The Judge from Hell (2024)

The judge from hell

One of the best drama of 2024, it really has everything - fantasy, comedy, romance (OMG that one kiss in last episode), action, criminals. There is a lot of violence but it is not as brutal as for example in Death's game. Great acting, plot and music. I really love everything.
Park Shin Hye proved that she is amazing actress - she was great in Doctor Slump ( I also loved that drama, also 10/10)
Kim Jae Young was also great. And their chemistry was just perfect.
I love the ending, it was everything I wanted - I quite guessed how it would end but I am really happy with that.
Suprising is that I actually liked Jung Sun Ho' character (J killer's brother) - for me he was morally gray character and I like this type of character.
It is really worth watching!

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Best 2024 kdrama !

It delivered exactly what it promised. A ruthless demon judge from hell punished criminals in the most satisfying way possible.
The storyline of this drama is unique and well written/delivered.
I started this drama without much expectations since dramas this year were disappointing and left me in a kdrama slump but judge from hell exceeded my expectations and completely won me over with a captivating storyline and great performance by the actors .
The concept if punishing criminals in the same way they tortured their victims was so satisfying to watch . Applaud to the writer(s) for this masterpiece.
Park shin hye as Kan bitna was a delight to watch . Her character was so refreshing and likeable until the very end .
Kim jae young as Han da on , al tho was a bit annoying at the beginning but his character development was so good that i fell in love with him later on . Also he’s so gorgeous and his smile is so pretty .

A solid 10/10 from me because it was a treat to watch this drama and each episode was interesting and better so I don’t see the point of giving it any less rating than this.

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Demanding season 2 !!!

I'll keep this review for once short but strong... I DEMAND A SEASON 2 this was very good in my upinion , there was action , there was comedy , there was angst , there was drama , there was mystery , fantasy and excitment basically everything a good kdrama requires.
Yes not everything was perfect like the CGI sometimes had some lackings and some little bits and pieces might have been better if stretched a little more to explain in more details but overall this series was incredible.
I loved watching it and i have already re-watched twice so in my upinion defenitly worth the watch.

There are some questions remaining unresolved wich leaves the possiblilty for a second season open for more. The ending altho i won't go into detail as to not spoil anything was indeed left dramatic and unsolved in some points leaving us all hungry for more. Perhaps another season might come to answer all our remaining questions?
Nothing has been stated yet but they did say the possiblility is there for a second season. So i personally hope that we will hear a clear and loud confirmation soon that they will renew this incredible series for a second season wich it defenitly deserves ! The cast did an incredible job and im hungry for more !

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When Demons Judge

What would a demon judge be like? Picture a mischievous whirlwind—wicked, cheeky, and delightfully chaotic—spreading confusion while serving up hellish punishments to those who truly deserve it. Enter Justitia/ Kang Bit Na, played brilliantly by Park Shin Hye, who nails this wild spirit!

What really sets this drama apart is its bold and entertaining take on demon characters and their antics. Each emotional storyline packs a punch, diving into their darker, more violent sides without any apologies. Yet, it maintains a perfect balance with a light-heartedness that keeps things fun and engaging. Even as Justitia navigates human emotions and falls for the male lead, Han Da On, she never loses that badass edge.

I've struggled to connect with Park Shin Hye in her previous roles, but her portrayal as Justitia/ Kang Bit Na is truly impressive. It's refreshing to see her break free from typecasting! She’s a powerhouse of strength wrapped in vulnerability, sprinkled with love, and her performance genuinely stands out. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed her emotional scenes!

The strong supporting cast, featuring Kim In Kwon, Yang Kyung Won, Kim Jae Hwa (alongside her real-life sisters) and many more, adds even more depth to the story. My only complaint? Lee Kyu Han's acting. His character, Jung Tae Gyu, comes off a bit one-dimensional, almost as if there's glue stuck on his face. He doesn't quite capture the insane, evil, or unhinged vibe that his character is supposed to embody.

Overall, this drama is a wild ride with plenty of twists and engaging moments!

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Thrilling Fantasy Drama with a Hint of Romance

Is it bad that this is the first drama I've ever brought myself to watch with Park Shin Hye? Although I have to say I'm glad because I don't think any of her past dramas probably live up to her acting in this role.

This is a fantasy drama about Judge Kang Bitna, or technically, Justicia, who is literally a judge from Hell that ended up in Kang Bitna's body to serve a sentence after accidentally making the wrong judgement in a trial. Her mission: to kill and send 10 murderers to Hell within one year, otherwise, she'll end up paying with her own life. It makes it easier that her occupation is a Judge, so she ends up giving murderers light sentences to be able to kill them right after. There are themes of belief, Christianity, God, Demons, and Angels, so if these are things you believe might trigger you, best to not watch. This show revolves a lot around morals along with law and justice. She believes justice is served with these murderer's lives when she sends them to Hell, so of course there's a character that believes in the law and legal punishment - here comes in detective Han Daon. He's the first human to discover her secret of being a demon, and simply won't let her get away with these killings. Both have such different beliefs and yet continue to be drawn to one another. Every episode is thrilling as we get to watch Justicia serve payback to these criminals the way we believe they deserve. Heads up, there is gore and violence so if you can't stomach scenes with blood, don't watch! Park Shin Hye plays an absolutely hilariously sassy badass who kicks these criminals' ass and looks pretty while doing it. This drama also has that hint of comedy you need to break the tension after serious and heavy scenes, as well as that hint of romance subplot that are somehow always better than actual romance dramas. Detective Daon clings right to her side, one of the more amusing parts of the show, making the supposedly emotionless demon fall for him - which by the way, this is something that apparently goes against demon law (talk about forbidden love). This is my first time watching Kim Jaeyoung act, and he's great at playing this handsome detective who's serious yet silly whenever he's around Kang Bitna. I'm personally really enjoying the premise, and rooting for their romance even though it may not have a happy ending. Definitely give it a watch if you want something exciting with a fantasy setting and that dash of romance!

