The Judge from Hell

One of the best drama in 2024

The Acting of both main leads is damn good
this drama holds a really interesting twist
this drama is amazing in one to describe
I won't regret to watch this drama
Once I finish it I will rewatch this drama again
One of the best dramas in this year
the acting, music, intro, cast, story everything was extremely amazing
I really expect that you will love it and won't regret it to watch this Drama
I will recommend you to watch this drama
this drama has another level of satisfying
If I rate this drama I will give it 10 out of 10
cause I really get into this drama

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This series really surprised me!

I was so surprised by this series, I simply loved it from start to finish, I watched it until the final credits 🤣 (which I don't do) now I'm an orphan of this series, the incredible acting and expressions of the actress Park Shin Hye, made me love it and laugh a lot, the chemistry that she and actor Jae young kim had was surreal 🤌🏼👏 the rest of the cast also put on a show in their own right, the end of the series surprised me a lot, because I was scared of Kang bitna going back to hell, I loved it I really thank the writers for this outcome, the series was incredible from start to finish!

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Drama do ano? Definitivamente merece uma posição.

É extremamente raro terminar um drama e pensar que ele merece 10 mas aqui não tem dúvidas que é merecido! Do começo ao fim conseguiram equilibrar todos os elementos possíveis com uma qualidade surpreendente, tivemos osts, comédia, romance, atuação surreal dos criminosos,vinganças saborosas, efeitos especiais incríveis e um casal com uma química transbordante. Não teve um momento que eu senti a história ficar chata ou enrolada. E é tão bom ver uma fantasia de novo pq é complicado a Coreia investir nesse gênero atualmente e com uma qualidade assim vai ser mais impossível ainda. E ainda teve a surpresa desse beijo final aí pq desde do começo não tava esperando que o romance fosse aprofundado e ganhei um banquete! A atuação da Shin Hye merece ser mencionada pq simplesmente ela brilhou como a Juíza do inferno.

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A Powerful Drama of Justice & Revenge

The Judge from Hell is a solid drama blending thriller and mystery elements. The judge’s quest for vengeance was incredibly satisfying, and the overall atmosphere of the series became more compelling as the episodes progressed. However, I must admit that the moments I truly enjoyed were when the judge tracked down the criminals and delivered the justice they deserved. The acting—whether from the main or supporting cast—was fantastic. Each actor played their respective role exceptionally well, adding depth and nuance to the story.

That said, I need to address the romance subplot, which I found poorly executed. Justitia’s sudden and underdeveloped feelings for Daon felt random and lacked depth. On the other hand, the storyline focusing on Daon’s feelings for Justitia was, in my opinion, handled much better at the beginning. However, this quality dropped off in the last 2–3 episodes, where his emotions felt rushed and unconvincing.

Additionally, the romance between the two characters often felt awkward. I wasn’t entirely convinced by the chemistry between the actors, and the excessive displays of affection—like the 40 hugs in a single episode—felt unnecessary and cringeworthy. These moments could have been omitted without losing anything substantial from the story. I believe this issue partly stems from the actress, Park Shin Hye. Having watched her dramas since 2011, I think she’s a talented actress overall, but romantic chemistry has never been her strong suit.

Honestly, the romance subplot could have been left out entirely. If it’s not well-executed, why include it? Either deliver a convincing, heartfelt romance, or skip it altogether and stick to the mystery, fantasy, and thriller elements that made the drama shine.

Despite these flaws, The Judge from Hell is an excellent drama. I almost binge-watched the entire series in just two days! (Though, to be fair, I skipped about three-quarters of the last episode.) Even with my earlier criticisms, Park Shin Hye delivered a strong performance, and I was especially impressed by Kim Jae Young, who surprised me with his portrayal. He’s definitely an actor I’ll keep an eye on going forward!

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PSH, I apologize for not being familiar with your game

I'm loathe to ever say that any one actor "carried" a drama, because I believe that everyone contributes to the general success (or otherwise) of a show, but I must confess that Park Shin Hye's portrayal of Justitia/Bitna is the main reason why I finished this drama.

Justitia is irreverent and brash and sassy, and I thought PSH did really well in bringing the character to life and making her so fun to watch. This is my first time watching this actress and I know she gets a lot of flak for her acting, but I was impressed here.

Somehow though, I think the writers had too much fun make Bitna as crazy as possible and playing up those judgment scenes because the rest of the drama is absolutely chaotic.

