Back in 1981, South Koreasmilitary regimeapprehended 22 students and activists for spreading communist ideals.

The shocker here was that there was no real evidence to back up the claim.

The wildest part of the whole case is thatit didnt just shape history, it defined South Koreas future.

Song Kang-ho as Song Woo-seok standing in the courtroom in The Attorney

Image via Next Entertainment World

The trick is to trust no one and survive everyone.

Butjust as viewers get situated for a lighthearted legal drama, the film turns into something else entirely.

It all starts with Park Jong-baes (Im Si-wan) arrest, then things keep going downhill from there.

Song Kang-ho as Song Woo-seok smiling widely in The Attorney

Image via Next Entertainment World

The humor goes out the window, and suddenly a brutal political thriller unfolds.

By masquerading as alighthearted movie, the twist down the line hits a lot harder.

Weve seen these characters laugh together, so watching them suffer is even more devastating.

Kwak Do-won and Lee Byung-hun on a cropped poster of The Man Standing Next

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Song Woo-seok is a lawyer with no clients. When his friend’s son is falsely accused of a crime and tortured, he takes up the case and the course of his life changes for good.

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The Attorney