The Judge from Hell (2024)

Haters Be Damned.. Love.. Justice.. And a Touch of Chaos in The Judge From Hell..

Such a horrible drama.. Bad CGI.. Poor acting.. Bad Ending.. What was that all about?? 5 /10 for me..

If you have heard or read comments like this.. Don’t be too quick to believe them.. Trust me.. This show has so much more to offer.. From the unique storyline to the carefully crafted characters.. Every episode brought something memorable which i wouldnt want to miss..

The drama started off strong.. But ep 2 is where I got completely hooked.. The abuser getting to experience his sins and the pain he was in before his death brought total satisfaction.. This is the kind of intense and unapologetic justice you rarely see in Kdramas... And that ending?? When she stabbed the ML.. Just made it more interesting.. How on earth are they going to go from this to being in love?? Well.. They were in love and more than that by the end of the drama.. This isn’t just the usual Enemies to Lovers trope.. This is something even darker and more intriguing.. Killer to Lovers?? Forbidden Love trope??

Seeing her thrash those culprits was so satisfying.. Easily one of my favorite parts of the drama.. Its not often that a show gives us such visceral justice.. And I honestly couldn’t get enough..

I read people complain about the lack of romance in the first half.. But honestly the chemistry was there all along.. Romance isn’t just about kissing scenes and physical intimacy.. It’s also about those micro moments.. From her smirk in the courtroom when she saw him smiling to her disappointment when he didnt trust her.. She was clearly drawn to him even before she understood her feelings.. She was in love long before she realized it herself.. She literally needed a psychiatrist to point it out..
She is a demon who dont know what love is.. But she was quick to clash with anyone who stood against the ML.. If that’s not love then what is??

When the detective went missing.. What surprised me was how casually her abduction was handled.. Even Han Da On didn't seem interested in doing anything.. I understand his reasons but it felt off.. She had disappeared from a dangerous situation.. She was like a mother figure to him.. He should have been searching for her like crazy.. But he didnt and he didn’t even ask Bit Na for help..

I despised the A Rong/Gremory character from the start and just wanted her to die as each episode passed.. I don't know why.. But she really got on my nerves.. However I have to admit she made up for her mistakes later on.. Really loved Man Do.. He was fun to watch..

I read some complaints about the CGI.. While I wouldn’t call it top notch.. I would rate it a solid 8 out of 10.. Most scenes were well done.. Except for a few scenes involving water..

Justitia went from killing him in ep 2 to going on to say:

" I wanted to kill everyone who made you cry..
And I wanted to make you happy so u never have to cry anymore.. "

And she went from calling kissing scenes in dramas filth to asking him to kiss her more.. That transformation was so much fun to watch..

Now.. The whole drama was a masterpiece.. But the ending.. Ending felt lacking.. She has 3 years left in earth but she chose to stay as a Judge that too far from the person she loves.. With whom she wanted to make memories which she could remember for eons?? And he didn't consider transferring to her city or taking a break?? He can work all he wants after she disappears right?? The logic was quite lacking considering what they both went through to reach where they are and the fact that they don't have a future together.. It was such a vague ending.. If they confirm a second season then all good.. Otherwise the ending is really lacking for me..

PSH really outperformed everyone.. Well there was no one as good as her here.. But she was really good.. She is one of the most convincing reason for the drama's success.. Kim Jae Young did a good job as well.. I hope this drama gives him the recognition he deserves and gets more opportunities..

Overall.. The Judge From Hell has amazing actors.. Great chemistry.. But the interaction between Da on & bitna in the first 8 episodes was truly spectacular.. Just stood out for me.. They were the opposite ends of the same coin.. The plot of Da On chasing her was absolutely exhilarating to watch.. The first 9-10 episodes is the reason why this garnered so much attention..

P.S. I find the subtitles for most dramas frustrating.. They often fail to provide accurate translations.. Missing key moments and not capturing the intended emotions.. Thankfully I understand a bit of Korean.. So I can pick up on what they really mean.. But I cant help but think that most people are missing out on the essence because of the terrible translations.. Its a bit annoying honestly..

Read More