The Judge Returns to Premiere on Friday: A Complete Guide to Upcoming MBC Fantasy Drama

The Judge Returns, the upcoming fantasy legal drama starring Ji Sung, Park Hee Soon, and Won Jin Ah, will premiere on MBC on Friday (January 2) at 9:40 pm KST. It will introduce viewers to a corrupt judge who gets a second chance in life to make up for his mistakes. Judge Lee Han Young, who once lived as a slave to those in power due to his lack of connections and background, travels back in time to punish the wrongdoers.

Ji Sung portrays Han Young in the fantasy legal drama. The actor described the judge as a person who hurt himself and others while embracing the darkness of decay and corruption. After getting a second chance in life, the judge tries to start anew by ending this destructive relationship. According to the cast member, Han Young can be described in three phrases. They are the darkness I once loved, pencil, and the thrill of justice.

“Lee Han Young lived while embracing the darkness of corruption and decay, hurting himself and many people. After returning to the past, he ends this destructive relationship and tries to start a new one in the name of ‘justice.’ In his youth, sharpening a pencil was a peaceful moment during which he thought about justice. When he became a corrupt judge, it became a dangerous comfort that justified his wrong actions. After returning to the past, it turns into a time of reflection during which he focuses on the question, ‘What is truly right in this life?'” Ji Sung shared.

Meanwhile, actress Won Jin Ah plays Kim Jin Ah, a prosecutor at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office. Jin Ah described the prosecutor as a fierce and courageous woman who focuses on charging forward. The cast member asked viewers to carefully watch the scenes of Kim Jin Ah, where she expresses emotions through facial expressions and the shape of her mouth.

“The scenes that best show Kim Jin Ah’s personality are the ones where she expresses emotions through the shape of her mouth and facial expressions. It was fun because they weren’t expressions I usually get to try,” the actress said.

Cast members Ji Sung, Park Hee Soon, and Won Jin Ah spilled details about their characters in the upcoming MBC fantasy legal drama. Here is what they said about The Judge Returns, scheduled to premiere on MBC on Friday (January 2) at 9:40 pm KST.

Ji Sung – The core message of this drama is that real justice can only be established by first breaking the darkness of one’s past. Lee Han Young challenges the existing order through actions and bold choices, practicing justice in the process. The scenes where he stops evil in unexpected ways are striking, but they reflect his honest commitment to justice.
Park Hee Soon – It will be fun to see how past events change after the time reversal and what outcomes they lead to. Paying attention to how the story unfolds will make it even more engaging.
Won Jin Ah – Rather than asking, ‘Could that really happen? Is that allowed?’ I hope viewers can enjoy the vicarious satisfaction, laughter, and fun. I think the way Lee Han Young acts in court will give many viewers the feeling of, ‘How satisfying would it be if this really happened in real life?’

People in Korea can watch the premiere on TV or stream it online. K-drama fans from other parts of the world, including the US, Canada, Australia, the UK, Mexico, Denmark, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Greece, Greenland, Hong Kong, China, Japan, New Zealand, UAE, Singapore, Turkey, and South Africa, can watch the mini-series with subtitles on various streaming platforms, like Viki.

Here are the International Air Timings of The Judge Returns: