JTBC's weekend drama Esquire: Lawyers Dreaming of Being Lawyers recorded a rise in ratings after Jung Chae-yeon's debut courtroom defense scene was broadcast, taking in 7.5% in Seoul's metropolitan area and 7.2% across the country, as reported by Nielsen Korea.
During episode 5, broadcast Aug. 16, Jung's character Kang Hyo-min entered her first solo trial with the help of team leader Yoon Seok-hoon, played by Lee Jin-wook.
On her sister's insistence, Kang accepted the case of a hobby painter charged with plagiarizing the art of a well-known artist.
Having precious little time to prepare, she approached Yoon for assistance. Yoon dismissed her at first with a firm, "Figure it out since you accepted the case without prior consultation."
Despite what he had said, Yoon staged a mock trial and then criticized her preparations afterwards, giving good suggestions before her first hearing.
The initial points of Kang were sidetracked when her client, a mentally disabled man, was not able to respond and admitted that he had repeated the words of opposing counsel due to pressure.
Recalling Yoon's advice to "see the essence of the case without preconceptions," Kang adjusted her method, kneeling to eye level with her client and speaking with caution and compassion.
The client then disclosed he had secretly added his missing father's face to his painting, not wanting his mother to find out.
This witness flipped the case, demonstrating the world-famous artist had plagiarized the amateur's work and tried to blame her client.
Following the win, Yoon admitted Kang's improvement, speaking to her for the first time as "Attorney Kang Hyo-min." With a beaming smile at the compliment, Kang retorted, "I will work hard.
The moment highlighted the new lawyer's resilience and the mentorship-mentee relationship at the heart of the drama.
Meanwhile, actress Jung Chae-yeon is facing criticism for her performance in JTBC's new legal drama Esquire: Lawyers in the Making.
Viewers argue that her acting lacks emotional depth and intensity, citing her high-pitched voice, stiff delivery, and weak reactions during key courtroom scenes.
Critics say this undermines the show's tension and highlights an imbalance alongside co-star Lee Jin-wook, whose steady performance makes her shortcomings more noticeable.
With only two of 12 episodes aired, concerns are growing that the drama's central character development may falter if Jung's portrayal does not improve.
