Pro Bono Episode 2 Recap │ A Dog, A Trial, A Win

Pro Bono Episode 2 opens with a sharp continuation of the premiere, setting the stage for Kang Da-wit’s chaotic entry into the Pro Bono Team. As Pro Bono Episode 2 unfolds, tensions rise quickly, and the mystery behind Oh Jung-in’s true intentions takes center stage. Through these early moments, Pro Bono Episode 2 establishes its core conflict and pulls viewers straight into Da-wit’s reluctant journey.

Pro Bono Episode 2 picks up right where the premiere left off—
with Kang Da-wit (Jung Kyung-ho) getting unexpectedly attacked by a dog named Byeol.
Still holding his injured hand, he storms into Oh Jung-in’s (Lee Yoo-young) office, demanding to know why she dumped him into the Pro Bono Team.
As always, Jung-in stays calm, offering no real answer.
The mystery surrounding O&Partners’ “money-losing public service division” only deepens.

But Da-wit doesn’t have time to dwell on his suspicions.
His very first assignment as a rookie lawyer is already waiting for him.

1. Pro Bono Episode 2: A Strange Dog Theft Case Becomes His First Battle

Da-wit’s first official case sounds simple:
a dispute over a “stolen” rescue dog named Byeol.

But nothing is simple when politicians and prosecutors are involved.

Ji So-yeon, who works at a dog café, found Byeol wandering by the Seongbuk Stream and persuaded the café owners to adopt him.
They raised the dog for a year and a half—until a woman suddenly appeared claiming Byeol was originally hers.

The twist?
She is the daughter of a former Chief Prosecutor and now a three-term National Assembly member.
And her attorney is none other than Woo Myung-hoon, a feared former prosecutor from the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office.

Da-wit instantly realizes the case could spiral far beyond a simple ownership dispute.

2. The “Judge Replacement Operation” — Da-wit’s First Strategic Move

Once he scans the case documents, Da-wit launches his first major strategy:
changing the presiding judge.

The assigned judge, Oh Jae-seop, is tied to Woo Myung-hoon through school connections,
making a biased ruling all too likely.

So Da-wit hires a former court president, now a pro bono lawyer, to subtly pressure Oh Jae-seop into recusing himself.
(With a comically memorable cameo from a “slice-proof golf ball.”)

The plan works.

But the replacement judge shocks everyone—
Chief Judge Choi Ho-jip,
a notoriously irritable and brutally honest judge who was named “Most Unfriendly Judge” for three years straight.

The entire Pro Bono Team panics…
except Da-wit.

“A judge who yells at everyone equally is far better than one who’s biased.”

And this line later becomes a major clue.

3. Ji So-yeon’s Secret: The Discarded Shock Collar

The prosecution suddenly presents new evidence:
a witness claiming to have seen So-yeon throw Byeol’s collar into the Han River.

Da-wit, suspicious, speaks to the witness—and instantly spots that something feels off.
Confronting So-yeon, he asks:

“If not the Han River… then where did you throw it?”

Shaken, she finally confesses.

Byeol had been wearing a high-voltage illegal shock collar,
leaving wounds around his neck.
So-yeon couldn’t bring herself to return him to such an owner and threw the collar into the stream near where she found him.

Meanwhile, the dog café owners reveal their own heartbreaking story.
They lost their granddaughter Han-byeol during the 2022 Itaewon disaster,
and caring for Byeol helped them heal from their grief.

Byeol wasn’t just a pet—
he had become family.

4. The Citizen Jury Trial — A Battle of Narratives

Sensing the tide turning against them, Da-wit requests a Citizen Participation Trial.

To sway the jury, he reconstructs the chain of events:

Byeol’s injuries
The illegal shock collar
The emotional bond with the café family
So-yeon’s intention to protect the dog, not steal it

His storytelling begins to move the jury.
But Woo Myung-hoon strikes back, revealing that the housekeeper testifying against the plaintiff had once stolen a million-won necklace from her employer, undermining her credibility.

With no physical evidence and shaken witness testimony,
the Pro Bono Team falls into a disadvantage.

5. Da-wit’s Checkmate: “Is This Really Your Dog?”

Recognizing the threat, Da-wit dramatically shifts tactics.

He calls the plaintiff for direct questioning
and brings Byeol into the courtroom wearing a fake shock collar crafted by team member Jang Young-sil.

“Is this abused, abandoned dog really the one you lost?”

The plaintiff hesitates.

And then Da-wit delivers the decisive blow:
he indirectly pressures her father—
a powerful politician—
into scolding her over the phone, warning her of the political fallout among pet-owning constituents.

Cornered, she withdraws the complaint.

The jury rules in favor of Da-wit.
And the final twist?
Da-wit intentionally chose Judge Choi Ho-jip because he knew the man was
a devoted dog dad who had adopted three rescue dogs.

A victory built not on manipulation, but on understanding human nature.

6. The Final Scene: Oh Jung-in Meets… Yoo Jae-beom?!

Just when Da-wit celebrates his first legal win,
the drama hits viewers with a chilling final shot.

Oh Jung-in walks out of the courthouse
and gets into a car with Yoo Jae-beom—
the con artist connected to the infamous 12-billion-won apple box
that ruined Da-wit’s judicial career.

If Jung-in and Yoo Jae-beom already knew each other…
was Da-wit’s downfall truly an accident?
Or was every step—
from losing his robe to joining the Pro Bono Team—
part of Jung-in’s much bigger plan?

7. Episode 3 Preview — A Boy Who Wants to Sue God?!

The Episode 3 teaser opens with a boy with congenital paralysis requesting a lawsuit against God.

Da-wit refuses immediately, but more unexpected clients arrive:

a disabled boy
a runaway teen named Jung So-min
and a case hinting that Da-wit may take on Woongsan Group’s powerful chairman

Meanwhile, Da-wit insists that

“Making money is the best public service,”
sparking conflict within the Pro Bono Team.

Episode 3 looks poised to expand the show’s themes into morality, power,
and the genuine meaning of “justice.”

⭐ Final Thoughts — Pro Bono Episode 2

Episode 2 perfectly showcases:

Kang Da-wit’s transformation from judge to strategist lawyer
the Pro Bono Team’s chaotic but heartfelt chemistry
a case that blends legal tension with emotional depth
and a massive twist hinting at Oh Jung-in’s hidden motives

The show is clearly preparing for a much bigger conspiracy,
and Da-wit’s journey is only beginning.

Episode 3 already looks unmissable.

Official Streaming & Production Resources

tvn pro bono Program Page
https://tvn.cjenm.com/ko/PROBONO/
https://www.netflix.com/browse