The Judge Returns

Sisyphus in a Suit

You stare at the screen and can’t help but think: Oh, humanity. Always longing for a restart because, predictably, we messed it up the first time.
"The Judge Returns." It’s 2026, and the world remains a damp cellar filled with greedy old men. At first glance, it feels like an echo of 2022’s "Again My Life". Has South Korea not moved on since then? (Looking at the current geopolitical landscape, neither has the rest of the world...)
The message is so sobering you’ll want to retreat into a dark room: Without magic, without some metaphysical glitch in the system, you can’t knock these corrupt fossils off the board. It takes a time-reset just to summon the courage for basic decency and integrity. What a pathetic indictment of our species. You take a few pieces off the board, but the Game itself just laughs. Corruption isn't a bug in the system; it is the system. An endless war, a tiny victory—but in the end, does everything stay grey?

Then there’s Ji Sung. He carries that unshakable face of his through every frame. As a judge on his second attempt, he seizes his chance with absolute consequence. For a moment, it feels good to believe that something could actually move.

The Verdict?
• 10/10 for Ji Sung (honestly, just watching him is enough).
• 3/10 for Hope (which, as we know, is merely a lack of information).

But it’s not just about his face. It’s about what that face embodies.
(And thankfully, he isn’t entirely alone in this.)

Amidst the mire, there are these delicate moments where the series actually reflects on the Law. This KDrama (based on the webnovel Pansa Lee Han-young) bows before the Idea of Law. Not because it’s perfect—heaven knows it’s as full of holes as Swiss cheese—but because it’s the only thing standing between us and total whimsy. It is Sisyphus’ work: rolling the stone of the rule of law up the mountain every day, only for it to roll back onto our feet. But that doesn't mean the work is meaningless.

The Koreans have a beautiful term for this: Cheon-myeong (천명). Literally: The Mandate of Heaven.
Embracing the burden of destiny as a call to action, however bleak the odds.

So, would I recommend watching it? Yes. Even if—or especially if—those lying men in suits are increasingly getting on your nerves. It’s an act of defiance to watch someone tirelessly roll that stone up the hill, if only for those few episodes. (I think anyways.)

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Do you believe that bad people get what’s coming to them?

This was one of those series that I just couldn’t put down. The suspense was intense, and the story was compelling. It’s a cat-and-mouse game with a sharp look at politics and corruption, where secrets and lies are in abundance. It shows how the law tends to work in favor of the rich, how justice is applied differently to different people, and how those who try to uncover the truth end up in serious danger.
I can sum it up in one sentence: the struggles of a judge as he faces the more sordid side of life.

It has a wonderful cast and a steady pace that slows down toward the end. The music? Let’s just say it exists. It does its job… quietly. Maybe too quietly.

And when I finished the last episode, I finally realized — maybe I had wasted my time. I was thoroughly entertained while watching it, but when it was over, I was left with nothing but the memory of that entertainment. Sometimes I just want to be entertained, I guess.

Yep, this is a good show, but it lacks anything truly substantial. A little bit of Again My Life, a little bit of Reborn Rich, and maybe a little bit of Judge vs. Judge. Something like that. If that’s what you’re looking for, then The Judge Returns is your series.

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The finger cut by justice does not hurt.

First of all, I really liked it. There might be criticisms like this: You're given a new chance to change your bad fate, you're taken back 10 years before the date you died, and you have the power to change your fate. But you know everything. It's too easy for you.

This is incredibly absurd. Knowing is already much worse. You know you need to fix it, you work hard, you do everything, but sometimes it might not be possible. Where do you get the idea that it's possible? Let's say you're going to save a man from death, you try not to send him there at that hour. You plead with him, you put up barriers, but the man still goes. You don't have fifty hands and eyes to watch that person 24/7. It's impossible. I think it's very difficult. But this series ignores these things.

I didn't see much difficulty. Yes, some people, including the prosecutor, even he himself, narrowly escaped death. Let's say he had a chance and he took advantage of it. He was already dead, death wasn't important to him. But what about the others? This shows that even knowing can't save you. Preventing what is to come – and I'm not talking about everything that will happen. Some things that are going to happen are not easy to prevent. You can't. Can you stop an earthquake? A flood? A storm? You can warn about it, but you can't stop it. Instead of a thousand dying, 900 might die.