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Probably 2024’s Best

Loved this drama. It was something I always looked forward to at the end of every week.

The angst, the action, the drama, the plot, they were all wonderfully made.

And as much as I love romance and the chemistry between the leads, this is probably the first time that it didn’t become my focus or priority. I was so engrossed in the story that I just want to know what will happen to Justitia and the gang in the end.

Speaking of the end… While the open ending gives everyone a somewhat happy ending; because it’ll be up to us to interpret what Justitia’s next action will be, I still preferred if they ended this on a bittersweet note. I think the impact would even be bigger. Because in all honesty, the plot twist to give her mortality in the end, beats the purpose of her being an actual judge from hell with zero f**ks to give. Don’t get me wrong, I do love the character growth of Justitia, but let’s be honest, we cannot erase that at the end of this all, they are still from hell… And I was somehow prepared that this will be like a CLOY love story with heaven and hell as the barrier... I just really wish that the ending was more thorough, or more options were given, rather than it being focused on just giving a happy-happy good ending fan service for everyone.

But overall, I still love this drama. Very much so one of the best for 2024.

-.5 just because I can’t with the ending. This is probably a me issue though.

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A decent drama about revenge and internal conflicts

Firstly, I'm happy that Park Shin Hye gave such an incredible performance and was different from the characters she played previously. She is more mature and this role will certainly open the way for more complex performances in the future. I really liked her.

The plot itself is interesting, not very similar to the reality of a court of law, however, the way the writers framed a judge's position as defining a defendant's life was fair. The drama reminds the viewer that a judge can only act within the limits of the law, and that was very interesting. Other than that, seeing a demon have moral conflicts, having empathy for victims and human nature was different. This plot was well thought out and well placed by the writers. I don't remember seeing a plot similar to this, focusing on the judge.

It's worth watching if you like dramas that involve the legal world but aren't so realistic (because reality is actually quite unfair and boring, lol). I don't like dramas with a fantastic context, but this one balanced the fantasy narrative well with reality. Still, if you like dramas that involve revenge, this is one of the most satisfying, after all, the judge is not just a judge.

The acting of the actors was decent. The soundtrack is fair. The cliffhanger ending is also fair. As this is an extraordinary narrative, with characters beyond the norm, there would be no way to end it any other way. I confess that I found it strange that the judge had a relationship with ML, but, as her role was satisfactory in itself, I didn't mind too much about the attempt at romance at the end, lol.

Anyways, it's a fair drama, with great revenge scenes, and a very decent ending.

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Damned if you do and damned if you don't

The subject matter and presentation of this series are outside the box. It is not every day you get angels and demons working together for the greater good, but k-dramas can be quite "creative" at times.

My problem with this drama is that its tone is hard to nail down. It is obviously a dark fantasy but there are also very humanistic topics on display. Law and order, rewards and punishments are the four pillars of this show. The problem is that demons don't play by our rules and they are happy to hijack our justice system to serve their own purposes. It is this clash of values that caused me some discomfort.

Ultimately, you must buy into this show's premise wholeheartedly. Any waiving will undo the spell. If you stick it out, then the show is quite engaging and is a blast. If you start asking questions, then it becomes a self-serving mess. It is go hard or go home.

With the preamble out of the way, let's move on. At its core, this is an old-school morality tale. It is literally fire and brimstone stuff. The not-so-subtle message is that our police is ineffective, and our justice system is opaque with forces at play that might deliver questionable outcomes. Whether it is due to valid rules of law, incompetence or corruption, we shall find them wanting.

So rather than waiting for sinners to show up in Hell via natural causes, Justitia, the Goddess of Justice is send to walk the mortal realm after a bad judgement in Limbo. The odd thing is Justitia is shown to be a demon of the Netherworld and is the heir apparent to Bael. I don’t quite get the connection but please refer to my point about “ask no questions”.

To wit, Park Shin-hye is the undisputed star of this show. She is Dominatrix il Supremo personified and one helluva of a sexy demon/goddess. The ML is too righteous and prim to be sexy. They are the OTP by default, and it took him 2/3 of the show to crack a smile. He defrosts towards the end and they have a few swoon-y moments but let’s just say romance is not the main theme.

By now you should know the main thrust is the judgment and punishment of A-grade sinners with extreme prejudice and I mean EXTREME. There are blood and gore by the bucket. If you are sensitive to that or might be triggered by bullying, DV and sundry abuse/torture then please don’t even start watching. Even if you are ok with it, you will be desensitized by the end. It is relentless.

In that sense, this show is a one trick pony (but in a good way). It follows its internal logic to the letter. See crime, judge crime and dish out punishment in the most graphical way possible. Rinse the blood off and repeat. It is engaging because the show builds up the angst and emotional pressure until you are braying for blood at the screen. The antagonist is pure evil with no room for redemption.

Speaking of redemption, there are healing and redemption for everyone (except the sinners) towards the end. Life goes on is the final message. The last ep even includes some fan service. The unicorns must be freed! Even if they breath fire. ;)

There are moments when I thought I can’t watch anymore but they’d pass and the show draws you in again. You know where it is heading but you just want to see PSH kick some more perp's arse. I have a feeling she likes this type of roles more than the standard issue ones as well. I don’t blame her.

In the end, I enjoyed this series but with caveats. It is definitely not for everyone. It is ultra violent and moralistic. That should be on a warning label. Yet, it is not all blunt instruments. It does have a quirky sense of humour and a weird charm.

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