The Devil Judge

Unexpected gold

While there were a few choices I could nitpick, the Devil Judge overall had a solid story throughout and I never found myself bored while watching. I added an extra 0.5 points to a show I'd normally give a 9.0 to because it had so many archetypes I adored, and I haven't found myself falling in love over a kdrama like this in a while.

PROS:
- Kang Yohan. I haven't seen another morally grey character in kdramas so well acted and written
- The plot moves really nicely, and even though I had been spoiled for some scenes, I still found myself on edge for majority of the show
- The dystopian setting helps offset any unrealistic aspects of the live show court
- The relationships between characters are nicely done, especially between Yohan and Elijah

CONS:
- The female characters were underutilized, they had so much depth that didn't feel completely paid off in the end. That being said, Sunah is a fantastic villain
- Any romance between Gaon and Soohyeon felt very unconvincing, especially since they didn't have too many moments together and the writers seemed to be torn whether or not they wanted to show subtext between Gaon and Yohan instead
- The last few plot points could have benefited from at least one more episode

The Devil Judge is definitely one of the best dramas of the season. You will come for beautiful cinematography and dark plots but stay for the characters and found family. Give it a few episodes and if you find yourself liking the vibe, you won't regret staying along for the ride.

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✒⚖ Recycled Brimstone ⚖ °8.2° °Excellent°

I AM THE POWER!

He actually pumped his fist when addressing the gala. This judge is tough. He always seems to do the right thing, he just looks very wrong as he's doing it. An old lady tearingly thanks him for his ‘just ruling’ and breaks down sobbing. The Judge holds her, but as Gaon looks on from the back end, that judge is yawning!

T👹J is a 2021 release that is rated 93 on AWiki. It is 1 season consisting of 16 75-minute episodes (ep16 is 95 min). Sometimes it takes a devil to catch a devil. This is a fantasy-thriller about corruption and political wrangling. They aren't attempting real-life plausibility. If realism is important, or if one knows a lot about the judicial system and how slowly it moves, this show might be annoying. One does have to roll with the unreal elements in order to enjoy it. Therefore, this article won't attempt to explain or justify the impossible timeline nor the audacious actions depicted. If all your shirts are starched and your sneakers are 🥛⚪, this may not be the show for you.

We're post pandemic. Post insanity. Trying to live again. Cut to a politician ranting: He's discussing the country's resurgence along with judicial reform. "Judge Kang Yo Han, dubbed the “Justice Bao” of the 21st century for his ruthless decisions… will deliver, once and for all, what you've always wanted: A trial where justice stands!" Public approval of the country's judiciary is in the teens. They will be televising a trial and letting the public VOTE on the verdict.

And there he is! Right on cue! Is he a judge or a male model? He's sort of a Korean Josh Hartnett (a very good thing). He's questioned about his harshness, especially to the disadvantaged - mentally, physically, & emotionally. He says they're all merely defendants >> /criminals/. He doesn't believe in “such fickle things like good will...”

Not everyone loves him. A denizen of the cigar-smoke-filled back room has brought on Judge Kim Gaon (Park Jin Young from Our Unwritten Seoul & He Is Psychometric) to keep an eye on him. Waiting for Gaon on the first day of his new gig is pretty girlie judge, Yun Su Hyeon (Park Gyu Young from Sweet Home-8.4, Celebrity, & Dali and the Cocky Prince). She knows she was chosen for her looks, she admits, so she'll be working triply hard to prove her worth. They, along with JK, will be judges on the new show. There's no public confidence, but they learn that first day, there's plenty of animus. Early in ep1 a man tries to crash the courthouse with a stolen school bus. Our judge takes out the driver with a high level rifle while Gaon saves a little girl from being struck. They're still strangers, but they're already working together well.

Ji Sung has had mega hits like Defendant, Doctor John, & Connection. Here he's the lead, Judge Kang Yo Han - JK. I've seen him in Familiar Wife-8.5, which shocked me, it was so good. He's about as good looking as a man can get. It just comes down to personal taste. The ridiculously adorable Kim Min Jung (Man to Man-6.7, Mr. Sunshine-9) plays “Jung” Seon A, admin assistant to mega-influencer, Chm Seo. No one is like Ms Kim. She reminds me slightly of Helena Bonham Carter's Marla Singer, from Fight Club, whom Tyler Durden described as a “predator posing as a housepet". Jung is chiffon over black lace over steel. She's amazing. Her boss, Chm Seo has a big social program he's rolling out through his Social Responsibility Foundation.