The event here, in my opinion, touches upon this, the effort to stop the bad course of events, to bring justice, to prevent what happened from happening. That's the reason.
Here, Judge Lee goes back 10 years and tries to correct these unfortunate events. And he succeeds.

However, while succeeding, he easily overcomes the figures who represent the corrupt justice system. Could Judge Lee so easily convince someone who has been a judge for years, then chosen the wrong path, someone who knows how to cheat and profit from it? Could he convince him? That's the problem. It was a bit too easy. Our hero, who was devastated by events related to his family in his previous life, doesn't face any difficulties related to his family in his second life. In other words, his rivals don't use his family. They're not doing any harm. Here, the screenwriter has toned down some things, taken the easy way out, trimmed the episodes to avoid making them too long, and aimed for the shortest route to the goal. I think they did well. Otherwise, the series would never end.

The important thing is to remind the audience once again that justice is necessary for everyone. To show that there is no life without justice. To emphasize the importance of justice. Those who commit injustice will one day, no matter who they are—whether a president, a wealthy businessman, a member of parliament, or a judge—be held accountable to justice. That's the main point here. Justice is superior to them. It will ultimately prevail. They wanted to emphasize this, and they succeeded. Looking at it this way, I gave it 9 points. However, if we look at the way it's handled and say that this part was underdeveloped, that another part was too short, that this part wasn't well-presented, then it would never end. The series could have 1000 episodes. That's how important JUSTICE is. You can lengthen or shorten it as you wish. You can stretch it, give it the shape you want, you can give different punishments for the same crime. That's how it is. Keeping the scales of justice balanced is the most important thing.

In this respect, it's a beautiful series. I liked it very much. The actors were especially outstanding. Ji Sung was a true representative of justice here, he beautifully portrayed the role of the Judge, I congratulate him. Our prosecutors who assisted him were like the main prosecutors themselves; Won Jin A was like a seasoned female prosecutor. Well done. Hwang Hee beautifully portrayed a slightly lower-level prosecutor. Well done. Tae Won Seok was a very good assistant. Well done. Oh Se Young was the most suitable actress for that role. Congratulations. It was very good. Baek Jin Hee is also a very suitable actress for these roles. She was almost synonymous with her role. Congratulations. All the supporting roles were excellent. It's difficult to achieve this, but the veteran actors played exceptionally well. Kim Pub Lee, for example, played very well. He also suited the role. He portrayed it well. I liked it. Jeon Jin Ki was amazing in the death scene. It was a difficult scene. He portrayed that death scene well. It felt real. Bravo. Son Byung Ho and Kim Byeong Ki were masterful actors in their roles. They did justice to their performances. Well done. Now, let's talk about what I consider the hidden lead role of this drama: Park Hee Soon. I think she was perfect for the role; she acted so well that she even influenced the others. Such acting! I really liked it. She was my favorite actress in the drama. Congratulations! I recommend it to anyone who hasn't seen it.
Geri bildirim gönder

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The Judge Return: Great Premise, Messy as Hell Execution

