Main Cast:
Ji Sung/지성/池晟 – Kang Yo Han/姜耀漢
Kim Min Jung/김민정/金玟廷 – Jung Sun Ah/鄭善兒
Park Jin Young/박진영/朴珍榮 – Kim Ga On/金佳溫/ Isaac
Park Gyu Young/박규영/朴珪瑛 – Yoo Soo Hyun/尹秀賢
Jeong Chae Eun/全蔡誾 – Kang Elijah/姜以利亞
Jang Young Nam/張英南 – Cha Kyung Hee/車慶熙
Kim Jae Kyung/金栽經 – Oh Jin Joo/吳珍珠
Ratings for the Show:
Acting: 8
Storyline: 7
Overall: 7.5
Grade: B
*Disclaimer: Review contains spoilers. Please read only after you have completed the drama.
Are you….
the hunter or the hunted?
manipulator or the manipulated?
good or evil?
“The Devil Judge” has affirmed once again that there’s no clear distinction between good and evil.
It’s all based on perspectives and who is better at playing mind games. The weaker minds get controlled while the manipulators emerge as winners.
We would have dreamt of living in a perfect world, but have you ever wondered what it’s like living in a Dystopian nightmare?
Dark, brutal, evil, devilish, merciless, twisted, melancholic, so full of angst and injustice, is what one would make of “The Devil Judge”, yet you would gravitate towards this drama.
This drama would unleash the beast and devil in you and keeps you pondering over many aspects in life.
What happens if we could take justice into our own hands, authorise another person to exercise punishments we deem fit to the law-breakers?
Hell breaks loose.
究竟是“人之初，性本善“，还是我们根本无法掩饰内心隐藏已久的黑暗邪恶?
“An eye for an eye“, is what we have learnt in this dysfunctional world.
Having evil thoughts vs doing real evil through the hands of others. Which is the eviler of the 2?
Could you cast morals aside if you could punish criminals in any way that you like? Would that make us any different from these cold-blooded criminals?
Kang Yo Han is a character that channels and acts on behalf of our innermost devils.
All we need, is just a reason or excuse to validate our thoughts, actions and behaviour. Just a click and someone else would do the job for us. How easy to shirk off responsibilities.
Ji Sung’s acting never disappoints, his dramas rarely fail viewers too.
Compared to dramas that boast about justice and good triumphs over evil, my penchant for those that dive deep into the good, bad and ugly sides of human nature prevails. It’s a “mind manipulation” game.
The director manipulates how viewers would react to our protagonists and antagonists’ behaviour, just like how these characters “manipulated” the citizens’ emotions and decisions to pass verdicts.
The messages that were sent across, set us reflecting on the dark facets of human nature that we would usually avoid touching on.
Everyone may dream of Utopia , but Dystopia is so much more easily “attainable” in reality. That’s ideal world vs reality.
What attracted me to the drama other than Ji Sung, is the story being set in a Dystopian version of South Korea, where justice is served through live broadcasts of courtroom trials and citizens have a say in the verdict.
When courtroom trials become “reality shows” and the judge punishes law breakers mercilessly, isn’t that taking advantage of and riding high on civilians’ heightened emotions, to serve justice as he deems fit?
When a trial is no longer about serving justice, but just an unfair “game” whereby the “innocent” would be someone who is able to “prove” with real or fabricated evidence…..
Do moral codes even matter anymore, as long as the end justifies the means?”
There were secrets to unravel and mysteries to solve, and times when our conscience would debate with rationality.
The compelling and thrilling pace, unexpected plot, excellent cinematography and music, impeccable chemistry in acting, constitutes such a masterpiece.
However, the writing and execution of the dark twisted storyline fails to maintain its initial standards as time goes by. It would weigh heavier on your hearts as the story progresses.
It gets too morbid at times you wonder if those twist and turns are indeed necessary. There would be things that you love and hate, to balance it off the scale.
Screen writer’s Moon Yoo Seok’s ability to manipulate viewers’ emotions and discretion, just like how Kang Yo Han could trigger and manipulate the public’s’ intense emotions with the “live broadcast courtroom trials” and extreme means to bring the law breakers to justice, was equally excellent.
Director Choi Jung Gyu’s exemplary way of filming added on to how cathartic these scenes made us feel.
You wouldn’t be able to second guess what may happen, which makes it even more enjoyable.
Now, that sounds like a lot of chaos and evil which we may expect even more than in “Vincenzo”.
Would Kang Yo Han be another Vincenzo who’s a villain who punishes evil, or would he be a Dark Knight? Viewers get to discover for themselves and decide which stand to take.
Ji Sung and Kim Min Jung’s 2nd collaboration after 16 years has given more punch, depth, chemistry and immense entertainment value to the viewers.
They were partners in “New Heart“ but rivals in their latest drama. The allure of it all is how their electrifying chemistry could flow so vehemently in the tug-of-war at opposing ends.
It’s so cathartic watching these veteran actors pitting their acting chops against each other, with their schemes and conspiracies which would catch you unaware at times.
Everyone has their motives for doing something.
The opening scene reminded me of “The Dark Knight” where Kang Yo Han was driving his black sports car on the dark streets at night.
Economic crisis, rising inflation, pandemic, high unemployment and crime rates, war, corruption at an all-time high, protests and strikes on the streets.
Aren’t we already in the midst of a partial Dystopia society?
These are the hardships that we can all relate to. It’s getting more difficult to make ends meet in present times.
Is he Justice Bao or someone who treads on the grey border of law to prosecute the law breakers? What secrets were he hiding?
Every episode has a theme related to another drama or novel.
1) Star Judge
2) Prey and Hunter
3) The Secret Room
4) Yo-han’s Cross
5) Scissor Hands
6) Achille’s Heel
7) Dreams Shall Come True
8) Resistance
9) Batman and Robin
10) Frankenstein
11) Macbeth
12) I Hope You Are Lonely
13) The Hunger Games
14) King of the Frogs
15) Medea
16) The Devil Judge?
You may disagree with his tactics that touch on the borderline of moral codes, but they are undoubtedly effective.
The end would justify the means somehow, even if it means 栽赃嫁祸。However, there is a butterfly effect and repercussion to the civilians’ support in punishing law breakers in such manner.
Backlash that came with the overly brutal punishments, were more social unrest and children thinking that it is okay to use violence to combat violence.
Ji Sung – The Devil is in the Details
That charismatic, evil look in Ji Sung’s eyes propelled us back to his “Shin Se Gi” persona in “Kill Me, Heal Me” back in 2015.
I like how Kang Yo Han is so crazy, unpredictable and uncontrollable, yet being able to manipulate many things as he’s much more powerful than Shin Se Gi.
He’s got not just a sexy outlook, but an even sexier brain. There’s no way you can guess his next moves. 犀利的眼神，透漏着深思熟虑。
Yo Han is equally attractive when he showed his softer and more vulnerable side when he exuded loneliness and pain from his past traumas.
All it takes, is just a change of look in his eyes which speak and we continue to stay mesmerised.
实力派就是实力派。每个眼神，一个再微小不过的表情和动作，都那么带戏，那么丝丝入扣，让观众边看边屏住呼吸。
具有杀伤力，狡猾，在动坏念头，暴力，抓狂，悲伤，歇斯底里，对人性彻底死心的那一刻的神情，都发挥地淋漓尽致。
That’s what a real actor does – capturing your attention and manipulating your emotions with the slightest change in look in their eyes, tiniest expressions and actions.
何为“社会弱者“? 少年犯，露宿的贫困层，精神疾病患者在他眼里只有“被告人“。
他认为身为法官，他就是国民委任的司法权，所以他就是权力。 国民就是权力，而他只是代表。
He symbolises the power of law and jurisdiction.
“高利贷一行便是贩卖希望，然后用恐怖还债。法官是贩卖希望，用梦想赎回。“
想嬴的人什么事都做得出来。反方却只能愤怒，哭泣。这是无数的群众唯一能做的事。
这世界早就变调了。要维护所谓的正义，也要动动脑子。
他并不认为所有人民在法律面前都是平等的。
我想，他的观点就是，即使知道这恶劣的世界不会有太大的改变，但还是要出击，让这些人知道，偶尔还是会有“奇迹“和“正义“存在的。
“有钱人和穷人，在贪欲面前，都是平等的“。
的确，有钱人想要更有钱和势力，而穷人就要会渴望像有钱人一样的生活。
这就是何为的“贪念和爱一样无极限“。
要坏人得到应有的惩罚，偶尔还是得出奇招，以牙还牙，才能大快人心 (虽然有时过于残忍）。
We are absolutely enthralled by Kang Yo Han’s brains, but at the same time “shocked” by his merciless and often, brutal judgements and punishments to the baddies..
The purpose of having “live trials” is to have victims mustering their courage to come forth and testify against the defendant through video calls.
He committed much crime but was never brought to justice, since he was able to get away with connections. While we may think this is cruel or even brutal, it is somewhat true that Yo Han merely did what the civilians would have wanted.
While Kang Yo Han’s tactics are brutal, it’s true that he merely translated the civilians’ darkest thoughts into actions.
Let’s admit this.
There’s an innermost corner in our hearts that wished for brutal punishments to be enforced on these inhumane law breakers. It isn’t exactly right we associate him to being a “monster” just cos he does things differently from us.
Leaving someone to die on their own, without calling the ambulance.. Is this considered morally wrong if these people were responsible for the deaths of your loved ones?
Ga On: “你不是因为觉得有趣才这样做的吗? 你就是一个怪物，以打猎为乐趣，觉得妨碍到了自己就会除掉。”
It didn’t matter to him if what he did was right or wrong, as long as he gets his revenge to extinguish the wrath in him.
他明白“大众是善变“的道理。
While the public agreed on the punishment to be executed, they would skew towards the “victim” who is the criminal as he went through torture.
This contradiction is a flawed component in human nature. Even though we have evil thoughts, we still want to be looked upon as a good person.
It’s not so straight forward to categorise Yo Han as a good person, villain or antihero. It boils down to perspectives and if you would agree with what he did. It’s greyed out in the above context.
Do we have the right to judge anyone in the first place?
Fascinating Acting
What makes a great actor is the ability to act with his eyes, body language, even if no words uttered.
– The part where he was choked with tears, having breathing difficulties as he had an illusion of seeing his late brother who passed away in the fire.
– The devastation when he lost his brother and sister-in-law but pulled his niece out to safety with all his might.
– The evil and berserk look when he was out to punish evil
Strained Relationship with Niece
No matter how brainy Yo Han is, he fails in the department of interpersonal relationships.
Communication is key in any relationship, including family relations. 他对着侄女是欢喜冤家，有点青涩又调皮。平时最爱整侄女找乐子，然后看她生气就会沾沾自喜。
However, both Yo Han and Elijah suffered from a very strained relationship and did not know how to get along with each other.
It was only when Ga On stayed with them and added some warmth to the otherwise, big and cold house, that things began to change.
Imagine not having a single meal or enjoying family time together for decades?
They learnt how to show care and concern for each other and spoke their minds.
Cases
Some of the cases were ingrained in our minds for a long time, which we can term as “disturbing”.
Of chaebols assaulting people, big conglomerates getting top idols to admit to sexual crimes.
Caning them in public and getting them on the electric chair, created a stir where civilians’ emotions were heightened and all would wish for brutal punishments for future offenders.
However, chemical castration is a little too inhumane, so Yo Han was in a fix as to how to give the verdict. If the civilians are “wrong”, then it also takes him as a judge to make things right.
The episode where Yo Han brought Ga On to punish his parents’ murderer, whereby he hesitated and did not wish to punish the murderer in the same way, was a 震撼 scene.
It was a fire that Yo Han staged, that revealed the true colours of the murderer. He’d rather saved his money, than his wife and daughter who were locked in a burning house.
Is greed the root of all evil?
It was indeed gratifying when you realised the “Batman and Robin” duo distributed those loots to victims of the scammer.
Kim Min Jung – An A-List Villain
Kim Min Jung is so good at portraying villainous roles that you can’t help but keep your eyes fixated on her whenever she appears on screen.
You would not just remember her for the big dolly eyes, but also for her acting chops.
心狠手辣，为了目的不择手段，杀人不眨眼的女人。
她从小就向往那有钱人的世界, but she never got out of her tragedy unfortunately.
The chemistry between her and Ji Sung was awesome. It’s a dangerous yet potent kinda relationship between the 2 of them.
It’s a tug of war between love, admiration, hate, sympathy and yearning for love.
She was never loved her entire life but Kang Yo Han is an epitome of the world she yearns to live in.
Class, elegance, riches, etc, is all that she ever wanted.
He’s perfect in her eyes.
They are on par when it comes to scheming and plotting.
Nonetheless, that obsession with Yo Han seemed too outrageous sometimes.
It is presumably got to do with her childhood trauma and loneliness that engulfed her even when she’s so successful now.
Self pity and wallowing swallowed her conscience. There’s a conflicting allure in Sun Ah’s flawed personality that makes you pity her for all the evil things she did to get to where she is.
She’s an embodiment of an innocent little girl in her core, but sheer evil at the same time. She’s one of the most powerful women in society, yet rendered helpless with her emotional struggles.
She’s unloved all her life, yet she could love someone so deeply. It’s always easier to push the blame to others, to justify for her actions.The mentality whereby she did what she did because she had Hobson’s choice, or because someone didn’t treat her well enough, is a blaming mentality.
Taking ownership of your actions is what an adult should do, but this shows that she hasn’t really grown up emotionally all this while.
Jin Young as A Beacon of Light in Darkness
Jin Young’s acting is a little green, especially when he acts alongside such strong veteran actors like Ji Sung and Kim Min Jung who are natural scene stealers.
Ga On believes in law and justice. Though he disagreed with what Yo Han has done, he began to feel torn between righteousness and delivering what the civilians want as time went by.
Aren’t we always torn between doing what we want versus what others want us to?
Civilians would thank him for the trial verdicts (which were in a sense manipulated by Yo Han) as they felt blessed that there were people they can trust in this unfair world.
The Judges team is one they can rely on to get rid of evil and bring them to justice.
Are they selling “hope” to normal civilians in a Dystopian world?
It is also because of this trust that he needs to decide between “doing things right versus doing the right thing”.
Yo Han: 我没拜托过你理解我。不需要理解，选择吧。
He needed to make a choice between standing by Yo Han or bring him to justice.
The director tried to portray the relationship between Yo Han and Ga On just like “Batman and Robin”, but Ga On seemed like a sidekick most of the time.
He’s a symbol of someone with good moral codes and believes in justice, which we need in such a dark genre like this.
While they are on diverging ends when it comes to moral codes, they make the best partners when fighting against the villains.
Sometimes, it feels like Yo Han is just making use of Ga On all along , rather than treating him as an ally or brother. He was trying to “persuade” him to join his side, but he could readily cast Ga On aside when he wants to attain something else.
When it comes to matters of the heart, we can say Ga On is a coward. Soo Young and Ga On have been 青梅竹马. He’s aware of Soo Young’s feelings but he did not take their relationship further for fear of losing her.
这就是一种窝囊的表现。You do not wish to lose a friend but continue leading her on for years. 他以为保持朋友的关系，就不会分手，也不会失去。对他来说，只有她而已。失去的话，会变得一无所有。
Well, it may be easy to say that he’s a coward in love, but we would probably choose to close one eye in reality, because the risks of losing a forever friend is just too great.
Cha Kyung Hee as Jang Young Nam
Other than Kim Min Jung as the biggest villain, I like how Jang Young Nam portrays the role of an ambitious and merciless prosecutor, whose dream was to become the president.
She would do anything to achieve success and has neglected in the upbringing of her son. Like the scenes whereby she was torn between choosing her career and son. She had initially sacrificed her son for her career but later on sacrificed everything because a mother’s love and guilt engulfed her more than anything.
Intriguing Quotes
Yo Han: 世上没有容易得到的正义。
Yo Han: 审判是游戏。无法证明便会输的游戏。可是这游戏又不公平。捏造以及销毁证据，收买搜查机关，想嬴的人什么事都做得出来。反方却只能愤怒，哭泣。这是无数的群众唯一能做的事。
Soo Hyun: 犯规就是犯规。那也是犯罪。
Sun Ah: 财团的赞助人们最讨厌的就是反转。老人家们就是如此。拥有的越多，他们就越喜欢显而易见，以及能预测的事情。
Ga On: 自己随意判断别人，是老玩固的特征。
Yo Han: 是小孩子的特征，无病呻吟。
Jin Joo :有权力的人不会反省，没有权力的人们做的才是反省。
Ga On : 猎人会彻底的隐藏自己的气息，直到时机成熟。就一，不直到动机，因为理解不了。但是愤怒我理解。就算这世界上没人能理解，我也理解那感情。但是不对就是不对。将裁判当做是道具利用，是犯罪。
Jin Joo: 过分的谦虚是傲慢。
Oh Jin Joo: 犯罪率很低的国家，我们并不生活在同一个国家。没钱的平民生活的国家，和你生活的国家是不一样的。拜托你也替他们的人权考虑一下吧。
Sung Ah: 疑心这个东西，只要发芽，就会茁壮成长。
Min Jeong Ho: 姜法官，你开的法庭是舆论法庭，不是依靠法律和原则的法庭。会因为一些言语反噬。舆论，就是极性也很残酷。你按照法律和原则为自己辩护的时候，会乖乖等着你吗?
Sung Ah:世界是丛林。互相吃掉对方，撕咬对方才能勉强活下来。怎么能变的善良呢? 首先要活下来，不管怎样。打你，你就咬，没有就去抢。像禽兽一样的家伙到处都是。不管是学识高的，还是受尊敬的，都一样。
那样像垃圾一样的人扑过来，要怎么做呢? 要抓住对方的弱点。法律绝对不是我们这边的。不管怎样都要拿到证据，然后折磨他到死。告诉他要毁了他所拥有的一切，直到成为很听话的一条狗。
Yo Han: 你知道他们是靠什么方法得到了权力的吗? 伪善。越是危机时刻，一些微小的善意人们越会感激。
Ga On: 法官按照法律办事的时候最有力量。不能成为不能堂堂正正的犯法者。
Yo Han: 你知道骗人最重要的是什么吗? 气势。没有任何动摇的态度。人类一般会被这个所骗。
Yo Han: 如果世界上真的存在恶魔，那绝对是权力者对自己的怜悯。
Sung Ah: 魅力就是权力
Yo Han: 世界上没有没罪的人。
Yo Han: 当人类所拥有的东西被剥夺时，会感到更大的痛苦。人只要认为失去了曾经拥有的东西，就会丧失理智。
Yo Han: 只要是人，都会有一两处刺了会痛的伤处，不管是谁。
Judge: 你凝视深渊太久了，深渊也在凝视着你。
Yo Han: 黑暗是战胜不了光的。
Ga On: 其实你的算盘不就是如此吗? 若想让人们战斗，就需要牺牲者流下来的血。
Yo Han: 人就是执着于自己的选择是对的。
Ga On: 利用人类的脆弱，那只是恶魔才会做出来的事情。
Yo Han: 要是不先咬一口，就会被咬死。这个世界就是这样。战斗的时候不要触碰底线，是吗? 这说法真够幼稚。我只是选择了最快的办法而已。
Ga On: 因为是人类才会犹豫。虽然软弱，但是懂得犹豫，懂得停止，这才是人类。要不然，只剩下一模一样的一群怪物，沉浸在自我怜悯的一群怪物们。
Yo Han: 总是努力地挣扎。总是填补填不满的饥饿，想得到得不到的东西。
Yo Han: 我作为法官，刻骨铭心。法律在权力面前是无力的。拥有钱和权力的人们，即使犯罪也能全身而退的模样出现在我眼前。无论用什么方法，我也想让他们付出代价。没错，我以对现实没有实现正义的愤怒为接口，越过了不该越过的线。
Sung Ah: 世上没有重复的偶然。
Yo Han: 怪物不是制造而成的。而是本来的怪物，自己睁开了双眼苏醒了。只要出现了合理的借口的话。
Although “The Devil Judge” made a promising start with an intriguing Dystopian theme and a “live trial” courtroom theme, the story line spiraled downwards towards the 2nd half and lost its grip, leaving viewers heavy hearted till its end.
Nonetheless, it is one of the better antihero dramas in recent years that make us face up to our innermost devils.
Even if you don’t watch for the storyline, you certainly wouldn’t regret watching it for Ji Sung and Kim Min Jung’s stellar performances.
Villains will always live amongst us, for this world requires maintaining its balance of good and evil.
While being evil is 1 facet of human nature, it is what we choose to do with the other facets that makes a distinction. Whether this world would be a better or worse off place, 就在我们的一念之间。
Take some time off to purge off the evil within you after the drama and learn to make peace with yourself, what you have and work for the better good.