Park Gyu-Young is Yoon “Su”-hyeon, Gaon's Bff. She always asks him to marry her. He declines, saying he won't ruin the friendship. Gaon's on the show, so she becomes exposed to all of the players, which leads to suspicions about JK. She starts to investigate him. They watch JK take down an obnoxious driver one day. He literally destroyed the guy's car with a sledge hammer! Su is entirely by-the-book ~ 💯. When Gaon and JK start to bring the heat on the bad guys, she struggles because they can't do it and completely stay on the right side of the line. They are in murky territory. Corrupt governments pass so many laws that it's impossible to keep them all. They make us all criminals so they can get us whenever they want to. Gaon and JK are walking that tightrope.

Jung Eun Pyo plays the con artist who swindled Gaon's family. He has some riveting moments. Baek Hyun Jin (Happiness) plays President Heo Jung Se. Every time he's bellowing from the podium I can almost feel the flecks of spittle. He's sorta gross. To the extent there's any over-acting, it's on him. However, it looks like he's not entirely sane, and nobody else is that extra. Choi Jung Gyu (Children of Nobody, Two Weeks) is the Director and Moon Yoo Seok (Pro Bono, Miss Hammurabi) is the screenwriter. We see lots of those whom we see lots of. The list of guest stars is impressive.

The first airing is a hit! Gaon thought JK was on the take for the defendant (JU Chemicals Chairman) but the very end of the trial was a bit of a stunner. Gaon's more confused than ever. JK looks totally sus, tbf. Like a constant drip, we hear eyewitness accounts and see flashbacks of JK's former life. He wasn't wanted by his father (illegitimate) and he's done some things that appear to be criminal. We don't have the full context, but this judge is no simple guy and he's clearly not much of a rule follower. The more we see, however, the more things align in a way that's favorable to JK. Perhaps he isn't the baddie?

JK lives with his niece (Jeon Chae Eun from Way Back Love & Uncle Samsik-8.4 plays Kang Elijah), though we aren't introduced to her properly for a couple episodes. She's in a wheelchair, ever since the fire that killed her parents. She's deeply angry, and her tone is always caustic. After a bomb goes off at the Supreme Court, Gaon is injured trying to save JK, so he recuperates at JK's house. Elijah is straight-nasty to him. He's a charming guy, though, and he knows how to cook, so he gradually makes inroads with her. Gaon also looks quite a bit like her deceased father, JK's brother. JK even mentions it. Their place is a mansion. They're loaded. JK admits his father was a loan shark. “It's all about selling hope and getting it back through fear.”

This is no romance, though the dynamic between Jung and JK is steamy, along with feeling rather slimy. We see a couple of one-sided crushes. One gets sidelined just as feelings are reciprocated, and it's particularly sad. We see damaged, doomed love. It's actually beautiful in its own way. Corruption is the main theme. Gaon came in suspecting JK and saw every act through a tainted lens. At the same time, he finds himself drawn to JK and he's bonding with Elijah. He continues living at JK's even after he's recovered. It's safer there. At the end of ep2, JK shows Gaon how very corrupt the system is. Gaon cannot deny what he sees: The justice system has a total bowel blockage. Gaon has a total breakdown. “What can we do against them while adhering to all principles and procedures? As I told you, there is no justice in this world. Only a game exists. A terribly tilted one at that.” JK ain't joking!

The balance of TDJ is sorting through the drips of new information to solve not only current crimes, but 20 year old ones as well. “The rich and powerful never reflect on their actions. That's only for the poor.” The corrupt politicians are truly soulless. What the viewer doesn't know is who is working with them. Whom have they paid off? Suspicions around JK won't die, and JK will not defend himself. We'll find out why. Things get very dark before dawn.

