The Demon Judge (2021)

Interesting but heavy

This is one of those dramas where you kind of have to focus and "think" with the characters which is why I rated the rewatch value pretty low. It's not exactly the type of drama I'd want to rewatch and go through the process again. The plot is interesting and the acting is superb, but it's pretty heavy. Definitely not something you'd want to play in the background while doing something else.

In a way, I kind of know how it's going to end anyway. To win the villains in power, you gotta be evil. That seems to be the message Kdramas these days like the deliver (i.e. Vincenzo, Penthouse, etc.). Regardless, I love the whole thinking process and how the plans are executed so creatively. Ji Sung, as per usual, is an amazing actor. He is the one actor whose expressions I can never seem to decipher (in a good way). Is he good? Is he evil? It feels like I have to brainwash myself everytime I watch him: "He's the main character of this drama. Of course he's not evil. He's like a dark hero."

Unlike most dramas, this is not the kind of drama that is stuck in my mind. I don't think about the previous episode all the time and I don't crave or anticipate for the next episode. 2 episodes per week is just right for me. Overall, I think this drama is worth watching, but not exactly the top drama on my list.

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De tirar o fôlego

The Devil Judge foi uma excelente surpresa dentre as séries coreanas desse ano. A história em si não é tão original, mas vem com uma nova roupagem e consegue prender a atenção do espectador do começo fim. E que final!

Motivos para você assistir a série:

1. Atuação
Jin Young mostra uma evolução considerável na sua atuação se comparada à série He's Psychometric, suas cenas de emoção conseguem transmitir o estado do personagem e ele tem muita química com o outro male lead, Ji Sung, e ele está espetacular! Vale destacar também a vilã interpretada por Kim Min Jung que dá um show.

2. Produção e fotografia
Essa série deve ter tido um bom orçamento porque está recheada de cenas de ação e efeitos bem executados. Como eu sou dessa área não consigo deixar de prestar atenção nos detalhes, mas The Devil Judge não desaponta.

Alguns aspectos importantes de saber antes de ver:

Xenofobia
A série apresenta uma realidade distópica na Coréia do Sul e trás alguns elementos um pouco xenofóbicos, mas é sempre bom lembrar que é uma obra de ficção científica, então não leve isso como verdade e nem para a sua vida.

Personagem principal com moral questionável
Particularmente eu adoro personagens conflitados e com moral duvidosa, mas é bom saber que o nosso querido juiz Kang Yo Han está mais para vilão do que para herói.

Para concluir, essa série vai prender a sua atenção desde o primeiro episódio e trás diversas reviravoltas, alianças inusitadas e traições. E o mais importante, o final é bom!

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WHY OH WHY!!!

When I started watching it, I was so excited. WoW!!! Another great Korean Drama.. I love the characters and their chemistry and their flaws! The two male leads bromance chemistry is just beautiful, between Yo Han and Ga On, how the older being protective over the younger. The baddies are bad you can almost hate them and wish they were run over by a steamroller. The storyline is way more exciting than anything I have seen in Korean dramas so far. The plots are so interesting as they build up towards the final quarter, and then towards the end of Episode 12, shit happened. What happened? All the beautifully build up plots and storylines just fell out of the bottom, they just turned into waste. All that expectations all that hope and excitement just turned into one big disappointment! Devoid of logic and a clear explanation to all the things that happened. And things just happened for the sake of drama. I think it's the case of the writer/writers trying too hard and failed to deliver the goods.

If they have kept the plot unusual and simple like they always do in Korean drama and that's why we love them, it would have worked so well, and I would have given it a 9.2 even, but what a disappointment! Am I going to continue? Hell, of course, I have invested so much of my time in it, at least I will see it till the end. But now, no matter how fantastic the ending is, it's going to be a non-event because the tidal wave that we ride on died around episode 12 and there won't be a THUMP on the beach, but a mild flat trickle..... We were building to expect a wad, but we got only a trickle.... Not nice. Not nice at all.... What an anti Climax!
Love the acting though.... even Ga On whimpish character that makes you feel like slapping him over and over again.....

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This is a must watch!!!!!

The story is really great it started with so many mystery and kept it till the end pushing you to watch it till the end. The acting is really great....Ji Sung passed himself this time...Ji young acting was good thinking this is something new for him.....the girl which plays Elijah is only 15!!!! but her acting is wow....the actress which plays Sun Ah is great but I thought she would do much more in the drama....the actress which played the minister of justice was amazing...the bada$$ roles suits her so much...ep 15 was really shocking there is only one episode left and it seem a little bit rushed...I think would be better if it had 20 ep...but this won't stop me watching it again ? because in overall is a masterpiece

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A good time but could have been SO much better

I wouldn't have even known this had existed if not for MDL. That's how it popped up on my radar. You guys were seriously obsessed when it was airing. Lol. But despite the intense hype, the FMV's, and the fanfiction at the time, I didn't watch it. Granted, months later, I caved. This was one of the few times I decided to follow the masses like a fellow zombie to see what was so interesting.

Was it worth it?

Overall, yes.

I'm a sucker for anything with dystopia. This was at least in the realm of realistic dystopia, which I definitely enjoyed. The imagery was spectacular, the soundtrack was grand, the plot was unpredictable (thanks to one ML in particular), and the acting from the two ML's was no joke. Kang Yo Han as a character was just epic! Ji Sung (Kang Yo Han) nailed every scene he was in. He embodied the complex judge. And Park Jin Young did an excellent job too as Kim Ga On. He was just as good here as he was in He is Psychometric, if not better.

In my opinion, the first 10 episodes were enthralling perfection. Spot on. Highly recommend.

Now, after that was where the problems hit (though I did have some before but they were mostly ignorable, mostly). Not enough for me to hate the drama or want to drop it. But, enough to make me highly annoyed at times.

Rant incoming:

What was always annoying was the forced romance with the FL, Yoon Soo Hyun. That didn't work. At all. For one, we as the audience weren't given enough to care about her, or like her with Kim Ga On. And, for me, it was over the moment she admitted her true character. She admitted, aloud, that she confessed her feelings to Ga On every time he cried and was at his lowest and in emotional turmoil. What kind of fucked up person does that? Seriously, wtf? That is the definition of manipulative! And the drama frames it as romantic! Which it's NOT, in case you're wondering!

And, look, the chemistry just didn't work between him and her. She was like a sister, a mother, and a best friend rolled into one. Not a potential love interest. Sorry, not sorry.

Not only that, but him "falling for her" came out of nowhere, wasn't convincing at all, and felt like the writers just decided to shoe-horn in a Straight romance because "every K-Drama needs one."

When Soo Hyun died, I felt nothing. Because they didn't make me care about her.

Hot take, but not really:

This drama would have been bordering on fucking amazing if they had decided to buckle down and follow through on their Bromance-that-honestly-goes-beyond-Bromance and make Kang Yo Han and Kim Ga On be in a relationship. I said it. The chemistry between them was already absolute fire and you can't tell me some lines and scenes didn't make you think "Hmmm.... that seems questionably not straight..."

What also annoyed me to no end were the "fallouts" between Kim Ga On and Kang Yo Han. Whenever they "broke up" (for lack of a better phrase) it was because Kim Ga On was manipulated by someone/the writers decided to do a 180 on his character. I was yelling at my screen when he bought into things. And Kang Yo Han having no one to lean on anymore physically pained me. Pained me!

Lastly, the plot itself outside of the terrible romance and "break up's" got a bit too muddled and complicated during the last few episodes.

The acting and connection between the ML's definitely saved this drama when it got near the end. That, and the pure badassness of the first 10 episodes. Lol.

I may sound like I hate this drama. But, I really don't. I really enjoyed it. Or, at least, most of it. I seem that way because I'm pissed off that this could have been a 10/10 but wasn't.

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"Into the Abyss."

The Devil Judge was hyped up a lot during its initial run and I only got around to watching it in 2023. The one aspect of it that makes it distinct from others I've seen is how well written and acted the characters were. As for the others… I'll get to them.

Revolving around the shady schemes set up by politicians under the disguise of goodwill in a dystopian society, the Devil Judge follows the eccentric judge Kang Yo Han, as he slowly plots their downfall. And the words of law that restrain him don't stand a chance. When a Live Court show is set up with him as the presiding judge, the public has a chance to decide the fate of the perpetrators. But, how will he fight against power and bring down the wrong doers to their knees?

Characters:

Kang Yo Han is THE deal and I wouldn't mind watching 16 episodes of his story alone. Complex, and ruthless. The word 'Justice' easily slips off our tongues, yet we see criminals get away with their crimes.
Yo Han makes pivotal decisions and dubious moves. By the end of EP3 or EP4, I began to slowly believe his intentions.
It was my first time watching Ji Sung, but he kicked the ball off the park with his performance. Will definitely be watching his other works.
I loved his hate-love attitude with Elijah. Both the actors captured their bond perfectly.

Yo Han was not somebody to mess with. It was thrilling to watch him blow up expectations and play with fire. His morales or lack of them thereof does not go unquestioned. Meet Kim Ga On, who plays this part.

Park Jin Young did his best with what he was given for sure, but I did not trust that guy till the very final episode. He might've been well written, so much that he managed to make it to the most idiotic characters I've met in my life list. I am not saying that he should've been complex or on par with Yo Han, but he couldn't even hold a candle against him.
If a character is written to be inexperienced, it must be done convincingly so. His family had fallen victims to a conman and he still manages to believe everyone. That too, he wildly jumps into situations without thinking twice or getting help. He was a grown up, yet he wavers in making every decision. He redeems himself, but all that was stuffed into one single episode.

The second character who was ill utilized was his best friend/love interest Soo Hyun. For a detective who graduated with magna cum laude, she fails spectacularly when it comes to being practical. Her entire arc was spent wasting on an investigation that seemed to be more inclined to soothe her personal vendetta against Kang Yo Han. Which was useless as more dangerous incidents kept happening and not once did she try to raise a finger or investigate the corrupt officials. She spent her whole free time on the church incident which makes no sense since her own friend Ga On told her that Yo Han never harmed him. She hides the fact that it was Yo Han who helped save a life. What was that for? The other thing which irked me was how she dove headfirst into situations without backup.

Sun Ah was a decisive villain with a whole plan. She had my sympathy as well as my hate. Sympathy due to her circumstances and hate for her shameless greed for power and validation. The only person whom she truly considered and respected as an enemy was Yo Han. I did think that her character was playing the "feigned innocence" demeanor a bit too over the top. But, the actress was insane with her performance. Particularly the final episode.

Shout out to Cha Kyung Hee, the spectacled director and K – they have my respect, limited screen time or not.

Others seemed to be written as their thoughts depicted them to be: clowns. But, highly entertaining clowns.

The OST was apt, not too bright, but intriguing enough. Nightmare by Sondia is my favorite one.

The last episode was too crowded. So many scenes that required an emotional build up were stuffed into one and a half hours. Plus, remove Ga On's stupidity and this drama would've wrapped up by EP13 or EP14.
All in all, it's definitely a worthy watch. There are moments where it loses it's momentum, but, as a whole, it's a 'don't miss it'.

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Addictively Homoerotic

The Devil Judge shoved a middle finger right into the face of heteronormativity – a middle finger with a diamond ring on it, mind you – and it did so with a devilish smirk and a wink. Sexy, twisty, and unapologetically gay, it told one hell of a story, with one hell of a passionate, epic queer romance at its center.

Aside from the inspirations that scriptwriter Moon Yoo Seok mentioned, such as Beauty and the Beast, Jane Eyre, and a Swedish queercoded movie, this series has also drawn on, or evoked, Batman, Lucifer, Goethe's Faust, which is known for its homosexual subtext, the dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451, Sherlock Holmes, and even Romeo and Juliet. This seemingly outrageous blend of different influences worked spectacularly well, delivering a mind-blowing tale that will keep you on the edge of your sit from start to finish. Love triangles, seduction, obsession, jealousy, sexual tension – they all join forces to serve a romance so deliciously addictive.

But how is this a queer love story if Yo Han and Ga On neither kiss not profess their love for each other? The answer to this question depends on your definition of love. If you prefer to be told, not shown, that two people are in love, then kisses, dates, and confessions are what you need, and you will not find them here. However, if you, like me, want to see and feel with your whole being that two characters have fallen deeply for each other, if love to you means to protect, to sacrifice, and to desire, if you believe that it heals and transforms, then Yo Han and Ga On's story will captivate you, shake you, break you, and then uplift you. It is to South Korea what The Untamed and Word of Honor are to China. It is extraordinary, bold, and beautiful.

The Devil Judge, Kang Yo Han, is the heart of this series. Ji Sung has done a magnificent job portraying his complex character, who will keep you craving for more. What impressed me even more than Yo Han, though, is the fact that the rest of the characters were a match for him. Not one of them was flat or boring. Although they did things that were evil, annoyingly stupid, or reckless, I understood their motivations and objectives. From Ga On, to Sun Ah, to Elijah, to everyone else, the characters are masterfully drawn and brilliantly played by the actors. Ji Sung and Park Jinyoung's chemistry is through the roof. Kudos to the production team and the cast.

My only complaint is that the script introduced a heteronormative romance into the story out of nowhere. You cannot make Yo Han and Ga On so obviously gay and their relationship so obviously more than just a bromance – I have seen enough bromances to know the difference – and expect the viewers to buy your heterosexual romance. If the production team did it to disguise the clear homosexual subtext, they should know that it did not work: by forcing Ga On and Soo Hyun out of their friendship and into a romantic relationship that had no chemistry, they only underscored the fact that this story is queer.

Overall, do not be discouraged by the heavy topics that this series deals with. It is more than worthy of your attention. The last two episodes are brilliant and more than compensate for the underwhelming episodes thirteen and fourteen. Please, Mr. Moon Yoo Seok, give us a second season. I would watch Yo Han and Ga On be gay and solve/do crime for as many seasons as possible.

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One of the best drama for this season

This was one of my favourite drama of this year. I just got sucked in. They were able to keep it mysterious till the end. Though I sympathize with Yohan, I was suspicious of him from the beginning till the end. Ga-on'a character was suppose to be the complete oposite of Yohan and while he did seem to agree with Yohan on certain points, being on Yohan's side was conflicting to his self-righteous personality, so he never really commits to him and this part kinda made me mad. As for Sunha, her character was fantastic, she was so evil and way ahead of everyone, even Yohan. Just in the last episode I don't know if the writter was trying to redeem her character and try to make people pity her. It failed on me. I cannot feel sorry for her cause she was evil and manipulative from the beginning, suddenly showing an act of kindness from Yohan as a child moved her heart just fell flat on me. Also the fact that she didn't know what was going on inside the dream home didn't sit well with her character. she was someone who thinks things way ahead of its time, she had all kinda information on everyone but she didn't know what was going on in her own project was just funny. they made her character weak in the finale. they should have let her be the psycho she was and make Yohan decide her ends. This is the only part that disappointed me.

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Who needs due process when everyone looks this good while they threaten each other?

This show that takes its premise and runs absolutely wild with it, leading to some great TV.
It looks gorgeous, the music is fantastic, the actors are giving it everything they've got, and it all comes together into something that is lush with beauty and menace. This show does for crime and law procedural dramas what Kang Yo Han is doing on screen - they've gone all in on style and attitude, and not worried about keeping things realistic. There is very little restraint... anywhere, and that's a good thing.

One of the best things in this drama is the careful balance of Kim Ga On's emotional journey towards and away from Kang Yo Han. Often, POV characters have so little personality - they're the vehicle through which the audience experiences the story, so their actions can become motivated by plot necessity rather than by characterisation, which becomes tedious really quickly. The Devil Judge largely avoids this trap. Yes, there are moments of tension as you watch Ga On make bad decisions as he tries to decide who and what to trust, but he never acts without reason or against his nature. Park Jin Young does a really good job of showing us how much Ga On likes Yo Han, and how much he wants to trust him. But Ji Sung does an equally good job of layering misdirection, threat, and vulnerability in equal parts that the push and pull between trust and distrust is intriguing instead of just frustrating.

