3 Moments That Show Why "Miss Hammurabi" Is So Relatable

JTBC’s “Miss Hammurabi” is quickly rising to become one of the most relatable dramas ever.

A legal drama that focuses on civil trials, “Miss Hammurabi” has successfully won over viewers with a detailed depiction of hardships judges face and realistic legal cases. The drama marked 5.6 percent in viewership ratings in the capital area with its sixth episode, recording its highest ratings yet.

Here are the three moments that show why “Miss Hammurabi” is so relatable.

Warning: This article may contain spoilers.

1. The Burn at the Restaurant

There was a case where a child got a burn on his face due to a waitress’s mistake. The case involved a mother of a child suffering from trauma, a waitress who was having a hard time earning money in a foreign country, and a restaurant owner who thought he had enough on his hand.

The solution to this seemingly complicated case was understanding. Park Cha Oh Reum (Go Ara) focused on the people, not the case itself. When she asked the mother if she was all right, the case solved itself.

This served as an opportunity for Im Ba Reun (INFINITE’s L) to learn that while civil justice judges must erase their facial expressions, they mustn’t erase their emotions as well. It also led viewers to think about trying to understand others instead of focusing on our own pains.

2. Sexual Harassment at Work

The case involving sexual harassment in the workplace was the episode that many viewers found most relatable. “Miss Hammurabi” wasn’t afraid to show the bitter reality, including the victim’s boss who said it was just a joke, the company that tried to silence the victim, and the employees who were forced to keep their silence and even lie.

Moreover, the contrast between Park Cha Oh Reum and other male judges was strikingly realistic. While Im Ba Reun and Jung Bo Wang (Ryu Deok Hwan) did not understand the feeling of sexual humiliation until they experienced it firsthand, Park Cha Oh Reum was already familiar with it as a young woman.

The judges ruled that the perpetrator’s dismissal was valid, but the sobering epilogue showed how helpless an individual is forced to become in such cases. The episode sent a message that there can be no change unless the fundamental problem is solved.

3. The Right to be Forgotten

Civil trials reflect upon the lives of everyone because they deal with our everyday lives. Kang Yo Han, a member of the National Assembly, came to the court to erase a photo of himself participating in a protest as a young university student, arguing for “the right to be forgotten.” Listening to his case, Park Cha Oh Reum was reminded of her mother while Im Ba Reun thought about his first love Park Cha Oh Reum.

The episode showed that trials are also about dealing with people’s memories. While everyone assumed that Kang Yo Han wanted to erase the photo due to political reasons, it was later revealed that the photo featured not only Kang Yo Han’s current wife but his first love. His first love died in the protest and Kang Yo Han still remembers her, all of which his now-ill wife knows. Out of his respect and love for his wife, he wanted to stop the photo from gaining attention. Instead of choosing to be protected by the law, however, Kang Yo Han chose to appeal to the public’s interest by bringing attention to his looks.

Im Ba Reun’s words, “What’s finished is easily forgotten while what’s unfinished is remembered for a long time,” made viewers think about how people yearn for something unfinished while forgetting the importance of things they’re familiar with.

“Miss Hammurabi” airs every Monday and Tuesday at 11 p.m. KST.

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