The Judge Returns First Impression, Episode 1 Reviews, and Reactions; Episode 2 Preview, Spoilers

The Judge Returns
The Judge Returns X/MBC

The Judge Returns, the new fantasy legal drama starring Ji Sung, Park Hee Soon, and Won Jin Ah, premiered on MBC on Friday (January 2) at 9:40 pm KST. It introduced viewers to corrupt Judge Lee Han Young. The judge confidently and effortlessly dealt with a complicated case in the first episode. He passed judgment in favor of a corrupt company without regret.

Although Han Young walked out of the courtroom with lots of confidence, he had to pay the price for hurting several workers in the factory. An employee, who was suffering from leukemia due to the hazardous chemicals used in the factory, ended her life after hearing the verdict. The Judge's mother confronted him for joining hands with the evil force. She told him to apologize for his wrongdoings.

However, Han Young refused to admit his mistake. Disappointed with her son, the mother went to the funeral home and apologized to the employee's grandmother. On her way back home, she suffered from breathlessness and was taken to the hospital. When the judge reached the hospital, it was too late. He saw his mother taking her last breath.

This tragic incident changed the way Han Young dealt with cases involving corrupt companies. During his next case, he decides to be ethical and focus on the real culprit. His verdict surprised everybody in the courtroom, especially those who expected a favorable judgment from him. The Judge Returns episode 2 will reveal the impact of this verdict on the life of Judge Lee Han Young.

The newly released stills show him in a courtroom as a judge. However, he looks different, because the photos show him exploding in anger and lashing out at defendant Kim Sang Jin. The sudden outburst by the cool-headed, calm judge surprises everybody in the courtroom. What could be the reason for this shocking behaviour? Watch the next episode of this fantasy legal drama on MBC on Saturday (January 3) at 9:40 pm KST.

People in Korea can watch the premiere on TV or stream it online. K-drama fans from other parts of the world, including the US, Canada, Australia, the UK, Mexico, Denmark, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Greece, Greenland, Hong Kong, China, Japan, New Zealand, UAE, Singapore, Turkey, and South Africa, can watch the mini-series with subtitles on various streaming platforms, like Viki.

Here are the International Air Timings of The Judge Returns:

  • US - 7:40 AM
  • Canada - 7:40 AM
  • Australia - 11:10 PM
  • New Zealand - 1:40 AM
  • Japan - 9:40 PM
  • Mexico - 6:40 PM
  • Brazil - 9:40 PM
  • Saudi Arabia - 3:40 PM
  • India - 6:10 PM
  • Indonesia - 7:40 PM
  • Singapore - 8:40 PM
  • China - 8:40 PM
  • Europe - 1:40 PM
  • France - 1:40 PM
  • Spain - 1:40 PM
  • UK - 12:40 PM
  • South Africa - 2:40 PM
  • Philippines - 8:40 PM

First Impressions

I'm so happy to see his cuteness in this drama, Jisung is back... Yeahhh

The first ep of #TheJudgeReturns was so damn good.

Here, I really like how he did portray that deep strength without showing much emotion he used barking dogs, which represent how cold and harsh he is.

The laws, injustices, and future of Koreans, depicted with such exquisite detail and artistry, are truly astonishing. I hope justice will prevail. There is a justice that cannot be defiled.

oh jisung, how i miss your acting. that was a solid pilot episode. so many things happened in just 1 episode. can't wait for ep2.

done with episode 1, is bit overwhelming cuz many things are happening at once but not bad for a start.

JiSung's acting was outstanding, and the ending was incredibly exciting. I'm looking forward to tomorrow