The plot works well enough. The writing is good. The acting is outstanding. The filming is good. The feel is heavily stylized and slick ~by design~ as JK has nearly supernatural instincts and acumen. Given its tone and ambitious plot, TDJ brushes up to Big Mouth-7.4, which had me seesawing nearly the whole time wondering if it was entirely too outrageous or if it worked. I decided it worked. This works too, though it collects some chaff with the wheat. When feeling threatened, the president suggests deliberately spreading the virus to consolidate his power. Let's never forget that reality is always much stranger; 3 years after the show was made, an incident nearly as bizarre occurred in South Korea when President Yoon Suk declared martial law on 12/3/24. It only lasted for 6 hours, so the dire emergency was only in the president‘s head.

TDJ serves to remind us all: “We are all here to do our duties bestowed upon us by our people, who are sovereign. We must make sure that no one is wronged and that no one sheds tears of blood. We must also ensure those who make others cry tears of blood are rightfully punished. Is that not our duty? That's why I'm in my judge's robe. If we fail and neglect our duties someone out there will suffer. And their suffering is what breeds monsters. There is a reason why people are enraged.”



QUOTES🗣

Charm is power.

Being over-modest is no different than being arrogant.

Turning crises into opportunities is how those who move the world operate.

“I lived my entire life for revenge. Now that it's realized, I feel empty.”

No matter how much you hate this world and its people, you can't live alone. Everyone needs someone to rely on, because we're human beings.


IMHO〰🖍


📣8.3 📝8 🎭8.5 💓5 🦋5 🎨8 🎵/🔊7 🔚9 🤗6 ▪ 🌞3.5 ⚡5.8 😅2 😭5 😱3 😯3 🤢4.5 🤔6.7💤0

Shazams:
The show opens to the edgy Drop The Game, by Flume & Chet Faker

Age 16+ Language: occasionally R-rated, violence, sexual situations. Rated: 15+


Re-📺? No opposed, but notta priority.


In order of ~lite&trite~ to ~heavy&serious~ you may also like:

Crazy Love-7.8,
Racket Boys-8.3,
Love to Hate You 8.9,
Flex X Cop-8.5,
Missing: The Other Side-8.3,
When the Camellia Blooms-8,
Uncanny counter season-1 only °S1-8.4 S2-4,
Vagabond-8,
Why Her?-8, Inspector Koo-8.4,
Sisyphus 8 (give it 2 episodes, ep1 is confusing),
Tunnel 8.5,
Itaewon Class-8.9,
My Mister 9.5,
Moving-8.5,
The Cursed 8.3,
Flower of Evil 8.9,
Awaken-8.7, Light Shop-8.6,
A Shop for Killers-8.7
The Man from Nowhere 8.9,
The Wailing-8.8,
Black 9,
Sweet Home 8.4,
Oldboy-9,
Parasite-9,
Mother-8.8



⛔SPOILERS⛔

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Ouch! There's an extremely painful death. Quite a few folks meet their demise in the show's balance, but one death is a difficult pill. Gaon needed to experience loss at the hands of this cabal to be perfectly aligned with JK. They handle the grief properly.

At ep2's end JK takes Gaon to a prison visit to see the man who defrauded his family. The fraud directly led to his parents’ deaths. Another person, who appears to be mentally deficient, is serving out the criminal’s sentence!

In the end he/they really did topple their construct, which turned out to be a house of cards.

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I thoroughly enjoyed The Devil Judge for its outstanding cinematography, sharp editing, and Ji Sung's exceptional performance. However, while the first half (up to episodes 9/10) was gripping and brilliantly written, the latter half felt too draggy, packed with excessive angst, and kind of cartoonish. Additionally, I found Ga-On's character (played by Jinyoung) frustratingly inconsistent—his constant shifts in loyalty made him come across as immature and unreliable.

Overall, it’s a solid series that had the potential to be even better, particularly in its second half.

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The Matrix, Reimagined As A Courtroom Drama.

This drama took me a lot longer to finish than I expected. Usually, I will wait till a drama is fully aired and then marathon watch it. This drama was different. I took my time and paused for a day or two after each episode because there was so much to unpack and I wanted to draw it out and really savor every scene and revelation. The story is so well written, the cast does an amazing job, the emotions were a lot more raw and realistic than I usually see in Kdramas.

I was fully immersed in their world and the overarching theme of judgement. It was not lost on me that the main characters are judges and every moment of every episode is about the judgements we form in every interaction with people. We perceive this world through the eyes of Kim Ga On, a young and impressionable judge. He is thrust into situations constantly where he is surrounded by his own impulse to judge others and influenced by other people's judgements in turn. Seeing things through his eyes allows the audience to naively fall into the same traps Ga On also falls into, casting judgement on things he doesn't fully understand and later regretting his actions.

