect, occasionally heavy-handed, and uneven in tone—but it’s also curious, restrained, and willing to ask questions without promising clean answers. For viewers who prefer legal dramas that feel reflective rather than victorious, Pro Bono is worth the time. The series is currently streaming on YouCine.
Final Score: 7.5/10