Divorce Attorney Shin Episode 1 recap: Lee Seo-jin approaches Shin Sung-han to be her representation in her divorce. Sung-han later meets with a central figure in the case.
Shin Sung-han (played by Cho Seung-woo), a successful divorce lawyer who leads a lavish lifestyle. He drives a sleek black Porsche Cayenne, and resides in a luxury apartment. Sung-han also has a passion for singing.
One day, Lee Seo-jin (played by Han Hye-jin), a well-known radio host, visits Sung-han at his office. She seeks his legal counsel in her recent divorce case after her husband filed for divorce.
Sung-han initially turns down Seo-jin’s request because he believes that winning the case will be difficult. Clips of Seo-jin’s affair have leaked online, making it challenging to prove her innocence. However, Sung-han agrees to take the case after Seo-jin emphasizes her desire to keep custody of her son.
Later on, Seo-jin reveals to Sung-han that her husband is an extremely jealous and controlling man. He has been harassing her for the past seven years by leaving demeaning Post-it notes around the house. Some of the notes accuse Seo-jin of being promiscuous, while others suggest that she is trying to seduce other men.
Seo-jin’s husband also forces her to take a photo every thirty minutes when she attends parties, which embarrasses her friends. As a result, no one wants to invite her to events anymore. Even her closest friend from high school did not invite her to their wedding. To make matters worse, Seo-jin’s husband installed CCTV cameras throughout their apartment, even in the dressing room, to monitor her every move.
The Inevitable Karma
During the child custody mediation hearing, Seo-jin’s husband’s attorney brings up a previous incident where Seo-jin failed to attend a parent’s meeting, causing her son Hyeon-u to be disappointed in his mother. Hyeon-u’s disappointment caused him to run away from school and injure himself while climbing the school fence. Despite the teacher’s efforts to contact Seo-jin, they could not reach her.
Seo-jin is reminded of the incident and realizes that she was living with her mistress in a hotel on that day.
To make matters worse, the husband’s attorney also brings up the leaked clip and highlights Hyeon-u’s emotional distress. Despite both parties’ efforts, no solution is found during the mediation hearing. The committee decides to have Hyeon-u undergo a mental test before the next hearing.
Meanwhile, Song-han seeks the most crucial answer – he needs to know whom Hyeon-u wants to live with, his father or mother.
One day, he meets Hyeon-u in front of his elementary school and strikes up a conversation. After a while, he asks the third-grader whom he wants to be with between his parents. But the answer that comes from Hyeon-u’s mouth leaves Sung-han unsettled: “I want to erase my memory…I hate my mom. She didn’t pick up the phone from the teacher. I want to erase my mother from my memory.” The little boy cries before walking away.
Sung-han feels deep discomfort with this case, and above all, he pities the children who inevitably become the victims of their parents’ karma. He realizes there is no easy way to handle this.
One night, Hyeon-u has a breakdown and goes berserk. He screams through the house, cries uncontrollably, and struggles to breathe. Seo-jin and her husband take Hyeon-u to the hospital, where he is admitted for treatment.
Upon seeing her son’s condition, Seo-jin calls Sung-han in tears and begs him to stop the case. She cannot bear to see her child suffer anymore. However, Sung-han refuses to budge and advises Seo-jin to file a lawsuit, confidently declaring, “We will win the case.”
Photos : JTBC Korea
Watch Divorce Attorney Shin Episode 1 on Netflix : click here