In episode 3 of MBC’s Friday-Saturday drama The Judge Returns, which aired on January 9, Lee Han-young (played by Ji Sung) personally apprehended serial killer Kim Sang-jin (played by Bae In-hyuk) and sentenced him to death in court, leaving a powerful impression. His cold and uncompromising judgment instantly dominated living rooms, and his runaway-train-like pursuit of revenge and justice officially gained full momentum.
The episode achieved its highest ratings yet, recording 6.2 percent in the Seoul metropolitan area and 5.8 percent nationwide, according to Nielsen Korea. In particular, the scene in which Yoo Se-hee (played by Oh Se-young) brushes past Lee Han-young after saying, “You really think you’re something special right now, don’t you?” reached a peak rating of 7.3 percent, proving its explosive buzz. The 20–54 demographic rating also hit 2.3 percent, showing that the drama successfully captured younger viewers.
Lee Han-young’s actions drew the attention of both Kang Shin-jin (played by Park Hee-soon), the most powerful figure within the judiciary, and Baek Yi-seok (played by Kim Tae-woo), a strict man of principle. Kang Shin-jin began probing Han-young by putting Kim Jin-han (played by Jung Hee-tae) and Kim Yoon-hyuk (played by Jang Jae-ho) in motion. Meanwhile, Han-young, who had been killed by Shin-jin in his previous life, secretly followed him and quietly opened the door to revenge. At the same time, Kang Shin-jin joined forces with political powers and interfered in the selection of the Chief Justice, drawing a grand blueprint to seize control of the judiciary and heightening the tension.
After the “Kim Sang-jin case,” Han-young was put to the test by Baek Yi-seok and assigned the “Park Hyuk-joon case.” The defendant, Park Hyuk-joon (played by Lee Je-yeon), was suspected of staging a traffic accident to collect the insurance money of his lover, Kim Sun-hee (played by Han Seoul). However, the circumstances left room for rebuttal. Han-young went to the scene himself in search of the truth, where he met Song Na-yeon (played by Baek Jin-hee), a reporter from Daejin Daily, and ignited a media battle. It was a calculated move to deliberately expose himself to Kang Shin-jin’s radar.
The blind-date episode with Yoo Se-hee, the youngest daughter of Haenaro Law Firm, also added humor. Han-young intentionally arrived late to provoke her, criticized her arrogant attitude, and even got slapped, forming an unusual chemistry that added another layer of color to the drama.
The climax exploded in the courtroom. When Kim Ga-young (played by Jang Hee-ryung), Kim Sun-hee’s cousin and an insurance planner, took the witness stand, Han-young persistently pressed her by pointing out that she alone knew the details of the insurance policy and its beneficiary. In the end, her hidden second phone rang and exposed everything. The chilling ending was completed when Han-young’s voice was heard over the phone saying, “Nice to meet you, Ms. Kim Ga-young.”
With its fast pacing, shocking twists, and perfectly synchronized performances, The Judge Returns continues to raise expectations for how far Ji Sung’s portrayal of revenge and justice will go.
Episode 4 of MBC’s Friday-Saturday drama The Judge Returns will air on January 10 at 9:50 p.m.
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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