The whole world is blindfolded, and the main protagonist is the unwelcome devil who removes the blindfolds so that we can look past the illusion that surrounds us and see the world, and ourselves, for what it really is. This drama was really cleverly done. As the show and episodes progress each pivotal clue scene gets replayed and shuffled to show how each situation, each action, each piece of information can be read differently based on the information you have. Like tarot cards being reorganized to support a different verdict from the same cards.

I've read a lot of the reviews here that talk about the drama being about social injustice, but I think that's a pretty superficial observation. The social injustice isn't there to highlight the unfairness of the world or to make a political/social point, it's there to help us understand how willing we are to be fooled, led into judgements that end up being the essence of the injustice we are trying so hard to overcome. Every single character gets misunderstood, every single character misunderstands others, every single character is guilty of acting on a judgement based on an incomplete assumption. The drama holds a mirror up to us and asks us to assess our own judgements of others, to examine them instead with the understanding that our experience and information is only a small piece of the puzzle and not the complete picture.

I've also read reviews talking about the character Kim Ga On being unrealistically naive and impressionable. But to me, having lived in this world a decent amount of time, it seemed very realistic. People, in general, seem to be happy to accept the blue pill, content in their ignorance. People, to me, seem to want to be fooled, not force fed a red pill by some shady hot dude in a black robe. Ga On being naive is a representation of the entire world's population, throughout every time and every culture, willing to believe the easy lie, fighting against incursion from the ugly reality. Ga On had to be naive for the story to make its point. He had to be force fed the reality he wanted to overcome, fighting his innate urge to accept assumptions and lies. He had to be naive because we are naive, because there isn't a human alive who is not guilty of falling for a pretty lie, because he needed to be a reflection of who we are as humans.

This show for me was easily a 10, the story was masterfully crafted, the directing was expertly done, the acting was across the board incredible, the music was perfectly timed and themed to the show. I would 100% watch this drama again, and that's rare for me.

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An Absolutely Amazing Series

OH NO! It's Over ... And this is my second time watching this series!

The acting, it's very impressive! Everyone did an awesome job of portraying their characters. There were a lot of emotional scenes and not once did I feel let down.

The chemistry between Kang Yo Han and Kim Ga On (as well as Elijah) is too good, their bond just kept growing and it was nice to watch. And not to mention, how strong the other main characters are, both physically and in personality.

Cinematography and overall production value was the best, the scenes were so realistic and believable.

The OST, is totally fitting and right on target with each scene.

Enemy Of Truth & Mirror City, what can I say?

This is a series that, given a few months in between has so much story to it, you can rewatch it because there is so much you forget.

All in All, one of my favorites!

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A Cinematic Masterpiece

Honestly, while everybody is talking about if this show is BL or not, i want to point out what stood out to me the most. This show has one of the most amazing cinematography I’ve seen in asian dramas. Especially when it comes to the dystopic series. I think Asian productions are unprofessional compared to the western ones. So even if you want to convey a good story, the lack of production value can kill all the joy. However, the locations, camerawork, costumes etc. everything is top notch in this drama, I would say it’s on par with Hollywood ones.

The acting performances are great. Especially Ji Sung, he’s so talented that he made Kang Yohan this iconic. Casting overall is perfect. The story isn’t fast-paced hence why some people say it’s kinda boring but it’s quite normal for this kind of dramas when the topic is Justice and morals. Action and lead interactions all over would make this show less serious so i loved the fillers. It’s catchy and entertaining.

This show has one of the most iconic characters like Yohan, Sun ah, Gaon, elijah etc. each of the leads have great chemistry with other characters but of course Yohan and Gaon dynamic steals the show, with all the tension and conflict going on between them. Absolutely one of the best drama couples for me.

Also the OST for this drama is amazing. Both for soundtrack and scores. They’re all so fitting to dramas theme. Overall this show was definitely worth watching and iconic for me and it even deserves more recognition than the other Korean dramas with high ratings out there.

