“The Judge Returns” is tightening its grip on the Friday–Saturday drama throne, backed by explosive support from viewers.
With pinpoint direction that strikes directly at the core and an unpredictable storyline, the series has firmly established itself as a powerhouse in the Friday–Saturday time slot, sustaining unrivaled buzz.
Since its premiere on January 2, “The Judge Returns” has shown a steep upward trend in ratings, driven by its tightly constructed narrative, immersive direction, and the cast’s solid acting synergy. The opening-week storyline, in which Lee Han-young, known as the “servant judge” of Haenal Law Firm who conducted corrupt, favor-driven trials, meets his death and returns ten years into the past, sparked intense reactions across online communities. Viewers commented, “The story is incredibly solid,” “The tension is no joke,” and “I binge-watched up to episode two in no time.”
From episodes three and four onward, Ji Sung’s full-scale “villain-punishing narrative” delivered powerful catharsis, properly stimulating viewers’ sense of excitement. Praise continued with remarks such as, “It feels unrealistic in the head, but my heart can’t help rooting for him,” “Lee Han-young’s character has insane star power,” “No soda needed. Lee Han-young himself is the soda,” and “Ji Sung has great chemistry with anyone.”
Riding strong word of mouth, “The Judge Returns” finally broke into double-digit ratings with episodes five and six aired last week. Episode six, broadcast on January 17, recorded a peak rating of 13.9%, 11.4% among metropolitan households, and 11% nationwide, according to Nielsen Korea, marking a new personal best. In particular, the 20–54 target demographic rating reached 4.8%, ranking No.1 among all programs aired that week and proving its overwhelming competitiveness.
MBC’s Friday–Saturday drama “The Judge Returns” airs episode seven on Friday, January 23, at 9:50 p.m.
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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