It is not every day that one hears of drama masterpieces. But, one would agree that Lawless Lawyer, an extraordinary story of daring and courage, is an exquisite masterpiece. It must be emphasized that it is the actors, together with the production director, the scriptwriter, action director and the production staff, who have made the drama into a masterpiece - a work of art and an iconic drama. But, it goes without saying that Lee Joon Gi, the lead actor, plays a significant role in this as he is iconic as Bong Sang Pil in his iconic scenes in the iconic legal action drama.
Lawless Lawyer has many iconic scenes and the opening scene is one of the most iconic scenes in the drama. It features the interaction between Bong Sang Pil and a traffic policeman. If one is helpless in dealing with corruption in the usual way, one must fight it using unusual methods. In this scene, Bong uses technology to trap the corrupt policeman.
One must draw attention to the fact that it is one of the scenes that Lee Joon Gi does not look like Lee Joon Gi. One is stunned. Mouths must have gaped open. Lee Joon Gi has morphed into Bong Sang Pil!
ASTONISHING. AMUSING. SO COMEDIC. Lee Joon Gi seems to be having fun playing the character. The audience can feel it and they are amused. They side him even though they know he is wrong in using unethical means to trap the corrupt traffic policeman.
The viewers love his interpretation of the character. He is absolutely amusing. Funny. One can sense the actor’s sense of humour and laugh with him. He has pulled off this powerful and subtle scene. It is mind-blowing. The character is very appealing and the viewers are truly entertained. Lee Joon Gi has nailed the scene in his spectacular style. His acting makes a lot of difference to the scene.
Lee Joon Gi never fails to surprise and astonish his viewers. He is quite capable of morphing so deeply into his on-screen character that viewers cannot recognize any trace of the actor whom they are familiar with.
He transforms into his comedic screen role quite easily. The subtleties in his expressions are interesting.
The viewers do not expect the surprises that he is going to spring on them.
SOPHISTICATED AND WEALTHY. Bong understands the intentions of the officer. He wants to tease the officer a little by showing that he is rolling in money. A supercar would not do. A person who owns such a car has to be rolling in liquid money - cash.
He mischievously flaunts his wealth by drawing the officer’s attention to the rolls of paper money in the centre console storage of his car, from where he pulls out a wallet bulging with cash.
Bong drags out some notes. On his knuckles is a frivolous-looking tattoo which spells SPERA, meaning ‘to hope’.
It is impossible for the officer not to see dollar signs as Bong rifles through his wallet.
Is Bong trying to bribe him? The officer seems indignant. He instructs the driver to get out of his car.
Bong complains that the policeman is just too uptight. He is summoned to walk away from his car so that they would be under the radar of the highway surveillance camera.
HANDSOME, STYLISH AND MASCULINE. When Bong Sang Pil emerges from his supercar and walks away from it, he does so with a swagger. Bong Sang Pil and his attractive supercar are a perfect match; they are intelligent, handsome and stylish.
A masculine aura hangs over the lawyer. Dressed fashionably in a grey suit teamed with a white shirt and a pair of stylish sunglasses, he is the epitome of style and masculinity.
He looks around and stares knowingly at the surveillance camera.
COOL. Officer Park Moon Seong, the grinning officer comments that Bong has offered him a bribe just a while ago. The cool and calm Bong denies having committed such an immoral and dishonest act. Corruption on the highway. No way. The lawyer smiles.
WITTY. Bong Sang Pil’s sense of humour has almost made the policeman lose his nerve. Bong takes pain to explain that it is difficult for him to fold his wallet because it is bulging with money. He has been trying to pull out some of his money to remove the bulkiness. He knows that the officer is accustomed to taking bribes from motorists for traffic violations. Bong’s smirk never leaves his face.
A WACKY SENSE OF HUMOUR. The Jaws of a Crocodile. In one comical act, the talented and humorous Bong Sang Pil uses his fingers to flip open and close his wallet repeatedly. The action resembles a crocodile opening and snapping shut its jaws. One could almost hear the clacking of castanets.
The action speaks for itself; it symbolises the powerful bite of corruption and injustice.
The hilarious scene makes one want to laugh out loud.
It is painfully obvious that no money would change hands. The officer demands to see his licence and threatens to issue him a ticket with a heavier penalty since Bong has been reluctant to bribe him.
CALM. Smiling at the officer, he snaps his fingers to indicate that he has understood what is expected of him. Bong is unflappable; he is not easily intimidated by anyone, much less a wayward traffic officer. Moreover, the crooked officer is the very prey that he is determined to trap.
He pretends to extract some cash from his wallet. Instead, he draws out two cards; his driving licence and his business card. The latter is used to flaunt his legal profession and to act as a warning.
But, the officer is unimpressed by his lawyer status.
SMART. INTELLIGENT. Bong Sang Pil has the element of surprise on his side. To the officer’s shock, Bong Sang Pil whips out his smart Samsung S9 phone to show Officer Park Moon Seong the evidence of his crime.
The corrupt officer has been caught on the car dash cam. The supercar is equipped with the state-of-the-art technology. His smart mobile phone, which is linked to the sophisticated camera technology of the supercar, could capture crystal clear images. Technology has won the day.
BOLD. COURAGEOUS. INCORRUPTIBLE. Bong has used new technology to effectively catch the corrupt officer red-handed. Court evidence.
But there is a dark side to this technology. Some evil-minded people could use this for malevolent purposes.
Fighting against corruption requires courage and an understanding of the law. Bong breaks the law to fight the law. He traps and admonishes the law officer for demanding bribes from other drivers. One shouldn’t mess with a brainy and wily lawyer who understands his game.
CHARMING. The corrupt officer has met his match; the brainy and witty lawyer has shamed him. Bong asks cheekily for his traffic summons but knows that he would not be getting one.
Smiling charmingly, he quickly removes his identification card from the officer’s hand, winks at him and drives off triumphantly. Every viewer is charmed by Lee Joon Gi’s interpretation of the cheeky and witty Bong Sang Pil.
One notices that this confrontation happens under the flyover that crosses over another road. The ‘intersection’ of the two roads creates an image of conflict. The lawyer and the traffic policeman are at cross purposes.
It’s time to say hello to the extraordinary actor who plays one of the most iconic characters in drama history. Bong Sang Pil, the iconic character, is portrayed by Lee Joon Gi. Lee Joon Gi is in top form in this utterly humorous and entertaining opening scene. His performance is intriguing and layered. It is one of the most entertaining, distinctive and unforgettable scenes in the drama and every time you re-watch the scene, you shriek with laughter.
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