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A captivating story with a strong premise that did not fully deliver

Right let's get into this, The devil judge was one of those shows that personally engaged me at the start and then fell off as the series progressed then re-picked itself up at the end. I had to watch the first episode twice because the first time around I had some trouble wrapping my head around what exactly was going on. Although the second time I gave this drama chance I immediately fell in love with the premise, the cinematography was breathtaking, the plot was immersive and overall it seemed like a brilliant dystopian take on justice. I binged the first 8 episodes and was obsessed with the direction of the plot as it seemed so unique and interesting to me. However, the next 8 episodes were harder to get through, I can't fully pinpoint what it was that made it harder to get through but I do feel as though the pacing played a role. I LOVE fast-paced shows and that's why I was so engaged within the first half, In the second half, the pacing felt all over the place that it felt so slow and unorganized which made me struggle to wrap my head around what exactly going on. The last 2 episodes were an attempt to save this series which I do feel episode 15 was able to do, but episode 16 felt slightly rushed. Pacing aside, there were so many things that I was IN LOVE with within this series. FIRSTLY The cinematography CARRIED THE SHOW as well as the actors. they were all PHENOMENAL, I understand that some people didn't like some of the characters, especially the male lead but I truly didn't find any problem with him, in fact, I loved him. The show had so much potential in it could've delivered perfectly bit lacked within the middle and that became its biggest flaw. HOWEVER, I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS SHOW. It talks about the real 'devils' in society in a creative and aesthetically pleasing way and will leave you with a brilliant ending. It is worth it to watch and I would recommend others to give it a try.

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Well, that was... a lot of bodies. Dystopian future this might've been but the similarities with the actual situation of today were chilling.

The main draw for me was the relationship between Kang Yo Han & Kim Ga On, of course. No wonder the actors won the "bromance of the year" award. And honestly... even without my slashy glasses on, theirs was not a simple bromance. It was all in the looks, in Yo Han's gestures... when he ran his hand along the back of Ga On's seat at the end... yeah.

Also, I didn't feel one iota sorry for Jung Sun Ah. Hers was an easy way out in the end, she deserved a much harsher punishment for all the people she destroyed along her mad rush for money and power. The president and his cohorts and their wives were disgusting and they were presented as such but that the drama tried to make me feel sympathy for her? Nah. You failed. Being an abuse victim didn't give her the right to trample all over other people. I can understand and sympathize with people who do stuff for revenge - but with those who do it for money and power? No. Just no.

Overall, one of the most unusual dramas I've ever seen, a real experience.

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becoming the Devil to banish the Evil?

► What Makes it Worth a Watch

+ Ji Sung acting as Kang Yo-Han (fall in love with his voice, acting and looks all-over again)
+ OST worth adding to your favorite playlist (one of the best in dramas, transitions well for scenes and characters)
+ The mystery behind Yo-Han's backstory (a little Who-dunnit?)
+ The visuals, the concept of the live court show & filming locations

► What Could Have Been Better

• Not a fist-pumping, victory lap worthy finish
The whole process of rooting out evil - the plot could have been a bit more tighter and edgy. The ending doesn't make you jump up and say they got what they deserved, unless you like more bitter-sweet, philosophical endings.

• The Antagonist - Jung Sun Ah & Co
The bunch of them were greedy with low-key plans for world domination. No chilling, blood curling performances.

They were not evil to the core, rather puppets at one point or the other and seemed just plain lazy with carrying out their evil plans. Jung Sun Ah - tries to be the psycho villain - but neither can you sympathize with how she turned evil, not can you say her deeds were pure evil. (Thought some of the Yoga scenes and facial expressions were trying to imitate Yoo Ji-Tae from Oldboy but no where the same impact)

• Kim Ga-On
Expectations: smart, young judge who will use the right path and bring justice, influencing Kang Yohan in his endeavor as well.
Reality: Confused, Naïve character - who was neither good throughout and changed characters around him, neither was a good-turned-slightly evil character to deliver justice cause the powerful don't play fair either. Should have been a Watson to Yohan's Sherlock, or Robin to his Batman - it just wasn't built well.

Flawed character, but Jin Young still shined in scenes where he had to show conflict of thoughts and anguish.

► What Could Have Been Avoided?