liked the male lead — and honestly, that’s where most of my praise fucking ends.
The drama starts with a genuinely strong concept: a corrupt, middle-aged judge stuck in a miserable marriage, controlled by his in-laws’ law firm, gets killed and wakes up ten years in the past. He’s back before the marriage, right when he’s about to meet the woman who will become his future wife.
That premise had everything going for it — redemption, guilt, moral conflict, psychological tension.
But the execution?
What a waste.
Because the male lead remembers the future, everything becomes ridiculously easy for him. There’s barely any struggle, no real uncertainty, no sense of danger. He just walks through the plot manipulating people with insider knowledge like he’s speedrunning life.
And after a few episodes you’re just sitting there thinking:
Where the hell is the tension?
Where is the risk?
Instead of watching a flawed man fight fate or confront his own corruption, we get a protagonist playing the game on easy mode.
Character Writing & Relationship Nonsense
The handling of his future wife’s character is honestly frustrating as hell. The drama spends so much time building her up, only to later shove her into conveniently bad decisions just so the male lead has an excuse to dump her.
It doesn’t feel tragic.
It feels engineered. Lazy. Cheap.
What makes it worse is that the complicated, messy chemistry between the male lead and his unfaithful wife was actually interesting. There was emotional weight there. But instead of exploring that complexity, the writers reduce it to a narrow, petty resolution.
Then comes the forced romance with the female lead (prosecutor). The clichéd “destined connection” trope feels so damn artificial — especially when the chemistry is basically nonexistent.
Most Ridiculous Part of the Show
The absolute peak stupidity: Kang Shin Jin.
Despite clearly seeing that the male lead isn’t loyal, Kang Shin Jin blindly trusts him and casually reveals major secrets. No mind games, no layered manipulation — just dumb, unbelievable compliance.
The male lead barely has to try.
No effort.
No cleverness.
No earned victories.
Instead of making the protagonist smart, the show just makes everyone else look dumb as bricks. It’s such a cheap way to fake intelligence.
Even the prosecutors get dragged into this nonsense.
The female lead has a clear personal mission, but the male prosecutor — who should have depth and stakes — feels like an emotionally hollow pawn. He risks everything without enough motivation or believable reasoning.
Unintended Irony
Ironically, the male lead often doesn’t feel much better than the villains he condemns. His actions lean more toward personal revenge than justice, which makes the whole “righteous hero” angle feel questionable.
By the end, the drama feels like a fantasy where a corrupt judge gets a convenient do-over after karma kills him — but without any of the depth the story fucking needed.
Final Verdict
The Judge Return had a fantastic premise but chose convenience over conflict, manipulation over development, and lazy writing over believable character logic.
What could’ve been a gripping redemption thriller turns into a hollow power fantasy.
And that’s honestly disappointing as shit.

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Enjoyably Interesting, but Somewhat Standard and Predictable

I placed spoilers at the end of this review.

Overall, this was a good series. I mostly enjoyed this because I love reborn for revenge storylines. I just wish the execution was better. The script had a great start, but lost steam towards the end. Although the script is not perfect, it still did a great job setting up the characters and storyline. It started to perfectly weave the different stories together, but this slowly unraveled. Although it was a minor storyline, I felt the romantic storylines was a little weird. However, I liked that many of the characters were complex and not purely good or bad. Many of them had multiple levels and reasonings for their actions. What really saved this series was the entire cast which is a good example why casting is very important. If this had different actors, I probably would have dropped it. This had some other minor negative aspects. This had some very odd background music choices that don’t really fit the scenes. They also didn’t do a great job switching between time differences with the current scene and Lee Han Yeong’s future memories and/or or flashback events.

The last negative aspect is the ending.



******Potential Spoiler Alert******

It took me awhile to warmup to the romantic storyline between Lee Han Yeong and You Se Hui. Even though it seemed out of place, it was actually well written and was not the main focal point of the series. I also like how they used this to give Yoo Se Hui a chance to redeem herself. This is a rare case that I liked a redemption story arc.

This has an ambiguous ending and was a bit of a letdown. They give hints of a possible second season which I’m not sure I would watch.

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How should one define justice?

Justice sounds simple when people say it out loud. Follow the law. Punish the guilty. Protect the innocent.

But what happens when the people deciding justice are already dirty? When the very law allows people with power to bend it at will? When the justice system itself protects the guilty and punishes the innocent?

That question kept sitting in my head while watching this drama, well, every time I watch political-legal dramas, actually lol. But this time, because the drama was honest about how messy justice becomes once power, politics, and personal agendas get involved. It does not pretend the system is fixable with one heroic move. It shows how deep the rot goes.

So, how far can one man with future knowledge really clean up this rotten system?



⁂ Hanyeong before and after time rewind

This drama starts off surprisingly dark. Hanyeong is not written as a pure idealist protagonist. He starts off compromised, yet very aware that he is helping the wrong people win. The early noir-like mood sells how dirty the system already is, and that he is part of setting that very system up. He was a judge who follows orders instead of truth, and we see his conscience eating him alive. When it did, he tries to undo his mistakes, but his single act of conscience ends up costing him his life.