First of all, the worldbuilding and lore are just laughable, to be honest. If you're going to adapt real-world religions and mythologies and change up stuff, at least put some care into it and have some internal logic. What do you mean Gabriel came all the way to rescue Justitia from Hell (her original home BTW) because she's suddenly a good person, when said angel didn't rescue Daon (was brought back by Bael) or the human Kang Bitna, who we never hear about again? Justitia is a DEMON and moreover the personification of justice. She shouldn't have to abide by human rules of good or bad. Also, Satan rebelling against Lucifer...? There were no other demonic names to use? And if Justitia was saved for being "good", which happened because she was becoming more human, why were other demons who were becoming human then being punished for doing the same? Mando can become a Christian, then later become Buddhist? To me, the writers were just doing whatever here, but I am open to any explanations.

Then when it comes to the plot, there were so many head-scratchers. Here are a few:

- Arong stopped chasing demons to become a full-time fan girl? Moreover, she was surrounded by demons who were practically human: Mando, the clean-up crew, etc, and she did nothing.

- What was the point in Bael asking Justitia to free J and send him directly to Hell? What would it have mattered to Bael in any case which murderers Justitia allowed to be punished by the law versus punished in her usual way? Also Justitia is apparently Bael's chosen successor but he sent an assassin after her?

- What was the point of the redevelopment plot if it played such an important role in finding the Kylum? All they did was mention it a few times until J revealed that it was where the Kylum landed.

- Speaking of the Kylum and Satan, both ended up being dispatched so easily, I can't believe they were set up as some kind of Big Bad and J the HUMAN serial killer ended up being so much more threatening (at least according to the drama's logic).

- I'm still wondering why any of the criminals' cases had to even make it to court before Justitia dealt with them in her own court? Once she knew who they were, she could have gone after them before their cases made it to trial and it wouldn't have mattered. Or she could have properly sentenced them then either have them broken out of jail or get them before they get to the prison like she did for the DID faker.

Also, you will never see shoddier police work and legal justice work in Kdramaland than in this drama. Honestly if you're hoping for some proper legal/cop drama action, think again.

I was also not a fan of the romance; I completely skipped their dating montage. I think the drama could have worked without it; I much preferred the flirty-hostile banter they had in the first few episodes. I really couldn't see what they liked about each other; all the FL did was look into the ML's eyes and her heart started beating. I'm not even sure at what point the ML fell in love. Not good enough. I think a slow, subtle attraction that came from them teaming up with each other would have worked better, and maybe they get together at the end or the drama leaves it open-ended.

As for what I did like about the drama, I liked Justitia's character development in realizing that justice could be achieved in other ways. I think the drama did an okay job exploring what true justice means using the FL and ML as foils, but IMO they could have done more. Also, the side characters were really good, especially the victims' families. They brought me to tears quite a few times.

KJY did good as Daon, but his character was downgraded to a puppy as the show went on. He's supposed to be the straight man to Justitia's insanity, but he was kind of overshadowed by her dominant personality. I don't think he was utilized as well as he could have been, but then again it's not really his show.

Criticisms with the story aside, the show really was an entertaining ride thanks to Justitia, even though it kind of petered out in the last few episodes. At least I'll keep hearing the word "Gehennaaaa" ringing in my brain for the next few weeks.

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Fantastic story and acting

I absolutely loved the storyline of the movie. It was engaging and beautifully crafted, pulling me into its narrative from the very beginning. As I expected, both Park Shin-hye and Kim Jaehyung delivered outstanding performances that truly brought the characters to life.

Park Shin-hye, in particular, showcased her incredible range as an actress. She effortlessly navigated through a myriad of emotions, conveying deep feelings with remarkable nuance and subtlety. Her ability to portray multiple emotions and expressions simultaneously is a testament to her immense talent; it's definitely not an easy feat. Each scene she was in felt authentic and compelling, allowing the audience to connect with her character on a profound level.

Kim Jaehyung also brought a unique charm and depth to his role, complementing Park Shin-hye’s performance beautifully. His acting was so convincing that, for a moment, I found myself believing that he was not just acting but genuinely portraying a police officer. The realism he brought to the character was remarkable, making his performance even more impactful. Together, they created a captivating dynamic that enriched the storyline even further.

Overall, their performances were a highlight of the film, making it a memorable experience that I highly recommend.

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Honest rant. It could have been good, it's awful.