- Yoon Soo Hyun & the little-lived romance with Ga-On
The entire character was unnecessary and drama would have been better without it as well as the forced romance between her and Ga-On

- The Doppelganger Effect: Ga-On & Issac
While we see in the end, that it was to affect Yo-Han to take notice of Ga-On, but he would have anyways because of the show they were working on. Eventually because of Ga-On's past history, Yo-Han would have worked with him. Neither does the resemblance affect any of the family members or in the plotline, hence unnecessary.

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Watching this show was like riding a roller-coaster!

I truly enjoyed this series, a very realistic and powerful depiction of the highest class level among our society, those who grew up super rich and value no people of lower levels than their own, and those who were almost under the ground, and climbed their way up by all possible means and after reaching the top, forgot who they were and their true origins.

The depiction was very very realistic. It was interesting seeing how everybody rapidly changes sides for their own sakes. Also, the portrayal of some contradicting characters as Yo-han and Seon-a was very appealing. They had a good side along with a really dark one. We could see that Yo-han was more aware of his good side, unlike Seon-a who was mostly led by her darkest side. They were both seemingly similar but also different. They're kinda complicated.

The only character i really hated was Soo-hyun. I didn't like the actress herself nor her character in the series. Her acting wasn't that good in general. Her hatred for Yo-han was too much, unnecessary and unreasonable. Her reaction after Kyung-hee 's accident was very frustrating. She lacked almost all detectives' skills, and finally there weren't really that much of chemistry between her and Ga-on.

Lastly, the bromance was AMAZING!! I absolutely loved the chemistry between the two main leads Yo-han and Ga-on. Although, they had their ups and downs, their relationship was very wholesome in a way. I definitely enjoyed the presence of the bromance atmosphere in this show. :)

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#TeamYoHan

Kim GaOn is the most useless, weak, self righteous goody2shoes masquerading as a good person. His character as a judge lacks believability, there is no way such person can ever be a successful lawyer much less a judge. Someone that can be easily manipulated, doesn’t have any self convictions and goes wherever the wind blows and always looks like he wants to cry could never have made it to any judicial bench in any country in the world even in Korea I believe. I swear to God I would have dropped this drama with how many times the rage and anger in my heart was boiling to the extent I felt like I could literally explode with how completely useless the character GaOn was. Don’t even get me started with his cop girlfriend, she was basically of no use in the series and someone said Elijah’s wheelchair was more useful than GaOn and I think that statement applied to his cop girlfriend. She points her gun at people like it’s a toy, she goes to into dangerous situations without calling for backup and conducts vindictive/personal unauthorized investigations. You are a cop that claim you seek justice but knew of the corruptions going on and she never went after any of the corrupt officials but she was hell bent on going after YoHan and bringing him down because she was jealous of his budding relationship/friendship with GaOn, her character did not make any sense and I feel the writers just threw her in there in other the combat the BL tone the series was giving with the intense chemistry of YoHan aka Ji Sung & aka GaOn. I solely blame the writers and directors for giving us such a useless character, that was basically a waste of space.
The chairwoman was such a badass character. She was evil and knew why she was evil and made no apologies for it. She was super smart and the actress who played her portrayed the sultry creepy evil mastermind to perfection.
The President was such a weird character because he was more like a comic relief that no one asked for.
Why then did I not drop the drama and rate it so high if I had all this complain and fury, ladies and gentlemen it’s because of the enigmatic character called YoHan played by the ultra super talented Ji Sung. OMG he was everything and so much more. His charisma and presence as the chief judge was captivating, enthralling and like I said literally everything. His little smiles and smirks like he knows your deepest darkest secrets and he’s going to use them against you and there is nothing you can do about it was insanely good. He reminded me so much of Vincenzo because he has brains and brawn in equal measure, I slightly preferred Vincenzo because he wasn’t boggled down by self righteous morality and faced evil with evil, dishing out revenge especially capital revenge punishment to the deserving perpetrators, while the writers here made the useless and weak GaOn a kind of moral compass that ended up biting him in the ass in ep15.
YoHan’s badassry and the chairwoman’s cunning savagery made me rate this show highly because I refuse to let the mastery that were these characters be overshadowed by the uselessness that was GaOn and his cop girlfriend.
I doubt will be rewatching this so it 5/10 for me.
Overall 9/10.
I highly recommend but prepare to be frustrated and angry.

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