When he wakes up in the past, the energy changes, and he changes with it. His chaotic judge era was easily one of my favorite stretches, and I missed it when it faded later on. His confidence, the way he plays all sides, and how he walks into danger smiling while quoting the law made the scenes very entertaining, leaving the others very confused by his change. But his change also made him very unpredictable in the eyes of others onto him, and it becomes his shield.

Because he remembers the future, many of his victories come from timing and setup. His plans come from future knowledge and careful manipulation, and it feels like a game for us just as it was for him. He knows where to push and when to wait. It also made me feel a bit complicit as a viewer because I was enjoying how he was outplaying people.

He is also not clean in how he fights back. He runs scams, threats, staged situations, and intimidation with help from the team he builds along the way: Nayeon the journalist, Cheolwu and Jinah the prosecutors, Jeongho the thug-like angel and his best friend (also aka Hanyeong's personal Doraemon), and even makes use of Sehee, his past-life wife. Were their actions morally clean? Not really. Morally justifiable? I guess. Entertaining to watch? Very.

Then the bigger corruption layer shows up, and things stop being so easy. As Hanyeong discovers newer things he didn't know in the past, his mission also becomes dangerous.

From the get-go, we know Kang Shinjin as the central villain, or at least Hanyeong's main target. But even with his cheat-code, aka Hanyeong's future knowledge, he knows he cannot just go straight to him. It will just backfire on him just as it did in his past life. So, he plays on all sides, jumping between factions: Baek Yiseok, The Haenal Law Firm (basically Seoncheol), Shinjin, and the Suojae. He keeps inserting himself everywhere just enough to matter but not enough to get cut off early. It's beyond me how none of these sides even noticed right away, but entertaining to watch, anyway.



⁂ Kang Shinjin

Kang Shinjin is not just evil for the sake of it. He is convinced he is right. He believes in his version of justice and thinks he alone has the right to decide who deserves punishment. In his head, he is not corrupt. He is necessary. Thus, he distrusts everyone, even the very people who have been with him since. That kind of self-righteous villain makes it clear that there's no changing his mindset. It's either he goes down or everyone else against him goes. And that's why all the other corrupt politicians and people in power, even the power behind him, the former President Kwangto, was underwhelming when compared to him.

But how was Hanyeong able to "join" his side, knowing how guarded Shinjin is? That's because Hanyeong was able to condition Shinjin to see him as someone who grew up like Shinjin did: poor, failed by justice, and an outsider navigating a corrupt system. Shinjin is paranoid and investigative by nature. And this was something Shinjin himself investigated to be true.

He never blindly trusts nor distrusts Hanyeong. Shinjin sees Hanyeong’s intelligence, strategic thinking, and resilience as proof that he could be an ally in reshaping the justice system the way Shinjin imagines it, but also that he could be the worst enemy. His distrust is why he constantly tests Hanyeong, pushes him, and to do favors for him. When Shinjin leaned in to trust more than distrust, he then tries to recruit Hanyeong. He recognizes Hanyeong's potential to understand and execute his vision.



⁂ The other powers Hanyeong had aside from his future knowledge: Plot armor & Convenient writing

I will admit that I felt that the writing gets very convenient at times.

Exhibit 1 is Jeongho basically being a one-man logistics department. Need money fast? He has it. Need a car, a hideout, a random building, a group of people willing to act in a staged scenario, or someone to scare a target? He can arrange it right away. Everything is possible, and available on demand. It almost turns into a running gag where I stopped asking "how did they pull that off" and just accepted that if Hanyeong needs it, Jeongho will spawn it. It is ridiculous if you think about it logically even if he got the money, but their tandem is so fun and loyal that I did not mind it much while watching.

Exhibit 2 is the lack of real leverage against Hanyeong. The villains in this drama are shown to be ruthless. They blackmail witnesses, threaten families, kidnap people, dig up dirt, and weaponize personal connections. We see this happen to multiple side characters, even those that were present just for 1-2 episodes. Even Jinah gets blackmailed and even her already in coma father gets dragged into danger.

But when it comes to Hanyeong, that pattern is gone. Yes, they investigate him. Yes, they look into his background and family. But nothing serious ever comes out of it. No direct threats, no kidnapping attempts, no real pressure placed on his loved ones, especially considering that he is the one actively dismantling their power. I did not need extreme suffering for shock value, but the imbalance was noticeable. It makes Hanyeong feel unusually protected compared to everyone else on the board.