The plot, while stretching belief at times, is tight- some twists you'll see coming, and others will take you by surprise. This might be a fictional, dystopian Korea, but it's never far away from the present. Social media, pandemics, executive power, conspiracy theories and xenophobia might be pushed to extremes, but how much further than reality is extreme?
If there's an underlying message to the show, it could be a warning. It could be, as the show says, that systems fail in the face of power. If it's either of these things, then I don't think the ending is hopeful for the fictional, dystopian Korea (even if I have boundless hope for our main characters). That might be the one weakness of the show- in the end, it may condemn or praise individuals, but it can't seem to commit to whether the actions of an individual can or should engender real change. It seems to show us that the ends justify the means - even as it's taking pains to tell us the opposite. But this in no way lowers the enjoyment you get from 16 hours of people in amazing outfits saying horrifying things and (maybe) getting away with it.

They really committed to telling this story and telling it indulgently, un-apologetically reveling in it. I can't get away from how the production almost mirrors the character of Kang Yo Han. I mean, it's a bit over the top, and if you wanted to you could walk away and call it ridiculous, but why would you want to when it just full on commits to the insanity like this?

No-one on this show knows what irony is, every dial is turned up to 100%, I can even forgive the damn bus scene in episode one. God, I love it.

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Why het romances are stupid

Absolutely loved this show. I binged it in a couple days and tried to hold off on finishing because I didn't want it to end. I had seen gifs from the series and video of the behind the scenes on tumblr and heard it was pretty gay so I was all in. Very surprised and kinda disappointed to find that there was a het romance featured for Ga On. honestly feel that he and Soo Hyun had NO romantic chemistry and think it would have worked better if they just kept them as friends or have her be his sister. The emotional beats would have been the same ( if not heavier if she was his sister, blood or not, since one of the main themes of this show is family) and I woudn't have hated on her character so much. I still believe she was kinda dumb and like others have said, probably one of the dumbest detectives in any detective show I've seen. But yeah the romantic scenes (if you can call them that) were awkward af and i skipped through a bunch of it. That's why I can't give the show a 10/10 even though I would love to ( I would give it around a 9.9 out of 10 if I could but the rating system goes by halves). Honestly the show didn't need a romance and it only detracted from my enjoyment of it (although the chemistry between Ga On and Yo Han was fire and I can see why people said it was gay lol). Either way, I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend this intellectual series that deals with murder, mystery, corruption and a sprinkling of gay and great characters, music, cinematography and direction. This definitely is one of my favorite non BL series that I have had the pleasure to watch in recent years.

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Super indico!

"The Devil Judge" de Moon Yoo-seok é um drama emocionante, futurista e legal que oferece um vislumbre de uma alma futurista alimentada pelo poder e um sistema legal assustador e preconceituoso baseado no entretenimento dos espectadores. Com este recurso de drama, Choi Jung-gyu criou um drama legal esclarecedor sobre dois juízes lutando contra um sistema de decisão não confiável e usando uma cinematografia cativante, mergulhamos na batalha de dois homens contra o sistema jurídico para o qual trabalham e sua própria moral que é tempo e vez novamente posto à prova pelo enredo em evolução. Moon Yoo-seaok mostra um controle extraordinário sobre o design de produção, edição e música e cria uma experiência cinematográfica extraordinária. O roteiro é excelente, usando diálogos instigantes para criar personagens fortes e interessantes, tanto femininos quanto masculinos. É difícil não elogiar performances fenomenais. Jinsung oferece uma das melhores performances de sua carreira como Kang Yo-han. Com expressões hipnotizantes, ele transmite raiva, desespero e ressentimentos de um homem em constante turbulência de seus valores e moral. O elenco de apoio, encabeçado por Park Jinyoung e Kim Min-jung, também são excelentes e muito dignos de reconhecimento.
Mais sobre o texto original.

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