The legal battle in Pro Bono took a deeply personal and unexpected turn in its fourth episode. What began as a young boyโs lawsuit against the system concluded with an emotional resolution that surprised everyone in the courtroom.
The case centered on Gang-hun, a 12-year-old boy paralyzed from the waist down who wanted to sue for being born with a disability. His lawyer, David, and the pro bono team took the case against the Woongsan Charitable Foundation. Their argument was that Woongsan Hospital, supported by the foundation, repeatedly denied Gang-hun’s mother an abortion and did not provide an ultrasound that could have revealed his birth defect. The defense, led by attorney Myeong-hun, argued for the sanctity of all life.
After losing the initial hearing, David filed an appeal. Episode 4 followed this appeal, which used creative tactics and ended with a revelation that changed everything for Gang-hun and his mother.
A Press Conference and a Mother’s Anguish
Davidโs strategy for the appeal involved taking the case public. He arranged a press conference, putting Gang-hun in front of the media to gain public sympathy for their cause. Gang-hun handled the attention maturely, but this move created conflict within his own team and at home.
His teammate, Gi-ppeum, warned David not to use the boy as a public relations tool for his own career ambitions. The tension between them escalated to the point where David suggested one of them should leave the team.
The situation at home was even more volatile. Gang-hunโs mother, So-min, was furious when she saw him on television. She scolded him, believing his actions were a desperate attempt to be adopted and escape his life with her. This confrontation exposed the deep pain and pressure within their relationship, setting the stage for more painful revelations in court.
A Courtroom Attack and a Life on the Brink
During the appeal hearing, David made two key requests. First, he demanded that Chairman Choi of the Woongsan Group appear as the defendant. Second, he asked for an on-site inspection, requiring the judge and the defense attorney, Myeong-hun, to spend a day in wheelchairs to experience the physical challenges Gang-hun faces.
This exercise was played for some humor, showing the two men struggling with curbs and daily obstacles, but it made its point about accessibility. However, the tone turned brutally serious when Myeong-hun called So-min to testify.
Myeong-hunโs questioning was aggressive. He shifted the blame for Gang-hunโs struggles onto So-min, asking if she was unhappy about her sonโs birth and if his life had made the world a worse place. So-min broke down, insisting she did not hate her son and could not survive without him. The emotional attack was devastating.
That night, on the anniversary of her own abandonment as a child, a despondent So-min went to a bridge, intending to end her life. At the critical moment, a lifeline payphone on the bridge rang. It was Gang-hun, who told her he could not live without her either. He had been researching adoption not because he wanted to leave her, but because he thought it would give her a chance to have her own life back. Mother and son reconciled in a tearful hug, saved by their love for each other.
Chairman Choi Takes the Stand and a Secret Connection is Revealed
With So-min safe, the case proceeded with Chairman Choiโs testimony. The chairman, who uses a walking stick, calmly explained his pro-life beliefs, stating that all lives are equal and beautiful. David passionately countered that this ideal is not reality for the poor who lack support systems.
In a surprising move, Gang-hun asked to question the chairman directly. He shared his own story of being bullied at his special school after his crush on a classmate was exposed, which led to him being framed as a creep and suspended. He desperately asked Chairman Choi how he was supposed to live a normal life.
Following this, Chairman Choi witnessed So-min and the pro bono team being protested by neighbors who did not want a special needs school built in their community. This observation seemed to affect him. In the next hearing, he made a stunning confession: he was the anonymous online Go partner who had been playing against Gang-hun for months, trying and failing to beat the talented boy.
โHe knows pretty much everything about the little guy,โ one recap noted about Chairman Choiโs hidden connection to Gang-hun.
Knowing Gang-hunโs full story and seeing his motherโs struggle, Chairman Choi made an unprecedented offer. He stated he would stand by his beliefs about the value of life but proposed a settlement.
An Unexpected Resolution and a New Family
Chairman Choiโs proposal was not what anyone expected. He offered to adopt So-min. Since she was an adult, this legal move would make Gang-hun his grandson. Furthermore, he vowed to use funds from his foundationโs anti-abortion budget to build a special needs school in Gang-hunโs neighborhood. In return, he asked David and the pro bono team to drop the case.
This offer provided the stability and support Gang-hun and his mother truly needed. David agreed to withdraw the lawsuit, bringing the complex case to a close. The episode ended on a lighter note, revealing that the pro bono team had helped Gang-hun find his mother on the bridge by remodeling the lifeline payphones to call her location.
However, a shadow was cast over Davidโs personal victory. As the team left the courtroom, Gi-ppeum received a copy of a video showing David unknowingly taking a bribe in a past incident, suggesting someone is actively working to sabotage his career. Concurrently, news reported that Davidโs former boss, Judge Shin, had been nominated for the position of chief justiceโa position once meant for David.
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