⁂ Mini ramble on the other main side characters

One of the things I enjoyed most episode to episode was Han Young’s chemistry with the people around him.

His dynamic with Prosecutor Cheolwu was consistently funny. He keeps saying he does not want to get dragged into Han Young’s dangerous and questionable tactics, then still shows up and helps anyway. Nayeon and Jeongho also felt essential to the team’s energy. Nayeon brings momentum through information and media pressure, while Jeongho is the operational backbone. These are characters who were barely present or not present at all in Han Young’s first timeline, so seeing them become central in the new one made the rewind was a nice addition. It is like his second life gave him better allies, not just better timing.

Jinah is where my mixed feelings sit. She was introduced strongly in the past life, and the drama framed her like a major pillar next to Hanyeong and Shinjin. Because of that, I expected her to drive more of the plot after the rewind. Instead, she often felt like she was reacting and just somehow got dragged, instead of being actively involved. There are good moments, but overall, her presence feels lighter than what was originally advertised. Other supporting characters felt more influential in moving events forward.

Sehee, though, was more interesting this time around. Her personality shift in the new timeline made her feel fresher. She is still flawed and sometimes frustrating, but more emotionally readable. Her guilt, hesitation, and attempt to finally do the right thing gave her scenes more weight. I found her easier to understand here than in the past timeline.



⁂ Justice is ...served?

Yes, the target corrupt figures fall. Yes, Han Young protects the people he cares about and wins the battles he set out to win. But the bigger structure behind the corruption never truly disappears.

Suojae is still standing by the end. It gets exposed and shaken up, but not erased. It just changes hands. New leadership steps in, and the show does not give a clear answer on whether this new version is cleaner or just a reshuffle of the past. Seeing Baek Yiseok end up inside that circle raised a big question mark for me. I couldn’t tell if that was meant to be reassuring or worrying. Did he turn into another power player chasing influence? Was this his goal all along? Or is he trying to reform it from the inside? Unfortunately, the drama leaves that deliberately unclear.

Another detail that stuck with me is the prison connection. Even after everything, Shinjin is still able to maintain lines of contact with the outside world. That suggests the network is still alive enough to reach in and out of the system.

So yes, the main villains are taken down. The headline crimes are punished. But the ecosystem that allowed them to grow is still breathing.

Hanyeong and his team won the cases they were chasing, sure. And that was Hanyeong's happy ending. But did they really win the war, or was that just to reset the board again, giving the others a chance to power?

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A judge is sent back in time.

A man is given a chance at a second life. In his previous life, he became entangled with shady and corrupt individuals and organizations, which led him to enforce crooked rulings even his mother could not defend him on. He’s plopped back in time to his very first case as a judge 10 years ago. Now, armed with years of court case knowledge, he sets out to seek justice against those who wronged him and to correct the mistakes of his past.

The story is fairly straightforward. He is sent back 10 years, and episode by episode, he gradually works his way up from a low-level judge to the position he needs to be in to get revenge on those who hurt him.

The earlier episodes were the best part. He had the upper hand over everyone as he set out to resolve the terrible rulings from his previous life. What was also great was his renewed connections with friends and colleagues who had previously been adversaries, namely, his wife from his prior life, who treated him coldly as a pawn to benefit her law firm. This time around, both were given the chance to become better people.

Anyway, the second half was so-so in my opinion, as his prior knowledge no longer played such an important role. Chasing after the main antagonist was fine, but old men talking around a table and being corrupt can only be so entertaining after a while. His unraveling of a vast web of corruption of old dudes wasn’t exactly my cup of tea. Hidden slush funds and layers of bribes, not exactly new narrative territory. Luckily, all his colleagues and friends along the way made it tolerable to the end.

Overall, a good show with solid acting by the main lead.

Don’t ask how he was sent back. It’s just a quick narrative tool the show will never explain after the first episode.