This is a rant. If you like this drama, spare yourself the annoyance and don't read this review.
This drama is clearly not for me, and yet I made it through, albeit with pain, 9.5 episodes. The idea was interesting, yes, some of the characters too, at the beginning, but it all pales in comparison to the stupidity and awkwardness of the main character, who should be a big, powerful and terrifying demon from hell, meanwhile she is an infantile, empty shopaholic addicted to expensive brands and even in the most bad ass scenes is just pathetic and ridiculous. Her romance with the policeman and the policeman himself (HDO) are conducted as if they came out of a textbook for authors on how to write cloying, empty romances with unrealistic stakes building (and I don't mean fantasy, just plain reason). I know, because I write such. It works, as you can see from the high ratings, so if you're only interested in the melodramatic aspect of “bad women with golden heart” and “good men with darkness,” you'll definitely like this drama. Oh yeah, and poor special effects, with which the director slaps the viewer in the face shouting: “look how cool this is.” Well, it's not cool. “Supernatural” 20 years ago showed demons and supernatural phenomena better. Up to about episode 6-7 I rated this drama as average, but after what they are doing now, I feel sorry to watch. Schema and cliché. In fact, the scene at the funeral of the policewoman was the pinnacle of cringe filmmaking for me. Every word, every shot was a copy from the playbook of “how to move the audience with ML's suffering.” I myself don't know what's the worst thing about this drama, the hopeless plot, the annoying, flat characters or the brazen preying on the emotions of supernatural romance fans. In any case, I give it 2/10, because I laughed several times, although rather not at what the creators intended as funny. I feel that if I watch even one more minute, I will give this drama 0/10.

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Park Shin Hye rules the court in this devilishly entertaining fantasy thriller

Over the years, the kdrama scene has significantly changed its focus from romcoms to thrillers. Three years after her hiatus and on her second kdrama this year, Park Shin Hye delivers devilishly good performance in this supernatural thriller.

For starters, the story is about an elite devil named Justitia banished to the human world after making an erroneous judgment. In order to go back to hell, she must catch and kill ten remorseless murderers while she is lives in the body of a judge named Kang Bit Na.

What I appreciate in this show the most is how it addresses loopholes right away. Fantasy thrillers need to establish laws and rules that govern the world which in this case is hell. The story is smart and clever on its first act. It also didn't rush the blossoming romance between Bit Na and Han Da On, a police officer whom she met and rightfully acquitted in one her trials.

I find it surprising that Bit Na takes her job seriously even though technically this is not part of her mission. Bit Na punishes the criminals still in a lawful manner. Once Bit Na learns the defendant is unrepenting and unforgiven of their murderous crime, she acquits and kills them consequently once they are released from prison.

The highlight of this show is how Bit Na punishes and puts the criminals in the shoes of their victims. These fight scenes are deliberately drawn out to give the criminals the taste of their own medicine. Truly, the golden rule is the ultimate, all-encompassing principle of ethics: Don't do unto others what you don't want done unto you. It's interesting this kind of ethics is relevant to Hell.

There are loads to love from this show – it's unpredictable, fast-paced and entertaining although only for the first half. It also delivers some of the laugh out loud devilish shenanigans: a devil saying "what the hell" and getting blinded by the Cross. Demons also apparently study bible, do charity works and attend Mass while wearing protective equipment of course. There are also cleaning boys who are the complete opposite of SOCO as they erase every piece of evidence in the crime scene. It somehow makes a point that demons are actually better than greedy humans.

Bit Na and Da On's love story is the epitome of enemies to lovers – lots of banters, playful back-and-forth fueling romantic tension and the inevitable close proximity They may hate one another but they pine for each other without them realizing it. It is entertaining how they play cat and mouse with each other and which of them will catch the criminal first.

I prefer this show to Nam Joo Hyuk's Vigilante as Judge from Hell emphasizes how the criminals are unrepenting and unforgiven for the crimes they did. It took its time to narrate the motive and nature of the crime as well as the perspective and emotional turmoil of the family's victims. Bit Na does not simply kill criminals just because they easily got away from law, they were not remorseful of their actions at all.

This is also way better than Song Kang's My Demon because it has a clear story world-building about demons. It was interesting how Bit Na said they did receive orders from God to punish sinners who doesn't repent and are unapologetic for their crimes. In the realm of The Judge from Hell, demons are created for the sole purpose of prosecuting and punishing ruthless individuals.

The true star of this show is Park Shin Hye and steely grace portrayal of a devil judge. Her unhinged, electric energy is matched by her flashy and statement outfits she wear during the punishment scenes. Despite her brooding appearance, Shin Hye still manages to bring humor without relying on gags and musical cues.

Although this kdrama tackles vigilantism and crime procedural, it does not take itself seriously and has lots of funny moments in between. The show is gripping and thought-provoking but infuses light-hearted moments outside the court.

Ironically, the weakest point of the show is the villains. They were initially thought as invincible. But at the very last minute, they either changed their minds or easily got killed. All the issues came up and were resolved instantly which felt so anticlimactic.

All in all, The Judge from Hell is an easy watch with its intriguing premise and a fun lead performance. Punishing remorseless criminals has never been this hella satisfying. This series just proves the idea that on a certain degree greedy humans are way more scary and evil than demons themselves.

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