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Metro.Style Exclusive: Yoo Yeon Seok Talks About His Character Portrayal in K-Drama "Phantom Lawyer"

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<div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1777954809288Yoo Yeon Seok in Phantom Lawyer.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div style="text-align:left"><br/></div><p><strong></strong><strong>Yoo Yeon-seok</strong> stepped into something new with his recently concluded K-drama<strong><em> Phantom Lawyer</em></strong>. He has established himself as one of the most well-loved Korean actors with memorable portrayals as a Yakuza member in<strong><em> Mr. Sunshine</em></strong>, an assistant professor of pediatric surgery in <strong><em>Hospital Playlist</em></strong>, and a presidential spokesperson in <strong><em>When the Phone Rings</em></strong>. In <em>Phantom Lawyer</em>, he worked on his first legal drama and starred as a lawyer for the first time. <strong><em></em></strong><strong></strong><br/></p><p style="text-align:left">But the 16-episode <em>Phantom Lawyer</em> is no ordinary legal drama, as it blends poignant storytelling with fantasy and fun-tastic humor. In the series, Yoo Yeon-seok is <strong>Shin Yi-rang</strong>, a lawyer who struggles to find a law firm to hire him because of his father’s reputation as a disgraced prosecutor. One of the companies he applies to is Taebak, where <strong>Esom</strong>’s <strong>Han Na-hyun</strong> works as a partner and serves as its ace lawyer. </p><div style="text-align:left"><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1777965444818VX-10400702.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div style="text-align:left"><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1777965475720embed_phantom lawyer_VX-10461440.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div style="text-align:left"><br/></div><p style="text-align:left">As Shin Yi-rang decides to put up his own law firm, establishing its office in a former shaman’s place, he suddenly gains the power to see ghosts that eventually become his clients. While solving cases involving these ghosts with unfinished missions and unresolved issues, Shin Yi-rang keeps crossing paths with Han Na-hyun. With their cases intersecting, their bond develops into a unique partnership.</p><p style="text-align:left">The chemistry between Yoo Yeon-seok and Esom in this series is subtle yet impactful. Both plausible as lawyers, who share the goal of uncovering truths, their teamwork makes the scenes work. On working with Esom, Yoo Yeon-seok told <strong>Metro.Style </strong>in an exclusive interview, “The on-set chemistry was great. I was especially impressed by Lee Som’s dedication to continuously studying her character, and it was a pleasure working alongside her.” </p><div style="text-align:left"><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1777965573140embed_phantom lawyer_VX-10402216.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div style="text-align:center"><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1777965586138embed_phantom lawyer_VX-10440185.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div style="text-align:center"><br/></div><p style="text-align:left">Yoo Yeon-seok also shared what it was like preparing for his role here, saying, “Since I play a lawyer who can see ghosts, I had to memorize legal terminology through my lines.” </p><p style="text-align:left">But the role is layered. So, to ensure character development, Yoo Yeon-seok internalized how to depict the shift in Shin Yi-rang’s persona and perspective, and was even hands-on in putting his own touch to the portrayal. “I also thought a lot about how to portray Yi-rang gradually becoming more accustomed to seeing spirits as the story progresses. I even paid attention to styling details, such as wearing a tie made from <em>hanbok</em> fabric,” he shared. </p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:left"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1777965539219embed_phantom lawyer_VX-10440186.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div style="text-align:left"><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1777965554777embed_phantom lawyer_VX-10402215.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div style="text-align:left"><br/></div><p>In<em> Phantom Lawyer</em>, Yoo Yeon-seok doesn’t only command attention in the courtroom. With different ghosts possessing Shin Yi-rang, the actor got to explore different approaches in various scenarios. In one episode, for instance, the ghost is an ex-gang member who died from medical malpractice, and so, Yoo Yeon-seok dabbled in fight scenes. In another, the ghost is a K-pop girl group trainee who passed away before her debut, and so, viewers see Yoo Yeon-seok being all <em>aegyo</em>, dancing like an idol.</p><p>Some say it’s harder to make people laugh than to make people cry. So, we asked Yoo Yeon-seok how he approached his character to nail his comedic timing. “I tried to let go of inhibitions and approach the role more freely,” he revealed. “Because of the ‘possession’ concept, I was able to take on a wider range of performances and fully immerse myself physically in the role.”</p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1777965739777embed_phantom lawyer_VX-10402217.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div><br/></div><p>Clearly, Yoo Yeon-seok possesses the qualities of an actor whose dedication to his craft allows him to step into the shoes of a wide range of characters. And this kind of versatility is captured in <em>Phantom Lawyer,</em> a series that’s entertaining from start to finish.</p><div style="text-align:left"><br/></div><div style="text-align:left"><em><strong>Stream all 16 episodes of </strong></em><strong><a href="https://www.viki.com/tv/41427c-phantom-lawyer#episodes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Phantom Lawyer on Rakuten Viki</em></a><em> now.</em><br/></strong></div><div style="text-align:left"><br/></div><p style="text-align:left">Photos courtesy of <strong>Rakuten Viki</strong></p>

<p>Yoo Yeon-seok stepped into something new with his recently concluded K-drama<i> Phantom Lawyer</i>. And clearly, he possesses the qualities of an actor whose dedication to his craft allows him to step into the shoes of a wide range of characters.</p>

Yoo Yeon-seok stepped into something new with his recently concluded K-drama Phantom Lawyer . And clearly, he possesses the qualities of an actor whose dedication to his craft allows him to step into the shoes of a wide range of characters.

What Yoo Yeon-Seok Had to Learn and Let Go for His Role in 'Phantom Lawyer'

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What Yoo Yeon-Seok Had to Learn and Let Go for His Role in 'Phantom Lawyer'

Grace Libero

Published May 05, 2026 03:35 PM PHT

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