Phantom Lawyer Episode 1-2 Review
Director: Shin Jung-hoon
Date Created: 2026-03-15 12:56
3.5
Phantom Lawyer Episode 1-2 Review: The Netflix drama brings together a supernatural twist with a legal drama format. The series stars Yoo Yeon-seok as Yi-rang, Esom as Na-hyeon, alongside Kim Kyung-nam, Yeon Ji-hyung, Choi Kwang-il and others. 신이랑 법률사무소 is directed by Shin Jung-hoon, while the screenplay is written by Kim Ga-young and Kang Cheol-gyu.
Phantom Lawyer Episode 1 Recap
In episode 1 of Phantom Lawyer, we are introduced to Shin Yi-rang, a fresh graduate eager to make his name known in the legal profession. He walks into interview after interview in a series of law firms, believing that success is just a stone’s throw away. He also convinces his family not to worry because good news is on its way. However, his series of interviews is met with a barrage of rejections, and his chance to join Taebaek Law Firm never gets off the ground.
As we move forward, we discover that the real reason why Yi-rang is not given a chance to join any law firm is that his father was a renowned legal mind who was involved in a huge scandal that ruined his life and reputation. Yi-rang’s father’s scandalous life casts a shadow on his son’s life, and law firms do not give him a chance because of his father’s dubious reputation. Fueled by anger and determination, Yi-rang decides to carve his own path and start his own law firm.
In episode 1 of Phantom Lawyer kdrama, Yi-rang is out to find a suitable office and ends up being shown a weird and beat-up old house by a real estate agent. The killer view is something he cannot pass up, and he signs a lease even though he feels that something is off with the air, a little tense and unsettled.
When he begins to make full use of his new office space, he finds incense left over from the previous owner. When he lights it, he has a jarring encounter with a ghost that reveals himself to be Gang-pung, a man who died under questionable circumstances. With a priest’s help, he learns that if he is able to find out how Gang-pung really died, he will be able to free his spirit.
Soon enough, Gang-pung’s widow comes to his office seeking his help. As he investigates his case, he begins to suspect that he was murdered due to negligence in his medical treatment. In court, he begins to question the doctor’s testimony and focuses his questioning on inconsistencies, such as how many nurses were present during the surgery. However, he is unable to determine exactly how Gang-pung died because he lacks a key witness to testify to the truth. The Phantom Lawyer episode 1 ends on a jaw-dropping note when Gang-pung possesses Yi-rang in the courtroom.
Phantom Lawyer Episode 2 Recap
The Phantom Lawyer Episode 2 continues from where the previous one ended. To avoid further questions about the haunting possession, Yi-rang pretends to faint and disappears from the courthouse. At the same time, Phantom Lawyer attempts to free himself from the haunting by burning the talismans linked to the shaman’s house. The ghostly figure of Gang-pung disappears for a while before reappearing when he realises his daughter is alone at home. A worried father clings to Phantom Lawyer’s body and begs him to assist his daughter. The desperate father drags the unwilling Phantom Lawyer back into the case.
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When Phantom Lawyer decides to assist the girl, he meets Na-hyeon, who helps him take the girl to the hospital. Meanwhile, Phantom Lawyer receives a new lead about a nurse who was present when the operation that led to the death of Gang-pung occurred. Phantom Lawyer finds the nurse and discovers that she was paid a huge amount of money by the doctor to avoid testifying about the error that occurred during the operation. Phantom Lawyer begs the nurse to testify and convince her to do so by appealing to her conscience and the possible consequences for her child.
Yi-rang remains resolute on his path to the truth and comes up with a new plan for episode 2 of Phantom Lawyer. His plan is to investigate the hospital’s digital medical records to uncover the truth about the procedure. The evidence is given to Na-hyeon, who confronts the doctor about it. However, the boss, Do-kyung, puts an end to the pushback from Na-hyeon. It is clear that Do-kyung was instrumental behind the scenes in helping the doctor commit crimes after his fatal mistake.
The situation gets worse in episode 2 as Na-hyeon continues his investigation alone and discovers a drug smuggling ring. Yi-rang comes to his assistance and attempts to take them down the first time, but fails to do so. However, the spirit of Gang-pung possesses Yi-rang again and gives him renewed energy to fight back and take down the drug-smuggling ring.
The situation is at its climax as the truth about the procedure comes to light, and the doctor is arrested. Yi-rang visits Gang-pung’s daughter to comfort her and lets her know she is not responsible for her father’s death. In a touching scene, he burns the talisman that was holding the spirit and lets him go to the afterlife. However, from the ending scenes in episode 2 of Phantom Lawyer kdrama, it is clear that his dealings with the supernatural are far from over.
Phantom Lawyer Episode 1-2 Review
The introduction of the Korean drama Phantom Lawyer is captivating, even though it has a few stumbles to begin with. The lawyer with a ghost partner provides a delightful and unique spin on the traditional legal drama premise. However, the opening chapters have too much going on, which does not always work well.
Yoo Yeon-seok’s Yi-rang is immediately likeable because of his relatable nature. He is stubborn and frustrated by his rejections, but his determination to succeed as a competent lawyer keeps the character interesting. The ghost partner provides the comic relief, while the case involving the Gang-pung family provides the emotional depth, especially concerning his wife and daughter.
The relationship between Yi-rang and Na-hyeon is becoming rather interesting. While trust is not fully established between the two characters, they still manage to assist each other with the investigation. The fight scene between Yi-rang and the possessed character is rather entertaining to watch. While it is over-the-top, it is just as obvious how the possession aspect of the cases is making the legal cases even more interesting.
Overall, the first two episodes have done a good job of presenting the premise of the story. While the pacing may not be the best, the premise is quite interesting, and the characters are becoming rather endearing to the audience. I am rather curious to see what other bizarre cases Yi-rang will encounter with the spirits.
