"Phantom Lawyer" sprinkled in playful Easter eggs that wink at its stars’ past roles―and viewers are loving the ride.
In Episode 2 of the SBS Friday-Saturday drama "Phantom Lawyer" (written by Kim Ga-young and Kang Cheol-gyu; directed by Shin Joong-hoon), which aired on March 14, sharp-eyed fans spotted cheeky details hidden throughout the case. In quick blink-and-you-miss-it moments, the show smoothly called back to the actors’ signature characters, turning the hunt for tiny parody clues into another “possessed” delight for viewers.
# “Did You Graduate Med School, Too?” A ‘Romantic’ Doctor Nod for Yoo Yeon-seok
In Episode 2, Shin I-rang (played by Yoo Yeon-seok) set out to secure decisive evidence to clear the name of the wrongfully deceased Lee Kang-poong (Heo Sung-tae). He stressed the importance of the hospital’s main EMR (Electronic Medical Record) system, explaining that if they could find the hard drive, they could overturn the doctor’s false claim that the patient died from cardiac arrest during surgery.
Watching in awe, Lee Kang-poong exclaimed, “You’re a real romantic, counselor,” and “Did you graduate med school, too? So smart!” The lines instantly recalled Yoo Yeon-seok’s doctor roles in "Dr. Romantic" and "Hospital Playlist", drawing laughs with the clever callback.
# “Why Is This Name Here?” Esom Flashes a ‘Kang Ha-na’ Prosecutor ID
Esom also surprised fans with a quick throwback to one of her most memorable characters. As Han Na-hyun (Esom) planned to pose as a prosecutor to infiltrate a secondhand appliance warehouse hiding key evidence, her fake ID revealed the name “Prosecutor Kang Ha-na.” That’s the character Esom played in Season 1 of SBS’s "Taxi Driver", a series that delivered consecutive hit seasons and became a fan-favorite “refreshing hero” drama. She even slipped in with Kang Ha-na’s signature permed hairstyle, stitching together fun details across the SBS Friday-Saturday drama universe. Viewers cheered, saying, “An all-time great cameo moment,” and “I’ve missed Prosecutor Kang Ha-na.”
The production team shared, “It’s an homage packed with love for our actors. We also placed it to add a bit of fun even amid the tense race to find the EMR hard drive, the key evidence to crack the case.” They added, “We’ll keep bringing diverse moments of fun while staying true to the heart of the story. Please continue this ride with our ‘possessed’ lawyer, Shin I-rang.”
Meanwhile, after Shin I-rang’s first courtroom win, the spirit of another high school girl appears, teasing the second “possessed” case. Episode 3 of "Phantom Lawyer" airs on March 20 at 9:50 p.m.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)