S Korean Netflix hit 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo' sparks autism debate

As someone with a son with Autism I usually really dislike how media in general sensationalize autism by always doing the genius thing, when in reality most are on the other end. It has gone so far that the average person thinks autism and high IQ is a given. But I was happy that in Extraordinary Attorney Woo they had episodes where they explained those differences, and the episode where they were defending another person with Autism and the mother got angry for someone suggesting that her son and Attorney Woo were anything alike.

Obviously for the show to be successful the main character would need to be charismatic and easy to relate to, so they give her cute quirks and relatively mild ways to express her condition compared with most of the patients. Still, the show makes it a very strong point about showing the disadvantages of the character, the difficulties she has to relate to other people (and for other people to relate to her) and how her condition makes her a victim of discrimination.

It is impossible to make everybody happy, and it will be understandable that people on the strongest side of the autistic spectrum (and their families) will not see her as representing them, but I think it is still a positive way to make more people aware of the condition.

It was actually a SAD moment when the last episode ended. No more of the wonderfully palindromic Woo Young Woo... [sigh] She will be missed. Great cast and great writing. Anyone who has paid attention to Autism knows of the similar American, Mary Temple Grandin, as a spokesperson for autistic people. It's such an ubiquitous yet so poorly understood difficulty for people that demonstrates quite clearly how little we really understand about how we work.

Can't wait for season 2!

They're called Autism Spectrum illnesses for a reason. There are several types, symptoms and behaviors can wildly vary, development can differ as can the prognosis. But I can understand that some feel the portrayal is unrealistic.

This kind of drama features someone had a hard time in the past due to his/her quirky behaviors thrives at the end of the day always entertains me.

It is a good show. Love it.