'Extraordinary Attorney Woo', 'Pachinko' secure nods at Critics Choice Awards

Popular Korean drama ”Extraordinary Attorney Woo” and ”Pachinko”, a multilingual series based on Korean-American author Min-jin Lee’s bestselling novel, have been nominated at the 28th annual Critics Choice Awards.

According to the Critics Choice Association (CCA), the two shows have secured a nod in the best foreign language series category. They will face off with ”1899” (multilingual German show), ”Borgen” (Danish), ”Garcia!” (Spanish), ”The Kingdom Exodus” (Danish show by Lars von Trier), Kleo (German), My Brilliant Friend (Italian-Neapolitan), and ”Tehran” (Israeli).

”Extraordinary Attorney Woo”, a Korean production, aired in native South Korea on local TV channel ENA and is available for streaming in selected regions via Netflix. Starring Park Eun-bin in the title role, the series chronicles the story of Woo Young-woo, an autistic lawyer, working at a large law firm. Whereas, ”Pachinko” is a multigenerational story of ”war and peace, love and loss, triumph and reckoning” told across three languages — Korean, Japanese and English — is an American production which streamed on Apple TV+. Production on the second season of the show is underway.

Last month, Park-starrer ”The King’s Affection” made history as the first K-drama to bag an International Emmy nomination in the best telenovela category.

In 2021, Netflix’s hit K-drama ”Squid Game” won two Critics Choice Awards for best foreign language series and best actor in a drama series (Lee Jung-jae). ”Abbott Elementary”, an American mockumentary sitcom set in a fictional predominantly Black school in Philadelphia, leads the nominations with six nods, closely followed by the Bob Odenkirk-starrer ”Better Call Saul” at five. The Critics Choice Awards ceremony will be held on January 15 in Los Angeles.