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Not Ji Sung’s Best | Started Strong, Ended Flat

I usually write long reviews, but this one will be short — because honestly, it was disappointing and did not live up to my expectations, which were quite high because of "Ji Sung" and the genre of this drama. The kinds of projects he usually picks tend to excel in every aspect — writing, acting, music, and overall execution. He generally shines in crime and investigation thrillers, so I naturally expected something gripping and intense. While the drama started off well, it quickly turned bland for me.

Around episodes 10–11, the adrenaline rush and suspense — which are essential for a drama of this genre — completely fizzled out. The villains weren’t nearly menacing enough, and the cat-and-mouse dynamic between good and evil felt hollow. The pursuit of justice lacked that fist-pump, edge-of-your-seat energy such dramas usually deliver.

"Ji Sung", as always, delivered a solid performance — that’s never the issue. He carries his roles with presence and conviction. But the storyline was weak, and the ending felt rushed and underwhelming. The supporting characters and even the antagonist had potential in their own right, but when the story itself is convoluted and poorly structured, it leaves little impact — both during the watch and after it ends.

I started this drama solely for Ji Sung, but unfortunately, this wasn’t one of his stronger works. I’d honestly recommend skipping this one and instead watching his better dramas in similar genres like "Defendant", "Doctor John", or "The Devil Judge" — the last one especially stands out for its seductive tone, music, and performances. And if you want something completely different, go for "Kill Me, Heal Me" — still my forever favorite. It was the first drama of his that I watched, and the one that made me a fan

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A Good Watch That Will Keep You Entertained

Don't let the first episode fool you! While the premiere was honestly terrible, I am so glad I carried on because I ended up completely hooked. Once the story gets moving, it becomes a thrilling ride.

It was so satisfying to see how Han Yeong handles each case. Since he knows the future, he is always ten steps ahead of his enemies, and watching him dismantle corruption using that knowledge is the best part of the show. It gives the legal drama a refreshing "superhero" feel.

I loved the "Found Family" dynamic in this drama. Watching the reporter (Na-yeon), his loyal friend (Jeong-ho), and the team of prosecutors unite to fight injustice was wonderful. They became one solid unit, and their teamwork felt genuine and earned.

The villain, Shin Jin (played by Park Hee-soon), was fantastic. He was a formidable match for Han Yeong. My only wish is that the writers had explored the history and friendship between him and Han Yeong even more—it would have added so much emotional depth to their rivalry.

While I enjoyed this more than The Devil Judge, it felt like it lost its momentum in the last few episodes. To be honest, I think it would have been much better if the drama were shorter by a few episodes. By stretching it out, the high energy of the middle part fizzled out a bit toward the finale.

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Almost Great, Almost

I went into The Judge Returns with simple expectations, and overall, it turned out to be a solid watch for me. It’s a serious legal drama that focuses more on justice and personal struggles rather than romance.
The story follows a judge who comes back to the courtroom after dealing with a difficult past. What I liked most is how the drama shows the emotional burden behind every decision. Each case feels meaningful, and sometimes it really makes you think about what is truly fair.
The acting is one of the strongest points. The lead actor carries the drama with calm but powerful expressions. You can feel the internal conflict without too much dramatic acting. The courtroom scenes are intense and realistic, which kept me interested.
However, the pacing can feel slow at times, especially during long legal explanations. If you prefer fast storylines or strong romance, this might not fully satisfy you. But if you enjoy thoughtful and character-focused dramas, this one is worth trying.
Overall, I found it emotional, mature, and meaningful. Not perfect, but definitely impactful in its own way.

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Main Actor Saved It

I'm not saying that the story is bad, or it isn't worth it, it's not like that, but I think that Ji Sung saved the whole drama. I'm suspicious on saying that bc I really love this actor, but I think if it was not for him, I wouldn't watch even episode 3.
The drama takes a really slow turn, with things really happening on episode 3 at least, it isn't a bad thing tho, but you must be patient.
And we can laugh a bit after the main character returns, bc after that, the drama kinda turns more like a comedy one.
The story is good, but we don't have that "suspense" we like on policial plot, at least, not yet. The protagonist always remember the cases and how to solve them, so I hope we got to see him taking cases he doesn't know what to do, so we get that suspense we like so much.
anyway... it's worth it... but in my opinion, only bc of Ji Sung's work as a actor.

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